Hunting the Mountains

mfrofadventure · 12-10-2002, 06:15 PM

I have read in hunting magazines and from (some) other hunters that when hunting for the really nice bucks, you need to go way up high...on the mountains, particularly when the hunting pressure gets somewhat heavy. Most hunters don't seem to want to go "this far in" to hunt deer. Here in NH, we have few farms/fields. Most of the hunting is in hardwoods and pines. The mountains in my area are about 2500 to 3000 feet in elevation. I have hunted about half-way up these mountains and seen some sign. I have never hunted way up on top where the trees grow to about 5 feet high because of the altitude. To get to these mountain tops, it takes about 1 to 2 hours...even longer if you do not want to break a sweat getting there. Anybody have good luck on the big hills?

BeltedMag · 12-11-2002, 04:39 AM

I live and hunt in WV and i have definetly noticed some truth to that statment. During hunting season when the pressure is really on i have seen some of the biggest bucks on the top of the mountains. They are usually bedded down in the thickest, rockiest parts they can find. I hunt with a club and we do deer drives so its usually a fight between those able to handle the walk on who gets the top of the mountain. Because the little bucks and does will usually run donw the mountian and the big ones head to the top and hide out. We have actually seen huge bugs going over the rock cliffs on top like moutain goats . Or found some of the most serious sign way back in where it takes hours to go. So if your willing to do it, you can find the monsters way back there, they know how to hide and get bigger, cause i think they know how lazy we are and that we dont want to come that far to find them.

nyorange · 12-11-2002, 01:41 PM

Noticed the same thing where I was after hiking around 2 hours. Place was so thick with mountain laurel couldn't make any sort of approach without spooking everything. Tree stand would have been perfect to allow me to look over the laurel at all the trails, sort of like a bird's eye view of a human size maze. Then I realized that I would have to haul the tree stand up and If I got anything I would have to carry it back down as it couldn't be dragged through the laurel. AFter pondering the workout I would get I nixed the whole idea and continued walking back down to clearer/flatter ground. Maybe next year if I set up the tree stand in the summer over a few trips. (ladder stand, hate climbers etc, scared of em)Sure was alot of sign and beds up there. Good luck if you head up into the mountains, just remember there is a return voyage also which you will probably make alone and heavily encumbered. Best wishes.

jf5 · 12-11-2002, 03:11 PM

I think the mountin thing is partially true. I think the bucks will simply go where the people are not, and mountain tops can be those places. A lowland swamp may be another place, if its too thick, or the water is too deep, they will stick it out there.

One think the mountain does have is the hight advantage that the deer has when bedded, can use to see you coming.

My 2 cents...

BTRACK · 12-11-2002, 10:42 PM

I hunt Vermont and from my perspective their are a couple types of deer. Farm deer and mountain deer. Farm deer are edge deer, the type you can watch in the summer in the fields and probably what most hunt in VT - and maybe NH? The smaller tracks of land that farm deer cover make them more accessable but they never seam to amaze me how they can find holes to hide in when the presure is on. None the less - they are different birds. I haven't had the luck - except to see some of these deer being dragged out and weighed in...but that's all it took and I was sold. At this point - I'd rather go home empty handed and do nothing but work these deer.

The ones I've seen are in an area with lots of limestone and are big animals and support some of the biggest racks in VT (which aint big by comparison mind you) but good enough for me. Although their are smaller deer mixed in the ones I've helped drag seamed big - more over the 200 mark and a couple over 250 dressed when said and done. These deer maybe the exact same deer but they are less molested because of their formatable surroundings and may grow bigger. I can sit for 3-4 hours when necessary but like to track and have spent a lot of time up top. There are some ridgelines and saddles up there- especially in the evergreen which make a mighty nice home - and have had good success up there.. if only seeing flags and some huge tracks. On the other hand I've started at 3:30 and hiked for two hours with a flashlight only to find that there hasn't been a big deer up high for a day and a half - pending weather mostly. Big storm or high winds and I'm looking for thier low wind protected gettaway.

Some say there are short legged deer and mountain deer/ or long-legged deer.. not sure - but at the check station or hanging you can see the difference in genetics between these deer I think - and maybe the legs are a piece of the puzzel? Don't know.

Anyway,, there are some tremendus bucks of both types - farm/mtn but most looking for the mountain variety hunt those same 2000-3000ft hills to get a proverbial "ridgerunner". For the past several years I've been hunting the "mountain" variety exclusively - mostly tracking but alot of sitting and still hunting mixed in. I'm not "lucky" and haven't scored on a big one yet but have passed some smaller bucks in the process - so that' success to me.

The loggers have the real details cause they all but live with them I'm told. I don't have that luxury as I live in the west and scout when I get there (which is via topo only). Some of the most successful mountain deer hunters in Vermont - and Maine for that matter are loggers or these guys that will push those ridgetop hideaways or work in teams maybe to get them.

Since fields are a few, the food types are different but they travel that same "under the edge" sidehill method a lot or run from the top to the bottom when moving. Think the feeding and bedding areas are different and harder to locate in the mountains.

This year I've learned that they can cover some serious ground and aren't going to go in those small circles like some of the "farm deer" I've tracked and killed.. more just tracked. The one I was after I worked for 7.5 hours the second day.. and would pick him up at some time of the day each day, sometimes jumping him up - but mostly not. About the second day he took me quartering across but with the wind - due South from his bed where I kicked him in the low evergreens, up through the hardwoods - solid beaches, then through a real mix of higher mountain hardwoods mixed with black birch to this mix of what I call tiger-whip-tails (the ones that will whip your eye out of your head) and into that stunted growth stuff on the very top.. Maybe that "shrub" is the mountain laurel..

Heard him go up there but never layed eyes on him. This small feed plant that seams to grow in all directions was covered in ice and made for a noisy approach. Know they eat the buds off it. Need to do the research to get the real name - but they like it anyway.

I have heard from old timers that have killed more big bucks than I have - all deer combined - , that some of those bucks just never come down. They can survive up there by burrying in the mountain hemlock other everygreen and blowdowns when its bad out - and never really leave their mountain hideaways except to chase doe when the rut kicks in or lastly when they get 4 days or more of just absolute hurricane winds with deep snow.. apparently that will drive them down too.

I shot at and missed one last year and am waiting for my second chance but am a believer in the "mountain variety". Think if you get one big - you can get one there. Just ramblin..

Good luck.