mule deer tips

[new hunter]

How high should I be climbing to glass for mule deer , tops of hills or tops of mountains? I hunt in Pemberton Where the valley walls are steep [Meager creek area] ant the bush is thick . The guys at spud valley said to get high and glass , but I wasn't sure if he meant get to the top of a cut , or to the top of the valley . Also I hunt with a scoped 30-30 so I'll have to stalk up pretty close. Any tips on hunting styles tactics or mule deer behavior would be appreciated as I am totally new at this and don't Know many other hunters too ask .:-?

[warnniklz]

this thread may help

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showthread.php?55512-Mule-deer&p=746219&highlight=#post746219

[recoil]

I would head over the Hurley into region 3, not that there aren't deer in Pemberton but once you hit region 3 you are in mule deer country and you will see more deer and much larger ones, mulies are also known to be less elusive than blacktail. The Bralorne area is supposed to be good as well as the area north of Gun lake. Hunt up high until about the third week of september or first major snowfall then you will find most of the bucks will move down lower out of the apline into cut blocks or other areas with shelter and feed.

Remeber to look for sign and if you don't see any i usually keep moving until i find an area that seems to be a "hangout" and concentrate on that area. Get up early as most bucks i have seen are up early and then bed down later in the day. Except for the rut when you never know what you will see.

You should be good to at least 200 yards with a scoped 30-30 so no need to sneak up too close and risk the deer winding you. I like to hit the range at least a few times in the summer before hunting season to make sure i am on point.

I am sure more experienced hunters will chime in with suggestions also.

[M@B]

Hey New Hunter, you are going to get all kinds of good info here but, the best way to learn is to just get out there and look around pay attention and start putting the picture together. you have all summer to get out and see what, when, why and where deer are.
And it's a good excuse to get out of the house!
Good luck!

Regards, M@B.

[new hunter]

Thanks M@B , I have been trying to do a ton of early season scouting {mostly up the rutherford and upper lillooet } but Ive found that the well worn deer trails I find during the summer seem to be abandoned by the fall . This is my third season looking for deer unsuccesfully { I did see two does last year around 32k up the hurley , but wrong sex and out of range } . Ive been told that the deer migrate towards harrison around the fall , and also that carpenter lake is a good area to check out . I guess I'll just have to keep my boots on the ground this summer and keep familiarising myself with these areas .
When you guys hunt do you go into a pre scouted area and wait , or do you go to a vantage point and glass for movement ? Ive read that mole deer hunting is like sheep hunting get up real high and glass for movement wereas white tails are hunted by picking well used areas and setting up an ambush . Will the ambush method work for mulies ,Ive heard that mulies are too unpredictable . And If I do need to find a vantage point what kind of range should I be trying to cover an entire valley that covers several clicks or just a large cut block that covers a few hundred yards . And should I move on to a different area if I dont see anything , or camp out all day till something shows up . And finally, how early in the day should I be hitting the field ,Ive been getting up around 4 am so I can be out for first light , but I find by 11 or 12 Im too tired too stay out. sorry about the long thread and thanks for any info

[4 point]

new hunter it would probably help you a ton if you could get out with someone who has hunted mulies before. Scouting out areas is good but you need to learn a few areas well that hold deer, then learn how to hunt them. Late August areas that hold deer will probably hold the same ones once the 4 pt season opens in Sept. in Rge 3. This is a good site for information and with good people to help you.

[Weatherby Fan]

New Hunter,as a rule of thumb for alpine hunting in Southern BC 5500 ft is roughly where your treeline will end and where the alpine starts,not to say trees don't grow higher it's just they start to get sparse from there on up,you are in the right area over around Carpenter Lake,hunt any of that alpine in September you will see deer,lots of glassing at first and last light,try and get out and do some preseason scouting and be back opening day if you find deer.If your glassing cutblocks deer usually feed into them in the evening and out of them towards first light,I have found them bedding in them all day long if not disturbed,but best at first and last light,I found the evening best for cutblocks, myself I prefer Alpine !
Good Luck
WF

[new hunter]

thanks 4 point and weatherby fan , the elevation and light info is very helpful .