First time Mule Deer Hunter - Colorado

Don’t walk by all the deer trying to go deep! Deer are where you find them.

Call the local biologist and or game warden and get some local tips!

Generally speaking in my experience mule deer are like camels and get water from their food! I’ve hunted them in the desert a good amount and they still aren’t reliable at a water source.


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Be glassing as it gets light and as it gets dark. Don’t miss the first and last 2-3 hrs of the day. Move around til you find deer. Then hunt them.
 
Don’t be afraid to abandon the alpine for lower country. I think guys get married to the idea of high alpine bucks which is great. The way archery season is now a lot of bucks are hitting the timber or lower by Sept 2 or so. (Weather/temp dependent) hunting middle mountain is almost impossible depending on veg it is super hard to glass so often left with lower stuff/ usually blm land but it might be your only spot to actually be able to glass/ turn up a deer
 
Got it done on my first western hunt! Missed a bigger one opening morning but happy with this guy. 73 yard shot at 12,000 ft, 7 miles back from the trailhead. Couldn’t be happier!



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Got it done on my first western hunt! Missed a bigger one opening morning but happy with this guy. 73 yard shot at 12,000 ft, 7 miles back from the trailhead. Couldn’t be happier!



200cc6d4223f1f48206351a2799c6117.jpg



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Great view! Congrats on a great kill!


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Got it done on my first western hunt! Missed a bigger one opening morning but happy with this guy. 73 yard shot at 12,000 ft, 7 miles back from the trailhead. Couldn’t be happier!



200cc6d4223f1f48206351a2799c6117.jpg



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Congratulations!! Nice view great trophy!


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I know Google earth used to show the elevation where your cursor, I haven't used it much recently, but you can measure a distance and see your elevation change to figure out a slope.

Disclaimer! I have never field verified this.
 
Similar experiences here as well. Google Earth has a great way of humbling even the most seasoned couch mountaineers.
Yup. Cliffed out 4.5 miles into a scouting trip with over 2500' of elevation gained....and only 400-ish yards from the basin I intended to glass. You talk about some sore feet and pride after that :sneaky:
 
Good job! It’s probably hard to put into words how much you learned on that hunt - if it’s sunk in yet or not. Any first hunt is a big milestone.
 
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