Mule Deer Migration Question

[bounds]

First off, this is my first post, so hello to all and thanks for having me. I've been on a number of other forums pretty regularly over the years but am finally looking at a mule deer hunt this year so I figured that this is one of the best places to ask questions. So here I go...

I know that there are a lot of variables involved, but are mule deer still at or near timberline for the first rifle hunt (mid October)? A couple of buddies and I have been building points in Colorado for a number of years and are trying to decide where to focus our attention.

I know that the weather largely dictates when the deer start heading to lower elevations, but for those of you who have spent some time up high in mid October, are you still seeing bucks up there?

We have hunted above timberline in 751 during archery season and grew up camping there in the summers and have seen some pretty big deer. I just don't know if a month is going to make all the difference and they won't be in the areas we know well.

We have been planning on a rifle hunt, but we don't know the lower elevations very well. Would it be better to do muzzleloader in September and be able to hunt the areas we are familiar with and have seen big deer in? Or is it fairly likely that the big boys will still be holed up in the high country in first rifle season, despite the possibility of some early weather?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Founder]

In my experience, you could catch some bucks right at timberline in mid-Oct. if the snow is tolerable (usually is). You probably won't see bucks in the same places in mid-Oct. as during the summer or even in Sept., but they'll probably be close.

Once it gets cool, they rub antlers, a few hunters begin walking through their houses, they tend to stick close to heavy, deep cover.

Mid-October is a very tough time to hunt big bucks. If you get snow, it helps in most places. Without snow, it can be tough, especially after the first couple days. Once hunters begin pounding the mountain, those bucks hunker down and hold really tight.

The upside to a muzzleloader hunt is less hunters stirring the deer around. The downside is that you have to get MUCH closer to get um.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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[bounds]

Thanks Brian! The bucks we have seen in September archery have all been over 12k feet. If early weather does start pushing them down by that time, how low are they going with it still being relatively early in the year? Are they moving down from 12-13K to 10-11k? Or lower than that?

 

[jainoon]

If you arrive early enough to catch the first rifle elk hunters still in camp they usually can provide invaluable insight as to what elevation the deer are currently at.Used that on my last 2nd season hunt to save valuable hunting time as the deer had already started heading lower.We had to go down to 10000 feet before we started talking to any Elk camps seeing deer and the main concentrations were around 9 thousand that year.

 

[littlebighorn]

I would listen to Founder, since he owns the keys to Colorado hunting. That said, my experience is that it varies widely from area to area.
Some deer, that have to travel a long way may start down hill earlier than others. Then again, one area I hunted the bucks moved off into the low country way before weather set in. It just seemed to be that herd's habit. So local knowledge is key.

 

[nontypical]

+1, LBH. In Nevada, some herds begin migration in October, regardless of snow. They follow the same pattern every year.

In SW Wy, it varies from year to year, and not necessarily due to snow levels. In November, it's all about the does. I have seen many mature bucks on the winter range with little if any snow in the high country. The does were there, so the bucks followed.

 

[bounds]

Thanks for the input guys! That seems to be what I keep hearing is that there is no safe bet across the board as it can vary area to area and year to year.