Best Mule Deer Hunting Tip?

[Labman1127]

1. Don’t get sky-lined. Always walk below the ridge top (lesson learned the hard way)
2. Glass, glass and then once you have determined there are no deer in sight.....glass some more before taking a step
3. Be prepared for the 200 yard off-hand jump shot. Practicing benchrest shooting at 400 yards is great for a moral booster, but be highly proficient at 200 yards off hand shooting and you will thank yourself!

 

[HKEL55]

Hunt with a heavy rifle. Mine is 14 pounds. Train off season to handle heavy rifle. Archery practice is great for building strength for standing unsupported rifle shooting.

Rinse clothing and body in local creek. Off season keep hunting clothes in air tight container, especially if you have domestic pets in the home. Don’t wear your hunting boots during the drive to or from the hunt.

Don't drink or smoke in camp. When its raining, thats when you should be out hunting. Glass often. Don’t sit in same place for long periods of time.

Hunting with a buddy is Ok, but success comes to the solo backpack hunter more often, especially in areas others don’t go to.

And lastly, if you ask a questions like, “where did you harvest that...?” -Don’t be offended if there is no reply.

 

[WI_NativeWhitetail_Killer]

Love all these tips and hope to be able to use some of them!

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I'll pass on the heavy rifle tip. Offhand shooting at 200 sounds like something I'll be practicing soon.
Here's a few:
Glass more, walk less
Hunt for sign and you'll find deer. Just because they were there last year doesn't mean they'll be there this year. Conditions and pressure change all the time.

If you want to kill a big buck don't shoot little ones. That don't pass one on the first day that you'd shoot on the last day saying is for people that don't shoot many big bucks.

 

[tybenson406]

I am new to the forum but I could not help but throw out some tips for you. Tip number one, never judge a buck from behind. They always look bigger. Tip number 2, slow down we are in a hurry meaning that when you are glassing for mule deer you really have to break down the land and really cover every inch of area you are glassing whether it is a sage brush flat or a big deep canyon, whatever the case is. Slow down and look it over completely. I am not sure where you are hunting but everyone is different, there are a lot of bucks that get shot that are just at there ears and semi tall.... to me it always seems like a year or two soon... the typical 4x4 that is 23 inches wide and 20 tall.... they do get bigger and much better than that.... if you pass those bucks.. If you are looking for a trophy you will have to pass a lot of bucks... I am not an expert by any means but this has helped me over the years.

 

[antlerradar]

Twenty inches is a very tall buck. The tallest deer I have ever see alive is right at 23 inches from the top of the head to the tip of the tallest tine.

 

[tybenson406]

okay 20" is a tall buck maybe I should have said 16-18" either way you know the kind of buck I am trying to describe. its a common thing here in Montana to see that typical 4pt that gets shot and they don't get big.

 

[Trophchse]

nice buck

 

[Misguided]

Those ears aren’t for show...may be they’re strongest sense.

 

[SaskHunter]

Those ears aren’t for show...may be they’re strongest sense.

Sense of smell has entered the chat.

 

[SaskHunter]

So I have rural "high-speed" dial-up internet, OPs picture started loading like it was 2006 and all I could think to myself was "dammmmmmmnnn that deer is wiiiiiiide... oh wait".

 

[Hammsolo]

Those ears aren’t for show...may be they’re strongest sense.

I teach a lesson on adaptations in my science class. Students simply cup their hands around their ears, and then engineer the most functional ears the can. Eerily they often end up like mule deer ears....