Hunting Mule-Deer and Related Thoughts

(Page 4 of 4)

November/December 1989
By the Mother Earth News editors 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

When you spot an animal you wish to pursue, mark its location in your mind and on your topo map, check the wind direction, and get moving, being careful to remain quiet, below the deer's line of sight, and downwind, perhaps circling far out of the way.

RELATED CONTENT

Which brings us to physical conditioning: While the average whitetail hunt may involve walking as little as a few hundred yards from your car, or at most, a few miles before spending most of the day sitting as still as a plaster Buddha, the average mule-deer hunt is likely to entail several miles of tough hiking over steep, broken terrain, often at considerable altitudes. And if and when you manage to down an animal, you must have steam enough left to pack the meat out to the nearest road, which probably won't be near at all. Be fit, or be ready to hurt.

Virtually any fast, flat-shooting, hardhitting rifle will do for mule deer. Favored calibers include .270, .243, and the old reliable .30-06 with 150-grain bullets. Scope sights are a must for the long shots often required in opencountry hunting; many hunters here in southwestern Colorado sight their rifles to hit six inches high at 100 yards, which-with many calibers-allows aiming dead-on at all ranges from 50 out to 300 yards.

Whatever the weapon, please use it safely, well, and honorably. Deer are not lobsters in a tank, and hunting them is much more than a visit to the meat market.

—David Petersen

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.