Hunting Mule Deer

ironranger · 08-26-2003, 07:52 AM

I' m going on my first mule deer hunt in late October in Montana. I' ve been going over maps, reading articles on hunting them, and getting in shape for the hunt. Just curious as to how you veteran mulie hunters hunt them?? What does your day consist of?? Glass in the mornings and evenings from what I' ve been reading but what about in between?? Is it better to continue glassing or get up and cover alot of ground?? I' ll be hunting around Fort Peck area and from what I' ve seen it varies in elevation from about 2100 to about 3000 feet. I' m not looking for information on where to hunt but rather how you hunt them. I' ve hunted whitetails in northern Minnesota for many years but this is my first mule deer hunt. I am really looking forward to it and can' t wait to see that country...

Jorgy · 08-26-2003, 10:07 AM

IR, I' ve never hunted mulies in Mt, but just about every other western state. My days are spent glassing, glasssing and a little more glassing. I try to hit a good vantage point right away in the morning and start right out. It sounds easy, but you really have to be patient and really look an area over. As you probably know from your own experience, you hardly ever see a " whole" deer. Your looking for an ear, tine, tail. Normally when I just start glassing an area I start looking for a horizontal line since it will be out of place. If I can' t find anything this way, and I can' t glass promising ravines, I will walk them. But 80% of all of my success has been glassing and stalking, with the occational driving right by one and stopping.

noway · 08-26-2003, 10:31 AM

If you are looking for a big buck, normally you need to see them first.
They are good at hiding and they will let you walk right by without jumping up.

rather_be_huntin · 08-26-2003, 01:39 PM

I spend the mornings and evenings glassing from a good vantage point. If I' m seeing plenty of deer I go back to camp because I don' t like to alter thier patterns and jump them out of their beds. A few mornings and evening doing a ton of glassing usually yields a good buck eventually.

If I' m not seeing much glassing then I start walking. I tend walking in the timber midday cause often times if you' re sneaky then you' ll catch one taking a nap. This has happened quite a few times.

There are factors such as pressure and weather that do alter behavior.

BareBack Jack · 08-26-2003, 04:15 PM

I have hunted the deer of the Missourie River Breaks,south side of the lake.I' m no expert @ mule deer.I have taken a number of buck decent bucks.I usally hunt the ride tops of early morrning and mid-morrning.If it is cold you can find them sunning them selves.Late evening watch the alflafa and wheat stubble fields.This works good also in the morrning,cath one comming off.

Also watch the rock out croppings or bases of buttes,them big bucks get up in the shade mid-day and to have good look out as to see what is approching.
I hope this gives you a starting point.BBJ Get Big " UN"

P.S.Their horns are lighter color over there due to the minerals.Do lots of glassing.

jroot · 08-27-2003, 02:12 PM

ironranger are you going to be hunting private or public land?

ironranger · 09-01-2003, 07:46 PM

Jroot,

I' ll be hunting public land...

jroot · 09-02-2003, 06:54 PM

i hunt in the general area but on private land with lots of roads. due to the vast amount and openess of the terrain i have always spent considerable time in the truck spotting.

where i' m at there are allot of benches that drop off into deep coolies offering deer good hiding places. i drive to the area then get get out and walk and look over the edges glassing it over good. during the day they are usually 3/4 up a hill in the sun.

on the farm i hunt the deer develop patterns feeding in the same fields. if i see deer in the same spot for a couple days i' ll go and hide out along a fence row and wait, this works for me to.

ironranger · 09-05-2003, 07:44 AM

There are two of us hunting and I was just curious as to whether it would work for one person to drop down into a coulee and still hunt while the other hunter gets up high and slightly ahead to check for escaping deer. Anyone use this method or are we still better off staying put and glassing...

huntertj · 09-05-2003, 09:17 AM

Ironranger,

I' ve done some hunting along the MO river breaks in SoDak. I would hang tight in the morning and evenings and wait for the deer to move. During the day, I would send a guy up the gut of a coulee and someone walk above and ahead of him. I usually pick a spot a ways away from where I hunt in the mornings and evenings.

By the way, where are you from on the Range? My wife is from Hibbing. Her family still lives and hunts up there. I' d like to pick your brain on deer hunting up there.

Terry