mevertsen
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LAST EDITED ON Sep-10-11 AT 12:27PM (MST)[p]Well, I had a surprise about 3 weeks ago and ended up with a muzzle loader tag that someone turned in which was my first choice in the draw this year and I did not originally draw. I got all set up and good to go. I was able to get permission to hunt some private property, and due to truck issues, I am pretty well stuck hunting there until the part that I need comes in. (Have not gotten the right part, and it is closing on three weeks now since the sensor went out). This is not traditional mule deer country, but there are deer there, and in decent enough numbers to at least keep things interesting.
I was able to get 3 evenings of scouting in last week, and I located 5 bucks. 1 little forkie, a couple bigger forkies, a small 3 point, and either a nice 3 point, or small 4. The area I am hunting is previously irrigated grass meadow that is not mowed down. The irrigation has been shut down. It also borders some other property (to the north) which is mostly grazed to nothing (no permission), and the property adjacent (north) to that (which I also have permission to hunt) is grass.
There are irrigation ditches throughout, and a river, and the northern property is loaded with willows and 5 foot tall grass. Thus far, I have decided not to hunt it because I have not been able to scout it and get a good idea of the trails. The grass is just too tall to spot deer well, let alone put a good sneak on one and get a clear shot, then find it in the maze.
The southern property (where I am seeing the bucks so far) is a lot shorter grass, and weeds. To the south of that property is a small piece of BLM (maybe) 480 acres in an L shape. That section is mostly one little hill that has a few draws (on the north side). On the north side, there is some rock slides with sage, and little benches and bowls. The rest of the hill is mostly cheat grass, and smaller sage.
In all of the evenings, I have seen deer (Does, fawns, and the bigger 3 bucks) come out of one of the draw into the field. This morning, I hunted that southern property and saw the other bigger forkie, and screwed around with him for a while, but did not get anywhere.
I was also able to watch the 2 bigger bucks, and other forkie, and one doe go over a ridge into the same draw I have previously watched deer come out of.
After screwing up the one little buck and the doe he was with (one little doe was running the show and a PITA), I backed off and waited about an hour. I was pretty sure the other bucks did not know I was there at that point.
I drove around the mountain, and got a position to approach from the east. I side hilled the mountain high, and the wind kept changing on me. I thought it was the thermals starting, but its now known to me that the wind was actually coming from the east (the one time a year it does that here, lol). As I worked my way around the mountain, I was glassing into some sage at the top of that draw, and did not see any deer. The sage up in this little bowl was about 3 foot tall. There were also some lilte mounds and gullies up there to hide a deer easily. After about another 200 yards of sneaking, I saw the 3 bucks and doe standing on the hill side. (apparently they winded me, and were lying in the little bowl in the sage up there). I watched them go over the ridge, and backed off and walked back to my truck.
I know that no one else is hunting these deer right now. I was wondering if I could get some thoughts on what people think the deer might do now. Have I pressured them too much, and they will just leave the area (not real good places for them to go around there)? Or if I just back off, should they get back in their routine?
Thanks,
Marcial
I was able to get 3 evenings of scouting in last week, and I located 5 bucks. 1 little forkie, a couple bigger forkies, a small 3 point, and either a nice 3 point, or small 4. The area I am hunting is previously irrigated grass meadow that is not mowed down. The irrigation has been shut down. It also borders some other property (to the north) which is mostly grazed to nothing (no permission), and the property adjacent (north) to that (which I also have permission to hunt) is grass.
There are irrigation ditches throughout, and a river, and the northern property is loaded with willows and 5 foot tall grass. Thus far, I have decided not to hunt it because I have not been able to scout it and get a good idea of the trails. The grass is just too tall to spot deer well, let alone put a good sneak on one and get a clear shot, then find it in the maze.
The southern property (where I am seeing the bucks so far) is a lot shorter grass, and weeds. To the south of that property is a small piece of BLM (maybe) 480 acres in an L shape. That section is mostly one little hill that has a few draws (on the north side). On the north side, there is some rock slides with sage, and little benches and bowls. The rest of the hill is mostly cheat grass, and smaller sage.
In all of the evenings, I have seen deer (Does, fawns, and the bigger 3 bucks) come out of one of the draw into the field. This morning, I hunted that southern property and saw the other bigger forkie, and screwed around with him for a while, but did not get anywhere.
I was also able to watch the 2 bigger bucks, and other forkie, and one doe go over a ridge into the same draw I have previously watched deer come out of.
After screwing up the one little buck and the doe he was with (one little doe was running the show and a PITA), I backed off and waited about an hour. I was pretty sure the other bucks did not know I was there at that point.
I drove around the mountain, and got a position to approach from the east. I side hilled the mountain high, and the wind kept changing on me. I thought it was the thermals starting, but its now known to me that the wind was actually coming from the east (the one time a year it does that here, lol). As I worked my way around the mountain, I was glassing into some sage at the top of that draw, and did not see any deer. The sage up in this little bowl was about 3 foot tall. There were also some lilte mounds and gullies up there to hide a deer easily. After about another 200 yards of sneaking, I saw the 3 bucks and doe standing on the hill side. (apparently they winded me, and were lying in the little bowl in the sage up there). I watched them go over the ridge, and backed off and walked back to my truck.
I know that no one else is hunting these deer right now. I was wondering if I could get some thoughts on what people think the deer might do now. Have I pressured them too much, and they will just leave the area (not real good places for them to go around there)? Or if I just back off, should they get back in their routine?
Thanks,
Marcial
