Late rifle deer season

stevie · Jul 9, 2008

I have never hunted the late rifle season in Southern NM. Only muzzy and 1st rifle. This year I drew late rifle in Unit 17.

These are my questions. From your all's experience, do the deer move lower after the chaos of the 1st season? Do they return to their original haunts before the opening of the late season? Do they go into the thicker stuff?

In short, where should I concentrate my efforts?

snpr700 · Jul 9, 2008

DO you have time to scout or are you a non resident? I drew the same tag.

NMPaul · Jul 10, 2008

Stevie, the Nov deer hunt at least here in the Sacramento Mountains normally is not late enough to have enough weather to get the deer active.

Normally bluebird skies keep the good bucks back in cover early and late coming out. Also they are generous with tags to there seems to be more hunters up here than any other time of the year.

With all the rain we are getting up here anything is possible for deer season.

Best thing on deer out here would be to scout up some bucks way off the beaten path and be there before the crowds opening morning. The further from the roads the better.

I dont think they move around all that much as far as moving high or low. We dont get enough snow to get them to migrate. I personally would rather hunt in country I can glass for deer. The 6000 foot level or lower.

Where is your tag for?

stevie · Jul 10, 2008

Thanks for the response.

My tag is for Unit 17--late rifle. My questions deal more with deer behavior due to the pressure of the first hunt rather than weather. I would imagine that hunting pressure would cause the deer to change their habits temporarily.