Mule Buck WMU 200

[buckkiller321]

Just seeing if the population is starting to recover in zone 200 of decent Mule bucks. I've been hunting there for about 10 years now, but the last few seasons the quality/sightings has seemed to dip....was hoping that it was just my eye sight getting worse with my age. Anyway the wife was drawn for her first mule buck and I was just checking to see if anyone who is around that area has noticed the numbers increasing this year or not.

Thanks for any input!!

shoot straight.

[Bushmaster]

I think everyone who applied for 200 got drawn !! Just their way of continuing the cull, without the unpopular public presence......

[mightybuck]

I think another 450 tags were given out for that zone so lots of guys will be shooting the 2 1/2 year old bucks....no chance for those bucks to grow into trophy class bucks.

[hillbillyreefer]

Nothing but little fellers.

[Hooter]

I hunt 234 a lot but often drive down to 200 to see what's down there. There are quite a lot of little ones but very few 4 points, and no trophy class ones anymore.

Bushmaster said it right, they give out far too many tags there as of late and it's all in an effort to continue the cull in a "socially acceptable" way.

WMU's 200 and 234 have been totally decimated......sad.......

-Trevor

[brewski]

Originally Posted by buckkiller321

Just seeing if the population is starting to recover in zone 200 of decent Mule bucks. I've been hunting there for about 10 years now, but the last few seasons the quality/sightings has seemed to dip....was hoping that it was just my eye sight getting worse with my age. Anyway the wife was drawn for her first mule buck and I was just checking to see if anyone who is around that area has noticed the numbers increasing this year or not.

Thanks for any input!!

shoot straight.

good luck, ive also hunted this area in the past, still lots of deer but nothing bigger than a 130 140 class buck, i stopped putting in there cus like the others said, the "cull" is still in full flight there.

[echo]

Waste of your time and gas,last good year was 2007 been down hill since then.

[steeleyes]

I've been hunting 200 for 15 years now. With 200 having the "most" antlered mule deer tags given out throughout, it's sad to say, but the zone is going to ****. It has been for several years now. Once upon a time, you could very well see solid class deer. Unfortunately, 150 class bucks are hard to come by. Little 2-3 pointers are the standard.

[bigbuck]

Hey guys, what about 202? I heard they were suppose to be cutting back on tags quite abit, but I got drawn this year with a priority 2. Hopefully they didnt give out to many!!!

[GooseSlammer]

Originally Posted by steeleyes

I've been hunting 200 for 15 years now. With 200 having the "most" antlered mule deer tags given out throughout, it's sad to say, but the zone is going to ****. It has been for several years now. Once upon a time, you could very well see solid class deer. Unfortunately, 150 class bucks are hard to come by. Little 2-3 pointers are the standard.

I got drawn in 234 and I'm planning on staying on the West end of the zone. How far from the border did they cull? P.S. - where do you get the stats on tags given out for this season? I spoke to F&W about 234 already, but I have a cow elk tag that's good for 200 as well...

I was thinking I'd hunt my way back to Calgary on Sunday afternoons through 200 and get my mulie does on the way...

[acrtech]

Make yourself a pot of coffee and have a bottle of baileys with you.
point yourself to http://www.mywildalberta.com/home.aspx
once there click on "hunting" across the top, after that, in your new window click on Hunting draws on the left and then on the same left side in new window, click on 2009 hunt draw summary. this will give you an idea of previous year.
hope this helps.
good luck in 2010 season and hunt safe

[edmhunter]

Hello all,

I have been hunting in WMU 200 since 2002. When I first started hunting in this zone in was typical to see 100+ mulies daily, but since 2010 I notice a serious decline in the population.

Due to the early snow and weather contiditions since 2012, I have not been able to hunt my typical hunting areas because the snow was too deep to get into them. But when I was in the area I notice a serious decline in the numbers of Mulies there.

HaS anyone hunted that zone since 2012 and if so would you happen to know if the mule deer population are increasing or declining and how are the whitetail populations doing?????

It's a long drive down there from Edmonton only to eat tag soup!

Thanks - Edmhunter

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Hello all,

I have been hunting in WMU 200 since 2002. When I first started hunting in this zone in was typical to see 100+ mulies daily, but since 2010 I notice a serious decline in the population.

Due to the early snow and weather contiditions since 2012, I have not been able to hunt my typical hunting areas because the snow was too deep to get into them. But when I was in the area I notice a serious decline in the numbers of Mulies there.

HaS anyone hunted that zone since 2012 and if so would you happen to know if the mule deer population are increasing or declining and how are the whitetail populations doing?????

It's a long drive down there from Edmonton only to eat tag soup!

Thanks - Edmhunter

Those zones are brutal....to put it lightly, yes a good one or two deer is taken each year....but it is nothing like it used to be. Used to be nothing to see 100+ deer at last night, they were everywhere. Now you are lucky to see 5-10. Whitetails are scarce at best...bordering nonexistent.

LC

[edmhunter]

That's what I noticed back in 2011, the last time I hunted there! I think that F&W's culling program was overly aggressive and that decimated the population.

The last two winters didn't help either, wondering if the lack of hunting pressure due to the snow has helped rebound the population or further decimated it?''

There never were too many whitetails there, bu I did jump a couple of wall hangers in the past, never did get a shot off though

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by bigbuck

Hey guys, what about 202? I heard they were suppose to be cutting back on tags quite abit, but I got drawn this year with a priority 2. Hopefully they didnt give out to many!!!

202 has been dismal for big bucks and numbers the last 5 years or so. I think it was 3 years ago they put out enough tags to kill the majority of the deer. That combined with several tough winters the last few years and the mule population is lucky to be 40% what it was 5 years ago. Last year I was drawn for buck and didn't see anything even worth a closer look. I also take a group of boys out there every year, in the past we have done quite well and many of the boys get a deer for the freezer last year several didn't even get a shot much less take a deer. I understand why they're doing this but man alive is it hard to watch them kill the crap out of your hunting area. It used to be a great spot to get a solid buck but it is getting harder and hares, I sure hope they find some sort of cure for cwd because it is hard to watch. I hunt the area a lot and get to travel a lot of the zone so I know it just isn't one area in the zone

[edmhunter]

My worst fears are confirmed then! Although I really appreciate what F&W do in Alberta, I think that their culling program was way to aggressive and that it will take many years to re-establish the mule deer herds in the 200 WMUs.

What a crying shame!

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

My worst fears are confirmed then! Although I really appreciate what F&W do in Alberta, I think that their culling program was way to aggressive and that it will take many years to re-establish the mule deer herds in the 200 WMUs.

What a crying shame!

The mandate was eradicate....repopulate, the eradication has not yet been completed, according to them....IMHO.

LC

[hillbillyreefer]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

My worst fears are confirmed then! Although I really appreciate what F&W do in Alberta, I think that their culling program was way to aggressive and that it will take many years to re-establish the mule deer herds in the 200 WMUs.

What a crying shame!

There aren't many left, the winters were the bigger culprits. The populations of both deer species are on the very low end.

[edmhunter]

NICE ELK LC!

Get a moose every year with my bow or 300 WSM. Those elk are way smarter and really cagey!

Do you know of anyone that need a hunting buddy to hunt with, would be happy to take them on a great moose hunt to return the favor!

[snowman160]

There are still big mulies in those zones they just know how to stay away from people an where to go to hide out the season.definetly the numbers overall are way down due to harsh winters for a number of yrs.i saw a real cranker in 200 with one horn in April goin to sask to hunt spring snows.was shocked he still had one.an they will never take all the deer out of those zones there is to much bush..I often wonder if those zones will ever come back.if guys cared enough they would draw all the doe tags then hang em on the Christmas tree..but that will never happen.farmers almanac is calling for another very harsh winter again.sure hope it's wrong or it will only get worse.have a good season boys..

[edmhunter]

GOOD ADVICE Buckkiller.

I have seen a few giants in 200, but mostly 120's. 5 years ago I killed a 155 class buck.

Do you think its worth driving from Edmonton to hunt there this year?

[Baskey1414]

Lots of young bucks since the kill offs and bad winters. I got a draw for this year and have been covering lots of ground to find decent bucks but crankers are scarce at best.

[edmhunter]

Thanks Baskey1414.

I only have a draw for a doe, did you see many this year, is it worth the trip? The taste GREAT especially in Hot Italian Sausage