Thread: Mule deer in Utah

A new one for me. Received an invitation out of the blue and went to Utah to hunt muledeer.

Not sure what to expect (I am suffering from prejudice, I admit), but they were hunters same as us. Muledeer was pretty much like any other deer, but very sensitive to sound in comparison. Not unusual to be nailed at 500 with heads coming up and those big satelite ears locking in on our location. Another difference was the very high quality of spotting, with muujch information being gathered about the deer via the spotting scope - these guys were very much into trophy assessment.

The hills were small in themselves, but at 2500 meters elevation oxygen was somewhat lacking and I found them harder than any mountain I've been on in NZ, mostly due mild acute mountain sickness the first couple of days (I googled it, it's normal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect...tude_on_humans). Pulse was frequently 130-140 bpm where I would've expected 80-90, spice that with some headaches and slight gagging/ vomiting.

But all-in-all a good experience and nice hunt. I didn't have the mental presence to snap a picture, but they have one on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpZfERKB..._web_copy_link

You sure there wasn’t a wee bit too much akvavit involved in those headaches and gagging and vomiting eh Norway?!

Great picture, good to see people getting about. I remember those hunts well after mule deer, very different kind of process I found, with the wide open terrain and relative lack of cover. My first decent longer range shots were on mule deer in Colorado. Yes it takes a while to get acclimated even at 2000m, flying up from the coast and getting straight into it can result in some problems...

When I say different, I’m thinking N Island, suppose in some ways it’s quite similar to the tops down south.

Yeah, I’d go if I received an invitation out of the blue for that.

Very, very nice!

That's a CRACKER Norway

You would be happy with that Buck, great deer to hunt, well done.

That’s an awesome looking trophy, do you plan on getting it mounted?

Originally Posted by Flyblown

You sure there wasn’t a wee bit too much akvavit involved in those headaches and gagging and vomiting eh Norway?!
.

With aquavit there is indeed a great amount of gagging involved and that vile stuff does not enter my body!

Originally Posted by craigc

Yeah, I’d go if I received an invitation out of the blue for that.

Looking back, I'm glad I didn't decline which was my first impulse. You know, americans & LR carries a fair bit of prejudice and stigma with it. But everything was just fine, just what I would expect at home and I didn't shoot the deer at range.

Originally Posted by Gibo

That's a CRACKER Norway

Yeah, to me he looks stellar. Very nice deer.

Originally Posted by Mooseman

You would be happy with that Buck, great deer to hunt, well done.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Matt-P.Nth

That’s an awesome looking trophy, do you plan on getting it mounted?

No I donated the deer to the ranch. I will however frame the hunting license and a couple of pictures.

Awesome buck, well done mate...