Now I want to hunt Mule Deer

[Atchman2]

My family is from northwest Kansas. I have seen hundreds of mule deer here! It is supposed to be hard for out of state hunters to get a tag. However, by marriage, I am a Kansas landowner! My wife's family were original homesteaders in this area. Seems like as long as I hunt on family lands I can get a mule deer tag.

Just this morning, I could have shot 8 of the danged things! Every little patch of woods has them it seems. I am going to call the state just in case, but it appears I can get a tag for them. My family owns several hundred if not thousands of acres.

So this fall I think I am coming back! Anyone that has hunted them have any tips for me? I have several nice .308 rifles and I would think they would be just fine. Now the ranges are sometimes further, but to be honest, I could have shot the last few I have seen with a bow.

 

[redblood]

308 be just fine

 

[Omega]

308 will work, just be sure to confirm zero there. I grew up in Denver, hunted with my Nino (Godfather) all over western and southern Colorado. 30-06 and 308 were the top choices back then but I used a 270 when I went back on leave from the army, it too worked just fine.

 

[mike243]

Your wife got a sister?

 

[JN]

Is that picture a patch of woods by Kansas standards?

Always wanted to hunt them but do not know much about how you do in that type of terrain. If it was me I would hang a tree stand in that tree.

 

[Gravey]

Hope it works out for you. 308 will be plenty.

 

[DeerCamp]

Is that picture a patch of woods by Kansas standards?

Always wanted to hunt them but do not know much about how you do in that type of terrain. If it was me I would hang a tree stand in that tree.

There's a reason guys out west love to use the term "glass".

See them far away and formulate plan to get close enough with whatever weapon you happen to have. Trees big enough for stands in a lot of mule deer country are often hard to find.

 

[BSK]

Back in the early 80s, I spent some time in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. I was amazed at how laser-focused the locals were on the mule deer in the area. They didn't give a flip about the whitetails, even though local whitetails grew pretty big. I never understood why a small muley was so much more coveted than a big whitetail. Maybe things have changed since then with all the focus in trophy whitetails, but I haven't been back, so don't know.

 

[recurve60#]

308 will work, just be sure to confirm zero there. I grew up in Denver, hunted with my Nino (Godfather) all over western and southern Colorado. 30-06 and 308 were the top choices back then but I used a 270 when I went back on leave from the army, it too worked just fine.

You just told on yourself.

 

[BPhunter]

My family is from northwest Kansas. I have seen hundreds of mule deer here! It is supposed to be hard for out of state hunters to get a tag. However, by marriage, I am a Kansas landowner! My wife's family were original homesteaders in this area. Seems like as long as I hunt on family lands I can get a mule deer tag.

Just this morning, I could have shot 8 of the danged things! Every little patch of woods has them it seems. I am going to call the state just in case, but it appears I can get a tag for them. My family owns several hundred if not thousands of acres.

So this fall I think I am coming back! Anyone that has hunted them have any tips for me? I have several nice .308 rifles and I would think they would be just fine. Now the ranges are sometimes further, but to be honest, I could have shot the last few I have seen with a bow. View attachment 175169

Those mule deer are usually nice fat and juicy. A .308 is definitely more than enough for a mule deer. I use a .50 cal muzzleloader with conical or .50 cal. muzzleloader with patched round ball. During cf rifle season a 30-06 or .270 is more than adequate. BTW: I live and hunt in Commierado.

 

[TNlandowner]

There's a reason guys out west love to use the term "glass".

See them far away and formulate plan to get close enough with whatever weapon you happen to have. Trees big enough for stands in a lot of mule deer country are often hard to find.

Great tip right here. Long sits glassing will be awesome if you are looking for a trophy class deer. If you simply want to harvest a mule deer, pick the closest place with cover that also is easy to reach by vehicle for recovery.

I've killed several mule deer and honestly didn't care for the taste. I loved the hunts though ;o)

 

[Omega]

You just told on yourself.

I've nothing to hide, I'm fat, old, born in Mexico, grew up in a progressive state..but then grew up joined the military and retired in a deep red state...that is slowly turning pink

 

[Atchman2]

Back in the early 80s, I spent some time in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. I was amazed at how laser-focused the locals were on the mule deer in the area. They didn't give a flip about the whitetails, even though local whitetails grew pretty big. I never understood why a small muley was so much more coveted than a big whitetail. Maybe things have changed since then with all the focus in trophy whitetails, but I haven't been back, so don't know.

I haven't seen a whitetail since I have been here. They are more common in the creek bottoms than where I've been roaming around. I can't find any turkeys, coyotes, badgers, prairie dogs, but by gosh I can find a Mule Deer!

BTW, my wife owns land in Nebraska too.

 

[EastTNHunter]

308 is more than enough.

No way I'd hunt mule deer from a treestand. I hunt whitetail spot and stalk wherever I can, and hunting in a treestand in an area like that just wouldn't feel right, would likely be boring, and would not be the most effective way to go. If I were to know of a bedding area then I would find a hide somewhere nearby to watch it until they came out, then make a move on them if I wasn't close enough to take a shot.

 

[tellico4x4]

Back in the early 80s, I spent some time in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. I was amazed at how laser-focused the locals were on the mule deer in the area. They didn't give a flip about the whitetails, even though local whitetails grew pretty big. I never understood why a small muley was so much more coveted than a big whitetail. Maybe things have changed since then with all the focus in trophy whitetails, but I haven't been back, so don't know.

Hunting there in Nov this year, I'll let you know

 

[Sako]

308 is fine... it has ended multiple mule deer lives for me and never a problem. Actually anything you can kill a whitetail with will work the main thing is accuracy incase they are out there...

 

[BSK]

I haven't seen a whitetail since I have been here. They are more common in the creek bottoms than where I've been roaming around. I can't find any turkeys, coyotes, badgers, prairie dogs, but by gosh I can find a Mule Deer!

BTW, my wife owns land in Nebraska too.

That's exactly what I saw: muleys in the hills, whitetails in the brush creek drainages through flat ground (ag areas).

 

[BPhunter]

That's exactly what I saw: muleys in the hills, whitetails in the brush creek drainages through flat ground (ag areas).

Either one....very good tasting and healthy.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Back in the early 80s, I spent some time in the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. I was amazed at how laser-focused the locals were on the mule deer in the area. They didn't give a flip about the whitetails, even though local whitetails grew pretty big. I never understood why a small muley was so much more coveted than a big whitetail. Maybe things have changed since then with all the focus in trophy whitetails, but I haven't been back, so don't know.

Still the same there.

They'll pass a 160" whitetail and shoot a 3x3 mule deer

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Is that picture a patch of woods by Kansas standards?

Always wanted to hunt them but do not know much about how you do in that type of terrain. If it was me I would hang a tree stand in that tree.

Got a feeling the locals hunt out of mobile stands. Ride the ranch roads until they drive close enough.