Mule Deer Hunting

Latest Blog Entries

Tuesday - April 10, 2012

Utah used to consist of 5 hunting units - for deer management purposes the state was divided it into 30 smaller units. Smaller units would make it easier to manage the deer populations in each of those 30 units. While working out the logistics and the number of permits for the 2012 deer hunt, the Division of Wildlife Board reviewed the success ratio per unit from the last couple years, as well as the buck to doe ratio per unit. After totaling all the numbers up, statewide there may be 500 fewer permits available this year.

Wednesday - February 22, 2012

When Kansas Rep. Anthony Brown first saw the bill to allow crossbow hunting for deer, elk, antelope and wild turkey - he voted no. That was Tuesday morning, by Wednesday he was ready to change his vote. Tuesday evening driving home in his truck he collided with a large doe. The responding officer said this was his second deer related car accident that night. With this new insight Brown went in Wednesday with a yes vote on the crossbow bill.

Saturday - February 18, 2012

Wyoming Game and Fish Department needed to go a bit further with charging three people; Shenae Blakemore, 29, Cody Gilligan, 23, and Colton Lapp, 19, with poaching a trophy class mule deer. Game wardens had found the trophy buck in a shed in Worland. They had been investigating something else when they came upon the buck. When asked about the buck, Lapp told them that the buck had been shot by Blakemore in an open area near the Black Hills by Sundance.

Wednesday - January 25, 2012

Last year the California Department of Fish and Game offered two random drawings for a deer license, and an elk license. Offering licenses by raffle brought in over $130,000 for the Department and for conservation. This year they are raffling four random drawing chances to win a big game license. This year along with the deer and elk, there is a desert bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope tag.

Any interested hunter can purchase the raffle tickets from the DFG, or online for $5.66, no limits.

Friday - January 20, 2012

Kansas' Secretary of State Kris Kobach is trying to pass a bill that would enable the governor to distribute 12 big-game licenses. These licenses currently go to each commissioner for the Department of Wildlife, where in turn the commissioner usually gives it to a conservation group to auction off. The licenses are special licenses allowing the hunter to hunt either sex deer, whitetail or mule, statewide and in any season.

Monday - December 26, 2011

On Christmas Eve one Salt Lake City family was hoping for Santa and his reindeer, but instead got a buck that had crashed into their home. The Kellers believe that the deer tripped on a window well and fell into their home through a window. While waiting for wildlife officers, they captured several photos and videos. It will be a Christmas they won't soon forget.

Friday - December 23, 2011

Two men in New Mexico could not resist the deer. It was right by the roadside, they pulled the truck over, got out and started shooting at it. Little did they know the deer was a decoy set up by Game and Fish officers to catch poachers. This area was a high traffic area where poaching had previously taken place. The duo's actions were caught on video.

Wednesday - December 21, 2011

Brock Lesnar is known for his fighting skills, and had been invited to Canada to hunt for a filmed episode sponsored by Trophy Hunters Alberta in 2010. Lesnar needed a guide, to hunt legally in Canada.

Three charges were filed against him after this 2010 hunt. One for unlawful possession of wildlife, this was for a whitetail deer. Second charge was for wastage of wildlife, from a mule deer. Third charge and the one that Lesnar plead guilty to was for failure to immediately tag an animal.

Thursday - December 8, 2011

Mike Feldmann owns the Lodge at McGregor Lake in Montana. His business was not operating at full capacity this hunting season. He keeps a poster board at his lodge, where in seasons past hunters would proudly display photos of their harvests. This year Feldmann has posted photos of a pack of wolves eating a heifer carcass at a nearby campground during archery season. Feldmann's lodging business has felt the impact of less big game animals which has meant less hunters as well.

Tuesday - December 6, 2011

When I write about special hunts and draw odds, I’m usually focused on rifle hunts.  I vastly prefer to use my rifles over any other weapon as they are more interesting to me than archery and muzzleloading equipment, but in reality I use all three weapons.  However, I do not hunt with primitive weapons solely for the challenge, the only reason I’ll pick one up is to expand my hunting options.