Hunting big mule deer is unpredictable at best. I don’t just mean on the hill either. If you’re going to pursue outsized bucks, you have to be adaptable in your research, application strategy, and scouting. Forest Gump’s momma was right: life is like a box of chocolates—you just never know what you’re going to get. The same is true in the pursuit of big mule deer.
When the snow is piled high outside my window and I’m trying to decide where to apply for a season that is months away, I consider all my options.
“What if I draw a great tag? Can I make good on it considering budget and travel time?”
“What if I pull too many tags? Will I be able to give each one the attention required to be successful?
“What if I find a great buck close to home? Will I be able to return any tags without too much collateral damage?”
All these scenarios and many more have happened to me over the years. Gone are the days when you buy your license at the Ma’ & Pa’ the night before the season and hunt big deer at first light the next day. A mule deer hunter has to plan months and years ahead and be ready to change those plans when situations change.
That is just one of the reasons I like Nevada. They understand many hunters spend years and thousands of dollars applying for tags and points in the Silver State. To lose that investment without getting to hunt would be like pouring salted isopropyl alcohol on a 2nd degree burn—it’s gonna hurt!
Nevada offers the best tag return policy in the West. If you can’t make a hunt—for any reason—they will reinstate your points AND give you a point for that year’s application. Yes, they keep your money ($240 this year), but that is only fair and chump change compared to what we all spend on hunting (tell the the truth, now!) Even better, Nevada calls the next person on the unsuccessful list for that area/weapon and offers the tag to him, so no hunter opportunity is lost. Yes, they get two tag fees, but remember how much you spend on hunting gear, so only fair if you ask me. Other states make you prove someone in the immediate family died, a war started, or the sun didn’t come up before they’ll work with you. That is old thinking if you ask me.
When I applied for Nevada earlier this year, I listed all five choices from tough-to-draw to not-so-tough. When I put in my last choice—an archery tag—, I picked an area I know very well, having scouted it through our scouting service, WeScout4u.com, many times for other hunters. While not a lot of really big deer reside there, I have seen about three in the 190″ to 200″ class over the years. That is enough to keep me interested. I had seven points invested (over a grand and seven years of my fleeting life) and knew if I drew that last choice, I’d better scout and make sure there was at least one buck that would justify the investment.
If you followed the Rok Blog, you know I found the excellent buck Jalapeño just a few weeks ago (see Scouting: Crops, Fishing, & Traplines). I knew immediately that my Nevada tag was in danger but committed to scout my areas down there just in case I could find another great buck. With Nevada’s early archery seasons, I could still make both hunts, although time, patience, and money might suffer.
I made the trip to Nevada in late July. I spent three days checking all the spots I’ve learned over the years. While I saw a good number of bucks and some really nice bucks in the upper 20s, I didn’t find anything that would justify diverting energy and resources away from Jalapeño.
The day after I returned home, I called the NDOW and explained the conflict. Within a few days, my tag was back in their Fallon office and will soon be in another hunter’s hands. I’ll spend the rest of the scouting season focusing on Jalapeño and checking a few other spots in case I need a backup.
The Live Hunts will happen as promised (make sure you get in to win the Athens Bow, the Tight Spot Quiver, the 15×56 Vortex Binoculars, and more by visiting those links.) As near as I can tell, I’ll be hunting Jalapeño, but like a box of chocolates, even I don’t know what is going to happen until it does…
Stay tuned! (and subscribe at upper right under Fitness/Other links at “Subscribe to blog” so you don’t miss any action on the Rok Blog).
Thanks for the write up robby as always you try to keeps all of us informed.
Another great write up. Wish we had some deer around here.
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