Aspiring mule deer hunter

[eaglemountainman]

Lots of good advise here. Your clothes, firearms and gear sound good for the most part. As far as optics, you have 8-9 months to save and research a good deal on a very good set of used binos and a range finder. They're the most important piece of gear on a western hunt. Spend till it starts to hurt, then spend just a bit more. Keep checking the classifieds here on the forum. Guys are always upgrading and good deals are quite frequently had on high quality, gently used optics. Also would suggest a decent, but not pricey, stable tripod. Its a game changer compared to just freehand glassing. Practice glassing for a month or two before your hunt to get familiar with you glasses and technique.

It's can get wicked cold sleeping in your vehicle. Please, be careful and safe when considering options to stay warm. There's no shame in sleeping in a warm motel bed.

 

[TheGDog]

Spend till it starts to hurt, then spend just a bit more. Keep checking the classifieds here on the forum. Guys are always upgrading and good deals are quite frequently had on high quality, gently used optics. Also would suggest a decent, but not pricey, stable tripod. Its a game changer compared to just freehand glassing. Practice glassing for a month or two before your hunt to get familiar with you glasses and technique.

^^^This... you need some time practicing gridding out a hill with your binos on a Tripod. First... just looking at the opposing ridge and picking points that looks promising... then if they don't *seem* to pan out... pick a side and work at gridding out that entire ridge methodically, like a robot, until you feel certain you gave it enough eye at each point you stop at while moving over. Make sure to give each adjustment in panning you stop at sufficient time for you to potentially detect motion. An ear flick/ tail-flick, etc. But seriously... get the good glass. I thought my 15x Vortex Vultures were the it-sh*t... until I picked up some used 10x42 ZEISS Conquest 10x42's, from a gentleman on here at Rokslide. You can see the objects slightly bigger in the Vultures... but there is just this level of crispness to the Zeiss that makes me no longer want to even grab those others anymore.

 

[Firestone]

If you are hunting Eastern Montana i suggest getting onx app or basemap. For the private land it really helps you spend more time hunting and less time second guessing where boundries are. Cheapest investment you can make. And i really recommend getting some binos, a tripod would be a bonus. you are gonna be doing a shit ton of glassing. the wind is gonna be howling and its gonna be cold. So bring the warm clothes. It sucks trying to glass when your shivering and your teeth are rattling. Your gonna see a lot of people but most of them dont venture to far from the road. Good luck

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

some more thoughts here:
1. Basemap is cheaper than OnX, and no more glitchy.
2. Download maps before you leave internet access.
3. A puffy coat from Costco or Eddie Bauer will help you save weight and pack space
4. There is no need to hike 25 miles in eastern MT
5. Have you ever tried waterproof gaiters to keep your legs dry?

 

[neil.hansford]

If you are in Wisconsin, you already know what cold is. I'd bet it's colder there than MT.

Your boots are fine for Eastern MT.

You do not need a $500 pack to hunt MD in Eastern MT camping from your truck or a hotel.

OnX or something similar makes life easier, but paper maps haven't stopped working. I use onX and BaseMap.

Hotels are few and far between in small Eastern MT towns so reservations ahead of time aren't a bad idea in November. Driving from town can take up a lot of time.

There are lots of things that are nice to have but are not all required. There are guys crawling all over Eastern MT in carhartts and cheap Walmart daypacks that kill deer every year. The main thing safety wise is stay warm and dry.

Everything that you know about deer hunting Wisconsin still applies. You probably just need to add to that knowledge base.

Maybe I've missed something, but didn't you say Eastern MT? You will not be hiking 20 to 25 miles a day hunting mule deer in Eastern MT. If you are, you're doing circles and running over deer or crossing onto private land that you don't have access to. Sit your butt down and glass more.

Eastern MT absolutely does not have to be backpack hunt. Have the gear to stay warm and you are good. If you have them, bring a game cart and a small ice fishing sled. I pack meat on my back without snow, but the sled is a back saver if there is snow.

Hobbes has just given you the best advice on this thread. Ive hunted eastern MT many times, and you don't need anything fancy to do it. Just go. And its fine to sleep in your vehicle. I sleep in the back of my truck every year in November.

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[TheGDog]

4. There is no need to hike 25 miles in eastern MT

Dude said "Western", wasn't until later on down the line he mentioned MT. Sorry. Again, if you have to hike-in like 6+ and there's some kind of elevation gain/loss... very wise to consider addressing the possibility that you might need to pack-out in two trips.

I agree that since he says "car-camping" this isn't likely for him, since he won't be schlepping in water for multiple days and tent and food and all that.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Dude said "Western", wasn't until later on down the line he mentioned MT. Sorry. Again, if you have to hike-in like 6+ and there's some kind of elevation gain/loss... very wise to consider addressing the possibility that you might need to pack-out in two trips.

I agree that since he says "car-camping" this isn't likely for him, since he won't be schlepping in water for multiple days and tent and food and all that.

Hey man, I wasn't trying to make fun of you or something. Sorry about the misunderstanding. Eastern MT is just checkerboard, and has different criteria for hunt gear.

 

[larsencole]

Here is a great deal on a sig rangefinder for $179. It has an angle modified range setting that would be useful for bow hunting. It's on their winter clearance sale so I'm not sure how long it will be around for that price.

Sig Sauer KILO1800BDX 6x22mm Laser Rangefinder

Sig Sauer KILO1800BDX 6x22mm Laser Rangefinder - 6x22 mm monocular with SpectraCoatTM anti-reflection coatings for superior light transmission and optical clarity

www.sportsmans.com

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[Copperhead]

I saw you mentioned Kansas as a destination. I hunt there. Muleys can be a little fickle in the western part of the state and you can about kill whitetails with a fly swatter. That being said, don't let that discourage you. Get a WIHA booklet. Lots of private ground enrolled in the walk in program. But for the love of everything holy don't drive on the land, leave trash, ect. Pick up other people's trash if you have to. Less and less property every year is getting enrolled and getting leased to outfitters because of disrespectful people.

There are tons of city and county lakes that offer free tent camping and are ghost towns in the winter. We set up camp at one of these lakes and hunt from there, usually have to drive to a plot of walk in, PARK ON THE ROAD and walk in. Leap frog plots like that. Glass from high spots. It's reasonably big country but the plot sizes you'll have access to means you'll almost never have to pack a deer out more than a mile or so. Is it true backpack Western style hunting out there? Not really, but it's still a good time and you can find some good deer.

 

[WCB]

You don't need a ton of stuff like some guys are making it sound. If you are not living out of your pack but base camp/truck you need the basics.

-Pack-you can hunt with a day pack and keep a basic Aluminum frame pack at the truck to haul out or just strap you day pack to the frame pack. Animals were hauled out for years with these setups. Take of the headache bar if you do get a pack frame.
-Knife & sharpener
-headlamp
-game bags (I use the cheap cheese cloth type especially when bugs aren't an issue) YOu can wash them when you are done with them.
-electric tape (fix stuff or tape tag to animal)
-small first aid kit
-rope- enough to tie meat to pack or hold a deer to a tree on steep hill side.
-whatever food you want for the day and throw some bottles of water in
-TP

-rifle whatever you have and are comfortable with will work.

BOOTS- good fitting and good tread. water proof. I hunted for years in Danner Pronghorns in my teens and early 20s.

Clothing- You need a windproof layer for top and bottoms 100%. Being from WI you probably have long johns, warm gloves, hats etc. and know how to deal with cold now figure out the wind part. If you walk 10 miles with the stuff you have now you will be fine go hunt and figure out from there what you want to upgrade.

OPTICS
-binos get some decent 10x and you will be fine. Leupold Cascades are mid $300 range and I used them for years before upgrading. I have a pair that I've had for 20 years that I still use as my truck binos. zero issues with them.

-Range finder some good options for $250-$350 dollars. Bushnell Engage can be had for $200. It will work.

With what you have right now I'd say you coud spend $500-$600 on binos and range finder and pick up a aluminum frame pack and be hunting.

 

[Jigmasterflex]

I saw you mentioned Kansas as a destination. I hunt there. Muleys can be a little fickle in the western part of the state and you can about kill whitetails with a fly swatter. That being said, don't let that discourage you. Get a WIHA booklet. Lots of private ground enrolled in the walk in program. But for the love of everything holy don't drive on the land, leave trash, ect. Pick up other people's trash if you have to. Less and less property every year is getting enrolled and getting leased to outfitters because of disrespectful people.

There are tons of city and county lakes that offer free tent camping and are ghost towns in the winter. We set up camp at one of these lakes and hunt from there, usually have to drive to a plot of walk in, PARK ON THE ROAD and walk in. Leap frog plots like that. Glass from high spots. It's reasonably big country but the plot sizes you'll have access to means you'll almost never have to pack a deer out more than a mile or so. Is it true backpack Western style hunting out there? Not really, but it's still a good time and you can find some good deer.

I have a buddy who hunts Kansas religiously, he’s asked me to go more times than I can count. He’s after whitetails and I’ve never heard him mention seeing mulies, guessing he hunts the eastern portion of the state. I might finally take him up on tagging along but he does hunt with a few other people and he films the hunts so I’m not really sure if that’s what I’m after. I’m a litter nazi, hunters aren’t bad here other than finding handwarmer wrappers or a water bottle every once in a while. It’s fishing that really drives me nuts especially on the ice when the permanent shacks comes off. Always considered catching the addresses of of the shacks and if they left a pile of trash delivering it to their doorsteps, total slobs here. I’ll be on foot as well, I’m not shelling out that much cash to ride around in a truck window hunting.

 

[Jigmasterflex]

You don't need a ton of stuff like some guys are making it sound. If you are not living out of your pack but base camp/truck you need the basics.

-Pack-you can hunt with a day pack and keep a basic Aluminum frame pack at the truck to haul out or just strap you day pack to the frame pack. Animals were hauled out for years with these setups. Take of the headache bar if you do get a pack frame.
-Knife & sharpener
-headlamp
-game bags (I use the cheap cheese cloth type especially when bugs aren't an issue) YOu can wash them when you are done with them.
-electric tape (fix stuff or tape tag to animal)
-small first aid kit
-rope- enough to tie meat to pack or hold a deer to a tree on steep hill side.
-whatever food you want for the day and throw some bottles of water in
-TP

-rifle whatever you have and are comfortable with will work.

BOOTS- good fitting and good tread. water proof. I hunted for years in Danner Pronghorns in my teens and early 20s.

Clothing- You need a windproof layer for top and bottoms 100%. Being from WI you probably have long johns, warm gloves, hats etc. and know how to deal with cold now figure out the wind part. If you walk 10 miles with the stuff you have now you will be fine go hunt and figure out from there what you want to upgrade.

OPTICS
-binos get some decent 10x and you will be fine. Leupold Cascades are mid $300 range and I used them for years before upgrading. I have a pair that I've had for 20 years that I still use as my truck binos. zero issues with them.

-Range finder some good options for $250-$350 dollars. Bushnell Engage can be had for $200. It will work.

With what you have right now I'd say you coud spend $500-$600 on binos and range finder and pick up a aluminum frame pack and be hunting.

I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a basic frame on marketplace, just saw one for $50 that looks like a Kelty cache hauler, seems to be quite a few under 100. Point taken on the windproof layer, wool is great but it’s definitely heavy and when I’ve strapped it to my climber for walking in it definitely takes up a lot of space. I have time on my side but I’ll keep my eyes open for something windproof with maybe some lighter fill. I’m not sure if the danners I have are the quality of pronghorns, they seemed similar though and light, little cheaper too. Otherwise most everything you mention I have already and most of it is in my usual hunting vest sans the optics. I had a guy message me with a possible great deal on binos and a rangefinder but my garage door just decided to buckle to the point where I can’t scab it together anymore. Have a new for coming Friday but my hunting funds are gone again lol.

 

[Copperhead]

I have a buddy who hunts Kansas religiously, he’s asked me to go more times than I can count. He’s after whitetails and I’ve never heard him mention seeing mulies, guessing he hunts the eastern portion of the state. I might finally take him up on tagging along but he does hunt with a few other people and he films the hunts so I’m not really sure if that’s what I’m after. I’m a litter nazi, hunters aren’t bad here other than finding handwarmer wrappers or a water bottle every once in a while. It’s fishing that really drives me nuts especially on the ice when the permanent shacks comes off. Always considered catching the addresses of of the shacks and if they left a pile of trash delivering it to their doorsteps, total slobs here. I’ll be on foot as well, I’m not shelling out that much cash to ride around in a truck window hunting.

South eastern KS down in Chataqua and the Cherokee Lowlands and up through the flint hills is pretty legendary for trophy whitetail. South central part of the state in the gyp as well. That's where many guys focus there efforts and knock over some big whitetail every year. Muleys are farther west out on the high plains and the limestone bluff country. Basically the border is I-35. Start there and go west down either the I-70 or Highway 400 corridor. Also the southwest corner of the state around the Cimarron has some outstanding muleys as well as antelope. Not a whole lot of pressure outside of the actual national grassland either. If you get a WIHA atlas you can look at enrolled land starting there and going north along the Colorado border and decide what's best for you.

 

[HuntingJudge]

I have been hunting Montana for pushing 25 years now, and have been on a week-two week deer hunt most of those years. here is my opinion on some of the things you brought up.

Transportation/camping- Camping out of a vehicle is ok if you can get enough padding in there to be comfortable and warm. if you are planning to hunt the rut like most do, November in Montana can get cold. make sure you have a way to warm up. also I would recommend a jet boil or something so you can have a warm meal in there some where it feels good on the cold days. Bring a camp chair so you can just sit at some point, sitting on the ground all the time can be rough. I have a gardeners pad that i strap to my pack so I don't have to sit on the rocks when glassing.

pack- I have nothing, kept reducing what I brought into the woods to just a compass, knife, water bottle, some mule tape, 5 extra shells and my rifle. You will need what you need, I always have game bags as well as garbage bags in my pack. that way the meat can go into the game bags and then in a garbage sack so my pack does not get all bloody, after a couple weeks of bloody packs they can start to stink and that's no fun on my back. I take the boned out meat from my pack and put it in a game bag in a cooler. We strictly started doing this a few seasons ago and if the deer is more than a few hundred yards from a vehicle I will not bring it out whole any more. you can put a whole doe in a pack but the buck might take two trips

optics- you will need them. the best way I have found hunting mule deer is get up high and glass, you can hunt them by just walking around, that fine and I see lots of people doing this but I also see lots of people walking by deer while I am glassing them. a range finder is good because the mule deer will be larger and will look closer than they are. its really not that uncommon for shots to be 200-400 yards. I like the vortex line on the lesser prices binos. you would not really know the difference between the higher priced stuff and lower until you have spent many hours behind the glass.

boots/clothes- you boots will be just fine. I would recommend a base layer of merino wool only because if you are going to be hunting out this way you will be walking a bit and you can wear that stuff a few days with out it stinking up. bring camp shoes because taking the boots off at the end of the day is fantastic. I bring bibs with me every year and have only shot a deer with them on once. my layers go merino wool, long sleeve shirt or two, sweatshirt, sometimes a coat when glassing, long john pants, hunting pants, thin socks, sometimes heavier socks just so my feet don't sweat as much two pairs.

rifle/scope- either of your firearms are just fine. pick whatever one you are more comfortable with and go hunt.

extra tips- Things are not always going to go as planned so just be prepared to hunt and have fun, flat tires are common, make sure you have ox, basemaps, or something like that and download the maps before you come. bring a big cooler you will be happy you did, leave evidence of sex on your animal if you are taking it apart, enjoy your time, its an amazing experience. bring a camera so you can take some pictures. Make sure you have a full tank of gas before you leave to a hunting area. if you have other questions just ask.

 

[Vegas03A3]

Transportation/camping- First goes will be pretty spartan but after I figure out the hunting end a little I’ll work on comfort for future trips. I’ve done a lot of these trips fishing and hunting around my state, they’re uncomfortable and living on peanut butter, water and sardines is pretty lame but it makes moving around easy and keeps cost down.

pack- I have nothing, kept reducing what I brought into the woods to just a compass, knife, water bottle, some mule tape, 5 extra shells and my rifle. I’d like to stay close to that if possible but have something to pack meat out. Was looking at either just a basic freighter frame that I’d hike back to and grab if I shot something or maybe spending a little more for something I could wear the whole time with a dry bag to throw all my bulky outer layers in to keep from sweating them up. I’ve never packed out an animal, is there something specific I should have for game bags?

optics- I’ve never owned binoculars or glassed with them, never had a rangefinder either. I would like to keep cost down if possible. Being a flatland hunter I’d imagine I’ll have a tougher time gauging distance over tougher terrain and a rangefinder could be helpful. Are there decent lower cost options (under $300) that could be useful back home bowhunting?

boots/clothes- my equipment is a few decades back technology wise but it works great for what I currently do, I’m not sure how it will do out of the trees and into the wind and open ground. I have an outfitter brown Columbia wool jacket and bibs that I love, a couple woolrich wool red plaid parkas, a Cabelas pack vest and a pair of danner vital 800 gram boots. I do have a ton of wool and polypropylene under layers/socks. I’m not a stranger to really cold weather but we don’t have the wind here

I'm digging the spartan start-off. I'm very much in the same boat, except I've never hunted before.

I'll be going out with a good buddy, and we eat like kings when we take our boys camping, but I see value in keeping the food super simple so we can focus on the game.

I have lots of backpacking miles under my belt from high school/college years, and appreciate not carrying anything more than I need. The impression I get here, on packs, is I should probably get something that can transport the harvest. I've done 60 lb rucks with my vintage Eureka and 90's Jansport internal frames, and part of me wants to just make a few trips and stuff the harvest in there. I don't know...

An elder on my local shooters' forum emphasized optics as the first place to prioritize gear dollars, and he said don't mess with anything under $400. Oof!

I'm like you and take a while to pull the trigger on a major purchase because I'm not swimming in money. But I try to balance that with buy-once cry-once (or whatever that saying is).

@Jigmasterflex - Where are you at now, a couple weeks down the road, as far as gear decisions?

 

[StoneMtnSteel]

You might want to consider taking a tent that’s easy to setup and take down along with a small folding table and folding chair. I found setting that up next to your vehicle makes eating breakfast/dinner a lot more comfortable then roughing it in the truck for 5 days. Couple that with a buddy heater and really makes the mornings easier to wake up to. The days are short and Spending long hours in the truck at night gets the body all bound up.

 

[TheGDog]

RE: packs? It's just soooo much nicer when you get that nice pack that can go big as hell if you need it to! It's a major PITA having to strap a bunch things onto the outside of a pack that's really not large enough for your needs. This gets exacerbated in colder temps when ya need to bring along more layers, and/or <when bringing a tent + bivvy>/<when bringing eCaller + Motion Decoy + Tripod rifle rest>. I really like how my pack (EMR II) has these really long deep side-pockets that also have a piggybacked long pouch along their length as well. Makes it so most of the time you don't have to fuss with opening the main compartment and undo'ing all the various straps when all ya want to be is pullout shooting sticks or trekking pole, or quickly shove eCaller and Motion decoy back in for a sec while you hoof it to another spot to make your next calling stand. It gives you room for "options" in the future. And also it gives you room to carry stuff for your kid, such as when they're younger and can't yet handle the weight well.

 

[Ketron10a]

Following along because this is my similar scenario.

 

[mtnlomo]

I would focus less on gear and more on understanding mule deer habitat, behavior, and the locations you're hunting. For this there are many resources such as podcasts, books, videos, etc. to use in order to learn about mule deer because they are very different from whitetail. Learn how to e-scout using OnX or Basemap and Google Earth, while also reaching out to a biologist in the area you plan to hunt

Gear priorities would be four fold 1.) staying warm, which being from Wisconsin I'm certain you know how. 2.) Feet, invest in good boots, I've tried many boots that are totally fine on gradual slopes and flat ground, but add in steep slopes (which is where many big bucks hang out) and subpar boots will tear up your feet. 3.) Being accurate with your gun and knowing your effective range, not what distance you think you can shoot, but what distance you have actually shot. 4.) Good glass, for binoculars the Cabela's instinct are around 250$ and are good, as are Vortex and Nikon options. Bushnell rangefinders can be inexpensive I used to have one that I used for both archery and rifle hunting and never had a single issue with them.

Mule deer themselves are amazing animals, but the places they live set them apart from many if not all other big game animals in my very biased opinion! Best of luck to you.

 

[TheGDog]

When it comes time to try hiking in with tent + bivvy. Ask around and figure out which small tents aren't problematic at having dew form INSIDE of them and running down that inside of the wall and potentially dampening a little... something you have on the floor near to the sides where the walls meet floor.

The REI Quarter-dome tent I first got was "ok" for warm or hot. But when things got colder, it would do a little of what I just described. The condensation issue. Also... it was fairly small to pack and light... but not having room inside to get up to sitting upon your knees... it really works your abs too much. I later got a MSR Hubba Hubba 2p tent and it's awesome! Like having your own hotel out there! I can fit everything inside the tent so no worries about oh is condensation going to form on this or that if I leave it outside under the vestibule. No worries about scorpions in your boots, etc. And not very much of a weight penalty for the additional space. And having a tent with a little extra width can be nice if you didn't get the floor of the tent laid out all the way flat without slant to it. The extra width gives you room to slightly rotate yourself and the bivvy+pad to get more comfortable and counter-act whatever small amount of slope you have where you laid it out. That helps a lot for more restful sleep.