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Blog Posts > Hacks and Tips > Consultant’s Corner with Caleb Sutton: Mule Deer Hunting in the Rut

Consultant’s Corner with Caleb Sutton: Mule Deer Hunting in the Rut

WTA Team

| November 23, 2016

WTA Team
November 23, 2016

WTA Consultant Caleb Sutton shared with us some tips on hunting muleys in the rut.

1. Scouting Deer

Pre-season scouting is critical to success; knowing particular travel corridors and travel routes will help you out in a big way when the deer start rutting hard. Knowing doe groups are (even if you aren’t seeing lots of bucks early) will play a big factor in your rut hunt, since eventually bucks will get with those doe. Understanding multiple access points to enter a canyon, field, tree row, etc. base on what the wind is doing is important.

2. Preparation

Shooting your bow! For spot and stalk muleys I would absolutely feel comfortable out to at least 50 yards which is going to take PRACTICE! I have seen it both ways: I have killed deer at 50+ yards and I have killed them at 10 yards – it just depends on the situation. Capitalize on the areas that you scouted pre-season, but always keep in the back of your mind a few areas that looked good while scouting in case the deer have moved or shifted patterns. Pack light and quiet.

3. Knowing the Situation

Is the buck with a single doe? Is he by himself? Is he with a group of doe? All of these thing will dictate my approach. Best case scenario is obviously a bedded buck by himself or with a single doe; having a group of doe around makes it extremely tough to get in close. Is the deer in a good spot? Obviously, if he is laying in the middle of a wide open field, it’s not too promising, but if he is in tall crp, or just over a bluff or ridge, you will be in business. Use common sense. ALWAYS know the wind.

4. Patience

This is the hardest one for me. There will be times you see the right deer and it is totally not the right situation to make a stalk. Things change, deer move, wind shifts, another hunter may bump some deer, if any of this happens and turns the situation to unfavorable, don’t force it, back out and be patient.

5. Persistance

It’s not always going to work out on the first try, especially if you are being patient. The situation may change, you may get busted, you may not get a shot, there are a number of things that can go wrong, some that are in your control and some that are not. Just do your best to control the controllable. Keep at it, stay smart, use your wits, and shoot straight.

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From Argentina to Idaho

My wife and I had just returned from an incredible trip to Argentina with WTA last April, and I wasn’t planning another hunt so soon. But when that Idaho draw result came through, everything changed. Now I’m planning two hunts a year, and my whole outlook has shifted. WTA doesn’t just book hunts; they help you build a hunting life.

October 1 found us in Idaho. The setup was perfect for us: a smaller, family-run operation with two cabins out back, a bathhouse between them, and the whole family was involved in the operation. Mike guided me, his father-in-law took the other hunter, and Mike’s wife and daughter helped run camp. After hunting at a bigger operation in Wyoming where I took a nice mule deer (another great recommendation from Jeremy), this intimate setting felt just right for a moose hunt.

Mountain Moose

Going in, I had no idea we’d be hunting at 5,000 feet above sea level. In my mind, moose meant swamps and willows, not mountain clear-cuts and steep terrain. But that’s where Idaho’s Shiras moose live, and Mike knew exactly how to hunt them.

Day one brought rain, cold, and long hours of glassing. We saw five moose total, including one bull that Mike immediately identified as “maybe a last-day bull, definitely not a first-day bull.” We also spotted a grizzly and some black bears. Idaho’s wild country was showing off! The terrain was brutal but beautiful, though after a full day of hiking those mountains, the word beautiful becomes relative!

Day two, Mike had a specific plan: a four-mile hike to a four-year-old clearcut he’d been watching. The timber gets so thick in Idaho that these clearcuts become magnets for moose. “We’re not going to do as much glassing today,” Mike said. “We’re going to do a lot of calling and listening.”

The Moment

Four miles in, calling and listening the whole way, we finally got an answer. Things happened fast after that. First, a cow appeared, then the bull at 250 yards. On the second morning of the hunt, I had my Idaho Shiras moose down. It was an unforgettable moment.

As most moose hunters will tell you, the real work begins after the moose is down. While we quartered and caped the moose on that steep mountainside, Mike’s wife and father-in-law were gathering horses and mules at the trailhead. The pack-out was something I’d always wanted to experience, and it lived up to all of my expectations. Idaho’s backcountry is stunning in photos, but once you’re off the trail, dealing with deadfall and near-vertical slopes while loading hundreds of pounds of moose meat onto mules, “beautiful” takes on a different meaning. I’m in good shape, and I was completely exhausted. It was fantastic.

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When it comes to big game hunting, Colorado is often at the forefront of every sportsman’s mind. With its diverse landscapes, from the iconic Rocky Mountains to the expansive eastern plains, Colorado offers a range of hunting opportunities for both residents and non-residents. While some tags can be acquired over the counter, many of the premier hunting opportunities in Colorado are found through its highly competitive draw system. This is why you need to apply and build valuable preference points in Colorado!

Deadline to Apply: April 7, 2026. Draw Post Date: Early June (staggered by species). WTA TAGS Species:…