High Elevation = Larger Bucks?

[TimberHunter]

Prepping for an ID deer hunt. Over the last 5 years, we’ve dialed in a spot where deer seem to always be at. Largest deer we’ve seen in that spot was a 151” that I shot.

Plan to hunt the last week of Oct to hopefully increase the odds of larger bucks coming down to start the rut.

Part of me thinks go up high in new areas. Other parts says don’t leave deer to find deer. Any suggestions?


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[willfrye027]

I think the big deer are where they are. You probably just have to weed through a lot more of the medium sized ones to find a bigger one. And, there could be a bigger one this year in your normal spot.

IMO there’s no formula, if you’re not finding what you want then you’ll need to keep looking..high or low, cover the numbers

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

If you want to shoot bigger bucks then dont shoot small ones
That is the first step

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

The biggest bucks I’ve ever seen and killed certainly aren’t “up high” or “miles back” in general. They are in the lower elevation rolling hills near agriculture. This holds true for the multiple states I hunt every year both private and public.

This is being very generic of course and I’ve seen and killed awesome bucks “up high” as well.

Learning an area can take years of spending time with the deer to figure it out.

 

[Indian Summer]

That definitely depends on the area. I know places in Montana, where the big bucks are definitely down low. But where I hunt in Wyoming, the shooters are way up top above the elk.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I’m partial to lower to middle ground, but I do see big muley bucks sunning or cooling down up a little higher in midday when hot

 

[wytx]

Your key is hunting that last week in Oct.
We get pre rut then and bucks start staging near doe groups. Find doe - find bucks with or near them.
By those last 2-3 days the mature bucks are around the doe where we hunt in Wyoming.
Makes no difference in elevation for us.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

5 years is a pretty good sample size. If you haven't seen any bigger deer than that and you aren't seeing rut activity then the majority of bigger bucks are probably still up high.

 

[RockAndSage]

Other parts says don’t leave deer to find deer. Any suggestions?

Look on the periphery of the deer you have, in the most secure places from a wily old buck's perspective. Up to 1-2 miles distant from where the rest of the deer are hanging out. Security = sight, scent, sound, physical barrier to back, and not too far from food.

 

[TimberHunter]

Your key is hunting that last week in Oct.
We get pre rut then and bucks start staging near doe groups. Find doe - find bucks with or near them.
By those last 2-3 days the mature bucks are around the doe where we hunt in Wyoming.
Makes no difference in elevation for us.

10-4. The spot I usually hunt definitely has does. We’ve just always hunted it some time between Oct 10-15 and the latest was Oct 23 (first year we were there so we likely missed other bucks as I went after the first decent one I saw)


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[TimberHunter]

5 years is a pretty good sample size. If you haven't seen any bigger deer than that and you aren't seeing rut activity then the majority of bigger bucks are probably still up high.

80% of the years we’ve been there Oct 10-15, one year the latest was Oct 23 (first year so went after first decent buck). Wondering if those last days of Oct make a difference?


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[wytx]

We wait every year for the last week in Oct, unless you have a mature buck spotted for opening day.
Yes, the last week makes a difference.

 

[HilltopHitman]

It seems to be state dependent, you see guys in CO killing them in the absolute nastiest basins at 12k. I’m an Idaho Resident, and like mentioned above, I just think they can’t survive 5+ years in the nasty high country. The bigger deer seem to be lower and on private. It’s like the Frank, the super high elevations of Idaho tend to get mostly shale and rock with little to no vegetation. Deer are sparse in anything above 8.5k. That’s my observation.

 

[cdes29]

Agreed. That’s my experience as well. It seems to depend on hunting area and time of year.

 

[208Idaho]

Prepping for an ID deer hunt. Over the last 5 years, we’ve dialed in a spot where deer seem to always be at. Largest deer we’ve seen in that spot was a 151” that I shot.

Plan to hunt the last week of Oct to hopefully increase the odds of larger bucks coming down to start the rut.

Part of me thinks go up high in new areas. Other parts says don’t leave deer to find deer. Any suggestions?


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Are you passing up those 130-150 bucks in order to get a chance at the bigger bucks? I would assume there are big deer at all elevations.

 

[TimberHunter]

Are you passing up those 130-150 bucks in order to get a chance at the bigger bucks? I would assume there are big deer at all elevations.

The last 5 years I haven’t been passing but now I will be. But not sure the bigger bucks are there due to noting seeing anything over 150 in 5 years of hunting (total of 10 ish days). Out of state so unable to scout it


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[Mattskeen]

Some giant deer are killed at much lower elevation than the highest peak.
#1 rule about killing big deer is passing smaller bucks, so if that’s the goal then you certainly need to leave bucks to find bucks.


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[TimberHunter]

Some giant deer are killed at much lower elevation than the highest peak.
#1 rule about killing big deer is passing smaller bucks, so if that’s the goal then you certainly need to leave bucks to find bucks.


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Leave area with bucks or pass on the smaller ones in hopes a larger ones shows in that spot?


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[Olefrankchurch]

Big Mule deers can be on top of the mountain or right by the road!

 

[JO.]

For the wife and I the biggest bucks we've taken have been lower elevation in small pockets that get overlooked. To go against that one of the biggest deer I've ever seen (outside of town bucks) was scouting for a sheep hunt at about 12k. I've started looking less for where big deer are and more where deer in general are and other hunters aren't. If they aren't getting shot every year they'll get bigger.