High Elevation = Larger Bucks?

[HiMtnHntr]

I wouldn’t think the theory of bigger bucks at higher elevations would be proven out at all overall.

 

[Bubblehide]

The largest antlered bucks I've seen have been in high desert country.

Here is something to think about. If the country is thick, bucks with large wide racks will have difficulty moving that large wide rack around their territory. If they have difficulty, they have a high chance of getting their rack hung up, and predated upon. This does not mean an area with mixed, open and thick country doesn't hold large wide antlered bucks, as they can still get around.

Both migrating and nominating bucks, need to be able to travel about their territory and to and from wintering areas. This fact alone is good reason for controlled burns.

 

[Hnthrdr]

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

Accurate! I think guys think that big bucks stay higher longer… maybe it flies in the face of a lot of monster bucks that will be down with the does in Nov, late October I would be finding does and looking 500-1000 ft above them elevation wise

 

[willfrye027]

Accurate! I think guys think that big bucks stay higher longer… maybe it flies in the face of a lot of monster bucks that will be down with the does in Nov, late October I would be finding does and looking 500-1000 ft above them elevation wise

Yup. Last year my buddy killed a great buck (for California) down on the winter range in October. Very few deer had migrated down, but that one did. He was hard up about a doe that was probably going into estrus.

I also have some trail camera pics in the summer range at 10k feet of bucks up to their bellies in snow late November with a few does that had for whatever reason, not migrated down yet.

I don’t believe there is a true rule of thumb, other than big bucks will be somewhere that allowed them to survive the year before when they were nice bucks, or even legal bucks depending on the unit!

 

[HighDesertDrifter]

Here in AZ we have big wide mulies in the flats down in the desert and up on the Strip. I think it has to do with ease of access and how the areas are managed along with nutrition.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Here is a random example of my success, I hunt in units that range from 12-13k to 6.5k in late (early Nov) deer hunts, I’ve killed all my bucks and biggest bucks around the 6.5-7.7k elevation band, we have looked higher, but typically we just don’t see many deer up there 9.5k and up , so we hunt them where they are

 

[TimberHunter]

Appreciate the insight. I think I’m going to stick around the same spot but push a bit deeper to pockets I haven’t looked at before


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[Hnthrdr]

Appreciate the insight. I think I’m going to stick around the same spot but push a bit deeper to pockets I haven’t looked at before


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Seems like a wise decision

 

[Wapitiaddict]

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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I’m from Idaho. With all due respect, 10 days over 5 seasons is nothing for mule deer. People who hunt big bucks will spend 2-4 weeks in a single season to find a worthy shooter.

Also, not saying you are not a good glasser, but I’m convinced most people, including myself, do not know how to glass mule deer well. I’ve been purposely training myself over the last few years and have been getting better. Hunting and glassing elk made me a poor glasser of mule deer. Mule deer can blend in so well, and big bucks know how to hide so well, that you really have to be looking for small body parts, not whole deer.

Maybe try looking at a drainage, draw, or basin at different angles than you typically do. Big muley bucks know how to position themselves in just the right spots that can’t be easily seen. Of course, there are always the exceptions.

Edit: and if you are not glassing a lot, you will have hard time finding bucks. Again, a lot of people will just scan a hillside with their naked eye and not see any deer. Or quickly pan with glass and see nothing. With mule deer, you absolutely have to have your glass up and slow down! There’s been countless bucks that I have glassed within very reasonable shooting ranges that I would have never seen without the binos or would have spooked well before I saw them with my naked eye. Again, not saying you are or are not doing these things…but good info for other people.

 

[Poser]

As anybody that lives in a Western "mountain town" knows, the biggest bucks live in the city limits and its not even up for debate.

 

[RockAndSage]

I’m from Idaho. With all due respect, 10 days over 5 seasons is nothing for mule deer. People who hunt big bucks will spend 2-4 weeks in a single season to find a worthy shooter.

Also, not saying you are not a good glasser, but I’m convinced most people, including myself, do not know how to glass mule deer well. I’ve been purposely training myself over the last few years and have been getting better. Hunting and glassing elk made me a poor glasser of mule deer. Mule deer can blend in so well, and big bucks know how to hide so well, that you really have to be looking for small body parts, not whole deer.

Maybe try looking at a drainage, draw, or basin at different angles than you typically do. Big muley bucks know how to position themselves in just the right spots that can’t be easily seen. Of course, there are always the exceptions.

100%, on all of this.

It never ceases to amaze me how, even after hours of intense, methodical, experienced glassing, a muley can just suddenly appear out of nowhere, right where you know you spent time looking and picking things apart.

The more you do it the better you get, and the less that happens - but it happens a lot, OP. It's a skill, and can be a bit perishable. Even if you don't get drawn, try to spend a day or two glassing muleys anyhow, just to add to the skill base. And - seriously - the success base. The more often you find them tucked into the shadows and brush just by spotting a tine or ear or something, the easier it is to stay in the glass in future days. Because you know how easy it is to miss, or how just a slight change in your position or the sun's can open up something for you.

 

[Wapitiaddict]

Once I stopped glassing and hunting mule deer like I do elk, I started finding more, bigger bucks. I grew up hunting primarily elk. Now that my focus has switched more to mule deer, it never ceases to amaze me how well a Muley buck can vanish in plain sight.

 

[Wapitiaddict]

100%, on all of this.

It never ceases to amaze me how, even after hours of intense, methodical, experienced glassing, a muley can just suddenly appear out of nowhere, right where you know you spent time looking and picking things apart.

The more you do it the better you get, and the less that happens - but it happens a lot, OP. It's a skill, and can be a bit perishable. Even if you don't get drawn, try to spend a day or two glassing muleys anyhow, just to add to the skill base. And - seriously - the success base. The more often you find them tucked into the shadows and brush just by spotting a tine or ear or something, the easier it is to stay in the glass in future days. Because you know how easy it is to miss, or how just a slight change in your position or the sun's can open up something for you.

100 percent! Haha. We are thinking the exact same thing!

 

[sshhh]

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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Do you have cams there? You would be amazed at whats around that you are not seeing with your own eyes.

 

[ianpadron]

Do you have cams there? You would be amazed at whats around that you are not seeing with your own eyes.

This is really the only way to answer OPs question with certainty. Big bucks exist from valley floor to sheep/goat country, and a fella has to look over a lot of 140-150" deer to find a 170, let alone bigger.

 

[sshhh]

I’m from Idaho. With all due respect, 10 days over 5 seasons is nothing for mule deer. People who hunt big bucks will spend 2-4 weeks in a single season to find a worthy shooter.

Also, not saying you are not a good glasser, but I’m convinced most people, including myself, do not know how to glass mule deer well. I’ve been purposely training myself over the last few years and have been getting better. Hunting and glassing elk made me a poor glasser of mule deer. Mule deer can blend in so well, and big bucks know how to hide so well, that you really have to be looking for small body parts, not whole deer.

Maybe try looking at a drainage, draw, or basin at different angles than you typically do. Big muley bucks know how to position themselves in just the right spots that can’t be easily seen. Of course, there are always the exceptions.

Edit: and if you are not glassing a lot, you will have hard time finding bucks. Again, a lot of people will just scan a hillside with their naked eye and not see any deer. Or quickly pan with glass and see nothing. With mule deer, you absolutely have to have your glass up and slow down! There’s been countless bucks that I have glassed within very reasonable shooting ranges that I would have never seen without the binos or would have spooked well before I saw them with my naked eye. Again, not saying you are or are not doing these things…but good info for other people.

Really good comment here ^

The comment on time committed too. For Blacktails it is year round scouting and i'm hunting them 22 days straight in November in addition to weekends in late October (September I would be too but i'm going after other species from Sept to mid Oct). If I lived in Mulie country it would be the same but for Mulies. If a guy wants big Bucks consistently I think a guy should be throwing as much time as he possibly can at them.