Do you dream of hunting mule deer far from the nearest highway or road? Rumor has it that the sheep hunt is not the most exciting part of the venture, its where the bighorn sheep live. The same thing goes for true wilderness mule deer hunts. Mule deer thrive in some of the more exquisite, isolated areas around the world. Just looking at these majestic animals and the place they live is worth all the effort. With that said, here is some advice to make your first backcountry mule deer hunt a real success.

First and foremost, you have got to get in shape! And I'm not just talking about the walk to get the paper once a day or playing a little basketball on weekends. To really enjoy your backcountry mule deer hunt, you'll want to be in the best shape of your life. Now, I realize, depending on how old you are, that may not be possible, so if that's your situation, aim for the best shape you've been in the past five years. The main thing here is to do your best. My personal workout is going for a run between three and four times on a weekly basis. I start out by walking and jogging three months before I go, and by the time the trip comes, my target is to be able to jog for one straight hour. This works better than trying to give a distance. If you can maintain a jogging pace for at least an hour, you should be able to climb the mountains that would be required on the mule deer hunt. In addition to jogging, I jump rope, ride a bike, hike, and walk with my full pack (around 50 lbs) . All of these are excellent to build muscles to prepare for the mule deer hunt.

Second, shoot your hunting rifle. The greatest advice I can give is to go shooting on a weekly basis at distances of 300 yards. You will want to know where the gun is going to shoot at the different ranges. Start shooting at the range at 100 yards with a solid mechanical rest. Experiment with assorted types of ammo until you figure out what your particular gun does best with and stay with it. I prefer to use Winchester 130 grain Ballistic Silvertips in 270, but each hunting rifle fires differently and you have to find out what works best for you. When you know the direction the hunting rifle shoots on the practice range, try using a shooting stick, prone position, over your pack and also other positions that you might come across on the hunt. Remember you won't be able to use a bench during the hunt and even if you are an excellent bench shooter, that won't automatically make you a good shooter in a hunting situation. You'll also need to practice distances versus angles. Most shots made at mule deer are down or uphill and hunters have a tendency to shoot over the deer. Go and practice some shots both downhill and uphill. You will be surprised at how much difference a steep angle makes. I would also urge you to find a laser rangefinder and use it during your practice sessions. This will also help you learn how to judge mule deer out in the field. Hunting videos and DVDs by Mossback titled Mulies Gone Wild are an ideal tool for learning how to judge large bucks. They report the score after you've seen footage of the bucks on the hoof.

Third, get the very best equipment you can possibly afford. There are good products available. Look for the lightest, strongest material for your clothing and backpacking items. I won't go over each item, but some that I'd recommend are: an internal pack I use a North Face pack, but there are many different ones on the market, wool socks I use Smartwool, durable, stiff, hiking books - I prefer Lowa Sheephunter boots, and light packable rain gear I use Frogg Toggs. If you are going with an outfitter, ask him for a list of gear to bring and make sure to follow it. Buy good quality binoculars! I prefer Brunton Epochs in 10.5x43 due to their power to magnify and weight, but there are several different fine optics available on the market. Once again, pick up the best hunting supplies you can manage to afford.

Lastly, watch some excellent mule deer hunting videos on the matter. This will get your blood moving and get you excited about shooting your first buck. They'll help motivate you to get in shape in the off season and find the perfect deer after the season is open.


Tags: aim, pace, target, shape, three months, distances, muscles, mountains, rope, assorted types, ammo