Crash Coarse in the High Country

[MOhunter28]

Needed some help/opinions on an archery high country hunt I'm doing in the next week and a half. I've read Eastman's book on the high country as well as David Long's book. From what I have gathered, glass early morning, put them to bed, and make a stalk. My question is what slopes do mule deer favor? It seems that they want to find the cool shade and stay out of the sun. Does this mean that a majority of bucks will bed on North facing slopes? Obviously I do not want to pic a glassing point facing East in the morning or a West facing one in the afternoon. Is there a general rule of thumb on which slopes to look at or which slopes to glass from?

Finally, I'm a scent freak being a huge whitetail hunter from the flat lands. Would I be correct in saying that choosing a glassing point with the wind in my favor is the correct thing to do or is the distance make it not such a big deal. I tend to over analyze a lot of this so I could just be over thinking it.

 

[rklein]

Get Dwight Schuch's book. He covers most of the questions you're asking. I found it to be an excellent resource.

 

[LJ Buck]

Just go hunt. Best way to figure it out. Robby dennings book is the best I have seen.

 

[LaHunter]

I read this once concerning hunting and the wind:
Rule 1: It's always about the wind
Rule 2: It's never not about the wind

With that said, obviously if your glassing a mountainside a mile away, then the wind should not be a factor. If the deer are within 600 -800 yards or so, then the wind direction becomes more of a factor. Wind in the mountains is very difficult to read. It swirls a lot. There are rising thermals in the warmer parts of the day and there are falling thermals in the cooler parts of the day. Just do your best at keeping the wind in your favor.
Don't overthink it, go hunt and keep at it.

Good Luck

 

[MOhunter28]

Thanks LaHunter, I sort of figured being a mile away isn't going to matter but like you said those closer ranges its obviously going to. I'm very familiar with thermals from hunting steep ravines and hollers in southern Missouri and Arkansas. Obviously not the mountains but same rules I'm sure apply.

 

[mntnguide]

The thing with highcountry hunting and scent....you are going to stink no matter how hard you try not to. These mountains make you sweat fast!...Play the wind when it comes to stalking, if the wind isnt right, dont think you will be able to cover up your scent enough. I dont worry about my scent when it comes to 1000 yards away etc...but anything under 500ish I start to think about it depending on how the wind is acting etc..

 

[elkbowkevin]

Get Dwight Schuch's book. He covers most of the questions you're asking. I found it to be an excellent resource.

EXCELLENT BOOK! I got this book a while back and read it cover to cover in two nights laying in bed.
This and david longs book ate a good resource.

 

[Whip1]

My two best spots are east facing. It seems like deer like morning sun. Just my experience.

 

[MOhunter28]

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm a flatlander whitetail guy and scent is always a huge deal to us but the wind is always king. I've found in the whitetail woods North facing slopes on warm days are always good and south facing on cold days. Didn't know if the same rule would apply to mulies.

 

[Jimmy]

I have a question for the experienced archery hunters out there. This past weekend I spotted two nice bucks(by CA standards) about a mile away on a very steep mountainside. Lots of open rockslide areas with scattered groups of trees. I was trying to see thm bed down then plan a stalk. Both of them vanished into some scattered trees. So I didn't know exactly where they were bedded down, just the general area. How many of you would climb the mountain and try to get in close to where they are at, or would you just wait it out and try again another morning to see them bed down?

I waited and came home without ever moving on them and now I'm having regrets haha.

 

[Whip1]

Jimmy,
The biggest buck I have killed was doing the same thing. He was consistently bedding in a large Aspen Grove. One morning he was farther away from the Aspen's than usual. I got above where I knew he was going to enter the Aspen's and shot him there. If you know where he will go in and you spot him first thing in the morning i would try to get closer and when the wind shifts in your favor try to beat him to where you know he will go in. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Jimmy]

Jimmy,
The biggest buck I have killed was doing the same thing. He was consistently bedding in a large Aspen Grove. One morning he was farther away from the Aspen's than usual. I got above where I knew he was going to enter the Aspen's and shot him there. If you know where he will go in and you spot him first thing in the morning i would try to get closer and when the wind shifts in your favor try to beat him to where you know he will go in. Hopefully that makes sense.

Yeah that helps. I hope I'll have time soon to get back up there and try to sneak in close.