Nebraska Nonresident Mule deer help

[KHNC]

I posted something similar in the Nebraska Deer Hunting group on FB last year. I was met with lots of replies!! Maybe you should give that group a try!

 

[RidgeNinja91]

Negative. Everytime i thought id get far enough someone thought the same thing coming in the other direction. We hit each other probably both thing the same thing.
most roads are closed but they don't inforce it. So people just drive the cattle roads.
As for the management area. I saw one mule deer in 7 days hunting dawn to dusk. New areas each time. Alot of whitetails.
I still tell people go do it. Some people get lucky. But from a guy who put 14 all day hunts. Hardly in the truck. I aint going back as i was there to hunt muleys not whitetail.
i also drove 21 hrs. I can be in Colorado in the same time.

Thank you for the feedback. I'm not a trophy hunter by any means, but I would like a decent muley density. I reckon I'll start researching other areas in NE or even other OTC opportunities elsewhere.

 

[Lytro]

Thank you for the feedback. I'm not a trophy hunter by any means, but I would like a decent muley density. I reckon I'll start researching other areas in NE or even other OTC opportunities elsewhere.

I can tell you that it's very unlikely that you'll find a "decent muley density" on most NE public lands. I highly recommend hunting archery or muzzleloader if you'll be hunting public land. My advice is to stop looking at the biggest pieces of public lands (nearly every other NR is looking at those as well), and start looking at smaller pieces of walk-in located in better habitat.

FWIW - I've archery hunted Western NE quite a bit over the past 5 years. I've had plenty of opportunities on NE muleys, but my trips have always ended on passing small muleys and going after better whitetails. I'll never understand the hunters that go out of state and kill a fork or 1.5 year old just for the sake of killing a muley.

 

[Southern Heritage]

I had buddies got to pinehill region
North east corner. The bow hunted
Still pressure but saw mule deer.


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[RidgeNinja91]

I can tell you that it's very unlikely that you'll find a "decent muley density" on most NE public lands. I highly recommend hunting archery or muzzleloader if you'll be hunting public land. My advice is to stop looking at the biggest pieces of public lands (nearly every other NR is looking at those as well), and start looking at smaller pieces of walk-in located in better habitat.

FWIW - I've archery hunted Western NE quite a bit over the past 5 years. I've had plenty of opportunities on NE muleys, but my trips have always ended on passing small muleys and going after better whitetails. I'll never understand the hunters that go out of state and kill a fork or 1.5 year old just for the sake of killing a muley.

Thank you for the advice, I'll definitely do some more digging on the Atlas. I'm of the same mindset as yourself, I would rather eat tag soup than bust a fork or a spike. However, I'm not like some folks on here who want to hold out for a 160"+. I have amassed points in several other states including WY and Utah for muleys. But, due to point creep I just have to keep accumulating points in hopes of getting ahead one day.

It might sound cliche, but I'm more of a "It's about the journey, not the destination" type of person. I've been on several OTC (and draw) elk hunts and my most treasured memories aren't the shots or the mounts, but all the work and experiences it took to get there.

 

[TSAMP]

Negative. Everytime i thought id get far enough someone thought the same thing coming in the other direction. We hit each other probably both thing the same thing.
most roads are closed but they don't inforce it. So people just drive the cattle roads.
As for the management area. I saw one mule deer in 7 days hunting dawn to dusk. New areas each time. Alot of whitetails.
I still tell people go do it. Some people get lucky. But from a guy who put 14 all day hunts. Hardly in the truck. I aint going back as i was there to hunt muleys not whitetail.
i also drove 21 hrs. I can be in Colorado in the same time.

This! There's a OnX layer that shows the opened roads within the public. I showed at least 4 trucks this filter when we bumped into each other last year hunting. You can get away from the open roads on foot. But trust a truck will drive past you walking.

 

[Rutjunkie]

This! There's a OnX layer that shows the opened roads within the public. I showed at least 4 trucks this filter when we bumped into each other last year hunting. You can get away from the open roads on foot. But trust a truck will drive past you walking.

Thanks that is huge!

 

[William Sublette]

Well, this is all very discouraging. I was hoping to make a solo trip to the McKelvie National Forest during archery season. I live in the heart of the Shawnee NF in Illinois so I'm used to people, but with muley hunting being such a mobile activity it's just a different ball game. Is the road density high enough that it's physically impossible to walk far enough to get away from the crowds?

The public areas are so small, you can't get away from anyone..

And they're surrounded by ranches. Once the deer get bounced you don't see them again till spring green up.

 

[RidgeNinja91]

The public areas are so small, you can't get away from anyone..

And they're surrounded by ranches. Once the deer get bounced you don't see them again till spring green up.

That’s what I’ve been hearing/reading. I’ve broadened my scope some and have look at other states.

 

[Flatlander5]

I had buddies got to pinehill region
North east corner. The bow hunted
Still pressure but saw mule deer.


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I'm sure you mean the Pineridge region in Northwest Nebraska.

 

[onebuck]

I love Nebraska and have hunted it several times, always archery and always public and have run into very few other archery hunters. Bird hunters, yes. Antelope hunters, yes. The density is low but the deer are there if you work for them, the Sandhills is a beautiful area to hunt. As a previous poster said there are some very nice white tails mixed in, usually closer to water. I haven’t been for a few years and may try to get out there this fall with the muzzle loader. I can tell you, coming from Wisconsin “a lot of other hunters” is a relative term.