king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Best of 2007 Feb-March 2008 - Index

ASK MR. MULE DEER
Q. I have been hunting on private
land in northern Utah for twelve
years and I have been told to look
for a “Roman nose” buck. What
is a Roman nose buck?
Kyle Sessions - Woods Cross, UT
A. Kyle, a Roman nose simply means
a nose with a high, prominent bridge.
Normally, the Roman-nosed buck’s
face appears shorter with a hump on
the nose bridge. It’s common for
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bucks to develop this feature as they
mature, which is probably why you
have been advised to look for a Roman
nose. Don’t just look for the Roman
nose however, because not all mature
bucks develop this attractive bump -
though it sure adds a little character to
a nice trophy.
Q. Why do mule deer tend to live in
the high country?
Cy Sneed – via email
A. Cy, mule deer tend to
follow the best forage in their
range. In the summertime,
as the snow gives way to
succulent feed, mule deer
follow the snowline into the
high country which offers an
abundant supply of optimal forage.
In addition, mule deer take
advantage of the high country’s
cooler temperatures, steady
breezes which prevent pesky bug
infestations, and rough topography
to hide them from danger.
Q. Do mule deer live longer in some
states than they do in others?
Pat Gifford – Farmington, NM
A. Throughout the mule deer’s
range, the average lifespan is
around ten years old; though
they have lived up to 25 years
in captivity. Many factors will
infl uence how long a mule deer
will live. Predation, hunting,
vehicular-traffi c and weather
severity play a vital role on
the mule deer’s average
life span in a given area.
5MR.MULE DEER5
For instance, the Arizona Strip
mule deer may well have a longer
life span than deer in agricultural
Wyoming, given that Wyoming has
heavier winters, more vehiculartraffi
c around agriculture and more
hunting pressure as well due to
depredation antlerless deer tags to
relieve damage to agriculture.
Q. What is the best source for
fi nding info and maps for areas
that are open to public hunting in
southeastern Idaho?
Jeff Whaling – Brookville, PA
A. Your fi rst phone call should
be to the Idaho Game and Fish
wildlife manager that is involved
with the area you want to hunt.
Second, try Idaho’s new Idaho Hunt
Planner, an interactive search engine
designed to provide information on
regulations, seasons, drawing odds,
harvest statistics, maps and hunt
boundaries - all in one location.
http://fi shandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/
huntplanner/
Q. I am planning a trip to
Wyoming to hunt mule deer.
When is the rut and would rattling
antlers or grunt calls be helpful? I
have hunted whitetail deer in Ohio
and West Virginia and have been
pretty successful. Could I expect
the same while hunting mule deer
in Wyoming or do I need to hunt
differently out West?
Robert – Troy, Ohio
A. More than likely, you will be
hunting differently out West. You