Mule Deer on the Ranch

Mule Deer Doe

I have been riding and herding the steers almost every day since we are short of help. Every day I see lots of wildlife on the Double Circle. There is a herd of 10 mule deer in one canyon, 2 sets of two deer in the next canyon, 6 muleys farther east, and 4 mule deer along the road. That is just what I have ridden up on. But they are all does. I haven’t seen a buck since deer season. Unit 27 – where we are – had 312 mule deer harvested last year according to Arizona Game and Fish. This year there was something like 900 mule deer tags for Unit 27 —- that’s a lot of bucks! Of course, everyone doesn’t get a buck.

Some families just use hunting season as an excuse to come to the mountains and camp. I can understand that — it is BEAUTIFUL here. It seems to me that 312 bucks is pretty good. Us ranchers must be managing our resources for wildlife habitat pretty darn well.