Question about mule deer

[maximus]

Hello,

i have a couple of questions, i never hunted mule deer always whitetail, the question is, do mule deer have a small home range like coues? or they move around a lot more?

if i find a buck in a certain area will it be far or will it be within a mile or two?

second question is if you archery hunt at 8500 feet what will be the difference an arrow travel or will be big difference with arrow drop?

thank you for the input. 

[Hoss50]

What unit? 

[creed]

I know nothing about coues but a muley will have about a 10-15 sq mile range depending on food or water. During the rut they will move a long ways. A buck I watched on trail camera all summer/fall was killed 35 miles away the following January.

 

I don't know about arrow accuracy changes at those elevations. I can't shoot well enough to tell the difference.

[maximus]

11 hours ago, Hoss50 said:

What unit? 

27

[Outdoor Writer]

12 hours ago, maximus said:

Hello,

i have a couple of questions, i never hunted mule deer always whitetail, the question is, do mule deer have a small home range like coues? or they move around a lot more?

if i find a buck in a certain area will it be far or will it be within a mile or two?

second question is if you archery hunt at 8500 feet what will be the difference an arrow travel or will be big difference with arrow drop?

thank you for the input. 

It all depends on when and where. For example, the entire deer herd on the N. Kaibab moves many miles when they migrate out of the high country. If you find a Kaibab buck in the aspens in Aug./Sept., he'll unlikely be there during the late season. In contrast, a desert mule deer will have a much smaller territory that might expand a bit during the rut. 

[maximus]

29 minutes ago, Outdoor Writer said:

It all depends on when and where. For example, the entire deer herd on the N. Kaibab moves many miles when they migrate out of the high country. If you find a Kaibab buck in the aspens in Aug./Sept., he'll unlikely be there during the late season. In contrast, a desert mule deer will have a much smaller territory that might expand a bit during the rut. 

Thank you for your response, the reason i ask is because i found a few deer in a certain area and wondering if they will be there at the end of august for the archery hunt.

just wanted to know if they travel a lot during summer.

[Outdoor Writer]

Just now, maximus said:

Thank you for your response, the reason i ask is because i found a few deer in a certain area and wondering if they will be there at the end of august for the archery hunt.

just wanted to know if they travel a lot during summer.

Mostly likely will not move much from now until then.

[Bill@roofer]

They are quarantined. And must stay home. 

Just do a home invasion on them . 

To dang hot to move much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[maximus]

3 hours ago, Outdoor Writer said:

Mostly likely will not move much from now until then.

Thank you for your help.

[Yuma Outdoorsman]

The deer I hunt stay within 1.5-2 miles of the closest water hole from May/June-September. Around October-April, it is not uncommon to find them 5-6 miles in any direction from the closest drinker. When the rut hits, they go chasing and can end up wherever their nose takes them. 

For your August hunt, I don’t think those deer will move very much. They will probably be within a mile or 2 of their current spot at most, in my opinion. Good luck and post up your results. 

 

[trphyhntr]

The desert muley range is not all that big and they like to stay around their favorite water all year even when they’re not watering often. The main problem with muley bucks outside of the rut is that they are nocturnal 

[Heat]

I'd say they move around a lot more. Home range size for a mule deer is much larger than for a whitetail. Not sure if mulies really set up a territory per se. I think they just kind of roam, and will pick up and move in reaction to moisture like rainstorms which might green up one valley and another still be bone dry. They also migrate as mentioned with the Kaibab herd. Not many actually migrate much in AZ though.

I don't believe elevation has much of an effect on an arrow, however the clothes you wear may have an effect on your draw length and or anchor point. Also want to be sure nothing will get in the way of your string.

Good Luck!

 

[Big or Bust]

31 minutes ago, Heat said:

I'd say they move around a lot more. Home range size for a mule deer is much larger than for a whitetail. Not sure if mulies really set up a territory per se. I think they just kind of roam, and will pick up and move in reaction to moisture like rainstorms which might green up one valley and another still be bone dry. They also migrate as mentioned with the Kaibab herd. Not many actually migrate much in AZ though.

I don't believe elevation has much of an effect on an arrow, however the clothes you wear may have an effect on your draw length and or anchor point. Also want to be sure nothing will get in the way of your string.

Good Luck!

 

Agree. Desert bucks can move. A lot and far chasing water. I agree with the roving home range too relative to resources. They will also move far to rut. Most of the bucks I chase are solo deer as they tend to do in the desert with some age. Not all, but most.

If you've got bucks found, they'll be around that area during your hunt. Only two things will change that, their water dries up or lions move in. Both will make bucks disappear. 

[creed]

I watched a muley buck for 4 years on trailcamera. He would disappear in December and reappear in mid March nearly every year. What was interesting was in the non rut months he was always with the same two other bucks. Donnie Lee and I saw him once during the rut 20 miles north of where he called home. That was the last time I saw him. He would have netted 210 or better

[trphyhntr]

But should a guy expect to get many pics from December to March? I would think those would be the least likely to get one on cam.