Paunsaugunt Muzzle Loader hunt

Got lucky and drew a Pauns ML tag been on about 1/2 dozen scouting trips seen a few good bucks on top. Just wondering if anyone has any advise about this hunt, should I stay high, move lower? Going down this weekend and again a couple days before it starts any info would be appreciated.

This will seem like a stupid answer, but go where the deer are. As you are probably aware, they will migrate south. I've been told the migration is like clock work each year, but you never know. I wouldn't think a ton will be down low in the sand below the White Cliffs, but everything above there should be in your game plan for the muzzy hunt.

When I had my rifle tag I went down below the Whites to get the law of the land during the first week of September. I was told I probably wouldn't see many deer, but they would be there in October. I literally did not even see sign of a single deer. No tracks in the sand, nothing. When I went down for the rifle hunt, there were deer everywhere and the sand looked like a deer super-highway.

Stay on top... Plain. Simple. For the muzzy hunt, they will not have moved down yet...

Good luck. I hope we see some success photos..!!

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

I'll wave if I see you down there on the muzzleloader hunt.
I'll be the guy with the fat 2 point strapped to my quad!
Zeke

Thank you all for the information, hope to be posting pictures soon.

>Got lucky and drew a Pauns
>ML tag been on about
>1/2 dozen scouting trips seen
>a few good bucks on
>top. Just wondering if anyone
>has any advise about this
>hunt, should I stay high,
>move lower? Going down this
>weekend and again a couple
>days before it starts any
>info would be appreciated.


Simple answer is yes!

They probably will be just starting to head down.

I hunted the muzzy down there 2 years ago with a friend of mine. Neither of us even saw a shooter buck in 7 days of hunting. There were a few bucks in the 140-150" range that I could have taken. We covered a lot of country on top, both on ATVs and on foot. Did a ton of glassing off the rim and thoroughly hiked a bunch of the burn and clear cut areas. Expect a lot of pressure. This hunt reminded me of a general season hunt due to all the hunters and their scouting parties. I did see some very nice deer during the archery season, and even the night before the hunt I saw a nice 190 class buck. The logging activity and cattle unfortunately screwed up 2 of the spots I had scouted. My advice would be not to waste too much time hunting up top. It can be good up there for sure, but the deer won't stick around too long. If you're not seeing anything worth shooting I'd move off the top.