Is Mule Deer Hunting the Pinnacle of Western Hunting?

[ColoradoV]

I say no - Mule Deer are not the pinnacle of western hunting but rather the pinnacle of any hunting that is allowed to most of us bourgeoisie on a year to year basis...

With the caveat that the hunting is done solo, with a bow, boom or bust style, for a single 200”+ buck who is most likely in a group of 8-12 bucks above 12,000 ft... With the amount of scouting needed (20 +days) only to see how hard it will be on the opening when other all star hunters as well as guided hunters are chasing the same buck bump him out da basin..

Then the realization it will take another 15+ days to maybe if lucky get in 2 stalks if everything works right sets in....... Hunting like this is the absolute pinnacle of hunting! Nothing like it for the very very small group willing to kill a buck like this on the regular.... As I think about this very small group of dedicated individuals who do this on a year to year basis - to call a spade a spade = they are some of if not the best very hunters on the planet...

Another way to think about it is how many folks even know the weather variability seen in living 30+days above 12k. You like lightning bro Not many judging by the size of the bellies I see on most of the the fat frat boys shooting whitetails out a trees only to see the buck whole in a truck .. Yep crafty animals dem whitetails...

Elk are cool not hard to find, tasty, as well as easy to kill and I enjoy hunting them w my wife, older father, and young children.

Also the squirrel while might seem nutz has been up a tree or 2....

 

[BCDeer]

I love hunting the big Mulies all over the west. I can also understand the comment about a screaming Elk at 20 yards. Partly for me though is that I can get back in the nasty stuff and if I get a big buck down I can bone the meat and get him out in one trip. Since I usually hunt by myself that is pretty important.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

the author has obviously never hunted the majestic collared peccary of the sonoran desert; aka javelina, aka stink pig, aka cactus bounder

 

[Jvalbarrett]

Nothing quite like Sept bugles....elk is a different kind of rush and gets the nod

 

[Fatcamp]

the author has obviously never hunted the majestic collared peccary of the sonoran desert; aka javelina, aka stink pig, aka cactus bounder

AKA: Flea Farm.

 

[5MilesBack]

If CDOW allowed points trading or selling, I'd sell or trade my 18 deer points in a heart beat. I'd even be willing to get 1/2 as many elk points in return.

 

[TravisIN]

Elk cannot be the pinnacle of western hunting over mule deer, you can hunt elk east of the Mississippi, you can’t hunt mule deer east of the Mississippi.


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[5MilesBack]

Elk cannot be the pinnacle of western hunting over mule deer, you can hunt elk east of the Mississippi, you can’t hunt mule deer east of the Mississippi.

There are rattlesnakes in both the west and the east, but the rattlesnake can still be the pinnacle of snakes in the west.

 

[mdp22]

Historical range speaking I would say Pronghorn or Mule Deer.

 

[TravisIN]

There are rattlesnakes in both the west and the east, but the rattlesnake can still be the pinnacle of snakes in the west.

Haha fair point. But that’s only bc there isn’t a second kind of snake that’s close enough in popularity to have the debate about haha. I don’t like rattlesnakes on any side of the Mississippi


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[Andrew12gauge]

If CDOW allowed points trading or selling, I'd sell or trade my 18 deer points in a heart beat. I'd even be willing to get 1/2 as many elk points in return.

I’d find a way to buy 9 elk points and trade them for 18 deer points in a hurry. You could have a heck of a hunt in Colorado for 18 mule deer points


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[5MilesBack]

You could have a heck of a hunt in Colorado for 18 mule deer points

No I can't.......they won't let me use deer points for an elk tag.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

No I can't.......they won't let me use deer points for an elk tag.

Colorado isn’t even top 5 on the list of states I would want to hunt elk in. If it weren’t almost 150 just for a deer point there nowadays it would be no 1 on my list for mule deer


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[highcountrymuley]

Elk is probably the ultimate western big game for most... westerners and others who want a western hunting experience. I prefer mule deer, cause i 've finally figured out how to be successful!! Elk hunting is f****' n hard and not as fun as mule deer hunting, in my opinion. Love all the subspecies of game, each has their own appeal to me as a hunter and outdoors lover.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Mule Deer by far..... I get the bulls bugling at under 25 yards, I’ve killed a few elk, couple nice ones. But a velvet mulie in the high country or in open plains, especially a big one 180”+, even the smaller ones are awesome. I hunt mule deer for the challenge and the stalk. Elk I hunt to fill the freezer..... just my opinion.
Matt

 

[TLammert]

I thoroughly enjoy both but elk get the nod from me. Whitetails taste much better than Muleys