How To Find A Big Mule Deer - Season 2: Episode 26

Welcome to the Ron Spomer Outdoors Podcast! In this episode, I tell a story about a special mule deer hunt!
Links:
Website: ronspomeroutdoors.com/
Facebook: / ronspomeroutdoors
Instagram: / ronspomer
Who is Ron Spomer
For 44 years I’ve had the good fortune to photograph and write about my passion - the outdoor life. Wild creatures and wild places have always stirred me - from the first flushing pheasant that frightened me out of my socks in grandpa’s cornfield to the last whitetail that dismissed me with a wag of its tail. In my attempts to connect with this natural wonder, to become an integral part of our ecosystem and capture a bit of its mystery, I’ve photographed, hiked, hunted, birded, and fished across much of this planet. I've seen the beauty that everyone should see, survived adventures that everyone should experience. I may not have climbed the highest mountains, canoed the wildest rivers, caught the largest fish or shot the biggest bucks, but I’ve tried. Perhaps you have, too. And that’s the essential thing. Being out there, an active participant in our outdoor world.
Produced by: Red 11 Media - www.red11media.com/
Disclaimer
All loading, handloading, gunsmithing, shooting and associated activities and demonstrations depicted in our videos are conducted by trained, certified, professional gun handlers, instructors, and shooters for instructional and entertainment purposes only with emphasis on safety and responsible gun handling. Always check at least 3 industry handloading manuals for handloading data, 2 or 3 online ballistic calculators for ballistic data. Do not modify any cartridge or firearm beyond what the manufacturer recommends. Do not attempt to duplicate, mimic, or replicate anything you see in our videos. Firearms, ammunition, and constituent parts can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.

[@derekseiders3597]

Really enjoy listening to your podcast And listening to you read your hunting stories I listen to them while I run the combine in corn harvest. Been to busy to be able to go hunting but listening to your podcast sure is fun

[@adamlong54]

Northern California x7a and x7d zones we hunted when I was a kid always nice mule deer. Don't know if anyone ever took the Ghost the deer was massive it left hunters in awe rubbing their eyes and missing the opportunity to shoot. 3 weeks before archery season scouting we saw the ghost with a 5x6 and a doe. I counted one side my dad also counted one side lucky enough I took the far side him the near I got to 13 points before he moved his head my dad got to 10 . There was still more to count per side . This unicorn was also seen several times during rifle season always in the early dawn leaving meadows in the morning fog. My dad's best friend also saw the same buck . My dad said deer don't get that old and big by being stupid and hanging out for shots. 200 250 lbs mule deer are common. Rut season they swell up .

[@collinspierre2153]

I listen to your podcasts on Spotify I think half hour segments is fine like half hr tv shows

[@gunner4373]

Mule deer are strange. They can be very calm. I had 2 bucks at 35yds. Both in the 190+ class. Fired my muzzleloader and hit an Aspen tree that branched right in front of the vitals. Nothing but saw dust. The pair bounced through things I couldn't manage. An hour later, I sat with my father at the shot sight and a forkie stood up 10 ft from us. He had stayed down the whole time

[@joelmcmahan7386]

Looking forward to another fun adventures with Ron. Thanks again for sharing your hunts, knowledge, life and adventures with us all. Good shooting to you and yours. 🎥💯👍

[@vincegordon6830]

Awesome Ron! Great to listen to you read your story. Maybe you could do this style of podcast once in awhile? Thanks!

[@briansteele1378]

Headed out to southeastern, MT to hunt mule deer for the first time ever this upcoming fall. Very much looking forward to it.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors]

Best of luck, Brian. Lots of mule deer there and some big ones. Stop to see nearby Devil's Tower Ntl. Monument in WY if you can.

[@MrRufusjax]

Mr. Spomer read me a bedtime story. Great video!

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Thank you sir.

[@willwood6474]

did you hunt antelope on the red river ranch in the late 90's with randy from barnes bullets? south of springer new mexico

[@jk-kr8jt]

Nice story Ron. Well written and well read. Good sound advice on when to squeeze the trigger. Naturally it's a personal decision. How does one ever know when or if he took the biggest buck on the mountain. Take the one that makes YOU happy. Cheers, Jeff

[@collinspierre2153]

Have you hunted mule deer in BC or blacktail deer on Vancouver Island? Any tips for big bucks Ron Spoomer last big blacktail I got was a 4x3 blacktail on Vancouver Island

[@Dalesarty]

We have those wildlife overpasses here in Alberta as well Ron unfortunately they only have them going through our National Parks.

[@bobbyboothe8964]

Thank You for yr time and stories.... I really enjoy listening and learning

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Bobby, glad you like them!

[@lawrencelewis1036]

Great story Ron, I was wondering if you have ever been on a stag hunt? If so tell us about it.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Yes, have hunted red stag in Scotland, Argentina, and New Zealand. Will tell one of those one of these days.

[@daveknowles3055]

Another great story! I really like the old duck decoy on your desk, a few details if you have a minute some time.

[@johnmollet2637]

Great story Ron, sorry I missed the live stream.

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Next time!

[@zacharyfrench9935]

Need to do that in Arkansas I'm hate seeing animals get killed on the highway.

[@3550rebel]

Did you get paid twice?😁😁

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

I think so!

[@charlesc.stirkjr.7608]

@@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast as a fellow freelancer seems only fair .

[@arayz2296]

Isn’t it bad for the species to take out the strongest?

[@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast]

Not on such a small scale. Mountain lions disproportionately kill big, old mule deer bucks (often loners, remain higher on mnts in deeper snow, easier to target) and probably always had. Also, big antlers don't absolutely mean the bearer is strongest/healthiest. Some stronger bucks put that energy into growing body mass. But as a general rule big antlers mean the buck is old, smart, and efficient enough to find best forage, convert it to "superfluous" bone growth, escape predators, and live to old age -- all traits useful to the species. But by the time he's reached this age and size, he's already sired several generations of fawns and passed on his genetics. And good genetics from bucks doesn't take into account what each doe contributes to the mix. Finally, regulated hunting results in the killing of a small percent of the buck population each year, likely too small to skew the results population wide. We see this in B&C trophy records. Virtually every world record big game species in N.A. has been taken in the past 30 years or so. In relation to available habitat, species are healthy as or healthier than ever. The issue is that the habitat base is shrinking, always shrinking. Think about it. With every new house, road, oil well, wind tower, horse pasture, solar farm, factory, shopping mall and hotel, wildlife habitat is lost. Something like 3 million humans move into the USA every year.

[@MrRufusjax]

@@RonSpomerOutdoors-Podcast exactly!