How to adjust tactics when going from Mountains to Breaks?

[Splatter]

I thought I'd follow up on my post.

I just got done with this year's hunt. I had pretty good success and was able to find more deer than the other people in my group and others that were hunting the same area as me. In general there were fewer deer that we saw overall. I was able to spot the buck I killed, another nice buck that was pretty solid but I wanted to hold out for a better deer, and around 5 smaller bucks over 4 days. I saw about triple the number of does as bucks.

To rehash a couple of points.

I was looking for advice about going from high country mule deer to break country mule deer.
I've hunted both areas fairly extensively but because I live in the high country I get to do that much more often and have a better grasp on those tactics.
I don't like the idea of jumping deer because I want a more controlled shot and hunting experience.

Here's what I did.

I would start each day having picked a hunt area based on maps and scouting. I'd have an area picked out that I thought would allow me the best vantage point of the largest area possible. I would hike in and get set up around an hour before sun up. Once the sun rose I would spend the first few hours, usually till around 9 or 10 glassing. I bought a pair of 15s for this trip and really thought they were perfect. I liked them a lot better than my 10s and they were much more comfortable than using my spotter all day. For anyone doing long distance glassing, I'd say over 500-600 yards, I'd really consider getting a pair. Once it warmed up and I was convinced the deer were mostly bedded I'd consider the direction of the wind and make a plan about how I could move through the hunt area without spreading scent to areas I hadn't already covered. I'd choose several points I wanted to hit that would allow new angles or vantages into new ground I couldn't see before and I'd slowly make my way through the area glassing shadows and cuts as I moved. Once in the new spot I'd thoroughly glass the shady/bedding type of areas and then continue on with this process till around 530 when I'd settle in to watch another large area till sundown. If the deer were on their feet I was on my butt glassing, if the deer were laid down I was up moving. I was very cautious not to spread my scent around and I was very careful about noise and sky lining myself as I moved and glassed bedding areas. I was able to find lots of bedded deer and only jumped one that I didn't know was there.

Hopefully my experience helps someone out!

Here's my buck.

 

[Buglebrush]

You want the sun in your face when looking for mulies? I don't agree with that statement. I definitely try for the opposite and it helps a ton.

Depends on the Temperature. I hunt primarily archery, and they'll almost always be bedded on the shady side away from the sun. If you're looking into the sun you're looking at the side of the rocks, trees, sage brush, coulees, etc... that the deer are on. If you're hunting later in rifle season it can be different if it's cold.

 

[Scoot]

Depends on the Temperature. I hunt primarily archery, and they'll almost always be bedded on the shady side away from the sun. If you're looking into the sun you're looking at the side of the rocks, trees, sage brush, coulees, etc... that the deer are on. If you're hunting later in rifle season it can be different if it's cold.

I only archery hunt. I understand what you're saying and I agree to an extent but mostly I'm not looking for bedded deer. If they are moving in the morning and in my sight I usually watched them bed. I have found that if the sun is low and in your face it's very tough to glass into it. If the sun is higher and not so in your face it is certainly much more doable IME.

 

[Buglebrush]

I only archery hunt. I understand what you're saying and I agree to an extent but mostly I'm not looking for bedded deer. If they are moving in the morning and in my sight I usually watched them bed. I have found that if the sun is low and in your face it's very tough to glass into it. If the sun is higher and not so in your face it is certainly much more doable IME.

I agree at first and last light. My original post did specify bedded deer, so we're talking about about different things a little

 

[Scoot]

Gotcha. ... and as far a deer bedding in the shade, no doubt about that. Not very often i see a mature buck bedded that isn't in shade. Mature bucks don't seem to like the sun much.