Before giving in to the tempting offer, I sat back up to scan the hills real quick. The most important thing though, is that this is just a plain fun hunt. All bets are off for when bucks will be up and moving. Although this season opens on January 1, it can still capture some late rut action and is capable of offering some of New Mexico’s best mule deer hunting. Arguably, some of the best mule deer hunting in New Mexico is offered as a January archery season.

Even this was deemed excessive by the state's sportsmen, and a public initiative in 1916 reduced the limit to one buck deer to be taken during the month of October. Bucks chase away bucks, spar with other bucks for dominance, run after does and stand with their noses held high with the occasional lip curl while smelling the surrounding air. Bowhunting deer is always fun, but these particular seasons allow us to chase mule deer and coues deer during the rut with OTC (over the counter) tags. One of the first drills I learned while I was still a newbie to giant mule deer … A mule deer has much more white on their face than a whitetail. Mule deer also have much darker foreheads than whitetails, too. In the mountain states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, northern Utah, northern Colorado and northern Nevada, the Rocky Mountain mule deer generally have the peak fawning period during the first week of June. This is a rare situation but can happen on occasion. Specializing in trophy Rocky Mountain Elk, Coues Deer, Mule Deer, Antelope, Javelina, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, & Predator hunts in the heart of Arizona Raging Point Outfitters is located just below the Mogollon Rim-a 7,000-foot, 200-mile-long playground for all serious Predator & Big Game trophy hunters in Northern Arizona. They are social animals, so zookeepers keep them in herds. It was about 12:30 p.m. and the shade from the tree I was under was starting to pull me into a midday nap. 2019 Arizona Deer … That was the biggest buck I have ever stalked with a bow. Our rifle mule deer season is typically one week in late October through early November. The condition of the habitat in terms of feed and water will greatly impact not only the timing of the rut, but the intensity of the rut as well. Across the West, the large majority of mule deer hunters take to the field in the month of October. You want to hunt the bucks where they are going to be, not where you may have seen them while scouting in the months prior to the hunt. Photoperiodism is defined as the physiological reaction of organisms to the length of day or night. Conversely, a good feed year can push the rut earlier. “If the weather is cold, then the rut will be on fire!” This is the statement heard over and over every year. State agencies across the West have different approaches when it comes to setting season dates. Well, that is a great tactic for early season hunting, but I’ve never watched a buck bed for more than an hour during the rut. Mike from PA shot a nice southern Arizona desert mule deer The most abundant deer in Arizona is the Rocky Mountain mule deer.
Mark with his southern Arizona desert mule deer.Eli with his first mule deer. I’ve also heard of folks rattling bucks in, especially coues deer. Pay attention to which way the does are heading. I’m not saying that calls or decoys are going to work all of the time bowhunting deer, but they definitely CAN work. The early season Arizona archery mule deer hunts take place from mid August through early September when most of the Arizona mule deer bucks are still in the velvet while the late season archery mule deer hunts run from mid December through January when the Arizona mule deer bucks are hard antlered and are in the peak of the rut. First thing is first. Rifle season desert mule deer hunts are up to 4 days in duration. Mule Deer Care. Then, for reasons that are still unclear, deer populations began to increase. Unlucky for me, they didn’t make it in time for shooting light. Nearly every hunt district in Montana will allow hunting during mid to late November. The breeding season, called “rut,” occurs in mid-November. The best time to hunt these units is in January when the rut spurs the bucks to come out of hiding. Receive updates and goHUNT's most popular content. They will become sexually mature in a year and a half. By slowing down your foot fall, you are ultimately quieting it. One of the most overlooked and hidden peak rut opportunities is buried in the archery seasons. Nevada also has some very good rut seasons offered exclusively to archery hunters. Im entering my senior year of high school and for a graduation present, my mom and I have been discussing a western hunt in 2021. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. You can go days without seeing a buck, but when you finally do, there’s a good chance it will look good on the wall. This is the primary factor in determining the breeding season at a given latitude. This behavior makes bucks vulnerable. Female deer, called does, typically give birth to one or … Use our Unit Profiles and Filtering 2.0 to search out areas that will provide the terrain and habitat that should provide rut action. Finally, hunting the first week of January allowed us to miss very few class days while maximizing our hunting time and a return trip in late December will also coincide with some given Christmas vacation days. The profiles will also help you find the units with the trophy quality you seek. Time was not on my side. On a distant ridge I saw a giant buck making his way down into a doe bedding area. I don’t know about you, but after writing that, I couldn’t be more excited for the upcoming season! According to Boone and Crockett, the month of November stands supreme for producing the highest scoring bucks since 1990. This outfitter offers a late season mule deer hunt. The fact of the matter is, bucks are just too antsy to bed and stay still most of the day. All of this while most hunters are back at camp either napping or eating eggs and bacon. The major risk to targeting the pre-rut is that not all bucks will be on the move. It’s actually quite difficult for some folks to do this, because it takes a great deal of balance in uneven terrain. Arizona and Idaho both have over-the-counter archery tags available that offer season dates that will allow you to hunt during the rut. The decoys from Ultimate Predator that mount on your bow have been proven time and time again to put bucks on the ground and in the cooler. Mule deer average 202 to 210 days for gestation. Touch or click on the state in the graphic above for peak rut dates. These early stages of the rut are often referred to as the pre-rut among hunters. This short period of intensive rut activity averages roughly ten days and has become the reason for many hunters to amass double-digit bonus points in an effort to get one chance to hunt large, swollen necked bucks void of their wits. Montana is the overwhelming king when it comes to providing peak rut opportunity to rifle hunters. Here are 5 Tips that we at Ross Outdoors have put together for chasing rutting bucks with a bow in our home state of Arizona. All of the archery seasons also offer ample hunting opportunity by allowing you to take either a Mule Deer or Coues Whitetail with your bow. The animal gets its name from its mule-like ears. pumatagger 01-Dec-09. Maybe, the buck doesn’t come running towards you, but it might also keep him from running away all together. sjbowhnter 30-Nov-09. A great tool for determining the amount of daylight per day based on latitude can be found here. Bucks are easily found either with does or moving from group to group. Does the Mule Deer Make a Good Pet. Take A Vantage Point. Bucks abandon their wits and put on one of the most awesome behavioral displays of the year. As I’ve stated in prior reports, southern Arizona and New Mexico are still a few weeks out. Subtracting 205 days would suggest that the average peak rut for these extreme southern desert mule deer would take place the week of January 14. It is the smallest member of the deer family in Utah. Their urge to breed is strong and that is something that you can take to the bank. Whitetail and mule deer move in strikingly different ways: a whitetail deer wags its tall tail as it gallops away, while mule deer stot up and over shrubs. Late season rut hunts find otherwise cagey bucks letting down their defensive instincts. Do your homework and go make a memory! Hunters will have a very reasonable opportunity at a buck ranging from 180-200+. Once you’re within 100 yards or so, post up and wait. A month-to-month mule deer comparison The best time to scout is obviously before your hunt, but the best answer would be in July and August. Bowhunting the desert can be tough. Fit for the Hunt: Does Fitness Matter in Hunting. Every year it seems that mule deer hunters are divided into two camps: the early season high country velvet enthusiasts and the late-season hunters with hopes of capturing the excitement of the peak rut. Mule deer are extremely popular game animals in Utah. When the mule deer come into rut, generally in mid December and January in the lower elevations, it's exciting to hunt them with your bow because their sense of awareness is only concentrated on their doe. At only five days in length, one severe storm can quickly cut your hunt in half. This is the time when bucks are clearly most vulnerable as well as most active in daylight hours. To my surprise, this thing that I thought was probably a gimmick, worked. The caution with the Colorado fourth rifle season is the short number of hunting days. Permits are available through Arizona Game and Fish Department.The big game draw system is very limited in each unit. goHUNT is a registered trademark of goHUNT, LLC. So, they will oftentimes spend their day going from doe bedding area to doe bedding area. Although the early season high country craze is hitting its stride in popularity (thanks to growing swarms of ambitious hunters wanting to become known as backcountry experts), the late season rut hunts will always be the most coveted of mule deer seasons.Late season rut hunts find otherwise cagey bucks letting down their defensive instincts. As light faded, there was no way I’d be making it. Now, you’re bowhunting deer and javelina at the same time! This completely went against the classic hunt the morning and the evening routine.

Cold weather is beneficial to keeping deer on their feet and on the move, making them easier to spot. The desert mule deer of Sonora and southern Arizona generally have a peak fawning period of around August 7. They are large, wild animals, and can be potentially dangerous. Nov 1 – Nov 7, 2019 – Antlered mule deer Unit 28 Nov 15 – Nov 21, 2019 – Antlered mule deer Unit 29 Nov 1 – Nov 7, 2019 – Antlered mule deer Unit 29 Nov 15 – Nov 21, 2019 – Antlered mule deer Unit 30A Nov 1 – Nov 7, 2019 – Antlered mule deer. Most hunters do not realize that the cold temperatures are not what starts or drives the mule deer rut. Hunting active deer is always more exciting than lethargic deer hidden in shady, cool places. The extended archery seasons in Utah offer seasons that include the entire month of November. The first step is to identify the typical rut week for the state/area you are considering. This is a great hunt for beginning bowhunters too, because the action is thick, and there is always something to do.

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