king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated - October/November 2007 - Index

ASK MR. MULE DEER
Q. What types of habitat do elk
prefer to frequent in September,
versus habitat preferences in
October and November?
Jene Jensen - Gillette, WY
A. In order to answer your question,
let's first discuss bull behavior
during the fall and winter months.
In August, bulls rub the velvet from
their rack, break away from bachelor
groups and begin associating with
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cows. September is when the peak of the
rut occurs. Throughout September, you
will find bulls wherever there are cows
and calves. If you hunt mountainous
terrain, the cows may still be in the high
country in September. As the weather
grows colder in October, the rut slows
down and the bulls are completely
exhausted from fighting other bulls and
chasing cows. Bulls are now vulnerable
to extreme weather conditions and
predators and they know it. At this
time, bulls will leave the cows
and search for heavy cover
and nutrition. Old friends
reunite in these "bull nests,?
and apologize to one another
for the severe belligerence
that took place weeks earlier.
October and November weather
pushes the cows from the summer
grounds in search of forage. The
bigger bulls will soon follow,
but tend to stick to heavy cover
in the higher country a bit longer
in order to recuperate in preparation
for a long winter. If you're hunting
in October or November, glass the
steep, remote slopes with plenty of
cover from a distance to find these
late-season bull nests.
Q. How do you field judge the
weight of a mule deer on the
hoof?
David Felton - Leggett, CA
A. By nature, hunters are
inquisitive, but I've never heard
anyone ask this question.
Perhaps it is because
this is a question no one
really wants an answer
5MR.MULE DEER5
to while packing out a deer carcass
on their back. Mule deer weights
vary throughout their range. For
example, mule deer bodies are
much larger in Canada than they
are in the desert, so it is difficult
to generalize an accurate method
of weight measurement. A good
rule of thumb is that a young mule
deer buck will weigh approximately
125-150 pounds; a good mature
buck's weight in the fall will range
from 150-240; and then there are
the behemoth bucks that can weigh
as much as 450! There is a weight
formula if you are able to get a fielddressed
carcass on a scale. Take the
field-dressed weight and multiply
it by 1.42 and that will provide
you with a live-weight estimate.
The only way to become accurate
at judging weight in the field is to
spend time practicing. Take the time
to look at each deer and study their
different physical characteristics.
Q. Can grouse really be found
in the same habitat that bucks
usually are? It seems every time
I am bowhunting and see a nice
buck, I spook up a lot of grouse
around the same area.
Jason Barnett - Tremonton, UT
A. Jason, you may be on to
something. The two mountain grouse
in the lower Rocky Mountains are
the blue grouse and ruffed grouse.
Ruffed grouse are usually found in
what I consider doe country - willow
bottoms and aspen parks with plenty
of understory brush. Blue grouse are
usually found in what I consider big