Arizona Mule Deer with Hunter Weems

 

Show Notes:

Today, I’m talking with my friend Hunter Weems from Arizona. He’s been guiding hunts since he was old enough to have a license, and he grew up in his dad’s guide outfit. So, it goes without saying that he really knows his stuff when it comes to hunting and guiding in the Arizona backcountry. I brought him on the show to pick his brain about mule deer.

 

One thing Hunter learned over the years is the importance of good scouting and prep work. In fact, he takes pride knowing that he’s out there with boots on the ground before any of the other outfits in the area. By spending all that time out there scouting, you learn where all the animals tend to be, and how they tend to move around. Then, when it's time to hunt, you know right where the bucks are going to be.

 

Trail cameras can also be a great tool for prep work. Hunter likes to set his cameras up around water. “The deer can walk anywhere they want. They can’t drink anywhere they want.” But, as helpful as trail cameras are, they’re no substitute for boots on the ground scouting. If you’re relying solely on cameras, you’re not going to do very well. 

 

When it comes to locating deer, stick to what you’ve had success with in the past. If there’s good feed and water nearby a bedding location, for example, you’re probably going to see a lot of deer there. That’s a general terrain combo that you can look for in other units. Take your past successes and build on them.

 

But, also, you can never fully predict the behavior of mule deer. For example, when it comes to migration, the deer tend to move down from the mountains when the snow gets heavy. But Hunter saw a big buck one time that decided to migrate down ahead of the rest of the herd. The snow hadn’t picked up yet, but something inside told this deer to go ahead and move. And other times, he’s seen deer hanging around in snow up to their bellies!

 

At the end of the day, it’s when you combine experience with the extra work it takes to set yourself up for success that leads to the best hunts. Hunter definitely loves what he does; you can get in touch with him at ArizonaCustomHunts.com to learn about him and his guide outfit.

 

What’s Inside:

Remember: guides provide a service, not a product.

Scouting on the ground is the key to a good hunt.

How to use trail cameras to help scout.

What to look for when trying to find deer.

Don’t let uncomfortable conditions like wind scare you off. They don’t bother the deer!

 

Mentioned in this episode:

Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone

Days In The Wild

Arizona Custom Hunts Instagram

ArizonaCustomHunts.com

 

Short Description:Today, we talk with my friend Hunter Weems, who’s been hunting and guiding in Arizona since he was old enough to get a license. I pick his brain about scouting, locating deer, trail cameras, deer migration patterns, and more.

 

Tags:

mule deer hunting, big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, big buck hunting, hunting stories, hunting in Arizona, how to use trail cameras