Most Productive Time In Bow Season For Mule Deer

[Riverbc]

When do you think the most opportune time for bow hunting mulies is?
Early September, when they haven't been hunted and are they less spooky....closer to the end of October, as it is closer to the rut....or somewhere in between? Why ?

[ULTRAlite]

Just from my experience... September opener is hard to beat - not hunted since last season and those velvet monsters look even better :)

[Sledhead71]

Early season, but that has it's challenges as well, crops in this area are still typically standing, so spotting the biggens has it's challenges...

Later, well try and move around when there is only 3 - 4 inches of stubble or grass left...

[slough shark]

depends if you can stand the mosquitos and sandflies...

[Sledhead71]

depends if you can stand the mosquitos and sandflies...

Thermo-Cell :)

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

:D unlike Whitetails and Rut...all bow season is good for mulies..with the worst time in most cases being harvest time...when the farmers are harvesting the fields they become a lot less easy to pattern..

But that can still be done..early watch feeding fields and their bedding areas great for stands...they will still use these trails after harvest...just not as frequent...later after harvest they can be patterned again easier...spot and stalk is common and fun...

water holes near feeding and bedding areas are good also...but mulies dont water as frequent and routine as whitertails..
Blinds are effective with mulies..find him watch him set up blind and best of luck!!!
JMHO
Neil

[58thecat]

Scout the summer, glass from a distance, attempt to pattern them, set up morning travel routes between bedding and feeding areas... attempt to ambush in mornings and evenings.
Harder to do is watch where they bed down, wind in favour, glass area, locate,spot and stalk...very exciting and hard on the nerves but what a rush when it all comes together. :sHa_shakeshout:

[ULTRAlite]

Harder to do is watch where they bed down, wind in favour, glass area, locate,spot and stalk...very exciting and hard on the nerves but what a rush when it all comes together. :sHa_shakeshout:

Definitely my favorite tactic - Watch em get up in the morning and until they go down for the afternoon nap... Then with all things in your favour, climb into their bedroom and wait for them to get up. Sooooo exciting! And in my areas, much easier to do before harvest

[C Taylor]

In my area swathing usually starts before season opens. I find around thanksgiving to be my luckiest time. They've settled down from fields being harvested but not too wild yet.

[338Bluff]

I like the last week of October. If you get a cold snap with some snow they really get moving.

[J.B.]

If I'm booking time off work to arrow a mule buck it will be the first week of sept...if you've done ur homework you should know exactly what the buck your after is doing, and when he is doing it...if your hunting with a buddy knowing a deer's escape routes can help a lot...if one of you is stalking the other can set up on an escape route if the deer is bumped...early season muleys can be very patternable...

[L.O.S.T.Arrow]

:D I agree that first week the mulie bucks are "freindly"...

Neil

[H380]

If I'm booking time off work to arrow a mule buck it will be the first week of sept...if you've done ur homework you should know exactly what the buck your after is doing, and when he is doing it...if your hunting with a buddy knowing a deer's escape routes can help a lot...if one of you is stalking the other can set up on an escape route if the deer is bumped...early season muleys can be very patternable...

Good advice from a Booner Shooter .. Nice buck JB..

[rielbowhunter]

the first week of September is great, and the end of November they run around all day.

[HoytAlpha35]

Velvet hands down. They are a completely different animal. As soon as that velvet is off they are in survival mode. The stuff I have gotten away with during the first week of September still surprises me.