Morning glassing spot questions

[A-bros archery]

I'm brand new to western hunting but plan to archery hunt mule deer in southeast Idaho this September. What do y'all look for in a morning glassing position. I'm guessing it's nice to have the sun behind you to light up the area your glassing but what do you do about the thermals that might be blowing down towards the deer in early morning?

 

[Rich M]

Most folks are glassing different drainages, the thermals should keep your scent in the drainage you are in.

 

[A-bros archery]

Rich M, are you saying to stay down low early morning till the thermals start rising? My main concern is that if I use a high point for better visibility my scent will drop down towards the deer. Would the prevailing winds keep the air blowing up the slope of I sit on the windward side?

 

[Wapiti1]

Yes, if you sit above the deer on the same slope, the morning thermal may take your scent to them. That would be an odd glassing spot, though, IMO. If there is a prevailing wind, then, yes, it would dictate where the scent ends up.

I set up., usually as high as I can, on the opposite side of where I expect the deer to be so that I can see into the timber, and see the most country possible. Most of the time, I am approaching from lower, and I hike to the ridge top through the timber. Then I find a good spot to glass from (typically predetermined) and glass across and up the drainage toward the head of the basin. My scent goes down the drainage to country I've already been through.

You have to make the call in the terrain you are hunting, though. Might make sense to glass from the bottom, or the top. You're usually far enough away, it isn't as critical.

Jeremy

 

[A-bros archery]

Thanks Jeremy! I guess I was kinda picturing that I would be looking down the same slope that I am sitting on. That's how much I know lol. It makes a lot of sense to look across the valley and glass the hillside facing me.

 

[Rich M]

Google glassing techniques and see what you tube has. Should be some decent videos.

Once you get out west you'll see how big it is and how far away you can see stuff. You'll be just fine - fun to think about techniques the theories. Then you get there and suddenly understand - I had a lot of that on my first trip. It is fun to sit on a hill and see animals 1-2-3-4 miles away. Really neat.

It seems like the wind is always blowing... Worry more about the wind when you decide to stalk. Check and make sure you don't walk into an eddy and the wind blow towards the animals... You'll know something is up cause the wind was say hitting you in the left ear and then it changes.

 

[A-bros archery]

@ rich m, I did have about a day and a half to hike around and see the country and you are right it just gets bigger as you go! You gave me some more food for thought. Thanks

 

[Hpchacrx]

i usually sit as high as i can on the opposite side of where i am glassing

 

[stump06]

Can ya'll ever find good glassing knobs on google earth /topos or is it only in person? I've have been trying to find some but haven't had much luck...

 

[Hpchacrx]

Google earth/topo maps

 

[Rich M]

@ rich m, I did have about a day and a half to hike around and see the country and you are right it just gets bigger as you go! You gave me some more food for thought. Thanks

I'm looking forward to your hunt story after you get out there and give it a go. Be flexible and enjoy yourself.

 

[Wapiti1]

Can ya'll ever find good glassing knobs on google earth /topos or is it only in person? I've have been trying to find some but haven't had much luck...

Yes both topo and google. Use the tilt function in google earth so you can get an idea what that vantage point will show you. Of course, it may look different in person when you get there but works pretty well.

Jeremy

 

[PaCR]

Anyone find OnX helpful kind of like using google earth?

 

[A-bros archery]

I use OnX. It can be really useful to find general areas to hunt and see access points and trails. The topographical layer is super useful too. For someone like me who has not had a chance to see much of that western country it is hard to translate what I see on an arial map into what I expect to see in person. I want to explore Google earth and see what I can find there.

 

[beauhunter]

The viewshed tool on GE can be great for locating glassing points. Watch a YouTube video first though, as it can be a little finicky

 

[street]

I do a lot of scouting with onx and GE. I'm hunting a new area this year and got boots on ground last weekend and I have to say the electronic stuff just isn't that helpful overall. Everything was much different and I found a much better glassing spot that would never have found without being there.

 

[mbrady3]

1st time muley hunter this fall..i appreciate reading your guys' advice! Hopefully will help with some of the learning curves. I'm super pumped to get out west and give it a go though!

 

[mighteywhitehunter]

GE using the tilt and the "Street view" (little person Icon that you grab and drop, you can "walk" with the keyboard arrows and "look around" with your mouse) will give you the best possible views of the area without actually setting foot there. I always mark my spots as "potential glassing spots" until I confirm in person that it is a good vantage point. You can also us the "Elevation Exaggeration" In the Tools and Options menu to make the 3-D imagery as close to real life as possible. OnX with the topo layer is also good to judge potential high points but it is good to get a second look at them with GE and in Person.

 

[A-bros archery]

I've been using GE too in my research. Amazing tool! I'm sure things will still look different in person but it's a good starting point.

 

[Newtosavage]

GE using the tilt and the "Street view" (little person Icon that you grab and drop, you can "walk" with the keyboard arrows and "look around" with your mouse) will give you the best possible views of the area without actually setting foot there. I always mark my spots as "potential glassing spots" until I confirm in person that it is a good vantage point. You can also us the "Elevation Exaggeration" In the Tools and Options menu to make the 3-D imagery as close to real life as possible. OnX with the topo layer is also good to judge potential high points but it is good to get a second look at them with GE and in Person.

I've successfully located about five excellent glassing points this way over the past two seasons. It's uncanny how similar the terrain will look to what's actually out there on the ground. In a few cases, I had studied that GE view so much that when I got to the glassing point, everything looked very familiar, as if I had been there before. That is a very nice feeling.

What is really nice is that when you get home and go back over the GE images, you recognize the view. That really helps for planning the next year's hunt in that area if you go back.