Mule Hunting out West - For Rookies

Joined
Oct 5, 2021
Messages
3
Hey All,

I am from Northern Maine and love to hunt whitetail deer and shoot guns. I am particularly into long range shooting. I want to hunt Mule deer and try to have the opportunity at combining those two hobbies. I know nothing about hunting the western states. I am reading about the difference permits, lotteries, public land, and so on.

Any tips on where to start? The best state, region, hunting zones, etc?? I want to plan a trip out there this summer to try and familiarize myself with a region if I can choose one.

Thanks in advance!
 

MuleyJake

FNG
Joined
Oct 1, 2021
Messages
5
Hey All,

I am from Northern Maine and love to hunt whitetail deer and shoot guns. I am particularly into long range shooting. I want to hunt Mule deer and try to have the opportunity at combining those two hobbies. I know nothing about hunting the western states. I am reading about the difference permits, lotteries, public land, and so on.

Any tips on where to start? The best state, region, hunting zones, etc?? I want to plan a trip out there this summer to try and familiarize myself with a region if I can choose one.

Thanks in advance!

What terrain are you interested in desert, high country, timber, back country?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Fitzwho

WKR
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
956
Location
Midland, TX
Basically draw a line from the East border of the Texas panhandle with Oklahoma, extend that line north and anywhere west of that you can find mule deer.

Nebraska has OTC tags, but limited public land.
South Dakota you can buy points for another couple months takes several points to draw a mule deer tag.
Just missed the Montana points purchase deadline. But eastern Montana has decent access and some long range country.
Wyoming, you can buy points until sometime in November usually.
Arizona, Nevada, Colorado mule deer rifle tags are all draw, you have to buy qualifying licenses to apply and get points.
Idaho has some general tags you can buy OTC, may be your best bet. Definitely some high country spots. Tags go on sale in December I think. But the new system definitely left some people wanting last year.
Utah can get some general deer tags with a few points and it’s relatively cheap to apply.
 
OP
C
Joined
Oct 5, 2021
Messages
3
Basically draw a line from the East border of the Texas panhandle with Oklahoma, extend that line north and anywhere west of that you can find mule deer.

Nebraska has OTC tags, but limited public land.
South Dakota you can buy points for another couple months takes several points to draw a mule deer tag.
Just missed the Montana points purchase deadline. But eastern Montana has decent access and some long range country.
Wyoming, you can buy points until sometime in November usually.
Arizona, Nevada, Colorado mule deer rifle tags are all draw, you have to buy qualifying licenses to apply and get points.
Idaho has some general tags you can buy OTC, may be your best bet. Definitely some high country spots. Tags go on sale in December I think. But the new system definitely left some people wanting last year.
Utah can get some general deer tags with a few points and it’s relatively cheap to apply.
Appreciate the response. I have been researching Idaho because of the OTC tags, but the zones/units seem super picky on what is allowed (archery, short rifle, any weapon, etc) and there are so many different factors to have to learn before the selecting a unit. Then you have to make sure there is land to hunt that won’t be over crowded. Their controlled hunts do seem like a great option with a fair (yet unlikely) chance of a draw.

do you know of any smaller guide services in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho? What I find searching the internet are all the large outfitters. I’d prefer someone who is smaller, 1 on 1 type guiding.

all responses are appreciated.
 
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