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The Mule Deer Master - an Interview with Wes Atkinson

With ten bucks over 200", dozens of PY & BC class bucks, and a lifetime studying Mule Deer - Wes shares his secrets for bowhunting western Muleys

By Pat Lefemine, Founder - Bowsite.com

Wes Atkinson is not a household name - like a Randy Ulmer or a Dwight Schuh. He's not a self-promoting TV host, author, or magazine writer. He doesn't have time for that. He spends nearly every waking hour of every day glassing, observing, and learning about Mule Deer. Within bowhunting circles Wes was very well known as "The Guy" for getting clients within bow range of some absolute giant bucks. He's guided clients to at least 10 bucks over 200" with one going over 220 inches. He's spent weeks following a single buck, and he's more comfortable camped out on a batchelor herd of mulies than he is with virtually anything else. Mule deer are his life's passion - and his ability to get within bow range of them is supernatural.

Wes sold his outfitting business two years ago and now he's on a new quest - to apply the skills he employed on private land bucks to those wary public land muleys. Judging by the photos he shared with me, he's got them figured out too. We reached out to Wes and asked him to share his tips and secrets in this exclusive Bowsite interview. His thought process around stalking muley's is fascinating, and that goes for both novice and expert bowhunters alike.


Interview Questions

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