Need some advice

I'm in need of some scouting and hunting tactics advice. I have only spent 4 years learning the unit I currently hunt on, so I know I will need to spend plenty more before I truly know the area. I have spent some time before my hunt scouting, but have never had any success. I know there are big deer in the area, but the problem is it's thick (aspen and tall brush) and EXTREMELY steep. The only deer I have seen without actually hunting the mountain side are 2 and 3 year old bucks. Most of the mature deer hangout 1/2 to 2/3 up the mountain. The only success I have had hunting it is moving extremely slow and glassing ahead of me. Problem is, when I find them they are close and usually have me pegged so I don't get much time to look at the buck before having to decide to shoot or pass. Anyone on here have much success hunting thick terrain? If so how do you scout and hunt it? Thank you all in advance!

Stay back from the mountain and glass and try to pattern your buck. If he is entering a specific set of trees or brush consistently to bed down after feeding at night then try to be in his bedding area before he heads to go lay down. Try to ambush him. You might even go to the bedding area now in March and April or as soon as the snow melts to look for trails and beds.
Another option is to move. Go where there are less tress and bald mountain tops. Many bucks in these areas will bed under rocks and cliffs or under lone trees giving you a better chance at stalking.
Are you archery or rifle hunting?
If you are rifle hunting then you can always have a friend push the buck out of the trees as you wait on the other side or even sit on overlooking an escape route or trail in the trees.
Sometimes you can let your scent blow from your back towards cover that you know holds deer and wait for them to come out on the other side. Hope these ideas are helpful. Fatrooster.

I do muzzleloader. I have found big deer in the same general area 3 times now. The problem is that it is thick trees surrounded by thick brush that's about as tall as a deers back. So it's difficult to glass, but I will try to maybe move back a ridge to get level with them and glass. Its worth a shot. The area is snow covered until the end of may, but I thought about setting trail cameras on the game trails as early as I can. There are several trails going across the mountain, so I'll have to pick a few and hope I get lucky. Thank you for the info!

Here is my 2016 buck, I thought he was bigger than this. I only saw him from the side, not the biggest buck on the mountain. So I need to figure out a new plan.

Pretty neat looking buck. I wish you luck and hope you get the big one. Fatrooster

89: Sounds like you have found a prettygood area. The bucks you describe seem worth the effort. They are in there because of the terrain and dense cover....your going to have to deal with it or find another place to hunt. For me I would scout, trails, beds etc and mark them with gps, walk the trails with tracks on in the gps so you can make maps and deside and plan your hunts. Go in the area in the dark thats your cover, when you make some noise cover it with an elk cow call....walk to your choice hunting spot for the day from your gps. Set up sit and hope its your lucky day....that's hunt'n

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You can hunt them in there, but are probably moving too fast. It is tough for most of us to slow down to the 50 or 70 yard an hour rate of still hunting needed.

If it is dry, just wear socks or moccasins. The only time I've found myself really successful at getting on bucks in bedding areas, is when it has recently, or is currently raining. Rain quietens everything and clears the air of scent. You will also find that they are up and feeding more during the day, when it is raining. They won't be on open slopes, but they will feed in small open areas in the timber itself. Fresh powdery snow works too. Heavy wet snow that crunches when you walk on it? Don't bother.



There is a risk. If you blow them out of a bedding area, they probably won't be back for a couple of weeks at best.

Thanks guys. This gives me some ideas to try. I hadn't thought about using a cow call to cover my sound, I do it during the elk hunt but it didn't cross my mind for deer. I was worried about going in before light for fear of pushing the bucks out before I can see. I'm not sure if this is where they are bedding down or where they are feeding, do you think this is wrong?

If you hunt with a friend YOU cover the escape route and have your friend come in from the other side(still hunting slow and easy) and it will push the deer out slow toward the escape route.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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