Some help with mulies this fall
 

I know there have been a few similar posts over the past few years but thought I would throw it out there anyway and maybe someone could at least PM me.

My buddy and I are a priority 5 or 6 and would like to pull our mulie tags this year and hunt both archery and gun season. I live by Red Deer and have hunted mostly whitetail but have dreamed about spot and stalk mulie hunting in the big coulees of the south/southeast.

I'm not sure what the current situation of our mulies are in the south/southeast (winterkill/CWD overharvesting, etc). So I'm looking for a bit of advice. I'm not looking for anyone's honeyhole or anything like that. However, if you have a WMU recommendation, I'd love a PM.

I plan to go out in the summer and ask for permission and do some serious scouting and due diligence, but need to pick a WMU for the draw before the deadline.

Both of us would be happy with anything over 160 but I'd love to hunt somewhere where the possibility of a 180+ still exists. Somewhere, like I said, where a guy can glass river bottoms or coulees and spot and stalk. I don't mind wearing the rubber off my hiking boots... in fact, I would prefer that. As I would be mostly limited to weekends to hunt, the 102-160 WMU's scare me a bit not being able to hunt on Sundays. Also, somewhere where permission isn't impossible and the outfitters don't have most of the landowner's in the back pocket.

Thanks for any and all advice you can give. Anything would be appreciated.

If a 160 would make you happy then pick a zone. A 160 isn't much of a deer and isn't too tough to find in most southern zones.

I hunt in 109-108 a lot. Lotsa good Mulies down here, and lots of good ppl that will let you hunt on there land. If in 109 talk to the Hutterites, they are great, and will most likely let you hunt on there land. Plus all the leased grazing land you can get on. There are a few guys that won't let anyone hunt on there land. But that's mostly from being burned by some idiots.
As for where to look. All over. If I would have had a Mulie tag last year, I would have easily token a decent buck. In fact I found one bedded down in a draw that was, by my guess, and I'm not that great at guessing. 180ish. He was playing the don't move and he won't see ya game, as I sat where and watched him from 200 yards with binos. He was big.
Theirs also the river coulees of the South Saskatchewan. Lots of good places all over. And basically the farmers are all really Hunter friendly, good ppl.
I'll put it like this. Last year was my first year hunting big game. And after driving the roads down there and some hiking, I have seen a ton of big bucks.
Driving back from fishing last weekend at dusk, I took some roads I know, and I saw atleast 40+ deer. Mostly Mulies.
If you decide to head that way. Pm me and I'll give you some leads on where to look. If I don't get back to you right away, I'm just busy and don't log in too much right now. But I'll check. Cheers.

You will find a 160" deer all day long in the southern zones. Go early and ask for permission and you will have a great hunt.

Well as far as hunting both seasons, you may or may not get that choice this year depending on what happens with the regs.

You got some really good advice above. The winters have been mild and there are lots of mulies around. My advice is go for a drive down south the very next day you have off. Mulies like steep coulees and riverbanks. Look at a map, pick a spot and take your binos and spotting scope. If you do this as a rifle hunt, it's not hard to tag out in 5 days or less if you've scouted.

That being said, Nube is a guide and while he is correct as far as 160s being around, he can take a lot more time to do this than most of us can afford. It gets significantly more diffcult once you set your sights higher. 170 is hard to find, 180 requires a full time effort, you probably won't just walk into one. Anything bigger requires higher priority and a whole bunch of things going right. There's just not that many deer that get that big, much like most whitetails will never be more than an 8 point.

I realize that Nube. I'm confident I could find a 160 around here as well.

But I'm looking more for the experience than just to put a buck on the ground. It's the type of hunt that I'm looking for that I need some advice on. Zones where spot and stock along coulees, river bottom, or big valley is possible, lots of deer, lots of space, and the chance for something big to be hiding.

You know, I'm not asking for much... just the perfect mulie zone. No biggie...Right?

So you and your buddy would be happy with a 160 but then again a 160 isn't good enough....
River valley to hike in..... lots around get a map and throw a dart at it. You live next to one of the best around.
You don't want to worry about permission... there are a few really good mule deer spots I know that are actually on General in the mountains on crown land if you really want to go on a rough sheep hunt / I mean mule deer hunt.
Not sure what you really want here other than someone holding your hand and saying go here but good luck with your quest. Hope you have a good hunt and find something

Sure Nube, as soon as you get done spooning that cat in your profile pick, I would love for you to hold my hand... and take me around mulie hunting... if you're offering. :bad_boys_20:

Shhhhhhhhhhhh. There are no big mule deer in the mountains. Big mule deer can only be found on the prairies in coulees and river valleys.

Don't go looking for big mule deer in our mountains. You won't find any!

BW

No worries lol Most guys are too lazy to even think of it. I could have killed some real nice ones over the years sheep hunting and see them in the same area since I was a kid. Just dont feel like packing a mule deer off the mountain for 20k.

Bigtoad , what can I say. Some guys get all the ***** snuggling they need lol
Good luck with your quest. Post some pics when u get home.

WMU 150, and 153 have some really nice mullies.

Why on earth would you not hunt some of the great river valleys you have closer to Red Deer as there is some great Mulie hunting east of you!!!!! :126fs2277341:

Not exactly related to the topic at hand, but... I took a guy out for a walk once, he was glassing the hills on the other side of the river (the hills I spend most of my hunting days on) and saying how amazing the place looks and should hold some pretty big deer. About a week or two later, I took this guy out for walk to another place. He was looking over the river (no binoculars this time around) and saying how good the place on the other side of the river was and there are quite a few spots to hide a big deer. When I told him that we were standing at the spot he was glassing a week or two ago and was looking at the spot he was glassing from then, he laughed.

The best advice I can give you is this:
Find a mid-sized zone with low numbers of tags given out, and with a river running through it - you'll get deep coulees and valleys which hold deer and allow them to age (because most guys are lazy and don't want to work). A zone which is draw for archery hunters and rifle hunters alike - and has been so for at least 3 years.

If it's lots of space and lots of deer you're looking for, go north young man! I hunted monster mulies near grande prairie and farther north, if you don't mind a drive you can find some of the most beautiful land in the peace country! And a lot of it is crown.

wmu 109?? :thinking-006: Really?

You've never hunted WMU 109?! It's the strip of grass between the two lanes of the highway thats runs from Lethbridge to coutts. Iv seen good deer in there in the past. If they run north and south your good but if they head east or west it doesn't take much for them to be in a different wmu.

The mullies down near Pincher here are like rats, they are every where, seen lots of good ones, when I mowed my moms lawn the other day there was four just loungin in her yard, they didn't leave till about the fourth lap on the ride-a-mow, seen more than one herd in the area over 100 head.

HAHAHAHA .. Thanx bud, good to see you got my back , kinda like those cats from 102 .lol:)

Shhhhhhhhh....no mulies around Pincher...nothing but runts and management deer :snapoutofit::)