Desert Mule deer rut

[Wildcatcoueshunter]

Just a question, when does the desert mule deer rut peak??

[azslim]

Jan

[WHALE]

hard to beat the first few days of January for Mule deer

[deserthntr]

i think its already getting started a little this year. was out varmit calling on sat and jumped a real tall 3 pt with a fat neck and 7 does

[JLW]

pre rut is good too!

 

james

[bigorange]

Seems to get going pretty good the last week of Dec and first week of Jan. Christmas Eve thru the 5th or 6th last year.

[chompy]

the last few years its been hard to beat around the twentyfirst of jan

[AZwest16]

It kind of depends. I have seen great rut activity in early January. However some of the best days down in the lower desert have been January 31 for me for some reason. Just depends on the deer.

[ADDICT]

Weve killed rutting mule deer from Dec 15 all the way to Jan 31. It only takes one hot doe. The does come in and out of heat sometimes more than once if they dont fertilize.

[Coues Archer]

Yup! It all depends on which doe gets in heat first! If a doe is in heat those muleys are going after her! First Come First Serve:) lol

[trphyhntr]

saw 14 does yesterday, no bucks with them

[Airbusdriver]

Maybe a dumb question:

Do the calls you can buy in the sporting stores work as well for Muleys as they do for Whitetail? Is there enough difference in the species' grunts, bleats, etc, that a Muley would be able to tell if the standard over the counter calls are not specific to their species?

[Willyhunts2]

Saw 10 does and watched thru the binos for a while out popped a 3x3. Got busted on stalk

[Scooter]

Stalked in to 50 yards on over 15 mulies sittin on a hillside... all slick, no antlers. First time I ever been that close to Mulies... Even though my arrow stayed on the riser, it was still a cool experience getting that close.

[JLW]

Maybe a dumb question:

Do the calls you can buy in the sporting stores work as well for Muleys as they do for Whitetail? Is there enough difference in the species' grunts, bleats, etc, that a Muley would be able to tell if the standard over the counter calls are not specific to their species?

I have called them in on a regular basis with distress calls calling coyotes... just does though.

I once gave a couple of buck grunts to a nice 3x3 muley that was hot on 3 does trail they were moving below me the disappeared but I could here them walking. so I start glassing else where when all of a sudden these does are making a beeline for me with buck in tow! I didn't even have my bow ready it was up the hill about ten yards. Needless to say they heard me scrambling for my bow and the does veered off! I bleated at the buck and he gave me a long shot. the hill was very steep so I shot under and watched him wander off after the does.

moral of the story is ..... you never know! big bucks will run of little bucks for sure. I wouldn't blind call but if you can stalk to within 100 yards or so you may try a little buck grunt.

 

james