Carp

[DEERSLAM]

I'm fairly new to this site and one thing I've been wondering, why do you all refer to mule deer as carp, (bottom feeding garbage fish to most people)?

 

Is it because you all have 180" mulies on your walls? not likely

Is it because every mature muley stops and looks back over his shoulder? not the big ones.

Is it because they are big dumb deer? I've seen some small dumb deer.

 

I was in a hunting camp in Sonora a few years back with a mix of coues hunters and mule deer hunters. At the end of the hunt everyone was looking over the big bucks that were taken and the consensus was everyone would have taken the 225" muley over my 110" coues if given the chance.

 

So why? I'm just wondering, not trying to stir things up on a coues site, just wondering if it is slang or disrespect of a great big game animal?

[Guest Ernesto C]

DEERSLAM, some people call mule deer "carp" because they refer to them as "bottom feeders". In another words,mule deer feed in the lower elevations and/or flats and coues deer in the highier elevations.

But dont feel bad,you are not the only one.............when I joined this great site I also was ???!!????

 

I personally dont like that (calling mule deer carp).But I'm sure people is not trying to disrespect the mule deer by calling them carp (or at least I hope).A mule deer is also a truly amazing animal to hunt but...........coues are # 1 ......any way, just my two cents and I hope,one day,I get to harvest a big mule deer and also a big coues deer.They both deserve my respect.

 

Ernesto C

 

Dont ask yourself what the world needs.Ask yourself what makes you come alive,and then go do that.Because what the world needs is people that have come alive.

[bowhunter4life]

great point.I dont know why either?

[DesertBull]

I think it's just a good natured little jab at the people that think Mule Deer are the Alpha and the Omega, the begining and the end, of all hunting.

 

Just mention the fact that Jack O'Conner called the Coues the most difficult animal to hunt in North America and they get all hussied up.

[KGAINES]

I don't know where the term carp referring to mule deer came from but, quite a few people have made the same analogy as Ernesto, it was discussed on here a few years ago to under another topic. I don't think anybody is trying to degrade the mule deer, I would bet a lot of these guys have one of the kaibab hunts as a first choice and follow up with coues hunts, but there is no need for political correctness when referring to deer, there is way to much pc to begin with, and besides its all in jest, we are all blessed to be able to hunt so there is no need to bicker over what somebody called a deer. Good Luck and God Bless.

Besides I have a muley tag this year so I gotta talk nice about them.

[bowsniper]

So what do the guys on Monster Mulies call the Coues deer?

 

bowsniper

[wklman]

just good hearted fun.I have a great story about this one.my brother has a rancher friend who hunts nothing but carp deer.he always told my brother the same thing.he'd say "if its so easy to get a mule deer than why don't you put in and try".well the next year my brother put in for carp deer and got drawn.On the first day my brother went out and shot a monster 4x4 that stopped to look back.it was hilarious.that rancher couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the deer my brother had in the back of his truck.you have to know that my brother is a heck of a hunter and usually gets a great deer every year no matter what species he's after.I also think it's because of the terrain that mulies live in out here.its a lot easier to hunt mulies in the rolling hills and flats than it is to hunt a coues up in them high peaks.

[muledeerarea33?]

I have killed several mulies but no to many coues. I agree they are harder to hunt but I think it is the terrain they live in more than the intellagence of the animal. but I could be wrong?

[Shiras]

This is just my experience with Mule deer, and Whitetail (although not Coues, but easterns,-Whitetails nontheless)

 

2 years ago I went skiing in Red River NM which is in the Carson NF. I went hiking outside of town in search of sheds. I walked up on 4 mule deer. 3 does and 1 forked buck. These things were either the dumbest animals on the planet OR they were born retarted. I followed them for probably 45 minutes and I was within 15 yards the entire time. I was hitting them with small rocks just to see if they even freaking alive. When hit they would run 30 yards-stop-look around- and start milling around again.

This past November in unit 23 (NM) I had 5 MD does walk about 20 yards from me when I was glassing. I was putting my jacket on and not being quiet at all. They all looked and bobbed their heads, but after 30 seconds of examining, just walked off as relaxed as when they walked up.

 

Now if we are comparing appples to apples, which in this case would be Eastern does to Mule deer does, an Eastern wouldn't have given a second look. She's stomp maybe once and blow out of there warning every WT in the county that YOU are there.

 

-Shiras

[5yearcoueshunter]

Shiras, you are talking about Does that haven't been hunted for 20 years in New Mexico and in Red River where there use to getting hand outs from people. A big Mule Deer buck on public land that's been hunted, is a totally different animal.

[KGAINES]

I agree 5yearcoueshunter, I haven't ever had a muley just stand there with me following them, they are not stupid, but the ones Shiras described sure sound like hand fed deer that are used to people.

[25-06]

I think Lark had one of the best answer to this ? Somethin about feedin at the bottom and big ol lips flappin in the wind

[BRYCE CANYON]

Have you ever eaten one?

[5yearcoueshunter]

No not a real Carp, but I hear those Europeans love them.

 

Travis

[az4life]

I only took 1 MuShot him 2ly. He was not big but he was dumb. Shot him 25 yds from the forest road that had trucks all over it. I was young and maybe lucky, but it was just too easy. All it needed was a leash to make it easier.

Ever since, it has been Coues. Afterall the "Hunt" itself is the real sport!