WMU 404 Mule Deer, any pointers

[Etownie]

Hey all, I drew a mulie in 404 for a bit of a challenge.. but after six days/nights spent scouting over the last two weeks and nothing on the cams I'm looking for a pointer or two. I started my search around raspberry ridge and other than nice bears, white tails, couple elk and one mule deer doe I haven't found anything showing promise. Not asking for spots, just direction.

[packhuntr]

Guess you really didnt want a challenge hey... Scout harder. You are only as good as what you find. Think bachelor herds, micro habitats, micro movements from bed to feed and back. If its a challenge you sought, why are you folding after merely 14 days and your trail cams have done all the work? Many guys scout 60 days on antler alone. Entire rest of the year in turf, logistics etc etc. Everyone wants big muledeer. Pony up a little, you get out pretty well exactly what you put in. My two bits, prob aint worth half that though.

[LKILR]

Originally Posted by packhuntr

Guess you really didnt want a challenge hey... Scout harder. You are only as good as what you find. Think bachelor herds, micro habitats, micro movements from bed to feed and back. If its a challenge you sought, why are you folding after merely 14 days and your trail cams have done all the work? Many guys scout 60 days on antler alone. Entire rest of the year in turf, logistics etc etc. Everyone wants big muledeer. Pony up a little, you get out pretty well exactly what you put in. My two bits, prob aint worth half that though.

Lol. This ^^^^. You've drawn a tag that requires some hard work. Big mountain mule deer bucks are very elusive. Especially in the summer/ early fall. You likley won't see them untill dusk. Then maybe again in the early morn. They mostly live in the timber. You will find them at higher elevations. Good luck

[camo]

I hunted in the mountains last year on an elk/mule deer hunt in early September and I couldn't believe how high up we found the mule deer. We were spotting for elk one day and since we weren't seeing any, our guide checked out a bowl where he usually sees goats and sure enough there were some. The next day we went back up to our lookout, we did not see any elk, so we looked for the goats. Goats were all gone but there was a heard of mule deer bucks.

[Lr1000]

As said before. Get very high, like sheep high, 8000'. Look around water and in the bush. Lots of times if your camping out there they will come sleep beside your tent. I finally found one worth going after this year while sheep hunting. Big drop tine that should grow to over 200". Nasty places to pack a deer out of tho.

[rem338win]

They are in little bowls and chutes above treeline this time of year. Good glass and boots are the best way of finding them.

[HuntingAlberta]

Take the last 10 days of November off and hit the high country. Find some does and the bucks will be there. Some great muley hunting around if you have the courage to really put the miles on the boots in the deep snow in the late season and get back into them.

[Etownie]

My only knowledge of mule deer comes from Cooley's, though I may be doing something wrong haha. Higher I go. Thanks guys!

[ssavage]

did you end up having any luck? I drew same tags, I went up to 7500 ft or so in some areas and there was no sign of anything up there.

[Etownie]

32 days, 15 nights, countless miles of distance and elevation, One miss due to buck fever and fatigue on thursday, but monday in the same spot at the same time of day i found the same buck i missed and downed a WMU 404 4x4 Mule Deer buck with a single heart shot.

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. I'll post pictures of him soon. Realized after I finished the pack out that I didnt take a grip and grin shot with him.

Happy rest of the season all!

[spot and stock]

Congrats!! Those mountain mule bucks are by far the most rewarding. Looking forward to the pics.

[camo]

Congrats, those Kananaskis zone can be a real challenge. Lots of years of tag soup for most

[blackmamba]

I know how you feel I have a 404 bull elk tag and we're into it for more then 35 days and only seen one legal bull .. congrats on hard earned moutains mulie , they sure aren't easy to come by and you've earned every inch of that buck.. but that's what makes the adventure so much fun.. congrats again !!

Mamba

[tdwarburton]

Wth??????

[blackmamba]

I'm waiting aswell for pics.. !!