Conservation Programs

One of the biggest misconceptions among new deer hunters is that shot placement is simply a matter of aiming behind the shoulder. While that advice isn’t wrong, it only applies when the deer is standing perfectly broadside. In the real world, mule deer rarely cooperate by posing exactly how we’d like them to.

Every shot angle changes the anatomy you’re working with. Bones shift, vital organs become partially obscured, and the path your bullet or arrow must travel changes dramatically. Before squeezing the trigger or releasing an arrow, it helps to stop thinking about where the projectile will enter and start thinking about where it needs to end up.

As mule deer hunters, we spend a lot of time talking about rifles, optics, packs, and finding mature bucks. Those conversations are fun, but the future of hunting depends just as much on the decisions we make when nobody else is watching. In 2026, I believe there are three areas every ethical mule deer hunter should be thinking about before the season begins.

This September, the Mule Deer Foundation and Infinite Outdoors celebrate Public Lands Month through Access. Adventure. Legacy., a campaign focused on expanding outdoor access, creating new opportunities for adventure, and investing in the future of America’s outdoor heritage.

Success in mule deer country rarely comes down to a single piece of gear. More often, it’s the decisions you make before the hunt even begins, how you access terrain, move through habitat, and adapt to conditions, which shape the outcome of your time in the field. 

ATVs and Side-by-Sides have become a common tool across the West because they make movement across vast landscapes more efficient. The key to deciding what is right for you is to understand that no single platform does everything equally well. Each one fits a unique style of hunting, terrain type, and level of access. The question is, which is best for you?

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned as a hunter is that success isn’t measured by the number of times you pull the trigger. It’s measured by the times you don’t.

That might sound strange coming from someone who has spent thousands of hours behind rifles. During my years in the military, I learned that marksmanship isn’t just about putting rounds on target. It’s about discipline. Every shot carries consequences, and the decision to shoot should never happen simply because you can. The same philosophy has followed me into the mountains every fall.

Mule deer are creatures of habit, especially during the early season. If a mountainside is producing quality forage, there’s a good chance the same bucks will return to feed there day after day. The exact route might change. They may arrive a little earlier one evening and a little later the next. Wind, weather, and disturbance all play a role. But quality groceries have a way of bringing deer back.

Members of the Great Basin Chapter join other conservation organizations to build two wildlife guzzlers in eastern Nevada.

Every January, I do the same thing.

I start looking at maps.

Long before applications are due, before arrows start flying or rifles come out of the safe, I’m already thinking about the coming season. Like many Mule Deer Foundation members, I’m usually applying as a nonresident. If I’m lucky, I’ll draw one buck tag. Maybe I’ll pick up a doe tag somewhere or have another opportunity later in the year, but the reality is that my entire mule deer season often comes down to one permit.