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Highlighted mule deer hunts for 2005
Canadian trophy mule deer: Alberta has been producing some fine trophy mule deer lately, and the main reason is that in some zones hunting pressure has been cut way back. Where residents used to be able to buy a tag over the counter, now they must draw a permit in a computery lottery to hunt some areas. The result has been that many bucks are getting old enough now to grow trophy-size antlers. The world record non-typical muley came from Alberta, so it will be interesting to see just what comes from the province in the next few years. Non-resident tags are also severely limited, but they are sold through licensed outfitters. We currently have access to three of the four mule deer tags in a zone about 40 miles north of Airdrie. They're controlled by a rancher/outfitter who owns 3,000 acres of ideal muley habitat in the Porcupine Hills and also has permission to hunt some of his neighbors' ranches. In the past two years he has had only two mule deer hunters on his property. One took a buck that would score in the 170s on the Boone and Crockett antler measuring system, and the other hunter took a muley with a non-typical rack that grossed in the 180s. Last year the rancher accommodated one whitetail hunter, who got a buck that grossed about 165 B&C. "We saw seven or eight dandy bucks last year on our place," the rancher said, "and nobody hunted them. We get bucks in the 150 to 200 class, and it's not too hard to find them 170 or better. It's pretty tough even for us to draw tags." A six-day hunt with lodging in a cabin on the bank of the Little Red Deer River is $4,400 with one hunter per guide or $3,900 2x1. Hunt MD6860. 3/6/05
Nebraska: Hunt 75,000 private acres along the Platte River drainage. $2,495
Utah: Bypass permit drawing with conservation tag, hunt a 5,000-acre private ranch
SW Montana: 7,000-acre mountain ranch northeast of Dillon. 4-day guided hunt in November is $2,000, motel and meals not included. 21 to 27" bucks. I spent half a day on this ranch during the 2003 season and saw several bucks. Book by March 1. Add elk for $500. Elk hunting success averages 50% on mostly young bulls. Antelope $250 extra. All tags but antelope guaranteed through outfitter pool. Hunt MD170.
NW Alberta: Horseback timberline hunt averages 75% success. Bucks have averaged 160 B&C with good mass. Best ever was 33", avg. is 24". 10 days 1x1 $2,500. Hunt MD6840.
Eastern Utah: Guided hunt on private ranch only $2,000 plus $200 per day
NW Utah: 5,000-acre dry farm with some P-J cover for a group of four hunters at $1,750 a person, 5 days in late Oct. Blackpowder or archery is $1,500 for 7 days (2 hunters max). Hunt MD99SN.
SE Idaho: Two ranches for self-guided hunts. Details.
No. Utah CWMU: Hunt 20,000-acre private ranch as early as Sept. 11 and as late as Nov. 10. Details.
Permit drawings: Tags in special units for quality hunts at good prices
Landowner permits: In some areas property owners receive transferable vouchers for quality management units.
Four openings left on Montana trophy mule deer hunt, $2,950; March 15 license buying deadline
This mule deer hunt is run by a rancher who offers excellent trophy hunting on 60,000 to 70,000 acres of prime habitat in Powder River County. All seven hunters he took in 2004 killed four-point to five-point (Western count) bucks. He hunts his land lightly, so bucks tend to be older animals with bragging-size racks in the 24 to 28-inch class and occasionally bigger. He also offers combination mule deer/antelope hunts and antelope archery hunts. If you prefer whitetail, he has some good whitetail habitat as well, taking bucks from the 140s on up. Details.
Nevada: 8 hunters in '04 got 7 bucks to 186 B&C with unsuccesful hunter missing a 32" 5x4.
Northern Utah: Ranching family offers one blackpowder trophy mule deer hunt on 5,000 prime acres
NW Kansas: Lessee with 60,000 private acres usually gets 1-4 transferable landowner muzzleloader tags. Semi-guided hunt, including tag, $3,000. Hunt MD676
SW Wyoming: Guided hunt in backcountry camp reached by horseback. 4 of 5 hunters got bucks in '04 up to 200 B&C net typical. Others included a 25" 6x7 and a 180-class buck that the outfitter had caught on trail cameras two years in a row. $3,250 a person for five days. Hunt MD433.
Kaibab, Arizona: One of our long-time outfitters last fall took five bucks that green-scored 200 to 223 B&C gross. Don't expect a deer that big, but this is one area that has truly trophy-size bucks, and this outfitter consistently does well. $4,000 for seven days with one hunter per guide. Hunt MD91.
West Texas: 4 hunters got 4 bucks in '04. Best 3 scored 193 6/8, 167 and 164 B&C. $3,000 on one ranch; $4,000 on another. Details.
West-central Alberta: 2 different hunts, both with two permits a year. Hunt 346 is on private land next to the archery-only zone around Edmonton. Most bucks score 170-180, some over 190. $3,500 for 6 days. November rut. Hunt 290 is on mostly private land in Unit 224. Both hunters in '04 got shots at bucks that would score at least 175. One hunter killed a buck scoring 177, while the other hunter missed a 190+ with a 12-inch drop tine.
So. Idaho: 3,840 acres of mountains and dry farms for lease, up to 10 hunters can share the cost of $4,000 for bow, $6,000 for rifle. A few elk, too. Hunt MDB500PO.
Colorado:Trophy hunt on well-managed private land yields nine bucks over 180 in 2004
Eastern Alberta: This outfitter lives and hunts near Stettler, an area known to produce big muleys. You'll glass along river bottoms and coulees. In 2004 the outfitter took four hunters and took a 31-inch buck that scored 188 B&C, as well as a buck grossing 181 B&C. One of his hunters had taken three bucks grossing over 200 B&C and passed on some bucks in the mid-170s. The outfitter managed to hunt one day in the neighboring unit and he took a book deer netting over 192. He expects to get a couple of tags for this unit in 2005. $4,500 for 10 days in November. You can add whitetail for $1,500. Hunt MD883.
Utah: This outfitter operates only on good ranches for trophy-class mule deer. His hunts consistently average a gross score of 180 B&C and last year the average was about 185. A 5-day hunt guided 1x1 is $8,900. Hunts start as early as Aug. 15 and end as late as Nov. 10, depending on the lease. Because most hunters rebook, openings are limited, and the next opening is in 2006. Hunt MD90.
SE Colorado: Ranches in two units where you need 3 and 9 preference points. $4,000 for 5 days 1x1. A lot of mature bucks with good mass, many with non-typical points. Mostly 170s 24-27", bigger bucks 180-190+ 27-30"+. Hunt MD111
Saskatchewan: Tribal land, mostly 160-180+ with the best scoring 200+
Southern Colorado: If you have preference points, you can take a private land quality hunt for $3,500. Or you can buy a transferable permit for an additional $2,500. Low deer numbers, high buck quality. Oct. through Dec. Hunt MD11.
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