For Trophy Mule Deer Hunt, There Are Few Better Places Than The Mountains Of Northwest New Mexixo

By Patty Goff


Hunting is one of the oldest sports or human activities. Although most people do not have to hunt for their food anymore, the sport is as popular as ever. Boasting with a coveted trophy in the form of the head of a lion, buffalo or elephant against the study wall, is to some big game hunters the ultimate reward. For trophy mule deer hunt, there are few better places than the mountains of Northwest New Mexico or those of Southwest New Mexico, also known as the Gila.

Hunting expeditions in these beautiful rocky mountains are probably the closest one can get to a true wild west experience. At some ranches, hunters have the choice to hunt from horseback, which enables them to cover vast areas without exhausting themselves. The views from some of these ranches are breathtaking and includes stretches of high prairie grass, rivers, rocky and forested canyons as well as mountain ranges such as Sierra Grande Mountain. This exquisite land is home to some of the largest rocky mountain mule deer.

During season, most ranches accept only a limited number of hunters to make the experience exclusive and to offer them privacy and the free run of the ranch. Two hunters per guide is the general ratio, but one can also get your own private guide at an additional cost. Your changes of scoring that coveted trophy in this areas are a whopping 70% if you know what you are doing.

A five day hunt can cost you anything from $5,500 to $6,500. Prices include all necessary landowner tags, state licenses, state tax, meals, lodging, guides and transportation around the ranch. Game processing, taxidermy and gratuities will cost you extra.

The mule deer was named for its large donkey-like ears and is indigenous to the west side of North America. Apart from their bigger ears, they are generally also bigger in size than the ancient white-tailed deer from which they are believed to have evolved. Adult males can weigh anything from 92 kg - 210 kg, while the females can weigh from 43 kg to 90 kg. The mule deer also has a typical black-tipped tail that differentiates it from the white-tailed species.

These buck are herd animals and have a strong smell sense. Skilled hunters know how to check the wind directions in order not to scare them away. These days, there are several products on the market to make a hunter's life easier. Apart from camouflage dress, there are products that eliminate the human smell so that hunters can come close to their trophy buck without their scent giving them away. Another product is a spray that resembles the buck's urine to camouflage the human scent.

The mule deer is a herd animal and generally roams in herds of five. Their coveted antlers start to regrow straight after being shed around the middle of February. Strict regulations and innovative measures have been put into place to ensure that their characteristic pronking will still be enjoyed by generations to come.

Besides humans, their major natural enemies are coyotes, gray wolves and mountain lions. Opportunistic feeders such as bobcats, wolverines, American black bears and brown bears mostly prey upon fawns or injured deer. Thanks to altered tag allotments and other joint efforts by most western state game departments in conjunction with conservation groups, the mule deer population has recovered significantly and the hunting record books are healthier than ever.




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