How rare is a 200 inch mule deer

[Elkangle]

For a small example, i was involved in leasing roughly 100k acres of prime muledeer country with pretty awesome bucks and there would be typically only be 2ish 200 type bucks alive and that's highly managed to let those deer get old.. most potential 200s were high 180s 190s deer

 

[KenLee]

Not sure if the one I saw this year was 200” but I think he might have been close. At least in gross score. I estimated 185ish frame with at least 15” of extras maybe 20”; he’s got a 12-14” mainline on the left and good deep forks with long downturned main beams.

Never could get a stalk on him.

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Monsta

 

[ColoradoV]

I am around a bunch of the “best” units in Colo and have 18-20 years of notes = where and when I see big bucks or bucks w potential and general numbers. Potential bucks I just don’t hunt and are 180”+ types shooters w wow factor are usually 200”+.

Looking back I average seeing between 300-400+ bucks a year w a couple years over that. This year I looked over 363 bucks.. Until 4-5 years ago I would see one 200” type buck for every 100-110 bucks looked over or a true 1%er. This year I only saw 1 buck summer scouting that was a wow buck.

Or it’s getting to be less and less every year in Colo at least. Again used to be I would see 1 200” type buck every 100 I looked at and now it is getting close to 400-1….

The one out of 400..

 

[squirrel]

Even when there are lots of 'em there aren't many of 'em. Most will top out and hang at the 175-190" range no matter how old they get or how much they eat. The stars have to line up correctly. The single biggest factor is they have to get old, and with the state printing money and urban hunters wanting to kill anything brown that is sanctioned by the state the prospects for the future is bleak. Hell the state doesn't even pretend to plan more than 5 years in advance and they have to curtail hunting for 5-10 yrs to get 8-12 yr old deer.

But it can happen...

 

[dlee56]

In 4 years of rifle hunting Colorado, I’ve seen three 200” bucks and killed 1 of them. Obviously not a general unit (there are none in CO), and none of them were in the winter range yet.

 

[LongWayAround]

@squirrel That wide buck in the snow!

 

[saskhunter]

I live in prime mule deer country that doesn't get hunted much and I have seen quite a few 200 inch bucks. I think people over estimate deer size. I have a 200 inch non-typ mule deer that my wife shot hanging next to a 180 inch deer I've killed.

A 180 inch mule deer is pretty freaking big and I think a lot of those "200 inchers" are probably big looking 170-180 inch bucks. Everything looks bigger when it's running away from you.

 

[Ecampbell25]

I think there are still plenty of 200 inch mule deer in general seasons.

You just have to put a lot of time in finding one.

 

[Laramie]

I personally believe a 400" bull is considerably more rare than a 200" deer. I grew up in Wyoming hunting with a group of guys. All of us have at least one 200"+ mule deer, officially measured. My best is 217 1/8". All are non typical. We have seen dozens of others over the last 30 years that I am confident went above 200. Our group has exactly zero 400" bulls. The largest we have scores 381". I guided for many years in Wyoming Colorado, and New Mexico. I have personally seen zero 400" bulls taken. I know they exist but I can't confidently say I have seen one alive other than a non typical winter range bull on a refuge.

I do agree with the above- most deer called 200" are not really 200" deer.

 

[BossGobbler2024]

Never seen one in all my trips, which total 6 guided hunts. Killed a nice 180 but that wasn't even guided.

 

[dlee56]

I live in prime mule deer country that doesn't get hunted much and I have seen quite a few 200 inch bucks. I think people over estimate deer size. I have a 200 inch non-typ mule deer that my wife shot hanging next to a 180 inch deer I've killed.

A 180 inch mule deer is pretty freaking big and I think a lot of those "200 inchers" are probably big looking 170-180 inch bucks. Everything looks bigger when it's running away from you.

I think I’ve mind f’d myself so much about this phenomena that I totally underestimate deer. 2 years ago I shot what I thought was a “whatever” maybe 130-140” 3x4 buck on BLM, turned out to be a big framed 180” 3x4

 

[saskhunter]

I think I’ve mind f’d myself so much about this phenomena that I totally underestimate deer. 2 years ago I shot what I thought was a “whatever” maybe 130-140” 3x4 buck on BLM, turned out to be a big framed 180” 3x4

My 180" is a 3x4. It's also pretty hard to judge a big bodied deer in the rut with a thick winter coat. Those antlers can look a lot smaller than they actually are, but at the end of the day, a 180" deer is hard to miss.

 

[Beendare]

In every unit across the west- No!

My guide buddy in Co and Az finds 3-8 of them every year….but the miles he covers and hundreds of hours behind glass in the 300 days a year he spends in the woods makes it possible.

 

[mavinwa2]

19 consecutive years of hunting Arizona OTC archery as a NR.
The past 6 years, averaging 25 days of off season scouting and 20+ days of hunting late December & January muley rut.

it's rare to observe more than one 200-point+ buck each season the past 8 years.
Drought, lack of rains or lackluster monsoon season, poor spring-early summer feed conditions will definitely impact antler growth. But past 2 years has been good. However, 2023-Jan2024, only spotted 1 buck over 200.

IMHO, The biggest impact.... AZ residents doing the ol' "if its legal, its down".
Heard this often from AZ residents, 3 mentioned it to me this past January 2024. Look at the OTC archery license numbers, 90+% of those tags are sold to AZ residents.

You can't generate a good population of big, trophy bucks if a majority the 2-3-4point, 140-150 bucks get killed each season. And looking at the required harvest reports since implemented 2 years ago, OTC archery is easily meeting set harvest buck quotas. Majority of OTC archery units are closing after the 1st early season in August. Those units not having a mid-December or January of the following year opener the past 2 years now. The seasoned archer seeking a trophy muley buck has definitely had that opportunity reduced, dramatically speaking.

Mandatory harvest reporting of OTC archery was a significant eye opener for Arizona Fish & Game Department. Just think if AZFGD extended mandatory harvest reporting across the board, including rifle, muzzie and all special permit tags. AND required harvest quotas, unit closures once achieved, on those permit tags as well.

 

[JGRaider]

214" typical I killed in Sonora, MX. Luck trumps skill any day........

 

[Laramie]

214" typical I killed in Sonora, MX. Luck trumps skill any day........

No offense intended as I believe it to be true - Money trumps skill and luck....

 

[Ecampbell25]

Luck is for leprechauns… time trumps all…

 

[PH1969]

In a general unit across the western states, how rare is it to even see a 200 inch deer on the winter range?

Gross or Net "200"?

 

[JGRaider]

No offense intended as I believe it to be true - Money trumps skill and luck....

No offense taken. Low fence, guided hunt like thousands of others have done. Got lucky.

 

[PH1969]

Not sure if the one I saw this year was 200” but I think he might have been close. At least in gross score. I estimated 185ish frame with at least 15” of extras maybe 20”; he’s got a 12-14” mainline on the left and good deep forks with long downturned main beams.

Never could get a stalk on him.

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Great buck! Gross over 200 easy, maybe 215-220.