Nube looking for some advice

[Sanner25]

Next year I plan to head west for a diy archery mule deer hunt. I'm planning on hunting plains mule deer in Nebraska. I have rifle hunted the same state/area for whitetails in the past so I'm some what familiar with the terrain. But totally new to mule deer.
I have been doing alot of reading about mule deer, so I know they like shade early season and north facing slopes, ect.
I'm adding a pic just to see how some of the mule deer guru's would attack this particular area. Google earth says its 5mi north to south and 2.5mi east to west. Red is road, blue is pond, yellow arrow is predominate wind direction for that time of year, and obviously the pivots would be potential food source
Any other advice you guys can give me I'm all ears!
Thanks in advance!

 

[Homer]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-19 AT 08:03PM (MST)[p]probably your best advice would be to PM Comules and Buckbrush.....very nice guys....

 

[N_Corey]

Glass those fields in the morning and it?ll be pretty easy to figure out where the bucks are heading to bed. After you've done that you have the option of ambush on the trail they're using or wait until they bed and stalk.

 

[Comules]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-19 AT 09:58PM (MST)[p]Homer -Thanks I guess
I just feel that people can choose to help someone if they choose or to not help them. I think if they choose the latter then they should just not comment at all. At almost 70 years old maybe I was just raised differently.

 

[BeanMan]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-20-19 AT 09:58PM (MST)[p]What are those circle things?

Hasbean

 

[Comules]

Pivot irrigation I would say but I'm use to seeing them water the whole area

 

[elkassassin]

Kinda Weird They'd go to the Expense of a Pivot & Only water just part of it?

Maybe it's one of them Government Deals that paid for it & then they tell them We'll Pay you not to Grow & Not to Water it?









I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

 

[Cornhusker]

>
>Kinda Weird They'd go to the
>Expense of a Pivot &
>Only water just part of
>it?
>
>Maybe it's one of them Government
>Deals that paid for it
>& then they tell them
>We'll Pay you not to
>Grow & Not to Water
>it?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I know so many people in
>so many places
>They make allot of money but
>they got sad faces
>
>It Ain't Easy being Me!


Rotation of crops is why the pivot is completely planted. Sat. photo of possibly fall corn is out and alfalfa isn't going to be cut. The pivot runs the full circles.

A lot depends on when you are hunting this, get high and glass is always the big thing, pivot may be a factor or might not. This year there is probably water in most of the bottoms so I'm not sure the pond is significant.

 

[DesertRanch]

Deer need three main things to thrive-
1- groceries, 2- water and 3- lack of pressure. The water and food are staring at you from the picture. But where the deer find their comfort zone may change. It can be wooded creek bottoms or tall weeds in a CRP field. I've seen big bucks lay 100 yards from a road in tall sage brush and people drive past them all hunt. Where ever they aren't pressured, is where they will be. Your job will be to set up on the edges of those zones and catch them going for a drink or supper. Mule deer use their ears as much as they use their nose. Hope that helps a little. Glass them from a ways away and watch where they go to bed. Then slip in with the wind right and set up an ambush. Good luck to ya

 

[steelie]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-21-19 AT 12:48PM (MST)[p]Just my own experience, but looking at the terrain, I would equate it to areas I've hunted in UT/ID that are lower areas boardering farmland.
I think the bucks behave a little differently in these areas than in mountainous areas. They are a little less predictable on where they go (patterns change more frequently), but more structured on when they feed/water, more likely to hang with does, and they'll bed damn near anywhere. Although many of those draws and coulles look like prime mid day hunker down spots.
I'd try and find where they like to go and catch them mid morning on the way into bed. I hunt a few places that look very similar, our best tactic is rooting them out on a midday sneak though all the little draws. Works fine with muzz/rifle but you've got to know the deer well that you'll likely be seeing, as you'll need to make decisions quick. Jump shooting bucks with a bow though....that doesn't sound like a good idea.