Rookie here. What type of terrain to focus scouting on during early season

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First mule deer hunt this September, coming up. Completely new to this deer, only hunt whitetails and antelope before. What does the terrain they live in during early September look like, when it comes to vegetation and altitude? Where should I focus glassing sessions, and how long should I stay in one area. Thanks!
 
hey Brandon! thanks for the mention.

OP, your question seems simple but it's huge, and that's because mule deer country is huge and very diverse. So hard to answer in a forum post but I will say these things seem to be true for bucks;

1) they typically are found in the higher elevations of a particular area (except desert in some cases). If it's mountainous country, look in the top 10% of the mountain before the migration to winter range begins; even if it's foothill country, I find they use the tops more than the rest of the elevations

2) they like rougher country typically more than does. So if a given area has deer feed in rough country, pay attention to that

3) until winter weather really sets in, bucks avoid the sun for any extended amount of time. Keep that in mind when you're glassing. And I think is why they like the rougher country because it offers more protection from the sun & elements

4) the vegetation question is huge and so varied depending on where in the West you're hunting. I did a podcast with a habitat bio who's also a member: @Bull_n_heat It's pinned at the top of this subforum "plants every mule deer hunter should know" and he's included all the pics of dozens of mule deer plants.

hope that helps get you started
 
First mule deer hunt this September, coming up. Completely new to this deer, only hunt whitetails and antelope before. What does the terrain they live in during early September look like, when it comes to vegetation and altitude? Where should I focus glassing sessions, and how long should I stay in one area. Thanks!
Everything Robby said is spot on. The only thing I’ll add is you won’t be looking for deer bedded in the open, but they like to be under or behind brush or scrubby trees with a view of what’s below. Up at high elevation scrubby trees are often called Krumholtz, and it refers to a number of species. Walk through some ridges even if it kicks deer up just so you can see old beds, since these have been used for hundreds or thousands of years. Often game trails to and from beds will be very pronounced, even if they are rarely used. Just seeing old beds doesn’t mean they will even be there while you are, but it helps teach the types of places to look.

Here’s a good example on an ordinary high elevation rocky Wyoming ridge with rock slides and larger trees below - this is vey near the top of a major ridge. Even satellite photos show game trails - these are all made by deer going to and from the Krumholtz bedding areas shown. It’s not an exaggeration to say many of these small game trails actually stop at small areas of good bedding.

This is also an example of deer beds that can’t be easily glassed from a long distance in any direction because of its shape, so some thought has to be put into how to see the deer before they see you - in this case it’s like still hunting moving slow from above and the sides and glassing ahead often to see them before they see you. You might be looking 400 yards, or 75.

Today’s hunters will take deer out of the gene pool quickly before they get enough age to be remarkable if the beds are easy to glass.

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Just for fun I looked up a high ridge along a major mountain that I’ve never hunted, but I’ve hunted not far away. Looking up high on the ridge where Krumholtz thins out and deer can see down and have escape routes out either side, but there is no way to get above them or see them from a nearby ridge, here is a perfect big patch of deer beds. This is too high and dry for elk, just like the last picture. Game trails are going into this patch and not coming out.

A friend really likes to hunt these big patches. Deer may be along the edge or anywhere in the middle and don’t necessarily automatically stand up and run off with you there. We’ve seen deer put their heads down flat to the ground like a dog and wait for the person to leave. If you were to stand in the middle you’d see anyone approaching from below because the Krumholtz is so low and easy to see over and through. So my buddy will get within rifle range from below and glass the entire patch every 20 minutes all morning long. Any hidden deer holding tight are getting nervous watching him, and eventually one may stand up quietly and try to pussy foot away. Bang! Bang! It’s a great way to have an easy day if you’re tired and still have a good chance of seeing a deer. No guarantees - it might be a meat buck or a real wall hanger, but it won’t be a doe. If it’s out of rifle range and they don’t know you’re watching, these hidden deer may stand up around noon to stretch, pee and lie back down.

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