Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 20 of 20

Thread: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Kamloops
    Posts
    119

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Quote Originally Posted by monasheemountainman View Post
    if you see does stick near them in the next couple weeks. look for sign in the snow, they will start moving down lower this time of year. most of all, nobody can give you sound advice based on one morning hunt in which you saw pretty much nothing. you need to spend time in the bush to learn where the deer are moving during different times of the year. and in my years of hunting I have shot one "big buck" from my truck (not literally)...feet to the ground my friend, find sign, find deer, keep the wind right, be quiet. best of luck
    I Agree with this advice. There are spots I hike into where I'll see 10 to 20 does/spikes and 2 points every time I go in, I have also seen a few big mature bucks in the same area. Also you need to look at the size of the tracks. If there is a big deer in the area you will know just looking at the tracks.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    7,628

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Unless a yearling buck is still hanging with mom and this year's siblings, not a lot of point sticking with a doe at this time of year. A couple of weeks from now, it is a different story. With only a little amount of snow in the high country, they haven't pushed down yet. This can change drastically in the next few weeks. Many does will move before the big storms hit. This is the time of year where you can see a lot of deer one day and have them completely disapear the next. If you are checking new ground, I'd start looking at some lower ground anytime now. The theory that bucks stay up high last has little merit when the does go low and the bucks will be right there with them in a couple weeks to breed them.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,515

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    I never was a big fan of cut block hunting.
    Yes, you never know when you come around a corner, and there they are.
    But I never had big success with it when I was younger, and that is where I spent most of the times hunting.
    Saying that, I never drove around, just walked or sat there observing.
    I found some had more success sitting beside the road, between the cutblocks, waiting for deer to cross.
    But, now, I have an area I know well, and what I realized over the years is, it always has a lot of sign, year after year,
    crossing the roads in all directions.
    It is low down, and is much better when snow hits the main plateau early (which rarely happens anymore).
    Its seems to be a corridor between seral hills/mts in the area, that the deer move in and out of, and especially the bucks when the rut is on.
    If you have snow, and are new to the area, then take the time to drive around and "analyze" it.
    You are not looking for the odd track going b-line in one direction over the road here and there.
    You are looking for sign where deer seem to be moving back and forth across, day after day.
    Old and new, especially when you have snow.
    Then hike into those areas inside the timber etc.
    If I see lots of different does/fawns in an area, scattered all over during the days walk, then yes, bucks will surely be there or will show up when the rut is on.
    The odd doe here and there, has always been a waste of time in my books.
    On top of that, a buck might run into her, breed her, all at night.
    So, when you can find areas with lots of does around (and I don't mean all together, but groups of 3 or 4 etc), scattered all over the hillside inside the timber, then your chances of seeing a buck greatly improve.
    Overtime you will begin to see areas used by deer to go from higher elevations to lower ones.
    Remember also, some Does are full time residents, while other does do not show up till the snow gets high, higher up.
    And you will find that deer like to hover around the drop offs from these high platueas to winter range, waiting til the snow forces them down.
    Last year I spotted 1 single doe bedded.
    Within 1/2 hr, 2 bucks had come by and checked her out.
    Incredible how they know where each other are (and it wasn't the wind helping them!)

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Langley
    Posts
    4,265

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Quote Originally Posted by dana View Post
    Unless a yearling buck is still hanging with mom and this year's siblings, not a lot of point sticking with a doe at this time of year. A couple of weeks from now, it is a different story. With only a little amount of snow in the high country, they haven't pushed down yet. This can change drastically in the next few weeks. Many does will move before the big storms hit. This is the time of year where you can see a lot of deer one day and have them completely disapear the next. If you are checking new ground, I'd start looking at some lower ground anytime now. The theory that bucks stay up high last has little merit when the does go low and the bucks will be right there with them in a couple weeks to breed them.
    agreed. I would not have given so much attention to a doe with fawns.
    The next corner might produce a hot doe or a small group of breedable doe’s.
    The decision to put all apples in one basket is an important decision.
    I would not have made that decision based on a doe with 2 fawns.
    The hot does are starting to appear recently, they will have sent the doe’s packing by now to concentrate on task at hand if they are rutting.
    The age of the fawn’s will have bearing, young or 1 yr old will likely not see doe breed.
    Bigger or 2 yr old fawn’s are on the cusp of moving on soon, better chance.
    Good luck
    Vantage point and glassing proves productive.
    Binnoculars are the most important tool in the tool shed in my mind.
    Last edited by Blainer; 10-29-2018 at 07:16 PM.
    “Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Kelowna
    Posts
    432

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Quote Originally Posted by jackthebear View Post
    Bro, good on you for getting out there. You’re not too high. Remember this, bucks are always the last to leave the high country if they leave at all. Sex and food sources are what drives them to move. They’re about to expose themselves more than any other time of the year strictly due to the rut so seeing them during the day is not uncommon. Find sign and stay on it or stick around the area. Sign is buck rubs, tracks and lots of does. The big boys got big by being cagey so hunt the fringes and go where other people won’t.
    Thanks Jack, only the one doe - is that enough to entice a buck, or should we be looking for more does?
    ~
    Adult Onset Hunter
    CCFR Member

    Wherever there is Animal Worship there is Human Sacrifice. That is, both symbolically and literally, a real truth of historical experience.
    — G. K. Chesterton

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    lower Mainland
    Posts
    2,146

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    There in the Timber.

    So, pick a spot that has decent sign, play the wind and go learn it.

    Make a plan to head up hill in some sort of circle route.

    I find them coming down, pushing them off there bed, on a bluff, with lots of cover.

    Good luck!
    He's anything but a hunter.
    More like another, Rain Coast Sociopath Fraud. Living off the prevails of his chronic lies, like the rest of them...

    It's an issue, because these sociopath environmentalist's, will dilute the facts.
    To the point you or Joe public, won't know them any more..
    They count on that big time..

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    738

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Walk. Walk slow. Walk even slower. Stop lots. Use your glass. Have a nap under a fir tree. Spend the day doing it. Repeat.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Kelowna
    Posts
    432

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Quote Originally Posted by scoutlt1 View Post
    One suggestion I would have is to slow way down while walking/hiking and glassing. If you covered 3km in 3 hours, you're moving too fast in my opinion.
    Every situation is different of course, but when I'm in an area that I'm convinced has deer, I will take one or two slow and quiet steps, then glass for sometimes 15 minutes or more before taking another step or two.
    It can be painful as hell (especially when it's cold!), but I can't remember the number of times I've glassed the same area over and over, when all of a sudden I see the twitch of a tail or ear from a buck...often very close...

    Thanks, ok so WAY slower on the walking, and more glassing - thanks for explaining that more - going out to a busier doe place, tomorrow afternoon, then will do a solo hunt morning/afternoon before family halloween - I’ll try these tactics!




    Quote Originally Posted by dana View Post
    Unless a yearling buck is still hanging with mom and this year's siblings, not a lot of point sticking with a doe at this time of year. A couple of weeks from now, it is a different story. With only a little amount of snow in the high country, they haven't pushed down yet. This can change drastically in the next few weeks. Many does will move before the big storms hit. This is the time of year where you can see a lot of deer one day and have them completely disapear the next. If you are checking new ground, I'd start looking at some lower ground anytime now. The theory that bucks stay up high last has little merit when the does go low and the bucks will be right there with them in a couple weeks to breed them.

    Ok, good to know about the doe and fawns… will try a fair bit lower tomorrow, that makes a lot of sense, thank you Dana


    Quote Originally Posted by Bugle M In View Post
    I never was a big fan of cut block hunting.
    Yes, you never know when you come around a corner, and there they are.
    But I never had big success with it when I was younger, and that is where I spent most of the times hunting.
    Saying that, I never drove around, just walked or sat there observing.
    I found some had more success sitting beside the road, between the cutblocks, waiting for deer to cross.
    But, now, I have an area I know well, and what I realized over the years is, it always has a lot of sign, year after year,
    crossing the roads in all directions.
    It is low down, and is much better when snow hits the main plateau early (which rarely happens anymore).
    Its seems to be a corridor between seral hills/mts in the area, that the deer move in and out of, and especially the bucks when the rut is on.
    If you have snow, and are new to the area, then take the time to drive around and "analyze" it.
    You are not looking for the odd track going b-line in one direction over the road here and there.
    You are looking for sign where deer seem to be moving back and forth across, day after day.
    Old and new, especially when you have snow.
    Then hike into those areas inside the timber etc.
    If I see lots of different does/fawns in an area, scattered all over during the days walk, then yes, bucks will surely be there or will show up when the rut is on.
    The odd doe here and there, has always been a waste of time in my books.
    On top of that, a buck might run into her, breed her, all at night.
    So, when you can find areas with lots of does around (and I don't mean all together, but groups of 3 or 4 etc), scattered all over the hillside inside the timber, then your chances of seeing a buck greatly improve.
    Overtime you will begin to see areas used by deer to go from higher elevations to lower ones.
    Remember also, some Does are full time residents, while other does do not show up till the snow gets high, higher up.
    And you will find that deer like to hover around the drop offs from these high platueas to winter range, waiting til the snow forces them down.
    Last year I spotted 1 single doe bedded.
    Within 1/2 hr, 2 bucks had come by and checked her out.
    Incredible how they know where each other are (and it wasn't the wind helping them!)
    Thanks, that’s some great advice.. I know a place about an hour and half away that is exactly as you describe regarding tracks that I went to on a week long Elk hunt - Maybe I should head out there!


    ---

    Wow, thanks for all the advice guys, great stuff here - really appreciate some of the emphasis on critical practices (walk slow, glassing longer) - I for sure am rushing things WAY too fast... will pass this on to my bro, and will see how our luck pans out before anybuck/WTdoe seaon is over.

    Cheers everyone!!!
    ~
    Adult Onset Hunter
    CCFR Member

    Wherever there is Animal Worship there is Human Sacrifice. That is, both symbolically and literally, a real truth of historical experience.
    — G. K. Chesterton

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    New West
    Posts
    102

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    joshbazz: it's amazing how much difference a bit of time makes. If you go sit in the timber, you'll notice that things go from silent except for some annoyed squirrels to 'regular' wood noise after 10 or 15 minutes of your arrival & sitting quietly. Had an experience where we were about 50 meters from the road (but over a small rise) and a truck went by, same thing, everything went quiet, then slowly started getting back to normal.

    Even knowing all that, I still struggle to go slow enough in the woods

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Kelowna
    Posts
    432

    Re: Mule Deer Question... from a rookie

    Quote Originally Posted by cptnoblivious View Post
    joshbazz: it's amazing how much difference a bit of time makes. If you go sit in the timber, you'll notice that things go from silent except for some annoyed squirrels to 'regular' wood noise after 10 or 15 minutes of your arrival & sitting quietly. Had an experience where we were about 50 meters from the road (but over a small rise) and a truck went by, same thing, everything went quiet, then slowly started getting back to normal.

    Even knowing all that, I still struggle to go slow enough in the woods
    That's awesome Cptn, sounds like the recurring theme here is patience... gonna have to convince my bro to go slow as well! Cheers!
    ~
    Adult Onset Hunter
    CCFR Member

    Wherever there is Animal Worship there is Human Sacrifice. That is, both symbolically and literally, a real truth of historical experience.
    — G. K. Chesterton

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •