How do I get the BIG mulie

[Noobie]

I've been hunting mule deer since I was 8 years old. I've hunted public land and some private from cheney to sprauge. And lots of area bordering the Indian reservation. Now I have seen bucks but I really only see the little guys. 2×3 3×3 and a 3×4 if I'm really lucky. I guess what I'm asking is, is there a different strategy to hunting mulie that whitetail? I know the big ones are there because i always see them in the back of trucks leaving the land. If you have any helpful tips please help me out

[bladebum]

I know nothing about hunting, especially hunting mule deer, but here's a link that might be of help.

http://www.huntwashingtonstate.com/hws/ ... 20tips.htm

[R.J.]

Years ago I hunted up in the Salmo-Priest wilderness area up by Metalline Falls. In Ione there used to be a Shell gas station that had an impressive row of trophy Mulies lined up on the wall behind the counter, a few non-typical monsters too. The owner had gotten them in the Salmo -Priest, it definitely helped though that he worked helping build the trails that covered the area, he knew where to go. I'm sure he's long-gone by now. Very rugged area though & pays to scout it out. For the monsters I would put in some hours scouting, they didn't get that big by being stupid.

[dmoua]

Go far north.

[Rigger28]

I have been seeing 5 mulie bucks off of Old Trails rd just past the ORV park every morning. Thier horns are still only half grown but two of them are going to be bruisers.

[Noobie]

Thanks guys. I have hunted south most my life and I generally see more orange Than horns. I've been out scouting alot of the north huckleberry and North 49 but never really further north Than that. From what you guys have experienced what type of terrain do the bucks like I bed down in? I glass hillsides and tree lines lies no other but I only see does. I never see any shooters. Spikes if anything.

[dmoua]

49 is a pretty good unit for mule deer. I personally have yet to see any big mule deer bucks hanging out in the open areas during hunting season. We usually hike through the timber quietly and sneak up on them.

[Noobie]

Thanks Dmoua. I've been looking at alot of land north of chewelah in the mountains there's not a lot up there my 06 shouldn't be able to take care of

[dmoua]

Anytime, there are tons of national forest by chewelah. It's all a matter of putting in the work to scout for area's that might hold those big muley's. Good luck and good luck this fall.

[Noobie]

Thanks Dmoua! I'm sure you will do well this fall. It seems like you know the honey holes up north

[ninjassassin]

Ive heard of some decent ones coming out of Okanagon. The 117 unit holds more mulies then 113 and 111 unit. To be honest with you i've seen more big white tails then mulies here in washington.

[scrappy]

I've been hunting mule deer since I was 8 years old. I've hunted public land and some private from cheney to sprauge. And lots of area bordering the Indian reservation. Now I have seen bucks but I really only see the little guys. 2×3 3×3 and a 3×4 if I'm really lucky. I guess what I'm asking is, is there a different strategy to hunting mulie that whitetail? I know the big ones are there because i always see them in the back of trucks leaving the land. If you have any helpful tips please help me out

There are some big deer out there, last year a 27" wide mulie was killed on Miller property which in in the region you hunt. But what you are seeing is the result of over 20 years of WDFW's 3-point minimum rule and its disastrous affect on the available bucks. Only the bigger deer, only the ones with the best genetics, have been harvested for over 20 years. The result is the little guys and the ones with poor genetics are being left, meaning that these inferior deer are making up too much of each seasons breeding population. As a result each year the percentage of good deer has dropped. I'm not sure when the antler restriction started but I've been hunting the mulies around here since 1996 and back then decent bucks were all over, but since then I have watched a steady decline in the numbers of legal deer and a corresponding rise in the numbers of deer with huge spikes or forks.
This, apparently , is WDFW's idea of good game management. Take ever more money from you and in return give you ever less chance to fill a tag.

[Noobie]

That's what I'm saying scrappy! I went out to the fish and game office earlier today to ask the game wardens where to scout and when I asked they why it was a 3 point game unit they all said it's to disperse hunters. So more will go to lower point minimums like mt spokane to control the deer population in game units with extreme over population. So basically they're making it ridiculously high to make hunters go to other units..

[konz.223]

the best way to kill big bucks in wa is too hunt Archery the season's are way better you get first chance at them and then get to hunt the rut

[480 Ruger]

The best way to kill a big Mulie buck is to get the heck out of Washington!! On my last trip to Colorado where I grew up my buddy, dad and I saw more truly big bucks in four days than you would see in a lifetime of stumbling around this poorly managed state. We each took very nice bucks

[ron]

The best way to kill a big Mulie buck is to get the heck out of Washington!! On my last trip to Colorado where I grew up my buddy, dad and I saw more truly big bucks in four days than you would see in a lifetime of stumbling around this poorly managed state. We each took very nice bucks

I was in Redmond, Oregon near Bend, when the largest buck I've ever seen got chased out my friend's garden by his angry wife armed with a broom. Hood River is another area with plenty of Deer and Elk.

[Rigger28]

I saw that pack of mulies near the ORV park on old trails again this morning, I also saw a guy parked along the road in a lifted black Chevy pickup near the Spokane rifle club glassing the ridge across the river, I'm assuming he was glassing deer, he had a bear archery sticker on his back window. My buddy said he saw the biggest mulie buck of his life near the 7 mile bridge last year. You may want to start looking for places to hunt in that area. Good luck.

[LongRifle]

I have hunted the Okanogan area for the past 15 years and I can tell you that it can be a really tough go unless you get on some private property. Unless you are hunting massive spans of public land, private land seems to be the way to go anymore. That being said I've had success in several different areas north of Spokane but I had to hike a long ways in to find an area uncorrupted by packs of hunters. My key to bigger bucks the past couple of years has been a comfortable pair of hiking boots and plenty of water. They are certainly out there you just need to dedicate a lot of time. Find a high point far back in the woods and set up your spotting scope and glass for a couple hours. You'll find an old mossyhorn sitting under a tree or something passing through if you wait long enough. Mule deer know their terrain better than any hunter could ever hope to so do your homework. Preseason scouting, lots of hiking, lots of glassing.

[Noobie]

I stopped at the BLM and picked up a couple maps for the north huckleberry and chewelah/ Selkirk areas. Are these good areas maps to be checking out or am I wasting my time

[dmoua]

Those are pretty good units. Look at the kill reports in each unit and decide where you want to hunt. Scouting will benefit you in the long run.