HELP!! bowhunting AZ. desert mullies

C

cody coyote

New member
Help anybody, I have never bow hunted mule der in Arizona and I know I have a challenge a head of me but it will be fun. So somebody tell me what is best waterholes or spot-n-stalk. Thanks for any help.

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cody coyote
 
Cody,
What time of the year are doing your bow hunting? If it is this time of the year, I think I would look for a food source the deer are hitting, and scout out a trail leading to and from it to a bedding area. If you are talking about bow hunting in August or September, I prefer to do the spot and stalk. It is much more exciting to me to hunt mule deer this way. Sitting on a waterhole will work, but then the deer usually only water a couple times a day, which can be very early or very late in the day.
It just thrills me to spot mulie bucks early in the morning as they travel to their bedding areas, watch them bed down and wait until they are settled for the day, then put the sneak on them. This will definately test all of your hunting skills!
All of the above is just my opinion, but I do believe that spot and stalk hunting has made me a better hunter, and I get to see so much more in the outdoors while glassing deer, or putting the sneak on a group of bucks in their beds. The on thing I have definately learned in this type of hunting is patience. You just can't rush a good sneak.
It is all up to you which way you decide to hunt, but try both ways.
For bow hunting antelope, now your talking about setting in a blind on a waterhole.
Anyway, good luck with your bow hunting.
 
Carl, the time of year will be Dec. 14th -Jan 31. Thank you very much for the info. This info I just gave you may change things, so let me know. I don't know when the rut is around here, or if they even act like whitetail during the rut anyway get back to me please.

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cody coyote
 
Cody,
Sorry for the delay, but our net server was down last night and I couldn't get on.
Anyway, I'll try to help you with what info I can for your upcoming bow hunt.
I don't know if the mulies will be rutting in your area at this time of the year, but it is possible that they will be. I hunted mule deer one year in Dec. with a bow here in Nevada, and the mulie bucks were in the rut at that time.
Mule deer are pretty much the same as whitetails, but maybe not as agressive. The bucks will spend almost all the day and night chasing the does that are hot, and you will probably see some good bucks because of this.
I think that either spot and stalk or setting a trail being used to and from a good food source will work. I don't know if you will be hunting in an area where there are any hay field or something to that effect,but if so, scout it out and find a trail the does are using. If the bucks are rutting, they will follow the does.
If your hunting in the hills, then I would do the spot and stalk. Again, if the bucks are rutting, they will be where the girls are, and you might be able to get close enough for shot, or watch and see the direction they may be heading, and get ahead of them and set up an ambush. This is what I did the year I got my buck in Dec. He wasn't a monster by any means, but it was a buck none the less.
Another good bit of info for you, is to save your legs and do alot of glassing. I used to climb the hills, but now that I'm older and a little smarter, I let my eyes do the work. Find a good vantage point and look the country over with you binoculars.
Hopefully this will help you, if yoou need more info, please e-mail me okay and I'll give you all the info I can.
Hope to hear from you again soon.
e-mail is [url=mailto:shooterc56@yahoo.com
 
Cody,
I have seen the rut as early as the 1st week of Dec to as late as the 3rd week of Jan.

Generally, the Coues will rut the middle of Dec to the 1st week of Jan. Mulies will rut about the same time but may go all the way through Jan.

I have seen the rut over with by Jan 1st as well.

This time of year, find the does and you will find the bucks.
Steve

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www.azpredatorhunts.com
 
All right Steve & Carl, I appreciate the info from both of you. You guy's are giving me an idea of what I am going to do. If I have any more questions I will contact. Again thank you very much.

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cody coyote
 
Cody,
I guess you are probably putting the finishing touches on your gear and getting ready for your upcoming bow hunt this weekend.
I hope you have some real good luck and are able to get in close to a nice buck. If you get a chance next week, let me know how you do okay.
Good luck to you this weekned and have a great hunt.
 
Hey Carl hows it going? I appreciate you throwing the luck my way, Lord knows I'll need it. I have got a buddy who has been tuning in to the board, but just hasn't got around to introducing his self yet. Anyway he has had some good luck around here, as a matter-of-fact he got his first buck with a bow on opening day of this year. All because of good scouting, But needless to say he won't be able to hunt till Jan.1 So he is going to be helping me out for the next couple of weeks anyway. Maybe he will put me on some of them honey holes. We are going to have fun though because he was drawled for javalina and also has a lion tag. Also on Jan 1st I'll be able to get another deer so we will be pretty busy. We have on several occasions called in javalina while hunting coyotes so we have got some good places on them to. Anyway I'll let you know how it goes, and again thank you.

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cody coyote
 
Cody,
Mulies can be real suckers for a predator call. Blow low pitched and long drawn out bawls kind of like a fawn in distress. Gerry Blair called them this way with good success when he was black powder hunting.
 
Cody are you back from your bow hunt this past weekend? If so, I'd enjoy hearing how it went for you and you partner. Hope the weather and the deer cooperated to give you a good hunt.
 
Cody Coyote,

I am new on the web site but hope I can help you little. I have hunt "Desert mulies with my bow in az since I was 13 or for the past 8 yrs". I have only taken two with my bow. I have tried spot & stalk, pushing, sitting water tanks & calling. I have good luck with all four stratigies. Don't let people full you into thinking you can't sit waters in the winter. The bucks for the most part hang with the does and the does have fawns and those fawns and does hit the water more than you may think. This Dec. has been tough for sitting because of the wet weather but look for several days of dry weather and don't be afraid to sit. Remember this is AZ not Colorado and at 3,000 ft it can still get into the 60-70's. Bucks also like to check the water for does using them. Two years ago we took four bucks off the same water with a bow in Dec & Jan.
Last, year I took a my deer by grunting him off of his does. When calling get close. Don't be afraid to try it. Last but not least if you do find some good deer kept it to yourself the more ears the more competion & that is the last thing you need while hunting desert mulies!!!

Good luck,

Craig Steele
 
Craig glad to see ya, I see that you got the same disease as John-John about keepin your honey holes secret!

We should find a day to get out and whack a few this winter , tell your dad that he can even come along and take notes, we might also need someone to pack our dogs back to the truck , hey!

Glad to see that you found this joint, in case any one is interested , when this fella talks about hunting it might not hurt to sit up and listen.

I have seen him and his family in action for many years and to say that they are hunters is like saying the pope is catholic.

Tell your dad hello for me and if he isnt still sore ask him if he is interested in another side bet at the Antelope eaters again this year.

I promise I will only shoot with one eye open this time.

Hopefully it wont be like last year when I had to squint through the hangover , missed some easy ones that I blamed on Pete Coors!
 
Hey Carl, sorry it took me so long to get back with you. From Dec. 21st. till about the 21st. or 22nd. all we seen were lion tracks and lots of them. We have a pretty good water hole with lot's of tracks, but no sight of deer. We had 21 javalina's come in on us but Lorne's tag was not good till Jan 1st. Then about a week or week and a half ago we seen two different herd of deer at another spot. The first group was all does and one little buck. The second group had another little buck in it. As we were glassing them a nice 3x3 came into the picture. So basically I am concentrating on him right now. Lorne's Javalina tag went into affect Jan 1st. he got his Javalina Jan 2nd. So basically we are still hunting deer with the javalina tag out of the way, and I will let you know as things progress. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

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cody coyote
 
Craig,

I will let my dad know you said hi. We are interested in the side bet and we need more people in it to get a little more doe in the pot. Hard to get the old man off of the couch he just killed a buck with his bow, he said its been to cold and he is to sore to go back out for more. Busy deer huntin right now but we'll have to get together after Jan.

Later

Craig Steele

P.S. Got a new route this year! But we want some free bee's like you and old Blake get or at least thats what I here!!
 
Hey Craig! I see that evil old "coyote envy" is rearing it's ugly mug again hey!

Not a prob, you know what they say about the higher you get on the ladder the more folks talk about yer ass.

Here's hopin that your new route pays off better than yer old one, second place to a couple cowboy hick's is a tough pill to swallow hey cuz!

All BS aside tell the old fart congrats on his buck, I know he didn't get it by accident.
 
Craig,

I'll shut up now and let my calling do the talkin.

Good luck,

C. Steele

[This message has been edited by Steele Craig (edited 01-21-2002).]
 
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