Unit 17 Mule Deer

[Burlingame20]

I drew Unit 17 Mule Deer with Muzzeloader. If anyone has any information on this unit that would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

[Benbrown]

I have not hunted this unit in several years (and only with muzzle loaders), but I and my hunting partners have always seen and harvested more mule deer on the east side of the San Mateos than on the west side. The same holds true for the Magdalenas. Mule deer tend to hang around the areas where the steep canyons break out into the foothills. They go up into the woodlands to loaf and rest during the day and come back down at sundown to feed. If you can find a drainage where the ground cover is intact and a good crop of both forbs and browse are available, you will be able to glass up deer at daylight and just before dark. If you are lucky enough to have heavy cloud cover, and even some rain, deer will be out later in the morning and earlier in the evening. The best hunting that we had was one year when a Baja hurricane moved up and stalled out over us. For three days, the mule deer were up and down and moving about all day. We always wondered if our rifles would fire when we pulled the trigger, as the wind drove the fine rain into every crack and crevice--our GoreTex had as much water on the inside as on the outside!

 

Good luck!

[Burlingame20]

Thank you for the information, I actually plan on heading out to San Mateo Mtn. this weekend. I will take your advise and see how it works. Any other information would be great.

[Gringo]

Either the East or West Side of the S.M. are good. Loaded with Deer. Just get where you can see.... Plant your butt..... and Glass, Glass, Glass, Glass, until you find what you're looking for. Bed 'em and stalk em. Hunted it in January with Archery gear and had plenty of 4X4 bucks to chase around. The guys that didn't spend the time behind the optics (Just hiking and hoping) weren't seeing nearly the #'s that we saw. Good Luck!!

[Burlingame20]

Thank you, I will take your advice. I will glass until I see what I am looking for. You are right about plenty of deer. I went out there on Saterday and saw plenty.

[trotsky]

Have never hunted muleys here before but have seen a ton while scouting for elk. The east side of the San Mateo mtns is a great place to to start as stated before. I saw a bunch when glassing around the Apache kid campground. Its on the east side of the San Mateos off of exit 100 on I25. Hope this is some help to you. Get up high and glass the lowlands early and late and you should be able to find something.

[Burlingame20]

Thank you