Late season hunting advice requested...

[joshbazz]

Hunting season is over for big game in my area, but I drove about an hour away, and then snowshoe hiked into a region that is open for another week or so. 4 pt mule deer and any buck WT. Lots of snow, past my knees, snowshoes are a must. I found tons of snowshoe hare and bob cat tracks, but also deer and moose. I was up around 1600 m (5250 feet), hiked up some elevation to the treeline and still saw tracks, but no rubs. The trees were WAY too thick to walk through, but I wonder if it's worthwhile to hike up here one morning and sit. Lots of open spaces to glass, and draws where I saw tracks come up to feed on small trees.

I had a blast just hiking in snowshoes for the first time! But how do I hunt this type of terrain. For sure they are going to hear me coming. I'd love to run into a 4pt muley, WT buck, or black bear.... or should I just bring the shotgun and hunt hare? I can bring a heavy parka and sit at a vantage point if that's a good strategy. Or should I just hike around and explore looking for definitive sign: beds, rubs, skat....all I saw were tracks so far?






Thanks for any advice!
Josh

[Weatherby Fan]

Try the open Fir benches that face South and South/West, I would work around where the most tracks are present, every area is different but I would be looking around 3000-3500 feet of elevation, not to say they won’t be at higher elevations, but check to see where the most activity is for tracks.

[pmj]

If it is noisy going I would find the place with the most sign woth some open areas to glass. I would plop down with warm clothes and hot packs and prepare to get cold.

[338win mag]

Look for the southern or western slopes that are bare of snow and lead up to the higher snow covered ridges, they like that.
Keep at it as this is a great time to be out, I have shot a number of big Mule deer at this time of year.

[joshbazz]

Ok great, sounds like I’ll keep at it. The elevation in the area is between 1400-1650 m (4500 - 5200+ feet). I always forget about compass direction, I’ll look for the south faces slopes/benches.

Thank you for the replies!

Josh

[Aaron600]

Look for the most fresh tracks going up and down the mountain. Sit up top and wait for them to come out...

[whitlers]

Look for the most fresh tracks going up and down the mountain. Sit up top and wait for them to come out...

This is true. I find that deer travel much less laterally during the late season and instead head in a virtual straight line up and down the mountain. The meandering game trails that are used in early October become much less traveled. Instead the deer seem to b-line it up and down. Had anyone else noticed this?

[HarryToolips]

Ok great, sounds like I’ll keep at it. The elevation in the area is between 1400-1650 m (4500 - 5200+ feet). I always forget about compass direction, I’ll look for the south faces slopes/benches.

Thank you for the replies!

Josh

Great advice posted already...also, if you don't want to be pulling out your compass all the time, if you can see the sun it will be pretty much due South at 12 PM, and if you know the time imagine a watch - point the hour hand at the sun and half way between your hour hand and 12 O'clock is your North/South line....

[joshbazz]

Look for the most fresh tracks going up and down the mountain. Sit up top and wait for them to come out...

This is true. I find that deer travel much less laterally during the late season and instead head in a virtual straight line up and down the mountain. The meandering game trails that are used in early October become much less traveled. Instead the deer seem to b-line it up and down. Had anyone else noticed this?

Interesting, I did notice the tracks go more up up and down as opposed to along the trail I was on...

Great advice posted already...also, if you don't want to be pulling out your compass all the time, if you can see the sun it will be pretty much due South at 12 PM, and if you know the time imagine a watch - point the hour hand at the sun and half way between your hour hand and 12 O'clock is your North/South line....

Thanks Harry, I’ll try that out! I usually have my hunt buddy app open for recording my tracks and to see terrain elevation, however the map doesn’t have a compass follow feature to show which direction you’re facing, at least from what I can tell... works great for private land borders though.

[boxhitch]

Now that you have laid down a trail, critters will be happy to use it too.
Next time in boots may be enough on the packed snow