Bowhunting Muleys in thick country

[haydenbates098]

The unit in which I am looking to hunt is covered in Manzanita and Snowbrush. Very thick country. Extremely hard to move through without making loads of noise. Glassing can be productive, but again, the bucks seem to be hanging out in the areas where you would need to trudge through waist deep brush to get to them. None of the open terrain I have seen has held deer. Thoughts and or tips on how to go about hunting the area? I know there is deer around and I have them located. I just do not know how to reach them to get into bow range!

 

[cjdewese]

Following as it sounds like my local area as well. I've had the same problem and have had a tough time with it so far.

 

[haydenbates098]

How are they getting to that area?

I haven't been able to figure that out yet. According to my ONX and gohunt maps, there is a creek that runs through the draw that I have found them in, but I havent tried to go in yet in fear of blowing them out. But, I have glassed it from daylight to dark a couple of times and havent seen them leave the area. They feed and bed in it, and I often see them in the area where the creek runs through, but I haven't been able to find a good way to get in there without them hearing me long before I am within 60 or so yards. The manzanita is so dry and tall it's near impossible to stalk in it.

 

[haydenbates098]

Manzanita can be some nasty shit

The deer seem to love it! Which really irritates me because I hate all of it

 

[Rich M]

Go where they want to be and let them come to you.

 

[Dos Perros]

Ever tried a decoy?

Thought process: if they're going to hear you coming, try to make them think you're a deer.

 

[haydenbates098]

Ever tried a decoy?

Thought process: if they're going to hear you coming, try to make them think you're a deer.

It's worth a shot!

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Any cattle in the area? You could throw out some moos every once in awhile.

 

[haydenbates098]

Any cattle in the area? You could throw out some moos every once in awhile.

No cattle. They don't allow any grazing allotments in the area. Which is a nice change of pace from where I use to hunt actually

 

[dtrkyman]

Ambush sounds best, deer generally don’t respond well to decoys in cover!


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[Beendare]

They feed in that snowberry…but its not that thick you cant get through it in the many areas I’ve seen. They stay out of the thick over your head stuff for much of archery season.…makes it easier to spot them.

 

[elkliver]

find a good trail with fresh sign and sit down. They cant walk through the super thick stuff either and will follow trails. You will not sneak up on one in that stuff. no way, never

 

[strousek]

find a good trail with fresh sign and sit down. They cant walk through the super thick stuff either and will follow trails. You will not sneak up on one in that stuff. no way, never

I agree with this 100%. Find where they bed and there will usually only be one way in and out. Sit on that trail and wait for them to get out of bed. Mule deer will sit and watch you walk right on by them in that thick crap. I have seen mature deer let hunters walk yards from them while they tuck in and hide. As long as the deer knows the hunter doesn't see them they wait until you walk right on by and then get up and slip out the backdoor usually from the direction you came from.

 

[GambelOak]

This is very similar to what I hunt except its thickets of big tooth maple and gambel oak. I locate animals almost every day I am out. I know my area well, have been all through the thick stuff to find their trails, beds, places where I can stalk and places where I can't. That still doesn't make it easy. I might be able to find some easier terrain up higher but for whatever reason, I want to get a mule deer in the thick stuff that is close to my home. We do try stalks but I think it will come down to an ambush, being in the right place at the right time.

 

[GambelOak]

Reporting back, it is still ambush for me. Getting closer. The mule deer I hunt have this playbook with multiple options from any spot I see them. Where are they going. Hunting solo I can't cover every play they make so maybe 1 out of 10 times I can have the wind in my favor and get in front of them. Then you wait because you don't know for sure what they are doing until you see them. Still thick but at least the trees have lost their leaves. I am starting to catch them bedded down and after 2 hours of trying to get close I learn why they bed where they did. Sometimes you sit there wondering, what am I doing spending all this time trying to kill these deer with a bow and I can't even get close to them. They just sit out there in rifle range. Then you make the right call and get close. You nock an arrow, no shot, but everything is suddenly alright and you can't wait until the next time. The rut is close, snow is close. Let's see how that plays out over the next few weeks.