# Mule Deer in ND



## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Ok, lets be real here. What are the chances of shooting a mulie out here. I see the distribution map only has them in the SW portion of the state really. My buddy said he saw a doe the other day out in Carpio but I told him he was full of it lol.

I wanna make a trip down the week of pronghorn bow and try my hand out at gettin somethin on the ground. So how are the mulies out here??? How much hope you think I have of arrowing one?


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Naw, there ain't no mulies out there. These were a figment of imagination.


























:lol: :lol: :lol:

Do your home work, hunt hard, and arrowing a mulie is possible.

Good luck!

:beer:

huntin1


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

It doesn't seem like there is really any HW to be done other than finding someplace to hunt. Which i've found the PLOTS maps to be useless as I have no idea apparently how to read them or something... I've also found that land owners don't like out of staters that aren't true to ND whether you're in the military or not.... I'm going to make a trip down in July to check out the area for a day and do some glassing. I don't really know what to expect other than what i've seen on stupid TV shows. I know I plan on doing everything spot and stalk or possibly a blind if it comes to that or thats the best decision.

Ill have to look at the pics when I get home since the work filter blocks them. But I appreciate it!!


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

And how far into the SW do you have to get to get into some decent populations? I hear there are quite a few Pronghorn as soon as you just get west of Bismarck?


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

The pics were taken north of Teddy Roosevelt National Park. Anywhere north or south of Medora is good and there is alot of public land out there. Contact: 
Medora Ranger District 
99 23rd. Ave West, Suite B
Dickinson, ND 58601-3135
(701) 272-7800
FAX: (701) 227-7701

For a topo map of the Little Missouri National Grasslands. It will show where the private and public land is.

Spot and stalk is what most people do and it works well. Take a portable blind along though. There are some situations when they come in handy.

huntin1


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Awesome, I appreciate the advice and info!!! I never heard of the park, but I've heard of medora and dickinson.

I def plan on getting a blind. For the pronghorn more than the mulies.


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## crewhunting (Mar 29, 2007)

Sorry about the quality but these three bucks were just south west of Streeter?!?!?


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

i seen a group in an area that no one has never seen them before. i won't say the location but i will say they were well east of the missoiri river. oh, what the hell, they were by me--er :wink:


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm keepin my eyes peeled for them. Apparently this is a tertiary area for them, but I've not seen one. I'm pretty excited about gettin out for a hunt. I think I'm going to split my time between the mulies and whitetails. I really wanted to take a nice WT out here, but Ill never have another chance to hunt mulies again, at least not that I plan....

Thanks for the responses guys!


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

Bigest muley i have ever seen was around hettinger and it was on public land. Saw lots of them around there.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Plenty of them west of the Missouri, and they get more plentiful the further west you go...

Really big mule bucks are not common in ND, though. Over the years I"ve seen a couple that might go 28" outside and maybe score in the low 170's.

I would guess most bucks a person sees are 3-4 points around 20-24 outside, most aren't very heavy or have deep forks.

One of the biggest mule bucks I've ever seen was an ancient 2 point which was hit by the landowner in his truck while I was hunting him. I collected his rack as it was the biggest 2 point I have seen, period. Really an interesting rack.

Does are fairly easy to get with a bow. I don't recall ever not getting one once I decided to take a baldie...


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

What makes the bucks more difficult than the does? I thought they were usually herded up and thats what made it so difficult to take one.

I'm not interested in taking a huge one. I would like a decent sized one, probably at least a 2.5 year old, but really know nothing about mulies. I have no idea how big the 1.5s even are... But I'm not interested in shooting anything huge. I'd probably even shoot a doe and be plenty happy. I just want the oppurtunity to spot and stalk a mulie and have one under my belt. I've already decided that I'm going to take the first pronghorn I get into bow range of unless I'm sitting a blind...

Thanks for all the advice guys!


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## Ande8183 (Sep 18, 2005)

The small bucks and does seem to be more inquisitive and less spooky than the older bucks. On several occassions, I have had does and small bucks walk towards me after I have been spotted.

Be very cautious with the wind direction. The wind tends to swirl when you get down into the draws and the badlands.

These are a few bucks we have taken in the last 10 years.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Those are some great mulies Ande! I have no hopes of shooting anything that big, but would certainly be excited if I did! I'm just interested in getting out and doing a different type of hunting. I've always liked ground hunting and have dedicated a lot of time to ground hunting the last few years and have taken quite a few. Much more enjoyable than shooting from the tree... Plan on spending a lot of off time down there chasin mulies!!


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

That is about a nice of collection of ND mule bucks as you'll see. I know of a couple bigger in landowner's homes out in the Badlands, but those are some good bucks...

Impala, there are better than a million acres of Little Missouri National Grasslands that are open to public hunting, just get a Badlands map & start from there. Get high & glass in the mornings, put a buck to bed, and start a stalk mid-morning after the wind stabilizes & the buck settles in. You can also set up on a waterhole or ambush a draw where they come out to feed in the evening.

If you are used to spotting whitetails, mule deer will throw you for a bit. They have dark grey bodies that somehow really blend in even on an open hillside. What stands out is their big white butt. Once you learn what to look for, you'll be amazed at how many you missed.

The creeks up on top of the Breaks and the thick cottonwood riverbottom cover along the Little Mo hold some great whitetails, as well. Some of the biggest whitetails I've ever seen, I've jumped while hunting mule bucks and pheasants out there...


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

NDT, thanks a bunch. That is exactly the type of advice I was looking for. Never even really thought about it like that. Watchin one and waitin for him to bed up.

I'm not going to pass up a nice WT if I run across one either... I would just rather shoot a nice mulie. What do you guys consider nice anyway, 120? Whats it take them to get over 100, usually 2.5? I know a good mulie is considered 140 area. If I shot a 140 WT I'd crap a brick...

Tim


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

If you work at it a 140 muley will not be that hard to find now bagging it might be some work. Just remember that after seeing whitetails all the time a little muley will look huge. I know that from first hand experience the first year i shot a little one that i thought was big, after 5 years in a row of hunting them i still get way to excited when i see a medium one and when i saw that one by hettinger just on the wrong side of the state line i about drove of the road. Get the map of the grasslands and use good glass to save you alot of walking. That is what we do when i go to perkins county hunting mule deer. Let me warn you though i know can not wait to go and hunt those bugers every year. It gets in your blood.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

If you spend any time out in the Badlands you will see 125-140 whitetails fairly regularly. I've seen a couple that would go in the mid-160's, one of which was within 20 yards and never stepped out to the stock tank to give me a shot. That guy would have blown away my best bow whiteail to date, a mid-130s. Very under rated big whitetail area, the Badlands...

Lots of sub-book mule bucks out there, with 140's being better than average. I don't think I've ever hunted a full 7 days where I didn't at least see one 150 class, but seein' and putting an arrow through the vitals are two very different things....

A good place to research & learrn to field judge mule bucks is by reading Eastman's Outdoor magazines which are devoted to western big game hunting. They have one in general and one specifically for bowhunting...


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

We see several 160 class mulies every year, but as NDT says, seeing them and getting close enough to put an arrow in them are completely different.

And there are a lot of really nice WT out there, hunt the creek bottoms, the woods along the Little Missouri, or the Killdeer Mountains. The largest Whitetail buck I have ever seen in ND was up in the Killdeers, couldn't get close enough to him either. 

huntin1


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

You guys are used to huntin these big deer, so you probably look right past something Ill be ecstatic to shoot. I'm from Jersey, so the deer are not quality cause of the QDM...

I'm not lookin to shoot anything huge. Any WT over 100 on the ground will get an arrow in it. Any Mulie over 120 is going down. I've bowhunted extremely hard for 10 years now and still don't have a 100 inch deer to my credit. Its just jersey... I've passed 100 inch deer up in ohio and blew a shot on one last year that would have went about 115, but never got one on the ground... I'm just out for the experience more than anything this year.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

SS, are you up here stationed at one of the Air Bases? If so, you might well decide to stay here when you get out. Don't know if you're aware, but ND is one of the best hunting states this side of Alaska. I've hunted in a lot of states, and ND has the best all around deer hunting I have ever experienced.

Most guys who live here don't get too excited about a whitetail during bow season unless it's a 125 class and generally it needs to be bigger to get our attention during rifle season...


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

NDT, yes I'm stationed up here in Minot. And no, I won't be staying... I love hunting, but not enough to stay in this state. I like the East coast. Ohio is as far as I'm goin west. Unless I get the FEMA job I'm hoping for and then Ill go wherever they put me.... No offense to the locals, but this state lacks a lot that I am used to and enjoy. The ocean being about the biggest thing, then food probably next :lol:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

ImpalaSSpeed96 said:


> The ocean being about the biggest thing, then food probably next :lol:


Food?.......FOOD?!.........taste has no nutritional value my friend. :lol:


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Food:

1. If you're not sweatin' you're not eatin'

and

You can't grill it till you kill it! (and we can kill it here!)...

I'm here to tell you I"ve been around awhile and ND is one of only three states I would live in, the others being SD & Alaska...


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

NDTerminator said:


> I'm here to tell you I"ve been around awhile and ND is one of only three states I would live in, the others being SD & Alaska...


LOL, well its what makes the world go round! I been to half the states so far and this is by far my least favorite....

Well see what I think once deer season comes and goes.


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

ImpalaSSpeed96 said:


> NDTerminator said:
> 
> 
> > I'm here to tell you I"ve been around awhile and ND is one of only three states I would live in, the others being SD & Alaska...
> ...


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

> I been to half the states so far and this is by far my least favorite....


 :roll: :roll:


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

ImpalaSSpeed96 said:


> NDT, yes I'm stationed up here in Minot. And no, I won't be staying... I love hunting, but not enough to stay in this state. I like the East coast. Ohio is as far as I'm goin west. Unless I get the FEMA job I'm hoping for and then Ill go wherever they put me.... No offense to the locals, but this state lacks a lot that I am used to and enjoy. The ocean being about the biggest thing, then food probably next :lol:


Man, the coasts suck! You must like lots of people, traffic, seagull **** and pickin sand out of your shorts! :lol:

oke:


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

I grew up in a town of 5000 people. My area had a denser deer population than here, as well as Turkeys. Duck and goose hunting is still great. Not here great, but good. Plus I have sea ducks to hunt. Lakes and ponds are more prominent and I have the Ocean to fish 9 months out of the year. Weather is predictable, and the wind isn't always blowing 20mph+. Food choices and quality isn't even comparable... And when I want to go out, I can hit NYC, Philly or Atlantic City in the same amount of time it takes me to get to Bismarck. I have 1/4 mile tracks basically at my disposal, not one 1/8th mile track in the entire state. Yep, ND has it all over the east coast...

ND pros: Bigger deer. Has mule deer and antelope. Pheasants are out of this world... People are nicer.

Cons: See above for just a few. :lol:

Dont worry, in a year and a half, you'll be rid of another out of stater! 

This state isn't for me, thats all I'm sayin. Nebraska was pretty terrible too... I wanna go to MD, DE or OH.


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

I hear ya, just poking a little! :lol:

Thanks for your service to our country! :beer:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Well dont let the door hit you on the way out!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I "lived" in Maryland for 3 months for military training. I tell ya, when I woke up in the morning, I could smell the air, id look outside and I could SEE the air.........people everywhere,..........NO THANKS!!!!!!!!!!


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

barebackjack said:


> I "lived" in Maryland for 3 months for military training. I tell ya, when I woke up in the morning, I could smell the air, id look outside and I could SEE the air.........people everywhere,..........NO THANKS!!!!!!!!!!


Oh stop it!!!! The only places that stink are the cities. I personally don't go to the cities to often, usually only to eat. I don't like the cities... People that drive through Jersey for the first time go WTH... I wasn't expecting Jersey to be nothing but corn and soybeans... We don't have towns out in the middle of nowhere like here though. You may be off the road a bit, but you're usually never ever farther than 30 minutes from a wal-mart or mall. And i miss Wawa!!!!

www.wawa.com


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## Ande8183 (Sep 18, 2005)

here are a few more photos I found tonight while I was looking though my computer.


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## Ande8183 (Sep 18, 2005)




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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Those are some great deer Ande... I don't know how big those are to you guys, but I'd go apenuts to shoot something like that.

When do the mulies rut out here? Same basic period as the WT's I'd assume?

Ill definitely be getting after some of those mulies!


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

ImpalaSSpeed96 said:


> Those are some great deer Ande... I don't know how big those are to you guys, but I'd go apenuts to shoot something like that.
> 
> When do the mulies rut out here? Same basic period as the WT's I'd assume?
> 
> Ill definitely be getting after some of those mulies!


--If I remember right, mule deer will often rut later than whitetails, however IMO your best opportunity to shoot a nice mule deer will be early season when they have their guard down.


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Cool cool... Well Ill definitely be down there as soon as it opens early sept and I'm off.

Somethin I found I like about ND this morn... I get to work semi early, have to be in by 0630. The mornings are pretty beautiful. The clouds roll in and it looks like the gates of heaven are about to open. Which kinda freaks me out lol!


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Holy **** Ande...........Take me hunting with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Great pics. I love the one of the mulie walking by the old farm building. That should be blown up!!!


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## ducksgeeselabs (May 7, 2009)

djleye said:


> Holy &$#* Ande...........Take me hunting with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Great pics. I love the one of the mulie walking by the old farm building. That should be blown up!!!


I doubt he'll take you until you can tell a whitetail from a mule deer ..:lol:


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

ducksgeeselabs said:


> I doubt he'll take you until you can tell a whitetail from a mule deer ..:lol:


Oh snap!!! :lol:


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## Ande8183 (Sep 18, 2005)

ducksgeeselabs said:


> djleye said:
> 
> 
> > Holy &$#* Ande...........Take me hunting with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> ...


HAHA.... The first time we saw him it was early morning at about 3/4 of a mile, and at first glance we thought he was a mule deer. Didnt see him at all last year, but I am pretty sure I saw one of his offspring that should be a shooter this year.


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