I've been talking with a friend about doing an out of state mule deer hunt next year. would do an etc tag. can those who have done it let me know where are good units, and states. would like to do a rifle hunt. basically tell me what id be looking at.

Can't speak for the whole state, but units 30 and 31 in New Mexico are good. Plenty of BLM and State land. Some sure enough studs. $350 for your license and tag. Only problem is it's around a 6% chance I believe of drawing a tag with a rifle. After I moved here I tried for 4-5 years for rifle a never drew a tag. Finally put in for archery and got a tag and a buck. A guy killed a 189" buck there(31) this year. A buck I chased for 2 1/2 days. I got a smaller 3 year old. My dad shot a sure enough stud several years ago(also unit 31) and another friend of mine got a really nice buck from 30 this year.

That said, obvious NM unit choice would be 2. That's where the sure enough monsters are, but that's also where everybody tries for.

My cousin lives Colorado. He and my dad were golfing up there one day and my dad saw a few bucks on the course. He was in awe of how big they were. My cousin was not impressed. The mountain muleys are bigger than our desert mule deer.

Side note, I know Arizona and Utah are excellent locations for huge mule deer, but I know nothing of where or how to go about getting a license for those two states.

I've only been once. It was in Craig, Co. it's been a long time ago abs I don't remember the prices of tags and license. I do remember putting in for preference points the year before we actually went. I think we paid $1500 each for the thecweek. That was for lodging and hunting rights for the week.

In AZ, the Kaibab Plateau area, which is basically the area north of the Grand Canyon to Utah is known for really big mule deer. this explains why it is a difficult tag to draw, especially for a non-resident.

The rest of the state has so-so mule deer. On my elk hunt around Flagstaff, I saw plenty but all the bucks were on the lesser side.

For the money that it would take to get a Kaibab tag, you could hire a guide in another good state. It would require buying a license every year ($150 last I bought one) to get a bonus point in order to build up enough bonus points to get drawn.

I played in a softball tourney one year in Steamboat Spring Colorado and there were huge mule deer everywhere, but I know nothing about tags in that area.

Colorado has a draw, but they also have over the counter tags. Something to look into. I think the draw tags are for "preferred areas" or something along those lines. But they have large deer.

I hunt New Mexico because that's where most of my family is and I get free room, board, and guide service.

You don't gotta brag about it, jerk.

Guided or diy?