Nevada late season archery mule deer

[bangarang]

I’m currently on a late season archery hunt in Nevada (I’m posting after dark) and I’m struggling to find any deer sign. This is my first archery buck hunt and it goes through 2 Jan.

I believe this season is post rut and I haven’t been able to find much content on Rokslide or YouTube on post rut tactics. So far the suggestions are to glass under the trees and large rocks. There is about 2-3 inches of snow on the ground from a few days ago, so it’s been easy to see coyote and rabbit tracks, but no deer sign. I know snow isn’t too much of a factor based on reading Robby Denning’s book and I don’t think I’m in any migration corridors based on the migration map. https://westernmigrations.net/

Are they any specific elevation bands or aspects I should be targeting this time of year? I am assuming the bucks will be bachelored up so as to not compete with pregnant does.

I have a side by side so I am pretty mobile, but so far I have been trying to spend the majority of my time glassing for 2-3 hours at a time.

Thanks in advance.

 

[bigmoose]

At this point all the deer have migrated to their winter grounds . Usually lower elevation. You might try contacting the biologist for your area.

 

[Alpine4x4]

Snows definitely a factor. Eventually it will push them to their lower elevation wintering grounds. Had it happen to me this year in WA during late archery.

 

[outheretryin]

No words of advice other than keep it up! you got this!

 

[willfrye027]

Find out where the winter range is. Google the herd reports for that area. Drive around on the SxS until you start seeing some deer..then dive in. Good luck, sounds like a fun hunt

 

[RockAndSage]

Get lower in altitude, and hunt the daylights out of bitterbrush stands. In the cold especially, in the mornings look on south-facing stands of bitterbrush, where they warm up while eating in the sun, before bedding down. Find the food, find the deer.