Looking for trophy Mule deer hunt

B

Bluebird

New member
A friend has found himself in a financial position that was never expected and he is wanting to do a trophy Mule deer hunt, and take me along. We are looking for a hunt in the mountain west, for the deer of a lifetime. I am not sure what states have a way for non-residents with no preference points to get a tag. Landowner vouchers? Special outfitter tags?
Both of us are accomplished hunters and physically fit and capable of a strenuous hunt. We are looking at a rifle hunt for 2025. Perhaps Nevada, or Utah? It looks like Wyoming requires a regular draw, I don't know about Montana. We both lived in Colorado for a long time and would prefer somewhere else.
Ideas on states and or outfitters is what I am looking for.
 
I'm a mule deer junky and hunt in 3 to 4 states some years. Currently mule deer are in tough shape in most states. You could find a good hunt in about any state but I would agree that Canada is your best option if you want a really big deer (180"+ with a real possibility at 200"+}. I would also look at Mexico as an option.
If Canada and Mexico are not an option, Utah and Colorado have the most options for someone that wants to buy a hunt for 2025. Montana doesn't produce many big deer. Unless you get some good inside information, I wouldn't waste much time looking into Washington, Oregon, Dakotas, Nebraska or California. In Idaho it isn't legal to buy landowner tags. Nonresident tags for Idaho also went on sale this morning and sold out. You could still get and outfitter tag or returned tag in Idaho but I would cross Idaho off your 2025 list. Nevada may have some options but there are not many tags available and likely more expensive than Utah or Colorado. Arizona would be tough to buy a good hunt unless you have a bunch of points. NM has some options to buy hunts. The far northern end of NM has much better genetics for growing big antlers. You could buy hunts in Texas. With protein feeding, there have been some very big deer killed in West Texas the last decade. Wyoming would be a better option if you had points. The central and eastern part of Wyoming where it would be easier to get a tag in 2025 and pay a trespass fee doesn't produce very many really big bucks. I'm sure you could find a big muley with the right outfitter in Kansas. You could also look into paying your way into hunting some of the reservations.
 
Numbers have been dismal in Nevada for the past few years. Hoping they increase but that will take years.
Now if you're hunting wild horses, we have a crap-ton of these. Was seeing a 100 head +or- a day on this year's deer hunt.
 
Not interested in Canada, I'd do a Mexico desert hunt but my buddy is not into that. Mountain west rules out places like Kansas, and certainly Texas with the feeding (baiting), not into that. I hunted Colorado for 32 years, I killed a few good bucks, but I only got tags about every 3rd year, not really into hunting my old back yard. Colorado is known for high hunting pressure, especially in an area that doesn't require points. I used up 4 points in Wyoming last year, struggled to find deer at all, and shot a decent buck. I found an outfitter in Idaho that offers a decent looking hunt that has potential for big bucks but anything over 180 is just a maybe. I have emailed a couple of outfitters in Nevada, asking about the outfitter draw, none have replied back.
 
If you think Colorado has high hunting pressure, you will be very disappointed by Idaho. I grew up hunting Idaho in the 90's and have hunted it most years since moving away. Even though I have family and friends to hunt with and a bunch of spots I've killed big bucks in Idaho, I skipped it in 2024 and will probably skip Idaho in 2025 unless I don't draw tags in other states. Idaho does have the genetics to grow big bucks but it lacks the management for bucks to get older. I've hunted Colorado a few times and see a much higher percentage of older bucks in Colorado. Colorado isn't near as good as it was 20 years ago but still better than Idaho for big bucks. You could have a great experience on a hunt in Idaho but I would be very skeptical of any outfitter claiming most of their clients kill 180" deer. For an outfitter to provide you with a good experience in Idaho, they will either need to pack you into a camp a few miles from motorized access or have quality private land for you to hunt.

This fall in NM I watched an outfitter put his client on a yearling forky and another client on a small 3 point. 1st and 2nd day of the hunt.

It isn't my style of hunt, but you may want to look into the Utah CWMU program.

As mentioned by cropdamage, many of the good outfitters are book several years out.
 
I live in Idaho. From what I have seen so far, there is FAR LESS pressure here than Colorado!

I think I found a decent hunt in Idaho, not the biggest bucks, but looks like a quality experience with the potential for a decent buck.

Still looking into the other suggestions.
 
I guess I've just had different experiences hunting in Idaho vs Colorado than you. If you compare the B&C record books for the last 25 years, Colorado puts Idaho to shame. Idaho just doesn't manage mule deer so many bucks live long enough to grow big antlers. The last time I hunted Colorado 3 years ago, me and my 2 friends all killed bucks over 180". A couple years before that, I killed a 31" muley in Colorado. I've just seen a much higher percentage of the bucks being 5+ years old when I've hunted Colorado vs Idaho. As you probably already know, Colorado mule deer are also in really sad shape right now. I still think Colorado would provide me a better chance of killing a big buck in 2025 but that really depends on the area.

Hunting pressure is way down in many areas of Idaho because many hunters have just given up on putting much time or effort in deer hunting after the bad winter a couple years ago. Colorado also has a bunch of elk hunters out at the same time as most deer hunts, so the hunting pressure feels higher.

If you are just looking for a great experience, look into going into the Frank Church Wilderness. The Frank is rugged country and most areas don't have high deer densities. The Frank doesn't have the genetics/habitat to grow really big antlers on most bucks but it would be a great adventure.

If you want to hunt older deer with big antlers, I would still recommend crossing Idaho off your list for 2025.
 
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