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They say that the big ones are all gone. This tremendous buck was photographed in 2009 near the Idaho/Nevada border. To the best of my knowledge this buck is still alive. 80% of mule deer bucks that reach the age of 5-1/2years will never be harvested. This buck would be way up in the record books.
Here is a bomb shell for you:
Mule deer populations have plummeted though out the west in the last 15 years. There are several probable reasons for the decline. The reason most often cited is the loss of suitable habitat. Mule deer density and distribution depend greatly on the quality of vegetation and the amount of cover.
In Arizona, they are blaming the decline on not enough wild fires. In Nevada, they think they have too many fires or too much livestock grazing or not enough livestock grazing. It has become the blame game and I can’t keep up. I do know that the amount of habitat in western Montana, northern Idaho and eastern Washington has been greatly reduced due to the lack of logging activity on federal lands.
Biologist are always quick to blame mans encroachment upon the vital winter range as a cause. I believe that this one has some merit. However, I have yet to see a game warden, wildlife manager, or biologist who didn’t build their home on critical winter range. (Physician heal thy self).
Another reason cited quite often is the expansion elk into traditional mule deer range. Biologists have observed where both species occur, mule deer seem to suffer. Let’s look at it this way, with the demand for elk tags, elk are worth at least twice as much as deer to a wildlife budget, I don’t foresee game departments managing deer over elk any time soon. Once again, the fish and game departments have shown more interest in the money than in population dynamics. One needs to look no further than the Middle Fork of Salmon River area in central Idaho to see elk expansions effect on mule deer herds. The outfitters and hunters wanted more opportunities for elk. Within a couple of decades of managing for elk numbers, the mule deer herds declined to roughly 20% of there all time records.
Unfortunately, this elk encroachment into traditional mule deer habitat will not go away. At least not in our lifetimes. I personally believe that we are in the middle of a 30 year mule deer population cycle. Even though the mule deer population is down from the peak numbers of the 1960's through 1980's, there are still better numbers of deer than existed 100 years ago.
When we combine both success ratios from general hunts and draw hunts taken throughout the west , we see that roughly 5% of the bucks harvested are trophy quality. This percentage coincides exactly with known mortality rates of buck deer (even in areas with hunting seasons), only 1 in 20 bucks will live to the age of 5-1/2 years. A fish and game biologist told years ago that over 80% of bucks that reach 5-1/2 years of age will never be harvested. I totally agree. Trying to find a trophy quality buck near a road is like trying to find a lawyer in heaven. Odds are it aint going to happen. A hunter has to be willing to hunt longer, harder and smarter than everyone else.
Mule deer hunting is not glamorous. It involves getting up 3 hours before daybreak. Hiking to a vantage point in the dark and scouring the rim rock all day in hopes of catching a glimpse of a true monster.
Whitetail hunting is like watching a ballet, while mule deer hunting is akin to playing professional football. It’s an athletic event and it’s going to get rough. Get into shape.
Good hunting,
Jim
Mule deer populations have plummeted though out the west in the last 15 years. There are several probable reasons for the decline. The reason most often cited is the loss of suitable habitat. Mule deer density and distribution depend greatly on the quality of vegetation and the amount of cover.
In Arizona, they are blaming the decline on not enough wild fires. In Nevada, they think they have too many fires or too much livestock grazing or not enough livestock grazing. It has become the blame game and I can’t keep up. I do know that the amount of habitat in western Montana, northern Idaho and eastern Washington has been greatly reduced due to the lack of logging activity on federal lands.
Biologist are always quick to blame mans encroachment upon the vital winter range as a cause. I believe that this one has some merit. However, I have yet to see a game warden, wildlife manager, or biologist who didn’t build their home on critical winter range. (Physician heal thy self).
Another reason cited quite often is the expansion elk into traditional mule deer range. Biologists have observed where both species occur, mule deer seem to suffer. Let’s look at it this way, with the demand for elk tags, elk are worth at least twice as much as deer to a wildlife budget, I don’t foresee game departments managing deer over elk any time soon. Once again, the fish and game departments have shown more interest in the money than in population dynamics. One needs to look no further than the Middle Fork of Salmon River area in central Idaho to see elk expansions effect on mule deer herds. The outfitters and hunters wanted more opportunities for elk. Within a couple of decades of managing for elk numbers, the mule deer herds declined to roughly 20% of there all time records.
Unfortunately, this elk encroachment into traditional mule deer habitat will not go away. At least not in our lifetimes. I personally believe that we are in the middle of a 30 year mule deer population cycle. Even though the mule deer population is down from the peak numbers of the 1960's through 1980's, there are still better numbers of deer than existed 100 years ago.
When we combine both success ratios from general hunts and draw hunts taken throughout the west , we see that roughly 5% of the bucks harvested are trophy quality. This percentage coincides exactly with known mortality rates of buck deer (even in areas with hunting seasons), only 1 in 20 bucks will live to the age of 5-1/2 years. A fish and game biologist told years ago that over 80% of bucks that reach 5-1/2 years of age will never be harvested. I totally agree. Trying to find a trophy quality buck near a road is like trying to find a lawyer in heaven. Odds are it aint going to happen. A hunter has to be willing to hunt longer, harder and smarter than everyone else.
Mule deer hunting is not glamorous. It involves getting up 3 hours before daybreak. Hiking to a vantage point in the dark and scouring the rim rock all day in hopes of catching a glimpse of a true monster.
Whitetail hunting is like watching a ballet, while mule deer hunting is akin to playing professional football. It’s an athletic event and it’s going to get rough. Get into shape.
Good hunting,
Jim
