Combine these low mule deer numbers with a unit that doesnt lend itself to glassing and you have got the. This area has the most bucks entered in the record books than any other region in az. Depending on unit and specie of mule deer, the odds to draw a firearms permit are 10% to 70%. Mule deer foundations arizona regional director john gebhart salt lake city, utah. Featured are exciting hunting stories recounted by avid hunters and the superb work of the northwests premier wildlife artists. So, for the final installment on mule deer record book research, were going to take a look at nevada, arizona, montana and utah. Top 5 booner mule deer hunting states since 2010 deer. Thanks to dorchuck, theyll be getting a cast of the world record sheds the only way you can tell they arent the real thing is by xray to hang back on the wall, and the 70yearold upside down.
Desert mule deer are found in southern california, southern arizona, southern new mexico, southwestern texas, northern sonora, northern chihuahua, and northwestern. Consider the story of arizonas only top20 typical entry. Hunters can expect to be hunting mule deer that range from the 150 to 170 inch ranges with a low number of bucks in the 180 to 190 inch. Archery mule deer seasons generally occur in december and january.
Arizona game and fish mentions that edwards park, just south of mt. On slides 221 youll find the top 20 typical bucks of all time. Fluctuations in mule deer populations are normal but to manage mule deer well, we must understand the factors causing the fluctuations. Heres the story of a possible worldrecord mule deer bagged during arizonas bow season. Arizona guided hunts is pleased to offer quality hunting trips for the coues whitetailed deer in southern arizona near tucson. Arizona offers some of the most unique hunting opportunities in north america for each of these species. The top 40 typical and nontypical mule deer of all time. Northern arizona mule deer hunting by dan fritz, aka rockymtnhunter at arizona unit 12a east and west the north kaibab stirs the soul of every dedicated mule deer hunter it is one of the most sought after hunting permits in the west. Brett cooter ross had a buck tag in his pocket and an antlered deer of unknown size in front of him. This 6th edition of the book is the most recently published by one of the oldest state hunting record programs in the united states, having been printed since 1980. This deer was taken by ed broder in 1926 near chip lake, alberta. Check out this 239inch mule deer taken on the az strip. The 208page book is crammed with information, tips and hunting tales to help readers enjoy a more successful hunt and possibly kill a record book trophy. Not wanting to ruin his elk hunt, he passed up the shot.
Mike eastmans hunting high country mule deer is a good book that covers everything from how to glass, to scoring a mule deer on the hoof, to what equipment you should get. The coues deer is considered one of the most prized and most challenging deer species for north american trophy hunters. Arizona elk hunting, arizona mule deer hunting, desert sheep. Arizona archery deer hunts take place in september, december and january.
Firearms mule deer seasons typically occur during november. Mule deer often have slightly larger bodies and racks than the post the 4 biggest mule deer kills in the record books. Desert mule deer are found in southern california, southern arizona, southern new mexico, southwestern texas, northern sonora, northern chihuahua, and northwestern coahuila. Mule deer have white rump patches and short, narrow, blacktipped white tails.
Jan 01, 2020 we put together a gallery of the highest scoring typical and nontypical mule deer to ever be entered into the boone and crockett record books. Sep 12, 2017 arizona s best overthecounter mule deer units one of the best ways for a hunter to dip their toes into the world of western hunting is to grab their bow, head to arizona and buy an overthecounter mule deer tag. This hunt can be a rut mule deer hunt for giant arizona strip bucks depending upon the weather and precipitation that has fallen during the particular year that you draw your tag. Searching record book archives is a good place to see what areas have historically produced record book animals and what areas are currently being productive.
So weve compiled the most recent data to show you, our loyal readers, where the big ones are coming from right now, not 80 years ago. Arizonas best overthecounter mule deer units montana decoy. We take a look at the top 40 mule deer to ever be registered in the boone and crockett record books. If you hunt utah or would like to hunt utah, utah big game records. More information is available by contacting scis record book department at 5206201220. Bowhunters can go afield with an otc deer tag during the following seasons and have a reasonable chance at harvesting a record book coues deer or mule deer buck. Mule deer hunting, elk hunting and western big game hunting. This mule deer is an exceptionally heavy beamed deer with a 28 spread and sporting 6 points per side. Record book typical nevada buck for john mule deer, elk. Archery hunting deer in az is what we specialize in.
Rank score points r points l inside spread main beam r main beam l h1 r h1 l locality year hunter. Each year there is competition recognizing unique wildlife entries in a number of categories. Its reputation for huge, trophy quality bucks is both wellearned and almost mythical. Colorado shooting up record book charts the denver post. I found the book outstanding because of the width of coverage and the readability. This 240inch arizona buck taken by matt liljenquist in august is being hailed as safari club internationals pending world record for a typical mule deer. Utah big game records llc is a company that produces books. Gebhart will engage directly with mdfs chapters in arizona to support their fundraising and ontheground conservation efforts. Though this bull will not make the record book, the official score sheet will be kept on file by the boone and crockett club.
Ord, holds a fair number of mule deer and receives little pressure because of the ruggedness of the road. We take pride in delivering an unforgettable hunting experience. The mule deer foundation recently brought on john gebhart as the regional director for the state of arizona. Since its beginning in 1970, the trophy book, arizona wildlife trophies, has. Panhandle rancher bags recordbook mule deer mule deer. His full story is featured in eastmans bowhunting journal issue 89. A book of the boone and crockett club containing tabulations of elk, mule deer, and blacktail deer of north america, as compiled from data on the clubs big game record archives. Glassing long hours will greatly benefit in finding a small bodied coues deer or an old mule deer in desert terrain. Arizona black bear outfitters arizona is a very overlooked state for premium quality trophy black bear hunts. The desert mule deer is very similar to the rocky mountain mule deer, but is slightly smaller in the body. The potential for harvesting a giant boone and crockett record book mule deer buck here is as high as it can get anywhere in the world. Firearms deer hunts are by limitedentry draw permit.
With that being said, during the otc season in the open areas, a hunter is allowed to shoot any antlered deer. Including the world record mule deer set scoring an amazing 307 inches. Ensuring the conservation of mule deer, blacktailed deer and their habitat. Southern arizona mule deer bucks do not typically have much record book potential, but they can offer a unique and exciting desert hunting experience.
Click the appropriate button below to print the needed pdf forms. Unit 12a west kaibab mule deer is widely considered by many trophy mule deer hunters and trophy mule deer outfitters to be one of the best trophy mule deer hunts available anywhere. Typical mule deer antler configuration has each side branching equally into two main beams, each may fork. The area has become famous the world over for the extremely wide, dark horned bucks that it regularly produces. In this muley freak article were going to take a statebystate look and rank the top 10 states where record book trophy mule deer bucks are being harvested and entered into the boone and crockett club records. My prefered method of hunting iv driven up their one other time and didnt see much. The giant mule deer genetics of the arizona strip and kaibab mule deer herds have produced, and will continue to produce, some of the largest mule deer bucks ever harvested in the world. Check out gohunt insider for specific open hunt units on their unit profiles and tag. Mule deer nontypical records nevada wildlife record book. The nevada wildlife record book celebrates the big game animals we have in our. Unit a arizona strip mule deer hunts arizona strip guides.
A mature arizona desert mule deer buck could have a rack sporting a spread of 1827 inches and have 3 to 5 points per side. Desert mule deer hunting sonoran outfitters 20190304t10. In addition to being an invaluable reference for bowhunters seeking the states largest. If you are in search of a monster mule deer and a unique hunting experience, the record books clearly show mexicos sonoran desert is the place to start. In the case of these pending world records, the panel score became the animals official score. Whether your bucket list is a giant bull elk in utah, or a arizona strip buck of lifetime, we deliver. Mule deer hunting alberta canada mule deer hunts deer hunting. That isnt a typo, nearly half a million dollars for a mule deer tag.
Mule deer typical records nevada wildlife record book. With liberal over the counter archery hunts that run in the early season to chase bucks in velvet or rutting bucks in hard horn in december and january when the rest of the country is freezing. However, the best way to scout out a honey hole might be to drive the back roads and glass despite the wear it may put on your vehicle. Dream destinations include the arizona strip units a and b or kaibab plateau units 12a east, 12a west, and 12b, but the drawing odds are long, sometimes. Come along with the hpo team and experience the harvest of a trophy arizona antelope.
January archery mule deer hunts can be combined with javelina. Giant mule deer buck tagged in arizona is pending typical. Includes record entries for bear, cougar, whitetail deer, mule deer, rocky mt. Described as a velvetantlered basic 4x4 typical mule. A mature arizona desert mule deer buck could have a rack sporting a spread of. Six of the top 14 trophy black bears ever recorded in the boone and crockett record book have come from the great state of arizona and many record book black bears are continually harvested in arizona every single year. The early season arizona archery mule deer hunts take place from mid august through early september when most of the arizona mule deer bucks are still in the velvet while. Since its beginning in 1970, the trophy book, arizona wildlife trophies, has been a means to recognize the unique, individual quality of big game animals in the state of arizona. Specifically the late season rifle mule deer hunt in the rut. Arizonas best overthecounter mule deer units montana. Giant mule deer buck tagged in arizona is pending typical world. Desert mule deer usually weigh 150200 pounds, though they are sometimes heavier.
In that moment, the bullet exploded from the barrel, the buck disappeared in a flash, and ross hunting life changed forever. To purchase the utahs biggest bucks book please click here. We put together a gallery of the highest scoring typical and non typical mule deer to ever be entered into the boone and crockett record books. These are the biggest mule deer kills currently entered into the safari club international record book. Entries from eagle and gunnison counties dominated the record book 68 years ago and now there are single entries from different units all over the state. Apr 10, 2014 the grahams laugh at all the activity, the excitement generated by a set of 70year old mule deer antlers. From eastmans, a new video featuring a new record mule deer. Thats right, we said over the counter trophy mule deer tags.
One of the most coveted tags at the expo and around the world for that matter is the antelope island mule deer hunt in utah. Collecting a trophy mule deer is even tougher than a record book whitetail. Mulies are significantly fewer in number than whitetails, and many of the big boys live in very wild places. The otc hunt is open to coues and mule deer and the majority of hunters choose to hunt mule deer. That doesnt mean you cant find good deer hunting there, or the occasional booner for that matter. Oregon, south dakota, nebraska, north dakota, texas and california all harbor decent populations of mule deer.
With several units to choose from, over fifty days to hunt and moderate temperatures, the late archery season in arizona is a great place to harvest a record book coues or mule deer buck. Hunt success figures have fluctuated around the 4050% range for the last decade, some of the highest hunt success for mule deer in the state. Published on apr, 20 the phenomenal buck, harvested by alan hamberlin, is the highestscoring deer to have ever come from the az strip an area known for its massive mule deer. To purchase the official utah big game records book please click here. In some circumstances the arizona state record score may differ from the pope and young world record score due to the fact that in some instances it may take. Mule deer arizona hunting today your arizona hunting.
Unit 12a west kaibab mule deer guides 12a west kaibab. Arizona arizona has some of the best coues deer hunting in the country and is one of two states you can hunt coues deer in the us. Bowhunting in arizona is the official record book of arizona bowhunting biggame trophies. Top 10 trophy mule deer producing states muley freak. Our mule deer hunts take place in terrain with wide open, sand wash filled, sonoran desert type terrain, on up to high country pines, and juniper country. Arizona mule deer outfitters arizona mule deer guides.
Landon wittwer and his dad wayne have one of the most amazing collection of mule deer sheds around. Mar 10, 2014 watch rick harvest a record book arizona antelope after waiting for 25 years for a tag. Trophy mule deer with 30 spread harvested on a mule deer rut hunting trip an impressive 29 inches of heavy beamed antler. Incidentally, that 1972 record mule deer shot in southwest colorado by texan doug burris is on display at the cabelas store in kansas city, mo. Arizona hunt unit 9 arizona elk outfitters and arizona mule. Luckily, broder gave a colorful account of his hunt. While whitetail get all the press and the coues in arizona and mexico are highly sought after, the rocky mountain mule deer tends to get lost in. At the end of the day, chasing big mule deer is a lot of fun. Produce an accurate, permanent record of big game trophies in the state of utah. Like utah, arizona is famous for producing record book mule deer. However, david long just came out with a book that even mike eastman states is the best book on hunting trophy mule deer. Arizona elk outfitters and arizona mule deer outfitters. Elk typical elk nontypical mule deer typical mule deer nontypical pronghorn. Sep 01, 2009 this firstever records book dedicated to mule deer and related subspecies features.
In some circumstances the arizona state record score may differ from the pope and young world record score due to the fact that in some instances it may take more than two years for pope and young to panel score a trophy. Click here to learn how you can get your copy 2017 annual competition awards. All record data below obtained through the boone and crockett clubs online trophy search at. Mule deer world record set in february muley freak. Also provide recognition to the guides and outfitters of utah. For two years that huge mule deer was the montana state record. Spring, boone and crockett club director of big game records, recently. Unit 9 is home to some giant mule deer bucks that can rival the arizona strip and kaibab plateau in trophy quality but mule deer numbers in unit 9 are low and giant mule deer bucks are very few and far between. Theyre the icon of the west and certainly a loved biggame animal. The buck was measured by official scorer glenn abbott of portland, oregon at 225 38 p. We have scoutedguided the statewide auction tag for mule deer a total of 10 times resulting in some of the biggest deer ever harvested in arizona. Of course many mule deer hunting enthusiasts know that the best arizona hunting for mule deer takes place on the arizona strip and kaibab plateau.
Information regarding your unit can be provided in advance at your request. Its called public land mulies and its definitely the best book. George harms shot the new world record typical mule deer in mexico with his bow in 2009. It was opening day in colorado and ross family and friends were all on.
Oct 30, 2014 wade, the minimum score for a freerange typical rocky mountain mule deer is 155. From the high elevations where the goats run wild, to the cliffs and crags holding giant rams we deliver. Perhaps one of the most outstanding trophies ever recorded is the world record nontypical mule deer. The deer as points on one side and 11 points on the other with a net typical score of 181 38 and 43 68 inches of abnormal points. Giant mule deer buck tagged in arizona is pending typical world record heres the story of a possible world record mule deer bagged during arizona s bow season. Mule deer, so called because of their large, mule like ears, are a species of deer predominantly found in the western portions of the united states, canada, and mexico. Well i got drawn for rifle mule deer in unit 9 i dont know much about the unit except is great for elk so im going up their in late aug for some scouting and try to get one with my bow. This tag is for serious hunters interested in the best mule deer. But they arent known for pumping out the biggest mulies like the other 10 states that precede them in the record books. This 240inch arizona buck taken by matt liljenquist in august is being hailed as safari club internationals pending world record for a typical mule deer, and it has a good shot at eclipsing the. Here is a list of the biggest mule deer kills by hunters, according to the safari club international record book. Adult bucks may weigh in excess of 200 pounds and stand up to 42 inches at the shoulder.
On one fall morning in 1960, peter junior was hunting for elk when he saw a massive nontypical mule deer. So he settled his gun on back of his pack, took careful aim, and eased down on the trigger. The most common hunting tactic used to arrow a record class mulie was stalking, which accounted for 58 percent of the entries. The top 40 typical and nontypical mule deer of all time outdoor. Black bear, bison, whitetailed deer, desert bighorn sheep, elk, javelina, mountain lion, mule deer, pronghorn and turkey. Mule deer are one of americas most treasured resources. Arizona guided hunts also offers hunting packages for desert mule deer in southern arizona. Throughout the gallery we included of the unbelievable stories of how some of these mule deer were killed. Mar 24, 20 the next mule deer hunt that is offered in arizona strip unit b is the rifle mule deer hunt that starts in early november. Advanced accommodations for lodging and food can be made at an additional cost. Apr 01, 2000 the following statistics were compiled from the pope and young clubs 21st statistical summary book for all mule deer entries between 1997 and 1998.
This petite deer is the smallest huntable subspecies of the whitetailed deer and weighs between. Provide recognition to guided and unguided hunters. On november 25, 1926, i and two friends, driving an old 1914 model t ford, left edmonton for chip lake, alberta, broder. We put together a gallery of the highest scoring typical and nontypical mule deer to ever be entered into the boone and crockett record books. From 1978 through 2001 the trans pecos mule deer population has fluctuated from lows of fewer than 100,000 to a high of 221,220. John mcclendon was patient enough to have his own close encounter with a record setting mule deer. Then on slides 2240 youll find the top 20 nontypical bucks of all time.
This tag is for serious hunters interested in the best mule deer hunt available in the world today. Over 4,500 listings of mule deer, columbia blacktail, and sitka blacktail from the boone and crockett clubs records program dating back to the late 1800s up through january 31, 2009. As per fish and game entry rules, the boone and crockett entry will be used in the idaho big game records. Dozens of photos of successful hunters and their trophies illustrate the book. The next afternoon, however, he saw the same deer and this time didnt think twice about shooting it.
We maintain a knowledge of the hunting units, boundaries and surrounding areas of your unit. A relatively constant output of trophy quality deer has been evident, throughout the history of the plateau, as demonstrated by a recent analysis of the arizona record book. The mule deer population and mule deer density in arizona strip unit a is very low but the record book trophy quality of the giant mule deer bucks that inhabit. This deer has surpassed the state record by 4 inches held by david king since 1960.
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