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samedi 18 octobre 2014

Info Post
By Patty Goff


The age old survival instinct to hunt for food has never really disappeared from mankind's psyche. The excitement of the hunt, tracking down a wild animal and the final ambush still enthrall mankind. Today, trophy hunting is one of the most popular outdoor sports. The outstretched mountainous regions of Northwest and Southwest New Mexico offer some of the best locations for trophy mule deer hunt.

These two regions are world-renowned for the huge, big-horned mountain mule deer that flourish here. Two to five day hunts on foot or from horseback to score those trophy antlers are increasingly popular. Hunting from horseback has the advantage that hunters can cover vast stretches of this open country with minimum physical effort.

Hunters and adventurers can embark on a 2-7 day hunt to conquer that coveted trophy buck. Only a few hunters are allowed during season to keep groups separate and to provide privacy and exclusivity. Experienced guides accompany the hunters and where needed, teach them the necessary hunting techniques. In most cases, the ratio is two hunters per guide, but one can also request a private guide at an additional cost.

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 got its name from their huge mule-like ears and are indigenous to the western parts of North America. Although they are believed to have evolved from the much older white-tailed species through cross-breeding with the black-tailed deer, the mule deer has certain unique characteristics. It has larger ears, has a black-tipped tail and is generally also bigger than the white-tailed species. They are also known for their characteristic gait of landing with all four feet at the same time, also known as pronking.

These animals have a keen sense of smell - especially when upwind. Hunters should always study the wind directions before trying to approach a herd. Hunters are usually allowed some help in the form of products such as Mule Deer Urine Spray and Scent Eliminator to get close to a trophy specimen or to move into a secure stand without being detected.

To lure the big males that tip the scales at 200 kg and more, one can also effectively use equipment such as the deer bleat or grunt that imitate their sound. Both work equally effective with males and females. Specimen whose antlers reach a whopping 190 plus inches, are the most coveted trophies.

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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