When do big bucks leave the high country?

[Husky7mm]

Well its now mid season for mule deer. Sometimes a hard time of year to tag a big buck. My question is for the muley nuts and experts. If there is no heavy pressure in the high alpine basins and no snow yet will the big boys leave the highest of the high country for greener pasturers? What about there food choices this time of yr? Thanks to any one who replies. Cheers

[emerson]

Well its now mid season for mule deer. Sometimes a hard time of year to tag a big buck. My question is for the muley nuts and experts. If there is no heavy pressure in the high alpine basins and no snow yet will the big boys leave the highest of the high country for greener pasturers? What about there food choices this time of yr? Thanks to any one who replies. Cheers
X2 please.

[dana]

For the most part, it all depends on what feed is in the alpine. Many areas I hunt, the bucks drop a tad in elevation for the timberline come the first major frosts in the highcountry. The lush summer feed dies out and their diet changes to browse species. In other areas there is a significant amount of ground birch above treeline, so these bucks will be feeding on that. It also depends on how far the bucks have to migrate to get to their winter range. Some travel over 100 kms from summer to winter range, so the first couple of snows, no matter how minor, start them on their migration. Other areas it's a hop, skip and a jump down the mountain to get to the winter range. These bucks will hang up high till they are balls deep or deeper in snow. Some of these bucks will head down during the rut and breed and then head straight back up.

[frenchbar]

Time of the yr to hunt the migration routes...and hunt the timber on the ridges at the 4 to 5 thousand foot levels ..i find its there they lie in wait for the rut action to kick in ...

[Jelvis]

Mule deer come down to lower areas October 9th to the 20th they come down before the rut which starts Oct 23rd in reg 3
The hint of winter snows pushes the does and fawns down, and then the bucks come out of the high country after that to get some lol .. as above, winter comes early in the western high country ..
Halloween time finds the deer at below 4500 feet .. On slopes above rivers ..
Jel ( Migration Expert on Mule Deer ) Your up to date .. your in the know with Jello .. your a lucky fello

[Husky7mm]

Anything important about N, S, E W facing slopes, slides chutes, age of clearcuts or burns?
I have noticed in some of the areas I scouted this summer that the mules left before the season even opened the feed still looks good even now, I wonder why they left? I have also noticed in other areas does and fawns and young bucks still in the alpine/rock as of a few days ago, yet not a mature buck to be found and no real sign of them to speak of. Do they all timber up even with no real pressure?

[srupp]

hmmm here in the Cariboo the mulie bucks BIG BOYZ stay high until ap[prox 30 " of snow FORCES them down..same with Churn creek, now we are talking the big old smart 300 pound plus toads..

Last year we couldnt even reach em with quads on logging tracks too much snow...the does and fawns and smaller bucks had moved lower however the BIG BIG BIG ones were still up high...

steven:-D

[Jagermeister]

For the most part, it all depends on what feed is in the alpine. Many areas I hunt, the bucks drop a tad in elevation for the timberline come the first major frosts in the highcountry. The lush summer feed dies out and their diet changes to browse species. In other areas there is a significant amount of ground birch above treeline, so these bucks will be feeding on that. It also depends on how far the bucks have to migrate to get to their winter range. Some travel over 100 kms from summer to winter range, so the first couple of snows, no matter how minor, start them on their migration. Other areas it's a hop, skip and a jump down the mountain to get to the winter range. These bucks will hang up high till they are balls deep or deeper in snow. Some of these bucks will head down during the rut and breed and then head straight back up.
Province wide, best answer so far, be it the Monashees or the Cariboo Mtns or the Gaspard/Churn Creek areas.

[Jelvis]

Mule deer feed on the north side of the hills till winter and by then the season is closed .. so hunt the north pockets in little semi bowls surrounded by small knobby hills with semi open forests and you will see bucks ..
South facing slopes are utilized by deer late December to early spring.
Jelly phd. ma. ( Mountain Terrain Expert in Wildlife Seasonal Location) ubintaughtnoexcuses100percenteffort

[mark]

Latest Ive ever shot an alpine buck was sept. 25.

This year I found some bucks on a peak near opening day, went back on a warm oct. 03 day, to find the big wide bugger that got away on me....only found grizz...no sign of deer????
This mountain, deer could be on winter range in a few hours easily.

My observation over the years, is that opening day is yer best odds at alpine deer, after that your chances diminish quickly!

[Rattler]

I have found big bucks in the alpine until the end of October, but it all depends on the quality of vegetation. I was at 7600' today and did not see a single deer...

[BCrams]

I've seen big bucks in the alpine the last week of November still over 5000-6000 feet.

It all depends on the individual buck(s). Some drop out early and others will stay until 3-4 ft pushes them out.

[born2hunt]

I've seen them in or very close to the alpine in late nov , imho some of those crankers will come down and retrieve there ladies and head back up until the snow literally forces them down, other's aren't quite that stubborn .some will hit the migration path the first sign of snow ,

[GoatGuy]

For the most part, it all depends on what feed is in the alpine. Many areas I hunt, the bucks drop a tad in elevation for the timberline come the first major frosts in the highcountry. The lush summer feed dies out and their diet changes to browse species. In other areas there is a significant amount of ground birch above treeline, so these bucks will be feeding on that. It also depends on how far the bucks have to migrate to get to their winter range. Some travel over 100 kms from summer to winter range, so the first couple of snows, no matter how minor, start them on their migration. Other areas it's a hop, skip and a jump down the mountain to get to the winter range. These bucks will hang up high till they are balls deep or deeper in snow. Some of these bucks will head down during the rut and breed and then head straight back up.


Best answer for Sure.

The deer move up and down slope and right out of the high country all fall depending on the weather and resulting food. Some areas the deer bail in october rain or sun, other areas they'll hang out and rut in the high country. Know a couple spots where the deer will hang out and rut on high elevation winter range. The problem with this time of year is the Bach groups are breaking up and their home range is as small as things get unless you're hunting a migration. Dana send it best it depends on the area and the weather. Every area of the provnce is different.

[GoatGuy]

Mule deer come down to lower areas October 9th to the 20th they come down before the rut which starts Oct 23rd in reg 3
The hint of winter snows pushes the does and fawns down, and then the bucks come out of the high country after that to get some lol .. as above, winter comes early in the western high country ..
Halloween time finds the deer at below 4500 feet .. On slopes above rivers ..
Jel ( Migration Expert on Mule Deer ) Your up to date .. your in the know with Jello .. your a lucky fello


Jelly not all deer follow the same pattern as the deer collared in region 3. Also what evidence do you have that the rut starts on the 23 and what does that mean?

[Jelvis]

What evidence, how about the number one biologist in the Kamloops region who studied mule deer for twenty years in the area, lol no guessing here and yah got all you guessers on that one .. This guy blew you all into oblivion he studied mule deer for twenty years here bye bye .. no need to guess now lol ..
That's him but I hunted the same area for fifty years and I know what time the deer come down so too bad, so sad, your dad, you can call me Ray. Hello, read em and weep. Your out to lunch. No money, no funny, Sonny.
Jel .. Believe it or not I could care less, cuz I know first hand, I missed one season, in fifty years, nor of the looper town. hah. Same bat time same bat station.
......... Same time every year since, in the same place, same mule deer families .. you can keep guessing if you choose to. Estrus Oct 23rd to Nov 4th for matures, then yearlings, then left overs.
Your in the Know Zone. Jel ( I had a good long talk with the main man and he introduced me to him)
I could tell you things he told me that would blow the wig off your chrome dome and spin your head like an owl, with your eyeballs rolling in quick tight circles at the same time with smoke blowing out your ears.

[born2hunt]

What evidence, how about the number one biologist in the Kamloops region who studied mule deer for twenty years in the area, lol no guessing here and yah got all you guessers on that one .. This guy blew you all into oblivion he studied mule deer for twenty years here bye bye .. no need to guess now lol ..
That's him but I hunted the same area for fifty years and I know what time the deer come down so too bad, so sad, your dad, you can call me Ray. Hello, read em and weep. Your out to lunch. No money, no funny, Sonny.
Jel .. Believe it or not I could care less, cuz I know first hand, I missed one season, in fifty years, nor of the looper town. hah. Same bat time same bat station.
......... Same time every year since, in the same place, same mule deer families .. you can keep guessing if you choose to. Estrus Oct 23rd to Nov 4th for matures, then yearlings, then left overs.
Your in the Know Zone. Jel ( I had a good long talk with the main man and he introduced me to him)
I could tell you things he told me that would blow the wig off your head .. and spin your head around, with your eyeballs rolling in quick tight circles at the same time ..

Are you on dope? seriously your ramblings give me a headache !!:?

[Jelvis]

If the mountains that your deer summer in are 6000 feet high then that's as high as they go. They don't fly around Kamloops so Porcupine ridge and Chuwells ok, some come from the Bonaparte.
The Thompson river is at 1100 ft above seal level and I have not seen any muley's with scuba tanks on yet. lol . So they are some where in between 6000 ft and 1100 ft.
Muley come down before the rut, so estrus is Oct 23rd here, so you don't need to be a scientist to figure it out. Snow or no snow they come down where I've hunted for 50 years ok.
Doe deer lead the others down not the bucks .. It's a social system, family structures. Doe teach fawns migration routes and when to move the cloven hoof before they get snowed in and can't move.B4ok.Think.
Jel ( The Sweet Science of Mule Deer Social Circles ) ma. ms. phd.socialactivityofmuledeeraroundtheloopytown .

[Husky7mm]

I could tell you things he told me that would blow the wig off your chrome dome and spin your head like an owl, with your eyeballs rolling in quick tight circles at the same time with smoke blowing out your ears.:lol::lol:
Too funny.
On a serious note, I wish there was a bio in the kootenys who had 20 yrs of striaght mule deer studying under there belt. The most common answers I get around here is " Im not sure" or "I dont really know"
The mulies around here will have to go the way of the mountain caribou before any money is spent studying them.:icon_frow

[GoatGuy]

What evidence, how about the number one biologist in the Kamloops region who studied mule deer for twenty years in the area, lol no guessing here and yah got all you guessers on that one .. This guy blew you all into oblivion he studied mule deer for twenty years here bye bye .. no need to guess now lol ..
That's him but I hunted the same area for fifty years and I know what time the deer come down so too bad, so sad, your dad, you can call me Ray. Hello, read em and weep. Your out to lunch. No money, no funny, Sonny.
Jel .. Believe it or not I could care less, cuz I know first hand, I missed one season, in fifty years, nor of the looper town. hah. Same bat time same bat station.
......... Same time every year since, in the same place, same mule deer families .. you can keep guessing if you choose to. Estrus Oct 23rd to Nov 4th for matures, then yearlings, then left overs.
Your in the Know Zone. Jel ( I had a good long talk with the main man and he introduced me to him)
I could tell you things he told me that would blow the wig off your chrome dome and spin your head like an owl, with your eyeballs rolling in quick tight circles at the same time with smoke blowing out your ears.

Sorry, try to be more clear what is your personal experience and what tells you that the 'rut' starts October 23 and what does the 'rut' mean.

I know about Doug's experience.

[BlacktailStalker]

Yes, what makes you believe the rut starts Oct.23?
How do you explain all the fawns dropping when they do then?
This was a really good thread...

[Jelvis]

You guys couldn't get pissed up in a brewery, you need someone to hold your hand and teach you things and then you snivel and add the drivel like the chair on a swivel, you toss and turn forgetting Jelly learned from the X perience. From his friends in high places, from the MOE and experimental places. I know their faces ..
Btw it wasn't my buddy Doug so your mixed up and assuming your thinning hair needs grooming. The estrus date is close and looming.
You got a one track mind, info 4 u, is hard to find, putting Jelly down like the class clown on a site when your the blind leading the blind. I know the muley kind.
Jelly Hienz ( There's no other kinds ) October 23rd according to number one bio, i like listening to Dio.
.... This fella and his wife were both in the Ministry and watched deer for a year in a large fenced pen, day to day, with large pay, watching antlers grow and antlers drop saw them mount and the fawns flop, noted the day, comprehenday? 187 to 210 days of gestation do the math use concentration. Count back from the end of May 210 day .. if you got a calculator see yah later.

[shed-hunter1]

i agree jelvis is full of S&*T

[snareman1234]

sure not very easy to follow, kind of strange..

[happyhunter]

You guys couldn't get pissed up in a brewery, you need someone to hold your hand and teach you things and then you snivel and add the drivel like the chair on a swivel, you toss and turn forgetting Jelly learned from the X perience. From his friends in high places, from the MOE and experimental places. I know their faces ..
Btw it wasn't my buddy Doug so your mixed up and assuming your thinning hair needs grooming. The estrus date is close and looming.
You got a one track mind, info 4 u, is hard to find, putting Jelly down like the class clown on a site when your the blind leading the blind. I know the muley kind.
Jelly Hienz ( There's no other kinds ) October 23rd according to number one bio, i like listening to Dio.
.... This fella and his wife were both in the Ministry and watched deer for a year in a large fenced pen, day to day, with large pay, watching antlers grow and antlers drop saw them mount and the fawns flop, noted the day, comprehenday? 187 to 210 days of gestation do the math use concentration. Count back from the end of May 210 day .. if you got a calculator see yah later.

You said the fella and his wife watched the deer for a year, noted the day and it was october 23rd.... Why after watching them for only a year could they conclude that the rut would start same time year after year? I would be more inclined to believe this if they could say that the observed mating october 23rd for say 10 years or so. Is one year of research enough to say for sure thats the day?

[Jelvis]

That was one couple doing data in Kamloops for a year with mule deer in pens my other guy was a bio for moe for twenty years in Kamloops studying mule deer continuously year after year season after season.
Jelly Pro ( Buck and Doe) Larry Curly and MOE .. The bio has retired now but before he went the top man in the MOE a new fella and a heck of a nice man introduced me to his staff and the rest is history about the areas around Kamloops mule deer herds. The rut, best places for monster bucks, the weather affects, stories about when and where to see record size mule deer bucks. This fella told me how to make my own muley spot only yards off of fsr's he did it and told me how.
He told me about him and his buddy out looking in -------- creek and saw a huge bull elk, but wait NO, OMG it was a mule deer buck with the biggest rack any of the field workers had ever seen anywhere in there field work, and he told me where and when to go there ... It would blow any hunter away and it's close to a road ... around, ah, all I can say around Kamloops. Hog Heaven. Just an hour from a Seven Eleven, that's all I gotta go b4 I give it up ....