Mattule

There was an adult albino mule deer doe in 20b dont know if it is still alive or not.

I agree with the fact that predators are a major problem. I trapped during the winters through high school and wacked a bunch of coyotes but then my senior year they changed the rule to private land only and I only trapped a couple that year. I still have a dozen or so victors laying around if some one wants to try it this year. I also agree with trufletch about the 3 different types of hunters. I was only going to shoot a big buck all last weekend in 24A but this weekend I am going to shoot the first buck with antler showing.

I don't think I understand why not shooting a spike this year will help me next year? I figure if G&F made it to where you couldn't shoot a spike this year and it saved the lives of 300 spikes we would see 300 fork horns shot next year or is this not how it would work?

I hear it may rain Thusday and mt hunt starts Friday so I was curios about your thoughts on wether (no pun intended), wether, Coues visit their normal water supply after it rains. Do they say "great its raining so I can drink from any puddle around and not have to walk all the way to that water hole". Or do they just have a routine like, "look its 10 am we better go to the water hole". I know both examples sound corny but I could not think of a better way to explain the question. And I think most people would take the first example because people are lazy. But I have no idea how deer react to rain.

I am heading out to 24A on thursday morning for my hunt so I am as pert as a ruttin' buck today.

I sat with a friend who had a 4B bull Elk tag over the weekend and was blown away at how close you can get to deer/elk on water. We had 3 mule deer bucks come in and offer easy shots it was neat. I have the 24A muzzle loader hunt this year and I know where the deer are and I have taken deer in this unit before with the usual hunting tricks IE glassing, or walking until we see one then sneaking in on him but never just sat around. I was curios as to when the white tails come in for their drink? Is it in the morning, mid day, or close to dark like the Elk? I thought I saw a similar post but could not find it today. Any help would be great. BTW my buddy took a 6X6 on the pond at 35 yards with a smoke pole. A small cow/calf came into the water and ran into the pond and was bucking and jumping around when the bull came in and just started screaming his head off at the calf. When he got broad side of my buddy he took his shot and hit him good but the bull started to run when another friend cow called and he stopped long enough for the shooter to load up and hit him again. After the second shot he trotted off but fell about 100 yards away. when we skinned him out we found both 348 grain power belt 50's embedded between the ribs and skin on the exit sides. Both shots were just behind the front quarter so it only trashed a little bit of rib meat. The only scary part was he did not drop any blood out side the wound so if we had to track him it would have been bad. When we got to the lung cavity it was FULL of blood. It was one neat hunt.

A buddy and his brother were Varmint calling down south when a coues doe and her fawn came in to the call. They decided to keep calling to see how close the deer would come and they came all the way in. Finally my buddies little brother got nervous and went to shew her away and when he did the doe reared back and beat him with her front hooves, rolled him around pretty good.

I got a buck in 1999 that had to score at least 12 or 13 inches but that sucker still makes my prouder than one of those fightin' cocks. First big game animal I ever took, only took me 5 days to find that one, as I didn't have no forum to go to for advise.

I am pleasantly surprized my self I used to waste time during the mid day on non essentials like stuffing my face or like in my case MUCH needed beauty sleep. I have seen a herd in my area during the mid day on the hoof near the water hole but always figured I bumped them from their beds. Thanks again for the tips, October 29 can't come soon enough for me.

Thanks for the tips But I dont know if I can force myself to sit all day. I will probably stick to my usual spot and stalk in the mornings and evenings then sit during the mid day lull.

I have not seen many pictures of any bucks yet. I went to unit 7 and two buddies tagged out with fork mulies but I had no such luck. I did have an 18 yard shot at a Tom turkey though. Went like this, drew the bow ever so stealthly, boldly peeked through the peep, saw my golden opportunity, quickly let her fly just to hear a loud crash. When the dust and from them scattering turkeys cleared I saw My 100gr muzzy and the front half of my arrow on one side and the tail end of my arrow on the other . Stuck a rock about a foot after it cleared my rest. Confusious say; watch the trajectory of those arrows boys. I hope you all faired better. Matt

I got a buddy hunting 5A he says there screamin there heads off. I am a little jealous that I couldn't land a tag again and he did AGAIN.

I dont know where you live but PSE is headquartered in Tucson and I have heard they have good deals at the factory for last years model bows. Also AR is right next door. In Phoenix I go to Archery head quarters, or the Corner archery shop both are cheaper than some of the other shops, but I have not had a bad experience at any shops in town.

I had my choices down to the Mathews outback and the AR-34 both are extremely quiet. But in shoping around Parker makes some fast and light weight bows which is important to me because I have little patience for tree stand/water hole hunting.(I am not saying I am against theses methods I just like the glass and then stalk method more) And lastly all the bows mentioned are probably about the same quality so following the advise of GMM, try 'em all and buy the one that fits your hand the best, or do what I did and realize the one you have now is probably not too bad and pocket the cash .

I saw quite a few MD fawns in unit 7. I saw 2 does that had 5 fawns with them I watched them for 10 min. and never saw another adult so I don't have any idea where the spare fawn came from.

GMM, I commend you on your ethics to put the tag on that deer and not half a$$ look for him instead of getting the other one knowing he was still around. Sorry you lost him for a while but I am unaware of a bow hunter that has not had a similar experience. I know they are out there I just don't know them. Matt

I am going to go to unit 7 for mule deer and turkey but because I landed the 24A any antlered deer tag in late October I would have to see a monster this weekend to let one fly but I've seen them out there so it will be fun. Does anyone else notice that on Friday morning we all swear we wont let any arrows fly unless its a 3X3 or bigger, then come Sunday morning the first deer with an inch of antler gets it Also just my opinion but I think deer/elk look even better in full velvet then when there hardened. I hope you all have great hunts. Matt

Good question I have thought alot about it myself but just cant figure it. I don't disagree with either theory but there are ALOT of mule deer in 20B and they need water too. There are also alot of lions but I would think mule deer would be easy pickins for lions more so than coues any way. Great another sleeples night.

Like I always tell my hunting partner " you want to see a huge lion or bear, show up with either no gun or no tag, they will come out of the wood works". TIP this works well with Coues, go scout your unit, the big ones will be standing next to the road practically waving at you then come opening morning they travel over to the unit that opens the following weekend.

I saw a GOOD buck just south of the northern unit boundary. Not much glassing opportunity there but like I said he was nice.

Couestaxi and everyone thanks for the tips. I shot 295 grain powerbelts with 2 triple 7 pellets over the weekend and got the group down to about 3 inches at 100 yards so with a little more practice and a chance to shoot I think this combo will be ok. I also shot some of the 230gr XTPs with knight sabots and was getting around 1900 (3 shot avg) fps but poor groups. I am only getting around (3 shot avg)1650fps with the power belts but I know where they are going so like I said I am going to give it a go.

What would be a good bullet for a 50 cal. in line muzzle loader for couse deer? My buddy drew Elk and 24A muzzle loader deer and was going to try to set his muzzle loader up with a bullet he could use on both. Power belt says to use at a minimum the 348 grain bullet on elk but to me that sounds big for white tail. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the tips I will let you know Monday how it turns out.

I have a question about white tail movement. Do coues deer migrate or travel depending on temperature or do they just kind stick to the same areas? I have hunted a spot in 24A with a bow 5 or 6 times and always see white tail and my buddy hunted mule deer there last year and saw white tail. And I took my first deer there and it was a white tail. So I was wondering if any one knows if the white tail will be in the same spots they were in when the weather is cooler or do they head for the hills when it is warm? The reason I ask is this year we got drawn for 24A muzzle loader and I had the same hunt 3 years ago but did not see any white tail. The only difference I can think of from the times I have seen them and the times I have not would be temp. as the muzzle loader hunts start in late October and Archery in Dec/Jan. Thanks for the input and for a great forum.

Lark, I have a CVA magnum. I am using 209 primers with 100gr of pyrodex but I bought some triple 7 pellets and some 295 gr powerbelt bullets that I am going to try this weekend. I was also thinking about getting a 2-7X33 leupold scope on Friday to try to get my groups down. I had been shooting open sights because the rifle came with a cheap scope but I took it off after the second time it split my head open . Matt