Early rifle vs late season

[Highvoltage1]

I’m looking for some pros/cons of doing an early rifle deer alpine hunt vs 3rd season. The plan is to cash out deer points this year as this is my first mule deer hunt. I’m set up to spike out if need be, I have some experience elk hunting. Just looking for a general consensus as whether you would choose one over the other and why, the obvious being weather unpredictably. If anyone would like to pm and keep info confidential that would be great as well. I’d love to discuss tactics. Best wishes.

 

[Pafarm]

You saved all these points to do a first time hunt? Why not hunt a unit elsewhere to gain experience before using your points to learn how to hunt them? That’s my two sense.

 

[justinspicher]

I prefer the later seasons over the early seasons. Sure, the weather sucks but there’s generally less people out there and the deer activity is higher.

 

[Plainsman79]

Early rifle pros’s
-Ability to pre-scout a buck in his summer pattern
-decent weather
-amazing views of the high country
Con’s
-Non-hunting hikers.( They’re everywhere)
-Hail, Lightning and Heaving downpours

3rd Rifle pro’s
-Rut hunting, anything can show up (although IMO, quality and buck number are down due to the last 5 year season structure)
-the potential for snow, forcing deer to better feed and sometimes making them more visible for a day or 2.
Con’s
-potential for warm weather-keeping the deer in the shade more than “normal”
-otc elk hunters doing their thing but adding additional human presence.

The list goes on and on….

 

[Highvoltage1]

I saved while hunting a trespass fee property in the nw. I got a price from the rancher for mulies then the area got hit hard with a winter kill. The deer and elk have been decimated and I have t been back. Now I’m trying to get out of the points game. I understand your point entirely about learning to hunt them in an area where I could return and learn the unit, it’s just not in the cards at this point.

 

[Poser]

Early rifle pros’s
-Ability to pre-scout a buck in his summer pattern
-decent weather
-amazing views of the high country
Con’s
-Non-hunting hikers.( They’re everywhere)
-Hail, Lightning and Heaving downpours

3rd Rifle pro’s
-Rut hunting, anything can show up (although IMO, quality and buck number are down due to the last 5 year season structure)
-the potential for snow, forcing deer to better feed and sometimes making them more visible for a day or 2.
Con’s
-potential for warm weather-keeping the deer in the shade more than “normal”
-otc elk hunters doing their thing but adding additional human presence.

The list goes on and on….

This is a really good list. I'll add that, at least around where I live, big mule deer in the high country seem to largely "disappear" from being visible in the high country. You go out in July, first half of August and you'll have to put effort into not finding bucks and a moderate amount of effort will turn up some "bigger" bucks. You go out near the end of August and its not anything like it was 2 weeks prior.

While I'd love to hunt high country mulies, IMO, the juice isn't worth the point squeeze.

 

[Hnthrdr]

You a R or NR, last I checked those early alpine tags are beaucoup points for NR, I think alpine with a rifle would be awesome! I also enjoy the later hunts but 0 or - temps makes me long for September haha

All this said I would make sure you have the points, probably +1-3 more than what it took last year, with big changes coming in 2028 I think loads of points will be burned and point creep will soar before number of dedicated PP tags get cut in half…

 

[Pafarm]

I saved while hunting a trespass fee property in the nw. I got a price from the rancher for mulies then the area got hit hard with a winter kill. The deer and elk have been decimated and I have t been back. Now I’m trying to get out of the points game. I understand your point entirely about learning to hunt them in an area where I could return and learn the unit, it’s just not in the cards at this point.

Makes sense, and understand that. Well best of luck. I agree with what others are saying. Pros and cons to both. Good luck!

 

[dirtytough]

2 entirely different hunts. High country mule deer is awesome regardless of tagging out. 3rd season is more about the kill to me.

If you have time to pre scout I would lean towards the early hunt. If not and it's more about the size of the animal vs the experience of the hunt I would lean towards the 3rd season hunt.

 

[PathFinder]

If you are a die-hard backpacker and will scout at least 3 weekends through the summer, there are some pros to early season. If not, 3rd is probably a better fit.

 

[Highvoltage1]

2 entirely different hunts. High country mule deer is awesome regardless of tagging out. 3rd season is more about the kill to me.

If you have time to pre scout I would lean towards the early hunt. If not and it's more about the size of the animal vs the experience of the hunt I would lean towards the 3rd season hunt.

Only thing in common are the deer lol. You may have just decided it for me. I can go a week ahead of time but I can’t make 3 trips through the summer.

 

[dirtytough]

The buck in my avatar was an early hunt. I hiked in Monday before season and spotted it before I got to my first planned camp. Kept tabs on it until Saturday and killed it opening morning. If I had a week to scout before the season opened I would lean heavily towards the early hunt.

 

[ianpadron]

September rifle is a hoot! Know your vantage points into the first line of timber below where you saw the big dawgs in summer and be patient, they're in there, and they all make mistakes

 

[Tmac]

If you know the area, and/or have plenty of time to scout, are in excellent shape, early season is a good option. Otherwise go 3rd, find multiple groups of does, check them all often, and wait for a buck. With limited MD experience, it argues for 3rd season to me.