Alpine Mule Deer Hunting

[Weatherby Fan]

Ive tried it all and read every book on it I can find. I'm looking for a little more, I want to know all I can and more. It seem like theres a big gap in between early sept and late october, and I want to be able to hunt all of it. I'd like to see a 160 mule deer during open season and be able to pass it up for something better. All my big mulie sighting are right before the season and right after and beleive me I have wore out some boots and glassed till my eyes have just about fallen out.

I hear what your saying and I have come across some of the same things since they implemented the Archery/youth season Sept 1-9th,would be up scouting and seeing lots of bucks, show up on the Sept 9th and hunt for a few days and not a deer in sight,but have found several arrows arrows in the area I hunt in the last 5 years,
I have had to try a few different areas and move a little further off the beaten path as there was more pressure than I thought due to the earlier openings-not sure if this is the case in your area.

Also I have found the area we hunt mule deer in the Alpine in early Sept are gone by the first part of October or when there is any amount of snow in late Sept,October seems to be a transitional month and is hard to pin them down depending on how far the deer have to migrate for rut and wintering grounds ,other areas of Alpine I have found bucks right into November/Decemeber so go figure,sometimes just no ryme or reason to their process.
Depends on the amount of snow and feed I'm guessing and if they have does within a reasonable distance.Maybe Dana could add to this as to why ?
Also key in on the rut as it can be very productive.

Don't get discouraged,just try some more Alpine as there is piles of it in BC

[Husky7mm]

True, not all alpine contains mule deer though, some alpine is father away than deer need to migrate to fine quality feed. Other areas contan mostly a feed that nothing eats. I think its called moose grass, it stays green yr round and nothing seem to touch it, seem to be alot of it in the purcels.

[Squire]

True, not all alpine contains mule deer though, some alpine is father away than deer need to migrate to fine quality feed. Other areas contan mostly a feed that nothing eats. I think its called moose grass, it stays green yr round and nothing seem to touch it, seem to be alot of it in the purcels.

Could you be talking about Heather? It has small pinkish to purple flowers when it blooms (usually before hunting season) and has fronds that resemble Cedar. It can completely cover the ground at a height of 6"-12'' in some high country and I have never seen evidence of it being grazed. I originally thought that where it grew had something to do with the aspect (South or North facing) but I can think of a couple of areas where it covers one small hanging valley on both sides while in the next drainage over it is only on one side and grasses cover much of the other. In my experience deer will only pass through these areas and you need to key in on areas with grasses and other forbs that deer will eat.

[gwillim]

Maybe he means bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax)? Plentiful in the southern purcells and selkirk mountains.

[leadpillproductions]

Figured id bump this thread its a good one

[Hunt-4-Life]

Just read through it all, very good read. Planning on an alpine mulie hunt myself this sept.

[hookedonblacktails]

Ok I've got a question for you guys if anyone is still keeping an eye on this thread. We're going in mid-late september to around 6000ft in pemberton area and I'm torn on how to handle the meat if we get animal. I've been to this area before and I expect it to be quite cold at night, freezing if it's clear skys but probably around 20 during the day if it is sunny. One part of me is saying to skin and debone right away to cool the meat as quick as possible, another part is saying to just quarter but not skin that way the meat could stay colder during the day after cooling at night if we want to hang around for a couple more days for us to try for a second animal. If we took an animal in the morning and didn't skin and it was warm during the day will it start to spoil by the time the evening rolls around. The deer I've taken have all been close to home so cooling was not a problem, I've never been faced with this scenario before. Sure would appreciate some advise on this one.
thanks

[leadpillproductions]

For me I get the bone and hide off a soon as I can.

[Hunt-4-Life]

When it's freezing at night and fairly warm during the day, we've always skinned, bagged and hung our moose in pieces in a breezy shady place. never has to do this with a deer but I would do it the same I think. Or, this year deer hunting I'm gonna try to find a patch of old snow, dig a freezer, line it with a clean new tarp and cover it with a mat of spruce branches for shade.

[bigbuckbuster]

Ok I've got a question for you guys if anyone is still keeping an eye on this thread. We're going in mid-late september to around 6000ft in pemberton area and I'm torn on how to handle the meat if we get animal. I've been to this area before and I expect it to be quite cold at night, freezing if it's clear skys but probably around 20 during the day if it is sunny. One part of me is saying to skin and debone right away to cool the meat as quick as possible, another part is saying to just quarter but not skin that way the meat could stay colder during the day after cooling at night if we want to hang around for a couple more days for us to try for a second animal. If we took an animal in the morning and didn't skin and it was warm during the day will it start to spoil by the time the evening rolls around. The deer I've taken have all been close to home so cooling was not a problem, I've never been faced with this scenario before. Sure would appreciate some advise on this one.
thanks

Ya gotta get the hide off asap. I hunt hot weather every year and have been pretty lucky. We gut and skin the animal as soon as it hits the ground, spray it down with white vinegar and water with a squirt bottle and hang it HIGH. This method seems to work for us but I am far from an expert.