Grande Prairie region mulie population

[Outbound]

I'm getting back into hunting after a 6+ year hiatus. I'm looking at the draw info and regulations as I start planning. I noticed that mule deer are pretty much all a draw species in the GP area. From what I remember the last times I was hunting we would see countless mule deer over a season, but only a tiny handful of whitetails. Even these days, on my fishing and hiking trips the deer I come across are almost all invariably mulies.

Do white tails and mule deer not share similar territory, thus meaning we were only in mulie country? Has the F&W management got their thinking backwards in allowing a GOS on a species with a smaller population? Is there something I'm missing here?

[Steyr Luxus]

Yes, these deer intermix in the same territory. I have also observed them feeding together in the same feeding areas and still continue to see this mixing

[Grizzly Adams]

When I was in the Yukon last Fall, learned an interesting fact, Mule deer were not native at one time, but have gradually been moving in from the South.

Grizz

[Outbound]

Originally Posted by Steyr Luxus

Yes, these deer intermix in the same territory. I have also observed them feeding together in the same feeding areas and still continue to see this mixing

That's what I thought. If that is indeed the case, then I'm not sure why there would be a GOS on whities and not on mulies if the former's population appears so much smaller. It'd make more sense to me as a layman and casual observer that the draws would be for the more threatened population.

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

When I was in the Yukon last Fall, learned an interesting fact, Mule deer were not native at one time, but have gradually been moving in from the South.

Grizz

I did hear something to that effect. It's interesting how critters move. I read an article recently that stated whitetails actually did better with humans around and mule deer kept migrating higher and farther from humans.

[Positrac]

I don’t know about Grande Prairie but I was a bit north of there in January on a cow elk hunt (526) and I wouldn’t be going back for a Mulies. We saw a few does but not much in total for Mule deer. I won’t be heading back for cow elk either though.

[35 whelen]

The mule dear heard has takin quite a hit in this area over the last 10yrs,i would look somewhere else ,if your looking for trophys,

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by Positrac

I don’t know about Grande Prairie but I was a bit north of there in January on a cow elk hunt (526) and I wouldn’t be going back for a Mulies. We saw a few does but not much in total for Mule deer. I won’t be heading back for cow elk either though.

must be looking in the wrong place in 526, theres mulies all over the place by my uncles farm. Can barely go for a drive down a RR and not hit one.

[tbrown]

The local outfitters in the region seem to continue to shoot nice mule deer, I think the one claims that he has guided 100 muley bucks over 180".

With CWD sweeping across the prairies and the inflated tag numbers that come with it; there is very poor trophy quality in the eastern zones. And, if you are lucky enough to shoot a muley buck in the east there is a good chance that it will be CWD positive.

People are going to start flooding north for mule deer! Can't blame them, no CWD, big muley bucks, season opens September 17th, lots of general elk, bears, big whitetail. If you are going to use up your priority, you might as well make a trip of it and go with a pocket full of tags!

Good luck in the draws everyone! I'm heading north and I will see you there!!

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[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by tbrown

The local outfitters in the region seem to continue to shoot nice mule deer, I think the one claims that he has guided 100 muley bucks over 180".

With CWD sweeping across the prairies and the inflated tag numbers that come with it; there is very poor trophy quality in the eastern zones. And, if you are lucky enough to shoot a muley buck in the east there is a good chance that it will be CWD positive.

People are going to start flooding north for mule deer! Can't blame them, no CWD, big muley bucks, season opens September 17th, lots of general elk, bears, big whitetail. If you are going to use up your priority, you might as well make a trip of it and go with a pocket full of tags!

Good luck in the draws everyone! I'm heading north and I will see you there!!

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So it's gonna look like all the big city hunters flooding into the Saddles looking for elk, only for mulie bucks now? Great....

[tbrown]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

So it's gonna look like all the big city hunters flooding into the Saddles looking for elk, only for mulie bucks now? Great....

I have no idea, I'm just goofing. But, it honestly wouldn't surprise me.

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[35 whelen]

I heard theres some real big ones in 522

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I heard theres some real big ones in 522

I haven't been out there for a number of years, but there used to be good herds. They used to have under-subscribed doe tags, 2 for 1 at one point. A farmer out there had asked a couple of us if we would come out and thin it a bit, as they were really hitting his green feed hard. We saw a few decent bucks, but that was 7 or so years ago.

I actually quite liked the area, I may have to head back out there again and snoop around this year.

[greywolf]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I heard theres some real big ones in 522

I heard there are bigger ones in 521.😉

[bucksman]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

I heard theres some real big ones in 522

Ive hunted 522 for 4 years and haven't seen one that was worth anything. Even had my mule deer tag a couple years ago, figured id try it out. tag soup. Found these sheds this year and that's the biggest deer Im aware of.

[35 whelen]

Just like you wouldn't call a 160 Whitetail Boone and Crockett most people consider a Boone and Crockett 170 no one I ever knew use the minimum score it was always the higher score

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[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Just like you wouldn't call a 160 Whitetail Boone and Crockett most people consider a Boone and Crockett 170 no one I ever knew use the minimum score it was always the higher score

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Sad thing is a while back people on this site would just want to see pics of it, rather than point out and correct issues with wording lol. Oh how things change....

[35 whelen]

Well when you've guided hundreds of clients from all over the world and 90% of them want to know the score of their Boone and Crockett animal that's what we tell them

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[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Well when you've guided hundreds of clients from all over the world and 90% of them want to know the score of their Boone and Crockett animal that's what we tell them

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Haha yep I get it. Internet world seems enjoyable to correct people more than anything. Guess that's no real surprise! Likely why I enjoy scrolling through IG and just looking at damn pics these days

[35 whelen]

But yes it shouldn't be about the score trophy is in the eye of the beholder

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