For Trophy Mule Deer Hunt, There Are Few Better Places Than The Mountains Of Northwest New Mexixo

By Patty Goff


The age old survival instinct to hunt for food has never really disappeared from mankind's psyche. The excitement of the hunt, tracking down a wild animal and the final ambush still enthrall mankind. Today, trophy hunting is one of the most popular outdoor sports. The outstretched mountainous regions of Northwest and Southwest New Mexico offer some of the best locations for trophy mule deer hunt.

These two regions are world-renowned for the huge, big-horned mountain mule deer that flourish here. Two to five day hunts on foot or from horseback to score those trophy antlers are increasingly popular. Hunting from horseback has the advantage that hunters can cover vast stretches of this open country with minimum physical effort.

During a typical deer hunt at one of the New Mexico ranches, two hunters are accompanied by a guide. If you want a guide for yourself, it will cost you an additional $150.00. The average success rate on top end bucks in this stunning part of the "Land of Enchantment" is 70%. Most ranches only allow a very limited number of hunters annually to keep it exclusive.

The average price for a 5 day hunt is between $5,500 and R6,500. Apart from scrumptious meals and wild west-like ranch accommodation, the price includes all the basics such as state licencing, tax, landowner tags, guides and transportation. First time hunters can expect to learn a lot about hunting techniques and how to use the deer bleat or grunt to lure the Muleys. Both these callers have the same luring effect and works equally well for males and females.

Named for its large ears resembling those of a mule, the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)is indigenous to western North America. There are scientific indications that this specimen may have developed relatively recently through the interbreeding of the white-tailed and black-tailed deer, evolving from the white-tailed deer thousands of years ago. The mule deer has bigger ears and is generally also bigger in size than the white-tailed species. The most obvious difference is the color of their tails - the mule deer's tail has a black tip, while true to its name, the white-tailed ones have solid white tails.

These buck are herd animals and have a strong smell sense. Skilled hunters know how to check the wind directions in order not to scare them away. These days, there are several products on the market to make a hunter's life easier. Apart from camouflage dress, there are products that eliminate the human smell so that hunters can come close to their trophy buck without their scent giving them away. Another product is a spray that resembles the buck's urine to camouflage the human scent.

To lure the big males that tip the scales at 200 kg and more, one can also effectively use equipment such as the deer bleat or grunt that imitate their sound. Both work equally effective with males and females. Specimen whose antlers reach a whopping 190 plus inches, are the most coveted trophies.

Besides humans, their major natural enemies are coyotes, gray wolves and mountain lions. Opportunistic feeders such as bobcats, wolverines, American black bears and brown bears mostly prey upon fawns or injured deer. Thanks to altered tag allotments and other joint efforts by most western state game departments in conjunction with conservation groups, the mule deer population has recovered significantly and the hunting record books are healthier than ever.




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