Bow hunting mulies

[upperEA]

Posted this in the mulie forum but didn't get much anyone got any advice???

I Drew my region C general deer tag for Wyoming. I hunted this area last year with a rifle and did well, Better yet got hooked up with a rancher and became good friends. We are going to stay at his place this year and hunt his ranch for mulies which starts October 1st. I was thinking of heading out there a week or two early and do some bow hunting which opens September 1st for that region. I have bow hunted whitetails here in Michigan since I was a kid, Mostly tree stand hunting runways, food plots, and bait piles. It's a whole difrent world out there and have no idea what techniques to use on these critters. It looks like a lot of spot and stalk hunting to me? I can hunt the ranch which is open country with a lot of brushy draws, but did see some really nice bucks up in the mountains while we were there, they were pretty much in the same area everytime I saw them which leads me to believe a guy could hang out in that general area and go from there. Any advice would be very welcome and appreciated. Thanks Tom

[One Track]

What up Tom?

I'm not an expert, just a student myself. If you were hunting agricultural fields, you could use a treestand or a blind. But, spot and stalk sounds like what you're looking at. Best advice, buy a book by Dwight Schuh called something like Hunting Open Country Mulies. It's an awesome book. If could find mine, I would send it to you.

[PaPaBob]

Man your Avitar really blows my mind. LOL LOL

A buddy of mine has done pretty well over the years and it is all spot and stalk. Good binoculars are a must and bascially put those big boys to bed and spot all of his sentries(does and other bucks around him) and then work around to the high side and take you boots off and sneak on in. Take lots of time as he is going no where usually. He will take 3 hrs on a stalk to get a shot.

His guide that taught him the technique was caught on video sneaking up on a big mulie and reaching over a rock and touching him on the head. I saw the video and it was fantastic.

Good luck UP. I will be coming up your way for the 3rd period bear hunt. Baraga unit.

[Coonhound]

If possible try to find an area that has some natural cover like draws, ridges, rocks, timber etc. I found an area 4 years ago that held a ton of mature bucks, I tried the grass land spot and stalk for 3 years with nothing but a bunch of close calls.(I am definitely not a patient stalker) On my 4th year I told myself I would take the first couple days and focus on hunting the timbered areas and see if I would have better success getting closer. On the 2nd day of my hunt I stalked a beautiful buck and nailed him. I think sometimes we have to play to our strengths or weaknesses and my background is hunting blacktails in Washingtons dense timber.

Patient stalks is the Key.

[YORT40]

- Find them
- Follow them
- Put them to bed
- Sneak them

I'm no expert, but besides caughting them on the side of the road, give it a shot.

[upperEA]

Thanks for the valuable advice guys. What is ment by putting them to bed? I know last year we had seen a monster bed down on the side of a brushy hill and went back the next morning and he was gone nowhere to be found http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-crying-blue.gif I did shoot my 4x4 shortly after so maybe I gave up to soon. Anyway so do you glass him until dark and watch him lay down for the night and stalk him at day break or wait until he gets up for the day and follow him? Here is a pic taken standing exactly in the spot I had seen the three big guys for four days in a row and pretty much the lay of the land for the mountain hunt. Thanks again Tom

[SDHNTR]

looks like good country but if its public land, you might do better by getting away from that road.

Putting a deer to bed means glassing him out feeding in the morning and then watching him bed down later in the morning. Then stalking him after he has settled down.

[PaPaBob]

SDNHTR, is correct about putting them to bed. After their morning activity they will find usually a shaddy spot if it is warm, a sunny spot if it is cold, a sheltered spot if it windy/snowy. Watch him with binocs and spotting scope and eyeball exactly where he lays up. He will most of the time stay right there most of the midday. Mark you reference points and get on with the stalk which is usually up and around and come in from high. They will use the wind currents so a flatflander like you and me has to learn quickly how the currents change in the steep terrain of the west. Work side hill if you must be try to come in still from above. Most of the time they are going to be watching below.

[upperEA]

Thanks again guys http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-bowdown-purple.gif Your probley right SD but it was the strangest thing last year we scouted that area for near a week before rifle season (which is during bow season) and never saw a sole around. However on opening day of rifle which was also opening of elk for that area one guy that came with us tried his luck and seen nothing but orange, this is what gave me the idea of heading out there with a bow maybe I could have the area somewhat to myself for a day or two before the guns came out.

[YORT40]

Originally posted by YORT40@Jul 18 2005, 05:59 AM
- Find them
- Follow them
- Put them to bed
- Sneak them
Geez, that just rolled off my tongue like I was reading it from a book. I tried a quick sneak on a bedded doe the other day. BUSTED. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-bag-on-head.gif