Badlands mule deer

[Enslow]

Team pisswack ashemble!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Looks like the neck is trying to swallow the head and the only thing stopping the process is the ears.

 

[Retired Educator]

Not to derail the thread, but I am a terrible judge on mulies, what do you guys think this one scores?

Not an expert either but I don't think he's going to score as high as he appears. First, he's not overly wide, barely out to his ears, not past. Narrow frequently turns into shorter main beams. Does have big eye guards which will add since lots of mulies don't have them. Decent forks but I still think the lack of width is going to reduce his overall score. That and his body and face don't look very old.

Regardless, I'd have a hard time passing him up because if nothing else I think he's a really good looking deer. A few extras on him also add in. Since I'm not strictly a trophy hunter I'm pretty sure I'd shoot him and be happy, even with some ground shrinkage.

 

[sweeney]

Not to derail the thread, but I am a terrible judge on mulies, what do you guys think this one scores?

186 5/8 with a 16.5” inside spread I would have never guessed him that much I figured 170s but he had 13” of trash so plus long brows

 

[Bowhunter_24]

The best days of the badlands are gone, there's just to much pressure on those public lands. I score allot of the biggest deer in the state each year and the vast majority of the best muleys come off private lands, its not even close. They can control what is being harvested and now days on allot of ranches if its not 180 gross its not getting shot, at least by the adults. And I think the oil field has really put the hurt on the muleys as well, from both poaching and getting hit on the roads. Can't imagine how many get smoked by trucks every week.
And you will also start to see more and more leasing and outfitters as the years go on state wide.
Hate to say it but social media is the demise of good hunting across the country. Information is way to readily available these days with the click of a button
And with things like ND bucks and bulls it just adds fuel to that fire for our state.

Loose lips sink ships...

Oh and having rifle season smack dab during the rut is a shame...sorry but it is. Nothing easier to kill than a buck muley in November.

Not sure how I missed this post. But this is spot on.

 

[Kurtr]

Not an expert either but I don't think he's going to score as high as he appears. First, he's not overly wide, barely out to his ears, not past. Narrow frequently turns into shorter main beams. Does have big eye guards which will add since lots of mulies don't have them. Decent forks but I still think the lack of width is going to reduce his overall score. That and his body and face don't look very old.

Regardless, I'd have a hard time passing him up because if nothing else I think he's a really good looking deer. A few extras on him also add in. Since I'm not strictly a trophy hunter I'm pretty sure I'd shoot him and be happy, even with some ground shrinkage.

I also thought mule deer need to be wide to score good till I shot the 17 inch wide one I thought was 160 at best and ended up at 185. Deep forks at the most important

 

[GSM]

186 5/8 with a 16.5” inside spread I would have never guessed him that much I figured 170s but he had 13” of trash so plus long brows

How did you come to this exact conclusion? Are more pictures available

 

[guywhofishes]

tall tall tall

 

[sweeney]

How did you come to this exact conclusion? Are more pictures available

Because he is dead and has been scored. Not my deer to post pics of. Though all the ones I’ve seen of him don’t do him justice alive or dead. Biggest one they seen all season I don’t think they knew what they had until everything got added up. Around 81” side 76” side 16.5” spread and 13”of extras. Unless there is another one with those brows and extras floating around.

 

[Enslow]

I saw him. Very sweet buck.

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Saw him at a contest

 

[sweeney]

Yea watford is where they took him the other week heard there were two giants there.

 

[GSM]

Because he is dead and has been scored. Not my deer to post pics of. Though all the ones I’ve seen of him don’t do him justice alive or dead. Biggest one they seen all season I don’t think they knew what they had until everything got added up. Around 81” side 76” side 16.5” spread and 13”of extras. Unless there is another one with those brows and extras floating around.

Thats what I was wondering. :;:thumbsup

 

[mulibux]

I had the 4C tag this year and did not fill it. Hunted 100% public land. For a few reasons, I've hardly hunted the badlands before but was able to do a little bit of scouting prior to the season. Had some help from a friend on where to go and altogether, hunted 8 full days. Most days I saw the truck very little in the daylight and hunted hard. Was very surprised how many forkhorns are out there. I figured I saw around 75-80 bucks and I bet 50-60 of them were forkhorns. Saw maybe half a dozen bucks that were 140-160 but never anything bigger than that. I wasn't going to shoot anything unless it was at least respectable and don't regret it. Next year, somebody can shoot one of the ones I passed when it is 160+. Saw 3 or 4 in the 140-160 range on the last 2 days of season so those should be very nice bucks next year.

One thing that blows my mind are the guys that wait 4-8 years for a 4C tag and then just cruise Magpie, Blacktail and Frank's Creek roads. I mean really? You just expect to see a 170" standing by the road when there is a hunter going by every 5 minutes? I couldn't believe how few people I saw out walking. I never saw 1 bootprint more than a mile from a road. Hell I never saw a hunter in the field more than a quarter mile from a road. I don't understand people.

I couldn't agree with you more I think when people say they aren't seeing the quality deer they are hoping to see. 90 percent of the hunters in this unit anyway are doing exactly this driving up and down the roads all day long hoping to see one within 300 yards of the road. Fine by me they can keep hunting that way and telling everyone there is no big deer out there.

 

[8andcounting]

My best friend and some of his friends spent the last week of gun season last fall in 4d . One had the rifle tag the other 2 had bow tags , these guys leave the pickup before sunup and get back to it at dark . They said the quality of bucks was fantastic, lots of 3.5 year olds and older . The two they shot with archery were probably 150”ish and the rifle buck about 160” but they said they missed opportunities on some better bucks . They said there was 140” bucks everywhere. They said they’ll be going back same week this year with stick and string . Not sure if any drew the gun tag .

 

[sweeney]

My best friend and some of his friends spent the last week of gun season last fall in 4d . One had the rifle tag the other 2 had bow tags , these guys leave the pickup before sunup and get back to it at dark . They said the quality of bucks was fantastic, lots of 3.5 year olds and older . The two they shot with archery were probably 150”ish and the rifle buck about 160” but they said they missed opportunities on some better bucks . They said there was 140” bucks everywhere. They said they’ll be going back same week this year with stick and string . Not sure if any drew the gun tag .

As expressed before this is what is happening to the good bucks 150-160" are shooter quality to many I guess,;:;banghead add this to all the extra bowhunters and public land owners and out of staters allowed to hunt along with advancements in technology, thus the lack of 170-190+". Hard for them to get to 180+ when they are getting targeted and actively hunted at 140-160" stage. At least before people could just drive around and shoot a forky and head home now days everyone is a back country mule deer expert, but would be lost without onix, taking pictures for the internet of all those mature 140-160" deer ;:;rofl. for the record I don't care what size deer is a trophy to you, or what size deer you shoot, it's your right to shoot what you want and that is fine with me.

 

[Captain Ahab]

As expressed before this is what is happening to the good bucks 150-160" are shooter quality to many I guess,;:;banghead add this to all the extra bowhunters and public land owners and out of staters allowed to hunt along with advancements in technology, thus the lack of 170-190+". Hard for them to get to 180+ when they are getting targeted and actively hunted at 140-160" stage. At least before people could just drive around and shoot a forky and head home now days everyone is a back country mule deer expert, but would be lost without onix, taking pictures for the internet of all those mature 140-160" deer ;:;rofl. for the record I don't care what size deer is a trophy to you, or what size deer you shoot, it's your right to shoot what you want and that is fine with me.

Pretty much summed it up.

 

[8andcounting]

As expressed before this is what is happening to the good bucks 150-160" are shooter quality to many I guess,;:;banghead add this to all the extra bowhunters and public land owners and out of staters allowed to hunt along with advancements in technology, thus the lack of 170-190+". Hard for them to get to 180+ when they are getting targeted and actively hunted at 140-160" stage. At least before people could just drive around and shoot a forky and head home now days everyone is a back country mule deer expert, but would be lost without onix, taking pictures for the internet of all those mature 140-160" deer ;:;rofl. for the record I don't care what size deer is a trophy to you, or what size deer you shoot, it's your right to shoot what you want and that is fine with me.

Apparently 150-160 is shooter quality to you too , I mean , pictures don’t lie . Your 2005 thin horned buck isn’t 170-180 . Your 2016 buck isn’t a record breaker . In all your dead deer photos I never saw a 180” . So maybe you need to look in the mirror

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Having said that , you have shot some nice deer , and it don’t matter to me , just don’t point the finger and then not point it at yourself too

 

[guywhofishes]

;:;popcorn

 

[Captain Ahab]

The last MD I shot was in 2007. Ate tag soup twice since then. 180+ or bust. That or I will jump a 160 and shoot him with buck fever and kick myself when I walk up to him.

 

[martinslanding]

;:;popcorn

...if I have to wait for 10+ preference points then I am coming home with horns