SpyroAndes

Here is my best advice for you...

The keys to hunting trophy mule deer:

Hunt an area with Trophy Mule Deer

Sounds simple but it is amazing how many people hunt bad units or even just bad areas in good units. Scout and get into Trophy Deer country. The big time outfitters, the guys that take the Governor's Permit type guys, will hire people to spend months on the mountain to scout. A buddy of mine scouts for the AZ guys all the time. He'll literally spend 2 months on the strip. Many will fly the units.

Let your eyes do the walking

This can be really tough for alot of people, especially, those is great shape. The tendency is to 'cover ground'. It will ruin your hunt. Get in great shape and then, when you are hunting. act like you are fat. Let your eyes do the walking and minimize the unnecessary walking. Sit on you butt and glass. When you have covered the mountain... glass it again... It is amazing how many deer I have found on the second pass just because something wasn't the way it was the first time I saw it.

As far as equipment... GO BIG... I have a pair of 15x60 tripod mount Zeiss that I have had for 20 years. I can justify it because I am always glassing. However, even the infrequent glasser will benifit greatly from mounting his regular 10x binos on a tripod. You will see 3x more thru the same glass. Use a system for glassing... the more popular system in the Duwane Adams Grid Method... what ever you use cover the entire mountain, not just likely spots.

Also, always use a seat cushion or something to pad your butt.

This game is played sitting on your butt looking thru glass. Anytime you better your glass and/or better your comfort... You opportunity for success increases.

Make it a ONE STALK hunt

Once you have located your deer, wait for him to get into a stalkable position.

Sometimes, if it is a deer that I have seen several times... I might wait a couple of days to get him into a position that will drastically increase my success. My stubborness in this aspect was learned bowhunting the Nevada High Country. Where a stalk might include a 2000' decrease in elevation and a blown stalk can blow out an entire bowl for a couple of days.

Put him to bed and then put him to rest.

Know what a Trophy Deer Looks like

First off, define what a trophy deer is to you because, more so than any other animal, it varies greatly between people.

For some folks, any 30" deer is a monster trophy.

For others, it needs to be a book animal.

For others, as long as it has a 'trophy look' they love it.

Remember, for book animals, FRONT FORKS is what makes and breaks deer. If a deer doesn't have great front forks, which is scored twice (time length AND main beam length) it needs to exceptional in every other aspect.

A little thing like eye guards can take a buck from being a solid mid 180s net buck and put him in the book.

Bottomline, look at lots of trophy deer...

datamax

SpyroAndes - thanks for the detailed reply

I should be hunting an area with good trophy potential. I guess we'll find out

This glassing game will be totally different than the way I normally hunt. That in itsself will be challenging. Plus, I've never gone pure trophy hunting before where I'll be trying to pass the good ones for a great one. Most often I'm happy with a good one. However, score isn't a huge thing for me, looks/character is and just the overall aspects of the hunt. I mean, if I go into this until, it rains/sleets/snows/fogs up and everything and it all I can do to get a good 4x4 on the last day, I'll be happy with that. But ideally, I want to glass, and glass a lot, in great high mule deer country, deep in a wilderness area where I won't see many people and I'll be coming home with a larger than average, mature velvet mule deer buck.

Ideally

The difficulty in solo backpack hunting in itsself is a challenge. Add the trophy potential that I'm gaming for and not being used to glassing and I have a hard hunt come fisrt week of September IMO

BareBack Jack

Data,
When you glass a basin or a mountain side,break it down into grids,don't try and glass the whole thing.

Take one pice at a time and break it down,scoure every inch,look for any think thats out of place,antler,ear,eyes,the white on the nose.This is very painstaking and hard to do.It is not unnormal to spend 2 hours glassing the same basin or hill side.

Do as Spyro's has said and make it a one stalk,you might only get one chance and if you push him you might never see him again.

Also don't give up on food source,sometimes a big buck will come down to a hay field just befor dark,or come up out of a canyon to eat on to of the flats.It is not uncommon for the big bucks to run with several smaller ones,generaly you will find several small bucks bedded in a area together,look higher,or father down,he might be watching the smaller bucks for any sings of danger.
I use a general rule of thumb,look close to the top of ridges or coulees,this is the surest way out of harms way,over the top and out of sight.
BBJ

rather_be_huntin

It's already been said but I can't stress enough that unless you are a one-eyed guy you WILL want to get some bino's. The time spent glassing will definitely take it's toll on you with the spotting scope. You've probably already tried using your spotting scope and you're probably thinking it's not so bad but trust me after hours of glassing you'll notice. You'd give your right arm for some comfortable bino's.

txhunter58

I would recommend that if you are not already aware of it, check out http://www.monstermuleys.com/ There is a wealth of knowledge and a lot of die hard mule deer hunters on there. Not likely to give out gps coordinates of a big buck area, but if you develop some relationships, you will get some really good info. I was lucky enough to hook up with a guy on there called Deerking, who lives up to his name in every way. I did a swap hunt with him, but he also has a hunting consulting business that will give you a honey hole to hunt for a reasonable price. Check out his website at: http://members.aol.com/antlerquest1/.../business.html I think he still has the buck I killed in the Sangre's up in his pictures. I am the one with the goofy grin and the thumbs up. The buck I killed was 29" and was an 8x7. I was satisfied!

I have never hunted the Maroon Bells, but have hiked and camped there. It was on my final 3 areas, but I decided to go on the Sangre de Cristo hunt instead. Definately some of the most beautiful country on earth in the Maroon Bells! I hear some good bucks in that area too. You should have a great hunt.

Jeff Ovington

Data
I can't really say anything else that hasn't already been mentioned.
You have 10 years of elk hunting experience in the mountains.
That in itself will give you a huge advantage on how to hunt these deer..
You obviously are in great shape both mentally and phsically .
That is the most important.
Take your hunt seriously hunt hard and it will pay off.
The most important thing to remember is if your body is beaten your mind can keep you going farther.
From my experience once you get one of these monsters your whole outlook on deer hunting changes.
There is nothing like passing up big ones up to find something bigger.
Good Luck this upcoming season.

ShatoDavis

I can't disagree with anything that has been stated previously. I will add that you need to cover a lot of ground though. I know many have said to let your glasses do the walking for you. I say that you need to glass for a sufficient time then move, to glass another area. Heck, that 200" buck might be just over the ridge. Now, I temper that comment by saying that most folks get antsy and move before it is prudent. You'll have to figure that out on your own.

Once, you've found your buck of a lifetime... don't get into too much of a hurry. Its better to wait for a good oppurtunity for a stalk than to blow a marginal oppurtunity. Once you've found a nice buck, they generally can be found on consecutive days. Wait for the good stalk. Like the saying goes... be patient but do it quickly.

manboy

IF U WANT A REAL TROPHY, WHY DID U PICK COLORADO?
MAKE SURE TO DO PLENTY OF HOMEWORK ON TROPHY BUCKS BEFORE U GET THERE, MAKE SURE U KNOW WHAT A TROPHY LOOKS LIKE. I AM JUST SAYING THAT TO MANY PEOPLE THINK A 5X5 22" IS A TROPHY NOT!![:-]AND FIND ONE THAT U WANT! GOOD LUCK!

txhunter58

Maybe he picked Colorado because a boatload of very nice bucks have come out of there in the last few years. I went on the hunt he is talking about, although in another wilderness area, and was successful on a nice buck. At least I think most people who take a 29" 8x7 that scores just over 180 (gross) a trophy buck. I personally saw 2 other bucks taken in early seasons (bow and early rifle timberline hunt) that both score over 190 as 4x4's (29" deep forks, and 31" deep forks). I would also call them trophies too. The bucks are indeed there, in Colorado. I also saw a buck that was taken in another wilderness that was 37-1/2". This guy passed up a 30" nontypical that would have easily gone over 200 because he wanted the really wide one. I saw pictures of both deer.

You did make a good point though, be sure you know what a really good buck looks like. For mine, before I pulled the trigger I saw that his antlers extended at least 2 inches beyond his ears, had nice forks, had a thick neck (especially for September), and had a big belly, all signs of a mature buck for me. It helped me to continually view some really nice bucks on websites like monstermuleys.com to give me a frame of reference.

The hunt he is applying for is one that I consider one of the premier hunts for mule deer anywhere if you can wait the number of years it takes to get a tag. There should be some big bucks there and you get to hunt starting the first weekend in September with a rifle. They are very stingy in the numbers of tags given out too, so it is a very low hunter density hunt. Lets see, I think I have made the point that there are some really good deer, you get to hunt in some of the most beautiful country in the US for timberline bucks, and chances are you won't see another hunter. Sounds pretty good to me.

Datamax: I sent you a private message.

datamax

Thanks again fellows. I'll not know exactly what I'm going to shoot or pass up until I get in there. I'm spending a lot of time/effort and 8 years of PP's ..... I hope NOT to come back with anything less than a huge one !

txhunter58 - I replied - THANKS