Nebraska Republican Mule Deer

[reeveslu]

First time posting. I basically drew the Republican Mule Deer rifle tag by accident. I know nothing about this area. I don’t have any connections out west in the area so I’d like to do it on some sort of public land. Any information would help! Thanks

 

[elkguide]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

This looks like a good place to start. https://maps.outdoornebraska.gov/PublicAccessAtlas/

 

[reeveslu]

Yes I’m aware of the public land atlas. However no where on that atlas does it show where mule deer are more or less likely to be in the Republican Unit for firearm season. That is more the information I am after.

 

[Rich M]

Welcome to the forum.

Is there a funny story in how you ended up with that permit?

I wouldn't fret too much - you've got plenty of time to figure it out.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Yes I’m aware of the public land atlas. However no where on that atlas does it show where mule deer are more or less likely to be in the Republican Unit for firearm season. That is more the information I am after.

Odds are pretty poor that any specific location information will be shared on an open forum like this. Have you considered looking into topography with feed, cover, and water and taking a drive out that way?

 

[William Sublette]

Take a drive out that way and explore the unit.

Once you identify all the primo top end habitat cross it off your list: it's saved for family and friends.

Then find the second best habitat, and cross it off your list cause that stuff is leased to outfitters.

Don't work about the next slice there's no deer on there.

And the fourth best habitat will be the public land. That stuff will be blown out by the second weekend of Sept with any deer present bounced to the neighboring private.

But the chamber of commerce will welcome you with open arms.

So that's nice.

 

[NEhunter]

Take a drive out that way and explore the unit.

Once you identify all the primo top end habitat cross it off your list: it's saved for family and friends.

Then find the second best habitat, and cross it off your list cause that stuff is leased to outfitters.

Don't work about the next slice there's no deer on there.

And the fourth best habitat will be the public land. That stuff will be blown out by the second weekend of Sept with any deer present bounced to the neighboring private.

But the chamber of commerce will welcome you with open arms.

So that's nice.

You about had me rolling on the floor here. Couldn’t have said it better concerning Nebraska hunting. Lived here my whole life, would rather take my money to other states. I’d say for that unit the best you can hope for is a landowner to grant you access but I wouldn’t count on it, I quit wasting my time trying to get private access years ago and hunt public or another state all together.


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[huntineveryday]

Where are you from? How feasible is a trip to scout? I would be interested to hear how you ended up with that draw tag accidentally.

Nebraska consists of very little public ground (like 47th in terms of percent of land publicly owned). Mix that with easily obtained deer tags and you can guess what public land looks like during rifle season. The Republican Mule Deer Conservation Area permit is good for the November Firearm season AND the December Muzzleloader season...

 

[reeveslu]

It was a classic thought I clicked a different tag as I was more focused on antelope. I’d rather not waste my rifle and muzzleloader this season but it seems like that’s what happened. I live in York county , so I’m in the Republican unit already but I’ve never heard of anyone seeing a Muley around here for as long as I’ve lived here.

 

[NEhunter]

I would look into areas further west of Harlan res. I’ve seen some huge mule deer checked in at the Alma check station that were supposedly shot out west of Orleans somewhere, more than likely private ground. Good luck.


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[huntineveryday]

If you don't want the tag for that unit just don't pay for it. You're out $7 for the application fee and forfeit preference if you apply for it next year. After that 14 day period is up it should become available for someone else to buy. (from how I understand the regs)

Otherwise I'd plan a trip to the area to get some boots on the ground scouting. And I'd plan on a December hunt instead of November. Typically you're going to find more whitetails along the river bottoms and more Muleys out in the pastures. I live in Kearney county, haven't heard of a Muley being seen anywhere around here for quite a few years. I'd plan on staying west of Holdrege.

 

[morgan1h]

Take a drive out that way and explore the unit.

Once you identify all the primo top end habitat cross it off your list: it's saved for family and friends.

Then find the second best habitat, and cross it off your list cause that stuff is leased to outfitters.

Don't work about the next slice there's no deer on there.

And the fourth best habitat will be the public land. That stuff will be blown out by the second weekend of Sept with any deer present bounced to the neighboring private.

But the chamber of commerce will welcome you with open arms.

So that's nice.

This was a great post - I wish it wasn't so true. You live close man - you need to get to hiking. Cover all the public ground there is in that unit over the summer - won't take you long. Because its so limited, I'd not be impressed with anyone who publicly, on a forum, gave away a muley spot within that unit (answered your question with any specificity).

There could be some good whitetail hunting on public in that unit. Mule Deer.....maybe not so much. But you won't know until you cover it all yourself. If you were from like Tennessee, it might be a different story. But living in York county, your too close to not put in boot leather scouting if you want to hunt it. Scouting is fun. Just think of it as hunting but with a camera swapped out for your weapon.

 

[morgan1h]

Also, don't overlook the small 160ish acre areas of CRP and OFW lands scattered around. Look over all of them on google earth, and if it looks like good muley country to you, go glass and hike it. 160 acres is a tiny parcel when talking about muley country and won't offer the picturesque western mule deer hunting experience, but its whats there for public in that unit. You may have to play the boundaries or sit on a buck you find waiting for him to cross from private to your little public chunk, but I'd be looking over all those in attempts to find my buck.

 

[Longshot284]

Having hunted Muleys on public in nebraska for a few years, I feel your pain. I’ve not hunted Republican but if I was going to I’d recommend finding some CRP that borders an ag field and scout those all summer/early fall. The ag fields will be private but Muleys in Nebraska tend to act like whitetails - they are going to get as fat as they can in the ag fields and be as lazy as possible. I’ve got some buddies who’ve had success (mostly in Frenchman) by sitting on a small chunk of CRP that borders a private ag field and basically ambushed them when they were going to bed and hopped the fence onto public.

Here’s my buck from last year in the Platte unit taken on public walk-in. It can be done!

 

[BRTreedogs]

I thought I was gonna see meme.
Or a deer in voting booth.
Or licking a trump sign when I opened this.