mule deer help

[theglenbear]

Hey guys I have been a long lime looker on the site but have never posted. untill today. I need some info. I have been hunting for 5 years.
I mostly hunt moose but due to work I have had to miss out on the annual 2 week trip. So I have started to put some time in and concentrate on mule deer, since I can easily go after them on my days off. I have managed to get 3 bucks in the last 5 years but only by complete fluke while I was driving around in the truck looking for ditch chickens. Now that I’m actually putting time in I have realized I know absolutely nothing about hunting deer. The few cut blocks I have been hunting I will get into before light and glass form the top just in the tree line. I have seen deer sign fresh droppings and tracks, but so far I have only managed to see only a few dows. I have sat and watched them hoping a buck would maybe be in the aria but no such luck. What should I do? Can they be called to? Should I find another aria? What do you look for in a good aria? Any info would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks Glen

[Ltbullken]

I say keep doing what you're doing. One piece of advice - focus on prime mule deer habitat. Mule bucks like big, open rocky, rough terrain where they can see long distances. In the early season, little bucks wonder around and are usually more easy pickings. If you want big guys, focus on the habitat preferences. Old open burns, 10yrs + with varied terrain and varied cover is what I look for with mule deer. As we get closer to the rut, look for does, the bucks won 't be too far away.

It helps to go back and list off in your mind where you've seen the most deer - that may a clue to habitat. Good luck - although it sounds like you're doing okay in the luck department!

[CanuckShooter]

It would help if you described the area you hunt. Is it basically flat land or steep hills above farm fields? Mule deer will migrate and will move from feeding to bedding areas. If you can determine feeding and bedding areas you can catch them moving between them. For example if your hunting hilly country with alfalfa fields the deer will move uphill in the morning and downhill in the afternoon or evening. Where we hunt at this time of year it's a migration route and the deer will almost always be moving in a south east direction....

Knowing where your scent is going is paramount, if your scent is washing over the area you are watching your wasting your time. If you can talk a hunting partner into walking a road or trail that will let his scent go into some timber patches your watching it will make the deer move out of the area...and you can spot them leaving.

Look for lots of tracks...going both directions is a bonus...and watch that spot as it indicates it's an area where they move.

If you see a buck with a couple of does cross a road or cut and don't get a shot...hang around for several hours because sometimes they will come back alone. I speculate they are rounding up does and pushing them into a breeding area, we've scored lots of times doing this.

In november you can rake small pine/spruce trees with an old rack, very loud and vigorious and then move off and watch, bucks will often come to investigate.

I've tried deer calls, they will work in region 7 with the deer coming in, but the same call used in region 5 and they run like you just shot at them...

good luck with your mulie quest!!!

[theglenbear]

The spot that I have seen the most deer and sign is an older slash/fire sight, it has been replanted I would say bout 3-5 yeas ago. There has been logging in the sorounding aria. There is a deactivated road that comes in to the bottem of the it is amazing the amount of road hunters that pullin, turn around and are off again with out even getting out to take a look. at the top there is some brush, I found some beds in there 2 days ago but not fresh. At the bottem there is what looks to be a dryed up creek bed I havent been down to the bottem to see if there is any water in it still. each time i have been in there the wind has alwase been blowing up hill to where i set up. There isnt any older stands of trees just burnt trees.

[CanuckShooter]

Have you found any well used game trails with deer tracks??

[theglenbear]

I have found tracks and a few trails. I wouldnt consider the trails well used tho but they are there.