Deer hunting season is almost upon us here in Idaho and we cannot wait. That being said, we know a few people who were lucky enough to score a muley tag either here in Idaho or on Utah. Last year one of our crew was lucky enough to get a muley tag and managed to get a beautiful buck. We asked him to share some of his top tips to help you bag a big buck too, so we present you with his Top 5 Mule Deer Tips!
1. Location, location, location.
This one may seem a no brainer to many, but it is literally the best piece of advice you can get no matter what you happen to be hunting. Mule deer in general love rough terrain, so the higher your vantage point, the more visibility you will have between the shrubs and bushes, and the more likely you are to keep an eye on your deer. If you find an area with a good vantage point and white sand you are in an amazing spot, so hunker down and wait for the deer to come.
2. Timing is everything.
By timing we mean two things: picking the best time of day for a big buck, and also timing your shot just right. Big bucks tend to be out and about either an hour or so before sunrise or sunset and shortly after. These boys know that their large racks make them highly visible, so they tend to prefer to be out and about in low-light or evening hours, rather than the glaring light of day. For your shots, be patient. Wait until your buck is alone. A deer alone means you are less likely of being spotted by other deer that can alert your buck to danger, and that more than likely your buck is being calm and moving slowly, which increases the likelihood of a kill shot.
3. The bird is the word.
Which bird in particular? Why the Magpie! For some reasons mule deer and magpies seem to be BFFs. Mule deer love how magpies help to keep their coats clean, and the magpies love the free food, so in most cases where you find one you are likely to find the other.
4. Don’t be the smelly kid.
Mule deer have a surprisingly great sense of smell; which means no matter how quiet or how stealthy you are, your scent can give you way in a New York minute. Therefore, it is extremely important to either accurately mask your scent or keep a very close eye on wind direction.
5. Just because he’s #1, doesn’t mean he’s your #1.
Mule deer are notorious for having beautiful, yet deceptively sized racks. Which makes this tip a hard one, don’t shoot the first buck you see. We know it’s tempting, but especially with mule deer, waiting will likely get you a beautiful buck. We saw so many last season, but our guy bided his time and ended up with a beautiful boy that put all those other bucks he saw to shame.
So those are our top muley tips. We hope these help you all to bag that perfect buck that not only fills your table with delicious food, but can also decorate your home and make you proud! We hope this fall you have a great hunting season. Don’t forget to bring along your Pro-Tracker, ultimate recovery system with fully charged batteries too! You don’t want to hit your big guy, only lose him in that rough terrain and dense brush that mule deer love. Make sure to take us along to help make sure your hunt goes off without a hitch. Happy hunting!
