Mule deer rut tactics for archery

[rob86jeep]

I'm heading out on a mule deer hunt in a few months but don't have any experience hunting mule deer during the rut. I was just wondering what should I be trying to accomplish; spot and stalk or finding travel routes and ambush hunting? I'll be archery hunting in the cold/probably snow covered ground if that makes a difference.

 

[Northpark]

Tagging in. I’m in AZ now so hunting December and January. Never bowhunted mule deer in the rut before only in early season.

 

[Idahoguy]

The best thing to do would be to get close to a deer and shoot it. I have hunted late Nov and early Dec archery and I usually have 40 mph winds or crunchy snow that the deer can hear me walking on a mile away. I have never had any luck with it. Good luck.

 

[Fatcamp]

Dang. I'm in the same boat. Managed to get a rifle tag so need to wrap that up, and then it's on to trying to fill the archery tag. Should have been more careful in September.

 

[marktole]

The best thing to do would be to get close to a deer and shoot it. I have hunted late Nov and early Dec archery and I usually have 40 mph winds or crunchy snow that the deer can hear me walking on a mile away. I have never had any luck with it. Good luck.

Lol.

Using a heads up decoy to get a buck to come check you out can be a good tactic during the rut with a bow.

 

[87TT]

I'm heading out on a mule deer hunt in a few months but don't have any experience hunting mule deer during the rut. I was just wondering what should I be trying to accomplish; spot and stalk or finding travel routes and ambush hunting? I'll be archery hunting in the cold/probably snow covered ground if that makes a difference.

Won't the mule deer rut be over in "a few months"?

 

[rob86jeep]

Won't the mule deer rut be over in "a few months"?

Sorry, should have said 2 months instead of a few months. The further South you go, the later they rut usually. I'll be in southern-ish New Mexico for the January archery season. While I haven't hunted there in Jan yet, I've heard that's when the deer rut in that area.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

 

[Ndbowhunter]

It’s been balmy in SoDak, and with this mornings shower perfect hunting weather.

Sucks having so many does to contend with when creeping in tho.

 

[87TT]

When I hunted in So CA the rut was usually over by mid Dec.

 

[530Chukar]

Find the does and you'll find the bucks. Most times the bucks won't care you're there or shooting at them. You'll need to be more concerned with the groups of does that they will be with spotting you. Spot and stalk will be the way to go. Find some nice glassing points on Google Earth or ONx now and glass all day.

 

[AZ_J]

Ditto on the does being the ones you watch out for. Never had a buck bust me in January, but many many does.

 

[rob86jeep]

Thanks for the input. For some reason I had the idea in my head that the deer wouldn't bed during midday and would be running around chasing does the whole day making spot/stalk impossible. I guess they'll bed midday just like normal though, with the random moving around a little more than usual.

 

[GeauxBackcountry]

I am in same boat as you. First archery muley hunt during rut and not sure exactly what to plan for. I guess just being open and capitalizing on whatever opportunity presents itself. I did buy a decoy that attaches to my bow to help (hopefully)

 

[Bigbenhunter98]

Find the does and you'll find the bucks. Most times the bucks won't care you're there or shooting at them. You'll need to be more concerned with the groups of does that they will be with spotting you. Spot and stalk will be the way to go. Find some nice glassing points on Google Earth or ONx now and glass all day.

Ditto to this. Had the same experience last week. Bucks didn't care if I was running across an open hillside in front of them. But if the doe he was chasing saw me, she would high tail it and he went with her.

 

[mavinwa2]

I won't go out in late archery (AZ, WA) without my buck grunt & doe calls. Either ambush/trail watching or spot-n-stalk methods. Specifically like the Modern Call brands. This company located in AZ. Calls developed for muley and coues bucks sounds.

I can draw, shoot my bow with call in mouth. Or call to stop deer, let call drop out. Both with no interference in draw or release.
have their coues deer call too, works like magic on those coues bucks.

 

[AZgamefinders]

You're right about the rut being later in AZ. Right now we're patterning does and bucks separately. January 1-7th is usually a great week for the mule deer rut around Flagstaff. In mid December one strategy is to set up near the buck bedding areas as they become more active as the rut approaches. The spot and stalk method is very effective in the 4000 - 4700 foot level.
And the desert, but this year it is terribly dry out there which could equate to weak rut. Best habitat this year is in the 6200 -6800 foot level for the muleys. That's where we are focusing.