I drank the mule deer Kool-Aid

[nhenry]

I thoroughly enjoyed hunting mule deer this past season. It was my favorite season I've ever hunted, bar none. With that, I realize how much I want to continue doing it.

I also realize how much more I like doing it than hunting whitetails. Hiking, glassing, and stalking is my type of hunting. Long miles through hilly country, dust storms blowing over me, and the suspense of what I might find have me hooked.

Here in my home state of Kansas, I know how blessed I am with big ol bucks of both species (plus elk, pronghorn, upland birds, etc.), but I also know that the mule deer herd isn't doing too hot right now, from conversations I've had in the field and with my family who watches them year in and year out, and my own experience this year. I've seen the herd when it's thriving, and this most definitely wasn't it.

I almost ate my tag this year because of it, both from almost not going to only finding a buck on the last day of rifle season. I don't know how sustainable hunting muleys is here and I'm going through a mental dilemma deciding if it would be okay to even apply again come the application period. Everyone I talk to and everywhere I see online says that KDWP releases too many tags for them, even though they only released 1257 of my tag this year (resident only), and I agree with that.

I'm not opposed to hunting other states, but I don't like stepping on other peoples' toes and honeyholes, especially residents'.

What would y'all do?

---

As a complete aside, my wife will not touch whitetail but she adores the muley I brought home this year.

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ETA: I care more about the deer than hunting them, so either way I'll send money to help support KDWP's conservation efforts.

 

[TOGIE]

we give out lots of muley tags here. we have lots of muleys here. the country is beautiful here.

here is also not too horribly far away from you.

forget about peoples toes and honeyholes, get some western muley tags and get to hunting an iconic and tastey western critter.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Advocate on their behalf and hunt populations that can sustain the pressure. I'd worry not about stepping on others toes by hunting elsewhere unless its an area where you believe the tag you receive shouldn't have been issued. I damn sure wouldn't worry about steppin on someone's toes who gets a tag OTC every year for 5% of the NR tag fee you waited years for.

 

[nhenry]

we give out lots of muley tags here. we have lots of muleys here. the country is beautiful here.

here is also not too horribly far away from you.

forget about peoples toes and honeyholes, get some western muley tags and get to hunting an iconic and tastey western critter.

most of my mom's family is from Lakewood, so I'm pretty familiar with Colorado. Maybe it's time to give it a visit.

 

[nhenry]

Advocate on their behalf and hunt populations that can sustain the pressure. I'd worry not about stepping on others toes by hunting elsewhere unless its an area where you believe the tag you receive shouldn't have been issued. I damn sure wouldn't worry about steppin on someone's toes who gets a tag OTC every year for 5% of the NR tag fee you waited years for.

Didn't think about it like that

 

[Valley1320]

Play the NM draws and put in for some decent rifle muke deer hunts or January bowhunts are a ton of fun

 

[2rocky]

California has over the counter tags in certain zones for mule deer. You can hunt them every year...

 

[rtraverdavis]

Great question, and one I've wrestled with here in Oregon.

You should NOT feel any sort of guilt or apprehension about hunting out of state, wherever you decide to go. Chase the dream if it's available to you, man. Just don't expect non resident hunting opportunities to remain static.

As for your local mule deer herds--if they truly are hurting, then they need advocacy. Join a local conservation organization focused on advocating for deer (if you haven't already). Is there a local chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation? Some BHA chapters do great work for mule deer as well. Kansas specific hunting orgs? Go to meetings and find out how you can help work with KDWP to manage for healthier, sustainable populations. I'd bet you'll find you won't feel so conflicted about hunting those deer knowing you're also doing everything you can to help them.

 

[nhenry]

California has over the counter tags in certain zones for mule deer. You can hunt them every year...

OTC for nonres?

 

[nhenry]

Great question, and one I've wrestled with here in Oregon.

You should NOT feel any sort of guilt or apprehension about hunting out of state, wherever you decide to go. Chase the dream if it's available to you, man. Just don't expect non resident hunting opportunities to remain static.

As for your local mule deer herds--if they truly are hurting, then they need advocacy. Join a local conservation organization focused on advocating for deer (if you haven't already). Is there a local chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation? Some BHA chapters do great work for mule deer as well. Kansas specific hunting orgs? Go to meetings and find out how you can help work with KDWP to manage for healthier, sustainable populations. I'd bet you'll find you won't feel so conflicted about hunting those deer knowing you're also doing everything you can to help them.

This is solid advice, thank you for that. I didn't know there was a chapter before looking a second ago, but I'm going to join it now.

I know that further south got a lot more rain in the last five years than the northern part got, but the northern part of their range is better habitat and is suffering from drought, overhunting, diseases, and poaching.

 

[2rocky]

OTC for nonres?

You bet.....Colorado has more probably....This is where GoHunt comes in handy.

 

[nhenry]

You bet.....Colorado has more probably....This is where GoHunt comes in handy.

I’ll have to check it out. I have some friends and family in Cali that I can stay/hunt with

 

[Knight.54]

I thoroughly enjoyed hunting mule deer this past season. It was my favorite season I've ever hunted, bar none. With that, I realize how much I want to continue doing it.

I also realize how much more I like doing it than hunting whitetails. Hiking, glassing, and stalking is my type of hunting. Long miles through hilly country, dust storms blowing over me, and the suspense of what I might find have me hooked.

Here in my home state of Kansas, I know how blessed I am with big ol bucks of both species (plus elk, pronghorn, upland birds, etc.), but I also know that the mule deer herd isn't doing too hot right now, from conversations I've had in the field and with my family who watches them year in and year out, and my own experience this year. I've seen the herd when it's thriving, and this most definitely wasn't it.

I almost ate my tag this year because of it, both from almost not going to only finding a buck on the last day of rifle season. I don't know how sustainable hunting muleys is here and I'm going through a mental dilemma deciding if it would be okay to even apply again come the application period. Everyone I talk to and everywhere I see online says that KDWP releases too many tags for them, even though they only released 1257 of my tag this year (resident only), and I agree with that.

I'm not opposed to hunting other states, but I don't like stepping on other peoples' toes and honeyholes, especially residents'.

What would y'all do?

---

As a complete aside, my wife will not touch whitetail but she adores the muley I brought home this year.

---

ETA: I care more about the deer than hunting them, so either way I'll send money to help support KDWP's conservation efforts.

From what little I know the drought was hard on them this year.

But yeah shooting deer on your feet is way funner than sitting in a tree!

 

[Mallardsx2]

I would be hunting on an over the counter archery in my home state yearly and save a TON of money on hunting out of state.

 

[RobertD]

I bowbunted rutty mule deer in the snow one year and it was a blast. Hope to chase them with a rifle soon. Probs Colorado.

For you, I would say play the New Mexico game, burn a point or two every few years in Colorado or Wyoming, and then hunt them at home in years you don't get a tag to another state. Wins all around.

 

[WildWill]

I bowbunted rutty mule deer in the snow one year and it was a blast. Hope to chase them with a rifle soon. Probs Colorado.

For you, I would say play the New Mexico game, burn a point or two every few years in Colorado or Wyoming, and then hunt them at home in years you don't get a tag to another state. Wins all around.

Basically my plan except I don't really have a ton of options to hunt them here at home (Oklahoma). Plan on hunting 2nd rifle in South central Colorado this year or next.

You should be able to regularly chase them by alternating between Wyoming low point general regions and low point Colorado hunts. New Mexico is also a decent choice to add but not one to rely on for tags consistently. I know OTC sounds nice but your probably going to have to get into a draw or two if you want to hunt mule deer and have quality experience.

 

[nhenry]

I know OTC sounds nice but your probably going to have to get into a draw or two if you want to hunt mule deer and have quality experience.

I dunno if you read my thread about my hunt this year, but most of it was very much not quality and I’m still trying to go back and do it again

 

[nhenry]

From what little I know the drought was hard on them this year.

But yeah shooting deer on your feet is way funner than sitting in a tree!

While we were hunting, my uncle told me two things:
1) the mule deer herd is down to less than 20% of what it was 3 years ago and
2) it used to be that you could basically just go out and choose which one you’d like and go after it. His shop very much proved that statement, as there were about two dozen 180”+ euros on the walls. It’s by far not that anymore.

 

[WildWill]

I dunno if you read my thread about my hunt this year, but most of it was very much not quality and I’m still trying to go back and do it again

I read and it sounded like one of the things you were wrestling with was should you even be killing mule deer when they're doing so poorly. Wouldn't it be nice to hunt them somewhere where they're thriving? Plus don't think there's a ton of OTC muley hunt options for NR in the west unless you are a bow hunter.

 

[nhenry]

I read and it sounded like one of the things you were wrestling with was should you even be killing mule deer when they're doing so poorly. Wouldn't it be nice to hunt them somewhere where they're thriving? Plus don't think there's a ton of OTC muley hunt options for NR in the west unless you are a bow hunter.

You’re right, it would be nice. I’ll apply for other states, I think. I’m on a fairly lucky streak with draws anyways