Colorado Archery Mule Deer - Hunting in Timber

[Wapiti16]

My family has been hunting in one unit in Southwest Colorado for the past 35-40 years. I'm third generation, I've been hunting elk there for the past 8 or so years, but have grown up more than 30 years spending my summers there, and I know the area pretty well. Half of the unit is all National Forest with good road system. It is heavily pressured because of the good access. Several times in the past 8 years, I have incidentally had an archery mule deer tag as well, although I have never focused on deer at all. This year I drew an archery deer tag and no elk tag, and I decided not to try for a leftover tag to focus 100% on deer.

I plan to hunt high at the beginning of September. I will likely be spiking out some and day hunting some; I have backpack hunted several years and have all the gear I need. This unit is only moderately sloped and extremely heavily timbered. There are very few large open slopes above treeline no real adjacent topography to get a vantage point. For this reason, there are few areas I can identify where glassing from long range and stalking would be an option. I would say it is not the "traditional high country basin mule deer country" most envision or see online, but we still see lots of deer all throughout the year.

I am hoping some of you seasoned mule deer hunters might give me some tips to archery hunting deer in a heavily timbered area where long range glassing and spot/stalk might not be an option. This is a very different style compared to the archery elk hunting I'm accustomed to. I am trying to decide if there are ways I can bowhunt without resorting to stand hunting, but I can do that if necessary. There are plenty of secluded waterholes and I can hunt on terrain funnels if needed.

Just to add, yes I am a Southerner, but I am an accomplished whitetail bowhunter (25+ years) all over the South and Midwest. I'm hoping I can apply some of that knowledge. I've got about 8 years experience hunting out west and 3 years of backpack hunting.

 

[Bassman]

@robby denning

OP - I'd suggest removing the unit #

 

[chindits]

I had an archery deer tag in a unit where the alpine all dried out right before archery season. All the bachelor herds left the high country and went into the beetle kill where there was an understory of green forage everywhere. Hunting that kind of timber with a bow is pretty comical in my experience. Maybe if you have concentrated forage areas and bedding areas with residential rather than transitional bucks then game on. All my close encounters seemed accidental or curious juvenile deer wondering what the hell I was. Good luck and I hope your timber area is different.

 

[robby denning]

tough nut to crack, but give it a shot.

1) "There are plenty of secluded waterholes..." tells me sitting water might not be very productive. Hope for record heat and make sure you've seen deer tracks (or Tcam pics) of deer there or your odds are uber low

2) "and I can hunt on terrain funnels if needed...." that's what I'd be focused on, whether tree stands or ground blinds.

 

[Poser]

I would focus on North and East facing slopes that overlook water, be it a lake or stream. They often won't be bedded immediately close to the water, rather a 1/3 of the way up the slope or more and often in tall, dense undergrowth. The problem in these areas is that you just can't see a bedded deer until you jump it so you must maintain concentration.

With that in mind, hit your terrain funnels in the morning and evening and stalk during the day.

 

[farmermail]

If you hunt before they shed velvet (varies, but sometime around 7th or so of September, sometimes sooner), find the most open, not thick areas you can. They don't like to injure the velvet. If after they shed, then focus on limiting factors. Water, food, cover, etc. If nothing is really limited, as @robby denning stated, funnels, saddles, etc. Getting after early season mule deer without the ability to glass is tough. Rewarding, but tough.

 

[DeerCatcherUT/CO]

Hunt them like whitetail. Look for sign, water (if it’s sparse), and you’ll have to ambush them. Focus on areas where pines meet brush. They feed on the brush, not grass like elk, and will use the transition areas where two types of vegetation meet. Look for steep slopes, those big bucks like to bed in spots where they can get away in a couple bounds.

 

[TaperPin]

Sometimes I tend to forget deer do what feels natural to them. Genes give muledeer the desire to be up on a point or ridge looking down, just like a house cat prefers to be up on a cat stand relaxing - just because the ridge or point is covered in trees doesn’t mean deer won’t bed there. I’d still hunt the terrain as if it were more open, paying attention to traditional well used deer beds as you work ridges. The deer beds will tell you more than any of us can - if your judgement is turning up empty but recently used beds, it’s just a matter of time before you find some with hooves still in them.

 

[Wapiti16]

tough nut to crack, but give it a shot.

1) "There are plenty of secluded waterholes..." tells me sitting water might not be very productive. Hope for record heat and make sure you've seen deer tracks (or Tcam pics) of deer there or your odds are uber low

2) "and I can hunt on terrain funnels if needed...." that's what I'd be focused on, whether tree stands or ground blinds.

Thank you, Robby. I just started your book Monday and I’ve almost finished it. Lots of helpful info. Thanks to everyone else taking the time to respond as well