Mule deer behavior during the rut

[lbasilon85]

Hi guys - I will be hunting in SW New Mexico on a January archery rut hunt. Pretty new to muley hunting so my question. During a traditional early season hunt, mule deer are pretty predictable with feeding in the mornings and then bedding in a spot for most of the day. Hunting those deer means finding them bedded and making a stalk.

However, during the rut, should I expect to wait for a buck that I spot to bed down or as soon as I see a buck or buck/doe combo I should start the stalk and should expect them to be constantly moving from where I first spotted them. Any info on strategy would be appreciated

 

[JorDanTheBowMan]

I’m interested in this question too. I’ll be hunting my first January archery hunt for muleys as well. I’ve been listening to the Jay Scott Podcast which has been helpful. NM and AZ are very similar in climate and mule deer and course populations between the states are comparable.
Anyone got any experience with archery mule deer hunt tactics? Thanks!

 

[HiMtnHntr]

If the bucks are rutting hard you are hunting does more than anything as they will likely be the ones to bust you. Lots of variables affecting the answer you are seeking beyond that advice such as pressure, terrain, weather, and rut activity.

In the right situation you can stage an ambush by predicting where deer might be heading. If a buck is rutting a smaller group it’s often possible to move in close while deer are distracted. And, in an area with decent deer numbers you might also find lone bucks searching.

As always the most important thing to consider is wind.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

I was in southern new mexico last Jan and saw mule deer active all hours of the day. The weather was fairly cold and the rut seemed over or tapering off but it was toward the end of the month. The bucks I saw were still with or near small groups of does but not actively running them around like peak rut, at least from what I saw.