Hunting mule deer in heavy brush

[Five]

Hello all,

I was out in 3-28 today looking for mule deer. I am still a fairly new hunter and teaching myself, so I am hoping I can get some pointers for the community. Last year I was out a lot in 3-28 and regularly saw does, with the rare buck. I was truck hunting about 80% of the time, and managed to get a deer.

This year though, the animals seem to have changed their behaviour. I have been trying to hunt only on foot and spend Friday and today in 18 inches of snow stalking along for 10 hours, giving the occasional grunt call. I saw a lot of fresh tracks, but not a single deer. I covered more than 13 km on foot today, and I am trying to follow the advice I have read online or heard in this forum. I tried to step very quietly, but it was hard in the snow, I blew the call only occasionally and only in cover, and I took regular breaks to just sit and look and listen.

I was not able to do much glassing because the brush in 3-28 is so darn thick you can't see more than 10 feet in most places. I know that the way to hunt mulies with best success is glassing open areas, but there are very few, even the "Christmas Tree" replanted cutblocks are impossible to see through. I was out at 630, and as I first started down a trail I noticed large deer tracks leading to a thin stand of timber than ran parallel to the trail. I tried my best to scan it, but it was very thick. 10 minutes later I realized I had forgotten something from the truck so I went back and was very frustrated to see that after I went by the tracks had emerged about 20 meters down from where they went in and the ******* had placed a perfect deef print in the sole of each of my boot prints for more than 100 meters before he climbed a steep hill into heavy timber. What a *******.

If anyone can lend any wisdom I would appreciate it, I have had success in Region 8, and I am trying to incorporate all the tips I have read, but I clearly screwed up today. I have been out 12 times this year, saw my first wolf! today, and am staying out late and working it hard, but clearly am making errors.

PS: I appreciate that some members enjoy posting "that's why the call it hunting not killing", but as I am attempting to increase my skill, these sorts of observations have no value.

Many thanks!

[blackbart]

Slow the fk down. 1.3 km in a day is better than 13km.

[dougan]

^^^^^this this this

[gmachine19]

Slow the fk down. 1.3 km in a day is better than 13km.

Newish hunter here. Why is going slower better? So not to spook them?

[russm]

Newish hunter here. Why is going slower better? So not to spook them?

If he was going slower that deer may have stepped out right in front of him instead of behind him �� I'd have to go with the slow it down group too, 13 km is a lot of ground to cover in snow I know my legs wouldn't be happy haha

[dougan]

Newish hunter here. Why is going slower better? So not to spook them?
It's about paying attention to everything around you . Look for ears antler tips shapes that look out of place , listen to noises around you . Your trying to beat them at there own game and there game is survival . Tromping along you don't have a chance to do any of these things

[Blainer]

Glassing covers a huge area, with little effort. Find vantage point, hike for a reason

[horshur]

Going slow does you no good if you are not in deer...cover ground until in fresh sign then slow down.

[Wild one]

Going slow does you no good if you are not in deer...cover ground until in fresh sign then slow down.

This ^^

I also slow down or sit if the habitat looks right

[dougan]

Going slow does you no good if you are not in deer...cover ground until in fresh sign then slow down.
Op said he was seeing plenty of fresh sight in the snow

[gmachine19]

It's about paying attention to everything around you . Look for ears antler tips shapes that look out of place , listen to noises around you . Your trying to beat them at there own game and there game is survival . Tromping along you don't have a chance to do any of these things

That makes a lot of sense. I admit I am guilty of walking fast in the bush lol

[Wild one]

That makes a lot of sense. I admit I am guilty of walking fast in the bush lol

You also make less noise and deer key in on movement fast.

[Ajsawden]

It's all about compromise. I have three rules about successful hunting that I always keep in mind when i'm picking a place to hunt.
1. Hunt where there are deer.
2. Hunt where you can see.
3. Hunt to the weather conditions (adverse weather conditions let you get away with a lot more).

There's no point in doing everything right if there are no deer where you hunt.
10 feet is not enough sight line for successful hunting most of the time (for me). I suspect you are exaggerating with how little you can see but if that's the area you have then learn to hunt it better. I have a place that I hunt in region 8 where it's short site lines but tonnes of deer. We got a deer off the hillside only because it was trying too avoid me and wasn't paying attention my old man. I never could close the gap to less than 100 yards on the buck. You can only see max 50. Good luck out there.

[horshur]

Op said he was seeing plenty of fresh sight in the snow
It is a qualification cause hiking 13 km is at times the absolutely right thing to do just as is the opposite. Walking slow where deer ain't is just as wrong as walking too fast...even worse cause at current time bumping a mulie Elmer fudding it should be easy.

[dino]

If covering lots of ground is your style then keep doing it. If covering little ground is your style then do that. Both styles work . It's knowing when to speed up or slow down. It's called reading the play.
Just keep plugging away and you will learn what works for you. The best hunting partner I have ever hunted with covered lots of area and saw lots of animals but probably missed a few due to moving to fast.

[J_06]

Slow down, 13 km in an area with ample fresh sign is alot of moving....
this probably played out more than you know, watch until the end

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvKabWfxkEY

[webley]

Ware quiet clothing wool etc. and watch the wind, I like hunting cross wind if possible. Steve!

[Weatherby Fan]

Where I normally hunt in area 3 the deer love the thick stuff and usually move from there to open fir benches with a southern exposure at last light, I’ve seen what you experienced on many occasions deer hold until you go by and then move, the last decent buck I shot was at dusk and 15 yards away, snowing with about 6 inches of fresh snow on the ground and hunting my way back to the truck.

I was walking in jack pines and there was an opening in the trees about 20 feet across and I could see what looked like an ear on the right side of the opening sticking out from behind a tree, quick check with the binos yup deer’s ear so I blew and out stepped a Doe,

She would look at me and to her right, she did this 3 times so I’m glassing hard knowing there’s another deer there, I blew a cpl more times and a buck pokes his head out from the left side of the hole and looks at me and quickly pulls his head back in the trees, I check with scope and all I can see is his face and neck so I shot him in the throat patch, dropped in his tracks.

Watch your wind, move slowly when your in sign, I walk and then sit or hold quite often glassing and listening, especially at last light as they are on the move, Trouble is in the thick stuff they can feed where they bed and don’t have to move much.

My Dad always said he seen more deer sitting having a smoke then he ever did walking !

I only cover a small area on my evening walk, maybe 2k in and then 2 k out, during the rut at times they are not quite as spooky and you can usually get pretty close to them before they bolt.

Keep at it and good luck
WF

[Bugle M In]

yup, walking fast will let you see a lot more deer....unfortunately, all you get to see of them is elbows and ass****s.
I walk an area that I know has deer, and I know many of their favourite/more routine spots to hang out in on and
around a hill/small mountain.
Saying that, I do not always know where they are going to be up there....
sometimes they move very little all day, and hang in a small pocket, and other times they do wander around a lot.
If a buck finds a hot doe, and that doe doesn't move around much, neither will he.
If he is searching, he can move all over that hill searching...but they have that ability to know where the does are at
any given time....amazing really.
With having snow, if you can find the freshest tracks, that were made that morning, and especially where you see lots of tracks in a "pocket", you have a good chance to know where they are that particular day.
I don't waste to much time tracking a single track of 1 deer, unless I know it is from a buck, and it's snowing, and the track has no snow in it.....then I know I am close to him...but hey, he is walking, and I am stalking, so he is moving
way faster then I am.
So, I could speed up, but then he may have stopped only a hundred yards up, and here I come at full speed trying to
run him down....well he is going to spot me...hear me etc.
But, if he has found a doe in heat, and he is hassling her, and she is trying to give him the run around, and obviously
he has his head up her rear, then yup, you can't walk right in, and they don't even know.
Am I sounding confusing...yup...because the sceneriaos at any given time are different and always changing.
I walk slow, pause often...some will even say, take 3 steps, and use your binos, even looking at 30 yards in front of you.
It does work and it works well.
The hard part is, you don't cover much ground, and if you are walking in an area that is devoid of tracks, it is easy to
give that tactic up....funny thing is, that sometimes is when you bump something, because you thought that "pocket" was dead....and many time they are.
If your knew to an are, don't know it's ins and outs, its openings and where deer tend to hang more often then not,
then go at a slow walk to get to learn the area.....hopefully you have plenty of days lined up, over several weeks to
go back etc.
But, that is the only way to get to know the are you want to hunt...use a gps...mark areas that you feel you want to hit.
One you know the place....then go to the 3 step rule...it works the best in tight areas.....
But then, find an area, and sit there for 30 minutes...see what happens, as this is the best way to see a deer and
"have the chance to get a shot off"!.
If you can come into the "pocket of sign" that is fresh, find a spot that gives you the best vantage point, as well as keeping the wind going away from where you think you may see the deer coming from etc.
I smoke, and see plenty of deer....I just make sure the wind is in my favour.
What does it matter, my boots smell of grease, my rifle smell of oil/solvents....my gear smell like camp fire or
cooking.....at least I know where the wind is going.
But yes, slow walking, a few steps at a time, then pause to glass (you will be surprised at how close you can get to a deer that way, and not even realize it is "right there").
If you break a branch, or trip up......take a much longer pause...2 minutes, and don't move at all...eyes will be staring.
Then, in the right areas, take a rest, stay quiet, and watch and listen.
But...do get to know the area.....
Best is to check out the terrain in the summer......but, it doesn't mean there will be much deer sign...as the deer could move in there only in late October etc.
So, yes, sometimes walking is necessary, before you can "stalk".
In that case, walk....if you come across a "hot spot"...then just sit.
Hunting is not just a "one shoe fits all scenario"....
Listening can be great too...sometimes you get lucky and can hear some bucks duking it out.
Hopefully I covered a few scenario's.
L

[okas]

too slow me down when a kid my job was to roll smokes for my dad and grandpa . sit look and roll a few then look around then move not to far:D same drill all day

[TreeStandMan]

I was out in 3-28 today looking for mule deer. I am still a fairly new hunter and teaching myself, so I am hoping I can get some pointers for the community. Last year I was out a lot in 3-28 and regularly saw does, with the rare buck. I was truck hunting about 80% of the time, and managed to get a deer.

I've hunted a bunch across the North Thompson valley from 3-28 where the topography is very similar. The best system I've found is to locate a clearing with sign out of sight of the road where I can sit and observe as large an area as possible. Sometimes I'll get up and move slowly around the edge of the to glass from other vantage points, but mostly I just sit quietly. This system worked for me the past three years, but this year I'm yet to pull the trigger despite putting in more time that previously. Seems that the deer have moved out of my old spot--I suspect predators are at least half the reason for this.

No system is fool proof, and there's a lot of good advice in this thread. I think the best thing to do is try a bunch of things so that when the hunting gets tough, you have a bunch of plays in your book. This is something I struggle with myself.

[finngun]

If ya have hunting puddy,,,try to send puddy ahead making big loop ,,he is waiting some opening quietly...ya are coming thru that bush area,,,but wind diretion is key..always check that..,,,,,,,i,have seen that kind of hunting working..good hunting for ya..it always fun,shoot or not;)
and remember,,,deer when spooked,,like to go uphill..get better view i guess..

[4 point]

Saw quite a few deer in 3-28 in October including 6 bucks none of which we able to wack. Now in November with snow, logging starting up for winter, 10 days of helicopter fertilizing things have been tough. Lots of wolf sign and several sightings of tracks we assume are grizzly though I have never known or heard of any in 3-28. Lots of moose sign in pockets but that open season for immature closed yesterday. Keep at it as we are and hopefully you'll score a nice 4x4.

[Darksith]

if the snow is crunchy, or even wet and it packs when you step in it, you won't see many deer. They can hear you, they will bust out of there way before you ever get a chance to see them. Still hunt is your better option, less movement more patience. That being said you have to know there are animals in the area or whats the point. If you see fresh sign...stop, bring a chair, sit n wait

[Bugle M In]

if the snow is crunchy, or even wet and it packs when you step in it, you won't see many deer. They can hear you, they will bust out of there way before you ever get a chance to see them. Still hunt is your better option, less movement more patience. That being said you have to know there are animals in the area or whats the point. If you see fresh sign...stop, bring a chair, sit n wait

Also like last Friday and Saturday in parts of R3....
if it gets socked in, and you can only see out 50 yards or so at best....forget it...
they will hear you, no matter how slow you walk, and a lot of the time, you will see nothing, even though there
are fresh tracks everywhere...not impossible to get close to something, but the odds go way down.
Basically....a good day to road hunt, or sight in the rifle....or drink with friends:lol:

[Wild one]

Also like last Friday and Saturday in parts of R3....
if it gets socked in, and you can only see out 50 yards or so at best....forget it...
they will hear you, no matter how slow you walk, and a lot of the time, you will see nothing, even though there
are fresh tracks everywhere...not impossible to get close to something, but the odds go way down.
Basically....a good day to road hunt, or sight in the rifle....or drink with friends:lol:

Or sit and wait

Personally I often hunt bush being able to see 50yards is along ways so my opinion is different

[jbruce]

spend more time with your binos in the thick brush.take your time focus out 75 or 100 yds and start looking through the gaps between trees and brush after a while you'll discover you can spot things far off in the thick shit.glass real slow soon you'll start spotting deer way out ,they will be watching you but havn't spooked as they aren't too threatened yet. hunt up hill you'll be amazed how far up you can see with the glasses compared to the naked eye,the bucks will be laying on small benches looking down,

[avadad]

No one has mentioned this yet but pay attention to the wind direction. A deer's #1 defense is its nose. If you're hunting and area with good sign but the wind is at your back you're not likely to see and bucks.

[horshur]

You hunt 360 degrees not just what is in front of your face. Hunt with the the wind on a ridge line you are likely to spot the on your right or left..Wind can betray them especially if it is fickle. Foggy rainy day keeps scent close and bush quiet the very best situation for bush hunting. Fresh snow is advantageous because it is quite,scent is held low and tracks are easy to age.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

I'm not surprised to hear that you had better success road hunting than walking. Under most conditions, I would expect that. Most hunters don't like it, and you certainly don't get the quality of hunt, but deer seem to be less averse to the sound of motorized vehicles than they are to the sound of footsteps, especially if there's any crunching going on. In the thick, finding an active travel corridor and sitting is about as good a plan as any, again especially if conditions are loud. If you're able to get around quietly, as almost everyone has advised, GO SLOW.

[Wild one]

I'm not surprised to hear that you had better success road hunting than walking. Under most conditions, I would expect that. Most hunters don't like it, and you certainly don't get the quality of hunt, but deer seem to be less averse to the sound of motorized vehicles than they are to the sound of footsteps, especially if there's any crunching going on. In the thick, finding an active travel corridor and sitting is about as good a plan as any, again especially if conditions are loud. If you're able to get around quietly, as almost everyone has advised, GO SLOW.


Watched deer many times wait in the bush out of sight and cross after vehicles pass. I have completely different opinion than yours when it comes to vehicle vs foot noise especially with mule deer. If you are on a steady pace walk yes the clue in because animals don't walk like that. If you are slow few steps and stop I find mule deer very forgiving and at times their curiosity will cause them to seek out what is making the foot steps

Mule deer have a natural flaw other deer species don't as well they will actually stand their ground and fight off predators at times. When it comes to man and they debate this tactic not knowing what you are they often offer a shot opportunity.

The only advantage road hunting has is the ability to cover ground. Instead of hunting a handful of deer you can drive through enough areas that can hold over 100. If you lack knowledge of an area and are not good hunting on foot road hunting may very well be the better option

[Five]

Thank you for all the great comments so far, I have been reading them with interest. I am appreciative to everyone who takes the time to share some advice with me. Already, some of my mistakes are becoming clear.

I had one followup question: if I come across fresh tracks in the snow, and the brush is not to thick, should I follow after them? For how long? I came across some that were no more than 30 minutes old as I had previously been through the area, and unlike the first incident I mentioned, this animal was headed down hill in old growth that I could see about 30 meters ahead. Should I follow tracks like these for an hour or two?

Cheers!

[wideopenthrottle]

my trick is to set a max number of paces (count every second step) based on my assessment of the area...I have a max of 20 paces (even on a road) before doing the full look around and often as low as 2 or 3 paces ....when following a mulie along a game trail, they often like to find a spot to hook around and look back at you..In my experience, they will often find a small opening and hide on the other side of it to look for you....so if I am coming to a thick spot on the edge of a small clearing (as it tends to be on the edge of a clearing) try to find a spot to look across the clearing before going through the thick stuff into full view...

[Bugle M In]

Thank you for all the great comments so far, I have been reading them with interest. I am appreciative to everyone who takes the time to share some advice with me. Already, some of my mistakes are becoming clear.

I had one followup question: if I come across fresh tracks in the snow, and the brush is not to thick, should I follow after them? For how long? I came across some that were no more than 30 minutes old as I had previously been through the area, and unlike the first incident I mentioned, this animal was headed down hill in old growth that I could see about 30 meters ahead. Should I follow tracks like these for an hour or two?

Cheers!

It never hurts....
If anything, if you are in a "rutting area" (as I like to call it), you will learn some of their pattersns.
Whether you come across the deer, buck, is always hard to know.
Sometimes you will find that that buck was on a b-line for miles, and still going, without stop, haeding to somewhere he knows he will find Doe's.
Other times yo might be figuring out his bedding areas, where he goes during the daylight hours to hunker down, which can be thick as hell, and the chances of getting close can be really hard. that's why he is in there.
But, then you might run in to him, not far away, with a doe in heat, or just mingling with some other does.
In this case, now you have more eyes and ears on you.....just happened to me this weekend.
The best times are when a buck just ends up crossing paths with yours.....those are the easiest hunts with success.
2nd is a buck who is hassling a doe in heat.
Getting to them in their beds....probably the hardest hunting.
As for running down fresh tracks.....some have had some real success....even getting some real big trophy bucks
that way.
But knowing where deer like to travel during the day, is always good knowledge, and sometimes the only way is to
explore/follow tracks.
Hardest part I always had was....it's easy to follow the tracks in snow when they are single tracks, but once these tracks lead into a maze of other deer tracks....I find it sometimes hard to figure out which ones I was just following.
Truth is, the more you get out there, the better you chances...but yes, getting to learn what helps/works is what
you are striving for....
There were lots of times I have sat for hours in an area....and nothing happens.
Then, it only takes that one minute to change everything.
That's why there is so much variance/opinions, that are different to each hunter who has posted, and their own
personal experience.
I walk slowly, in an area that I know holds deer, but sometimes the bucks are around, and other times their not, but you want to be around Does, and where they like to hang is first and foremost.
I sit at times as well, to slow things down again, to let the area quiet down, I do my best to be quiet when walking,
but, you are always going to make a sound here and there.
I usually see a legal buck at some point, and usually have enough opportunity to take one, if I want.
So, I know what works .....for me.
If your young...follow the tracks to learn.
When you get older....it's not that easy to find that "little extra" to do that any longer.....
Or a lot less:wink:

[slicky72]

Must have been up pretty high to see 18 inches of the white stuff

[finngun]

Deer is really curious animal..ill see doe watcing my hunting buddy making camp fire..it was almost pich dark..little snow i was walking towards to camp.and was really suprise to see that.

[horshur]

Make sure you get out this weekend it is right in there for best date in November rut hunt. Been hunting 3:28 for 24 years consecutively.

[TexasWalker]

Must have been up pretty high to see 18 inches of the white stuff


24" at 3800' last weekend north of Kamloops.