What State Has the Most Mule Deer?
Shows like Meat Eater on Netflix have sparked a new fire in a lot of men and women out there who are looking to get into hunting. However, you may not live in a state with mule deer and are looking for an out-of-state opportunity with sufficient mule deer to pursue.
Colorado is at the top of the list for mule deer hunting opportunities because of the large mule deer populations. With such a large state filled with generous amounts of public, it is a great option for an out-of-state mule deer hunt.
While whitetail deer are one of the most popular game animals in North America, mule deer are quickly garnering a giant following of hunters who love the unique challenge they offer.
In fact, many veteran hunters consider a mature, record-book mule deer buck to be the hardest trophy to acquire. Finding and killing them is not easy, as old mule deer bucks are smart and elusive.
In addition to being near impossible to find and kill, mule deer are not found in as many states or places as their whitetail cousins.
While they can live anywhere from arid deserts to subalpine elevations, mule deer are only found in the western half of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In fact, most people are surprised to learn that you can only hunt mule deer in 15 states here in the US. So that begs the question, what state has the most amount of mule deer?
With 15 states where mule deer have large enough populations to be hunted, they certainly are not all created equal.
Those with lower populations or habitats will not only be harder to find deer in, but they could prove difficult to obtain tags and permits in the first place. With that being said, let’s look at the five states with the most mule deer and where you should concentrate your efforts!
5. Montana
Starting our list off at number five is the state of Montana. Montana is a massive state with plenty of space to hold mule deer. While the overall condition of their mule deer herd is struggling due to predation, winter kill, and habitat loss, Montana is still home to one of the largest mule deer herds in the country.
They are also well aware of the struggles that the deer are facing, and have been implementing new strategies and laws in order to help the mule deer start to rebound again.
Estimates place the mule deer herd in Montana from 293,000 to 299,000 animals. This state is not really known for producing huge numbers of trophy bucks, and what it lacks in amazing trophy potential it makes up for in hunting opportunities and wide expanses of public land.
Of course, that is not to say that big, trophy bucks are not killed here every single year. For hunters who are willing to hunt hard and put in the work, mature bucks can definitely be found. Around 40 to 50% of all the mule deer in the state can be found on public land and can be readily hunted.
In order to hunt mule deer in Montana, you must first acquire a hunting license and a deer tag. This state gives out 10% of its tags to non-residents. To get a tag, you must participate in the annual drawing that takes place in the spring.
As with any other state in the West, the higher-quality units and areas will most likely have lower draw odds but overall tags are fairly easy to acquire in Montana. This makes it a very great destination for nonresident hunters, especially those who are heading out west to chase mule deer for the very first time.
4. Utah
In fourth place is the state of Utah. This state is known for its diverse country and consistently produces some of the biggest bucks in the country every year. This is thanks, in large part, to Utah’s careful management of its deer and elk herds.
With a large drought impacting the mule deer herds and other states overhunting their deer, Utah has slowly decreased its tag allotments and changed its seasons to help deer better survive the fall and winter.
Don’t let this discourage you from hunting here, however, as Utah deer tags can be relatively easy to get and your chances of killing a big buck are better here than in many other places.
Recent estimates place the mule deer herd in Utah at around 319,000 animals. These deer can be found throughout the entire state, from the alpine peaks in northern Utah to the flat deserts in the central and southern portions of the state.
It is not uncommon to be driving through Utah and see multiple deer out in the fields, on the side of the road, and everywhere in between.
Utah divides its mule deer hunts into two categories: general deer tags and limited entry tags. General tags will be much easier to draw in their lottery system, but will also give you less desirable areas and lots of competition.
Limited entry tags are much harder to acquire, but offer the best chance at a record book buck in the state’s best areas.
General rifle seasons will run in October and when the majority of big bucks are hiding in thick cover. Archery seasons take place in August and early September, and can be great for killing a buck who is still on his summer patterns.
While some units are heavy with private land, the majority of the state has plenty of public land and wilderness areas to get away from other hunters. In doing so, you might be able to find a big mature buck to kill. The application process for drawing a mule deer tag takes place in the spring around mid-March.
3. Wyoming
Wyoming is considered one of the best mule deer hunting states in the west, so it is no surprise that it is the state with the third-highest population of deer. Like other states in the last decade, deer numbers and the quality of bucks have been on the decline due to drought and hard winters but Wyoming is still a great place to hunt and has large numbers of mule deer to chase around.
Wyoming has anywhere from 325,000 to 343,000 mule deer in the state. There is plenty of public lands to find these deer on, and the trophy potential is pretty good when compared to other states. Most of the public land will be located in the western portion of the state, with the eastern part being a lot of private and checkerboard areas.
Luckily most of the state’s mule deer are also found in the western half with tags to hunt them. As with most places, the harder-to-draw areas are due to increased demand with trophy potential being greater.
You will need to draw a tag before hunting mule deer in Wyoming, but luckily even nonresidents of the state can easily draw tags in many areas.
It is important to note, however, that nonresidents of the state cannot hunt in Wyoming’s wilderness areas without being accompanied by a licensed guide or Wyoming resident. Luckily wilderness areas make up a very small portion of the available public land that you can hunt in this state.
If you are unsuccessful in drawing a tag, you will receive a preference point. The more preference points you acquire, the better your odds will become for various deer tags. Wyoming allows one mule deer tag per year, and it remains one of the top trophy destinations in the country for big mule deer.
The application process takes place in the spring, generally around the month of May. For those that want to see good numbers of deer while having a shot at a trophy buck, Wyoming is one of the best options.
2. California
It may come as a giant surprise to see this state on this list, but California is home to many deer. The state counts its Columbian black-tail deer (a subspecies of mule deer) with its California mule deer to get its herd counts.
They estimate that there are nearly 460,000 mule deer throughout the entire state. These deer can be found from the flat desert bottoms to the mountain peaks and everywhere in between.
And although deer numbers are currently down due to severe drought and predation, California is still home to more mule deer than almost any other state in the country.
Despite all of these deer, this state isn’t entirely known to be a destination for those looking for giant bucks. Instead, California manages its deer herd for more opportunity. Still, you can find a few trophies if you know where to look.
The northeastern section of the state is much better at producing bigger deer, but the better hunts have higher demand, and it could take a few years to draw a permit in order to hunt.
In order to hunt mule deer in California, you will first need to obtain the right tag and license. Hunting licenses can be bought at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as online.
After you have your license, you can obtain deer tags. This state allows hunters, both residents and nonresidents alike, to have two deer tags each hunting season.
These tags can be obtained via a lottery system. Any deer tag applicants that are unsuccessful in drawing a deer tag will earn a preference point. Preference points increase your odds of getting a tag the more you have.
Any leftover tags after the drawing process can also be bought outright. Many areas are easy to draw, while the premier units may take a number of years to be successful in drawing a deer tag.
Either way, California is a great destination for those looking for high numbers of mule deer despite being known for its sandy beaches and amusement parks.
1. Colorado
When it comes to the most mule deer in the country, Colorado is the king. Not only are there more mule deer in this state than any other, but Colorado is also widely considered to be the top trophy destination for big bucks.
Recent surveys and population estimates place the number of mule deer in Colorado to be around 450,000 to 470,000 animals. That is a lot of mule deer!
Here you can also find mule deer in every corner of the state and in all types of terrain. From the peaks of the 14,000 feet mountains down to the flat, lowland deserts, Colorado has mule deer everywhere.
What most hunters love about Colorado is that it has the genetics to produce giant mule deer bucks out of almost any unit or area in the state. The western half of the state is called the western slopes and consists primarily of large mountainous regions. Mule deer here are migratory and can live in very challenging terrain.
The eastern half of the state is known as the eastern plains, and it is very flat and consists of a lot of private ground. Regardless of the area, Colorado mule deer can be severely impacted by hard winters and heavy snowfall.
Colorado functions on a preference point system. To hunt mule deer here, you must first draw the tag. The tags that are in better areas or seasons are going to be much harder to draw than others, but there are mule deer tags here for everyone regardless of how many preference points you have.
Applications are typically due in the spring, and there are many different units and seasons to choose from. Mule deer here can be hunted with archery equipment, scopeless muzzleloaders, or rifles.
Because this state has so many mule deer, there are many units and seasons to choose from. If you want to experience the one place in the world with the most amount of mule deer, look no further than the amazing state of Colorado!
Final Thoughts
Although mule deer can be found in a wide range of different states and countries, their highest populations definitely reside in the western United States. Among this region, these five states are the ones with the highest populations of mule deer.
This is where you can expect to see the most amount of mule deer. For those that want to hunt mule deer in the West, all of these states could provide some of the most unique and best quality hunts for mule deer that you can find!
For more great reads on western mule deer hunting check out the following article:
(This article was originally published on Pintreesandsolitude.com. If it is now published on any other site, it was done without permission from the copyright owner.)