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?

https://i.imgur.com/Y8bAyzYh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/MotK3Odh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7pEvGmEh.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6bCrPMBh.jpg

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

[twoSevenO]

Am I the only one who thinks deer would have long migrated out of there?

Lots of snow and big timber, fine. Lots of snow and that shrubbery? .... I dont think so. I'd look for more of a wintering zone than that. Just my thoughts

[HarryToolips]

^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

[twoSevenO]

^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

sure, proguide preached it for years as well .... chest deep snow, but in big timber, where there's food dropping off the trees all day. This kind of terrain, i dunno .....

[joshbazz]

Am I the only one who thinks deer would have long migrated out of there?

Lots of snow and big timber, fine. Lots of snow and that shrubbery? .... I dont think so. I'd look for more of a wintering zone than that. Just my thoughts

Interesting, that's what I was wondering.... tracks looked somewhat fresh to my amateur eyes, but I didn't see any other sign...


^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

Also interesting, would be cool to run into a big old buck...

[Kill-da-wabbit]

Some summary info from a mule deer study in southern BC. It contradicts the idea that the bucks are in the big old growth in the winter and in the new growth in summer - exactly the opposite actually. The study was called "Habitat Selection by Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in southeastern British Columbia. "

"At a landscape scale, females sought winter habitats with 46-65% crown closure, and fewer stands with <25% closure compared to the available landscape. These values vary slightly from the level of crown closure (≤ 40%) designated for mule deer winter range in the Kootenay region of B.C., however both sexes sought older stands in summer and younger stands in winter, contrary to current ungulate winter range designation."
" In winter, deer selected stands with 6-15% and 26-35% closure. In summer, deer selected for greater canopy closure with values higher than 65% preferred. ""In winter, both males and females selected for shrub habitats and avoided spruce/fir."

"Male and female mule deer responded similarly to both slope and aspect at the patch scale. Steep slopes were selected for in winter as were south facing slopes. Both sexes also used more east facing aspects than expected during both seasons although selection was less strong for females. "

[joshbazz]

Some summary info from a mule deer study in southern BC. It contradicts the idea that the bucks are in the big old growth in the winter and in the new growth in summer - exactly the opposite actually. The study was called "Habitat Selection by Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in southeastern British Columbia. "

"At a landscape scale, females sought winter habitats with 46-65% crown closure, and fewer stands with <25% closure compared to the available landscape. These values vary slightly from the level of crown closure (≤ 40%) designated for mule deer winter range in the Kootenay region of B.C., however both sexes sought older stands in summer and younger stands in winter, contrary to current ungulate winter range designation."
" In winter, deer selected stands with 6-15% and 26-35% closure. In summer, deer selected for greater canopy closure with values higher than 65% preferred. ""In winter, both males and females selected for shrub habitats and avoided spruce/fir."

"Male and female mule deer responded similarly to both slope and aspect at the patch scale. Steep slopes were selected for in winter as were south facing slopes. Both sexes also used more east facing aspects than expected during both seasons although selection was less strong for females. "

I wonder if this applies to Kelowna as well.... Thanks for the info!

[338win mag]

Where I am working, I haven't seen a deer in 2 months.
It is a wintering area that was loaded with old growth fir, there isn't much for the the big fir anymore which I suspect is part of a bigger problem.
I see a few tracks but no big deal, then it snowed heavy, about 2ft up higher, only about 6-8" below where I am working.

I can't get up high with the truck as I was pushing snow with the bumper, in the timber, lots of sign in the deep snow.
I figured the game would go lower to where I am working, but no.

It has been almost 2 weeks now since the heavy snow...and suddenly, there are tracks and sign down low, lots of it. I am not really hunting, then I see a nice big bodied buck @200yds, nose down, zig zagging looking for girls. I can't count 4 pts for sure so he walks.

My point....Mule deer will hang in the deep snow, bucks and doe's together, singular bucks are still cruising for girls and are not interested in food, but they will be interested in food again soon.

I haven't had time to hunt much this year until now, so....I am going to hunt a south-west slope with a couple inches of snow at the bottom and 2-3ft at the top. I am pretty sure they will be gathered mostly up high with the odd horny buck cruising lower.
I will hunt in the old growth timber and anything I see will be @100ft or closer.

The chances of me getting skunked are pretty good, lol, but I have shot crankers in there before and several days of silence is going to be good.

[joshbazz]

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

Never thought of that, I’ll check that out. Thank you!

[joshbazz]

Where I am working, I haven't seen a deer in 2 months.
It is a wintering area that was loaded with old growth fir, there isn't much for the the big fir anymore which I suspect is part of a bigger problem.
I see a few tracks but no big deal, then it snowed heavy, about 2ft up higher, only about 6-8" below where I am working.

I can't get up high with the truck as I was pushing snow with the bumper, in the timber, lots of sign in the deep snow.
I figured the game would go lower to where I am working, but no.

It has been almost 2 weeks now since the heavy snow...and suddenly, there are tracks and sign down low, lots of it. I am not really hunting, then I see a nice big bodied buck @200yds, nose down, zig zagging looking for girls. I can't count 4 pts for sure so he walks.

My point....Mule deer will hang in the deep snow, bucks and doe's together, singular bucks are still cruising for girls and are not interested in food, but they will be interested in food again soon.

I haven't had time to hunt much this year until now, so....I am going to hunt a south-west slope with a couple inches of snow at the bottom and 2-3ft at the top. I am pretty sure they will be gathered mostly up high with the odd horny buck cruising lower.
I will hunt in the old growth timber and anything I see will be @100ft or closer.

The chances of me getting skunked are pretty good, lol, but I have shot crankers in there before and several days of silence is going to be good.

Thanks for sharing! Are you setting up camp out there, or day hunting it?

I’m trying to convince myself to try backcountry winter camping for the 1st time lol, and save the drive back and forth (about an hour each way) as well as the hike...

[338win mag]

Thanks for sharing! Are you setting up camp out there, or day hunting it?

I’m trying to convince myself to try backcountry winter camping for the 1st time lol, and save the drive back and forth (about an hour each way) as well as the hike...
Camper with wood heat. I am well rested for a full day of hunting, then back to camp for a leisurely evening. I don't like hunting all day then a longish drive home, then straight to bed. I also don't like a longish drive out to my intended spot. I just save up my time to hunt for a string of days, it works for me.

[joshbazz]

Camper with wood heat. I am well rested for a full day of hunting, then back to camp for a leisurely evening. I don't like hunting all day then a longish drive home, then straight to bed. I also don't like a longish drive out to my intended spot. I just save up my time to hunt for a string of days, it works for me.

Sounds like a good way to do it. If I do it, I'll be camping using our 3 person MSR tent (3 season) it packs pretty small, and maybe I'll buy an extra synthetic sleeping back to put my down one into. I have a little pelican sled I can drag behind me in the snow to an intended base camp. Just got to see if I can take off the time. And convince the fam (and myself) that I'l be safe lol.

[twoSevenO]

Sounds like a good way to do it. If I do it, I'll be camping using our 3 person MSR tent (3 season) it packs pretty small, and maybe I'll buy an extra synthetic sleeping back to put my down one into. I have a little pelican sled I can drag behind me in the snow to an intended base camp. Just got to see if I can take off the time. And convince the fam (and myself) that I'l be safe lol.

You're more safe now than you would be in September. All the bears will be asleep ;)



For non wood heated basecamp I have used a duvet cover from home over my existing sleeping bag and been comfy well in the negatives.

Consider a way to keep your damp boots from freezing overnight. That's going to be one of the most uncomfortable things to deal with.

Dont forget your piss jar. Dont be wasting precious body heat running outside to take a leak at 2am

[Kill-da-wabbit]

I wonder if this applies to Kelowna as well.... Thanks for the info!
It does as the study area was south Okanagan/west Kootenays.

[joshbazz]

You're more safe now than you would be in September. All the bears will be asleep ;)



For non wood heated basecamp I have used a duvet cover from home over my existing sleeping bag and been comfy well in the negatives.

Consider a way to keep your damp boots from freezing overnight. That's going to be one of the most uncomfortable things to deal with.

Dont forget your piss jar. Dont be wasting precious body heat running outside to take a leak at 2am

I was going to try to make a long fire, kinda like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcxu9DPRpIw

I don't usually pee at night, not much of a water drinker no matter how much I hike.


It does as the study area was south Okanagan/west Kootenays.
That's promising!

[Bugle M In]

Its one thing to find sign of say MD tracks.
But, if they are B-Line type, and only here and there, i dont waste anytime there.
I look for areas where tracks criss cross a lot, and seems to have activity that looks like they are actually "hanging" in the area.

As for rut, and Does going into heat, where i was, it seemed to hit around the 14th of November appr, imo.
So, a 2nd round should be on its way soon.
You cant be too far off, just need to dig a little deeper where Does are hanging daily.

[joshbazz]

Its one thing to find sign of say MD tracks.
But, if they are B-Line type, and only here and there, i dont waste anytime there.
I look for areas where tracks criss cross a lot, and seems to have activity that looks like they are actually "hanging" in the area.

As for rut, and Does going into heat, where i was, it seemed to hit around the 14th of November appr, imo.
So, a 2nd round should be on its way soon.
You cant be too far off, just need to dig a little deeper where Does are hanging daily.

Great advice, thank you!