Let’s talk slopes

[CaliforniaMuley]

What do all the big buck killers look for when scouting new areas/ terrain / peaks for early Season hunts? I’ve found that bucks will put up with a little more sun exposure in the morning but the peaks they hang out on almost always give them the most shade for the afternoons. Last year hunted a south east facing slope and the deer seemed real comfortable. Curious what everyone else has experienced.

 

[Jimmy]

Probably differs some depending on area, but I've shot a number of bucks on south facing slopes. I've heard some guys say to hunt the north side, but deer are where they are.

 

[ztrusky]

Good question. Hardest part is finding them. I'm very green and have trouble locating them after they bed. Finding a flashing spot that looks into North facing slopes is hard with the steep terrain in the eastern Sierra. I just do my best to locate bucks and see where they bed. I've only ever shot one in the am while he was up and feeding haha. Beginners luck.

 

[OFFHNTN]

Yeh, a lot depends on the terrain and cover. They will bed on south facing slopes if there are trees, rocks, etc to give them shade. No shade and they will probably be on north facing slopes. And then there is the wind to consider, that is just as important, if not more.

 

[CaliforniaMuley]

Have heard a lot of different theories about slopes, but I guess every range is different in location to the sun. I guess it’s more important to focus on feed/ safety / cover / shade / pressure on an area and go from there regardless of slope

 

[CaliforniaMuley]

Yeh, a lot depends on the terrain and cover. They will bed on south facing slopes if there are trees, rocks, etc to give them shade. No shade and they will probably be on north facing slopes. And then there is the wind to consider, that is just as important, if not more.

What do you look for In wind patterns?

 

[OFFHNTN]

What do you look for In wind patterns?

I guess this pertains more towards actually hunting than scouting, but are we talking in the mountains of rolling hills?
If it's in the mountains the prevailing wind is one thing to think of, but thermals are more important in my opinion. If's it's low rolling hills, it's the opposite. There won't be much for thermals, so the wind direction will be more important.

If you are wanting just scouting intel, get on high spots and glass glass glass. North, south, east, west, move and glass some more. Find the deer, watch them, see what they do, learn their bedding and feeding area's, don't get too close or bugger them up, and make a plan for when you want to hunt.

 

[idahohikker]

I don’t think there’s anything hard and fast on slope directions. You’ll find deer on every slope.

 

[Jimmy]

Have heard a lot of different theories about slopes, but I guess every range is different in location to the sun. I guess it’s more important to focus on feed/ safety / cover / shade / pressure on an area and go from there regardless of slope

I agree with that. I also wonder if my experience is partly influenced by northern slopes often being too thick to glass in to. Would have to still hunt it. Other slopes having more scattered timber and trees makes seeing them easier.

 

[Wassid82]

I look more on North faces and bench like areas.

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

In my experience, they will be on any slope if shade is available when the sun hits.. trees, brush, rocks etc on south slopes can keep deer there when it's hot.

 

[Marble]

I look for proximity to food, water and an escape route. The distance from pressure, ease of access and how likely I think someone has been there also plays into it.

In the area I hunt, it doesnt matter which side of the slope they are on, but I will only find them (generally) on the big grassy type hillsides I have watched them graze on for hours every morning. I normally dont see much in the evening.

When the snow comes they switch to browsing on brush more and are then more difficult to spot while they are out feeding.

 

[Moobthoj707]

How would one id an escape route?

 

[ckleeves]

How would one id an escape route?

The easiest way is to blow a stalk lol.


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[Moobthoj707]

The easiest way is to blow a stalk lol.


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Done a couple of that. Lol

But is that the escape route. When i busted a stalk, depending on terrain, the buck could be running across grass field to the oaks, or to the timber, or to the thickets.

 

[208backcountry]

I feel like it is dictated a lot by the size of the topography, I tend to like smaller more broken topography. It does not expose a buck as much to feed and bed on completely opposite sides of hill or a different hill completely. Same goes for morning vs afternoon beds. Where-as in big wide open basins it might take a lot more exposure for a buck to access all of the resources. This is not necessarily as true during the summer when there is no hunting pressure, but needless to say, I think micro vs macro topography plays a part in how animals move across the landscape during hunting season. Think about it, a buck that’s living on an exposed slope where he has to move and reveal himself a lot from feeding to bedding is probably going to get killed before a buck that can meet all his needs in a small portion of another slope.

 

[Marble]

How would one id an escape route?

Let's see..this is my experience...

They lay where they can see for quite a ways, but can bound just a few steps and either be over a small ridge or in thick brush.

The bucks will be in a place where no matter where you come from they have a route they can take a few bounds and disappear.

The exception would be in the really high altitudes while they are in velvet. Sometimes they just lay out in the middle of the grass in the shade of whatever.

 

[CoastalOR]

From what I understand, in general, and this is very general, south facing slopes are going to get more sun and have more feed, north facing slopes are going to be more shaded and provided a cooler place to bed. Lots of other variables play into where and why a deer feeds and beds, but it still affects things a small pecrentage, and percentages add up