A mulie who doesn't care!

[Lennyjoe]

Why is that you ask? Cause yesterday I had a rather interesting experience with a mule deer. Here's how it goes.

We went out early in the morning for some bowhunting for deer. Spent the early morning walking and glassing ridges and bottoms for whitetail and only came across 4 does. So we pulled out of the whitetail area and got some chow. After lunch we headed out to an area where I have seen 1 monster mulie and several other smaller bucks and does. Instead of bowhunting though, we pulled out the shotties and went after doves in the valley where I have seen the mulies in the past.

Why not go after deer you say? Cause the doves were as thick as thieves and we shot the heck out of them last weekend. So thats the reason why we took the shotties yesterday. Well, it was 3 pm and after 30 minutes of shooting we limited out on doves. I parked half way up the valley between two ridges. Walked both sides of the ridges that face into the valley pushing birds to my pardner direction and he did the same back towards me.

Anyway, after we were putting up the shotties and birds my buddy tells me to get the binoculars out . No more than 100yds away from the truck this big 3X3 mulie buck comes walking out into the valley. I found it ironic that he didn't beat feet when the shooting started cause we were letting the doves have it. Anyway, he was feeding away from us so we jumped into the truck, drove over on the other side of the ridge he was walking on to try to get ahead of him. A fence stopped us so I headed down the opposite side of the ridge from him to try to get into bow range and cut him off. Needless to say, I ran out of ridge and had to go over to his side. Didn't get close enough for a shot but got some good exercise and plenty of time to see him in the glasses.

Yesterday he won, tomorrow who knows. I know one thing, he sure didnt give a crap about gunshots in his area cause he wasn't in any hurry to get out of there. I just thought it was interesting and wanted to share it with you all. Kind of piggy backs on the other mule deer are wierd thread.

 

[dakotasin]

i'm pretty sure that whitetails don't care about gunshots either. i hunt public land for mulies and whitetails, and if you aren't shooting at the deer, either species, you'll get their ears to twitch, and they may even look to see what's going on... but, i really, honestly don't think deer are bothered by gunshots.

in fact, on 2 occasions this year, one of us shot a deer, and during the picture taking and gutting process, another one would shoot a deer... in both these instances, the second deer were whitetails.

 

[Lennyjoe]

True, but the part that got me was this. I was walking all over that ridgeline that he came out of and I wasn't quiet. Shooting and walking. Guess he just didn't care that I was in his area. The wind was also in his favor. Blowing from my direction right to his.

Whitetails on the other hand are different in my opinion. If your anywhere in their area and they wind you or see you they bolt. At least most of the bucks I kicked up acted that way. This guy just didn't give a hoot.

 

[dakotasin]

they're all individuals... i busted an outstanding (5x6) whitetail buck this year. came out of a brush patch, winded me, and continued on up towards me. i whacked him at ~35 yards. i'm sure i was winded at 115 yards, and that assumes he didn't see me getting set up for the shot at 350-ish yards.

i also busted a nice 3-point (3x3) mulie this year. when i finally ran out of cover, i was 100 yards from him, and he took off on a dead run (stot). he stopped for a whistle, and just as he was getting ready to bolt again, i was able to dump him.

some deer just don't care at all... some take flight at first sign of trouble. i think a trophy mule deer is much harder to get ahold of than a trophy whitetail. i also think decent mulies are easier to get ahold of than decent, or even small, whitetails... especially if my rack collection is anything to judge that sentiment on.

hunt enough deer, and you start to realize they all do some weird stuff. lay down when everybody thinks they'll run... run when you think they are bedding, come to you when you are standing still, run away from you because they saw you from over a mile away...

the most challenging hunt (for me, anyway), is to go pick a deer out in the spring or early summer, and watch him, and then come hunting season, whack him. i've done it a couple times, but it sure is tough, regardless of species.