Stalking deer in the high country

[Augustus46]

What unit are you in? This looks similar to where I've been hunting. I've had the same trouble as you though. I'm seeing a few good bucks but I haven't been able to get close and they are hanging out in some rough country. I have a Wasatch West tag and I've been hunting up high.

 

[realunlucky]

What unit are you in? This looks similar to where I've been hunting. I've had the same trouble as you though. I'm seeing a few good bucks but I haven't been able to get close and they are hanging out in some rough country. I have a Wasatch West tag and I've been hunting up high.

This is a West Desert tag. Crazy mix of high and low country in this unit.

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[realunlucky]

I went out yesterday and spotted my number one buck. Bedded him up in a small patch of service berry after an prefect stalk I was within 44 yards of the patch. 6 hours later he finally stood up and I shot right over him. Throw up a little in mouth just thinking about now.
Anyways thanks for the tips. Sometimes they just bed in place with low low odds of getting a quality opportunity and it's just best to wait for a better. When everything does go right be sure to finish with a good shot.

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[Odell]

I went out yesterday and spotted my number one buck. Bedded him up in a small patch of service berry after an prefect stalk I was within 44 yards of the patch. 6 hours later he finally stood up and I shot right over him. Throw up a little in mouth just thinking about now.
Anyways thanks for the tips. Sometimes they just bed in place with low low odds of getting a quality opportunity and it's just best to wait for a better. When everything does go right be sure to finish with a good shot.

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6 Hours! wow that must have been tough waiting.

 

[Cant hit em]

Ive blown my chances this year , i might be the worlds worst stalker


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[Shackdaddy]

Ive blown my chances this year , i might be the worlds worst stalker


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That's not true. You "stalked" in on that bear in the tree that was 6 ft above your head

 

[Travis Bertrand]

Have you read Dwight schuh's book?

Open country mule deer or something along those lines

 

[realunlucky]

Have you read Dwight schuh's book?

Open country mule deer or something along those lines

Yes I have a copy just reviewed it actually. Think I've got an idea now but it's frustrating as hell. Watching eight bucks right waiting for them to bed. This storm blowing in has them out of thier pattern. Hopefully I can use that

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[excaliber]

The areas I used to hunt when I lived in Nevada were more open with sage, terraces of large rocks and service berry(9200'+). I searched hard for areas that would make stalking easier after putting them to bed.

There were other areas that had more deer but the cover was too heavy and once bedded you had no chance stalking into their bedroom.

It may not be the case where you are hunting but I try to find areas where I can stalk deer once they are bedded. I've tried areas similar to yours but the Buck Brush and Aspen pockets are just too hard to hunt.
The deer have all the advantage in those areas.

About the best chance you have in areas like you are hunting is pattern the deer and see what trails they are using if possible. Get in there early and sit and hope for the best. It sounds like your deer live in a smaller area they know they are safe in.

Thant makes for some tough archery hunting.

 

[realunlucky]

The areas I used to hunt when I lived in Nevada were more open with sage, terraces of large rocks and service berry(9200'+). I searched hard for areas that would make stalking easier after putting them to bed.

There were other areas that had more deer but the cover was too heavy and once bedded you had no chance stalking into their bedroom.

It may not be the case where you are hunting but I try to find areas where I can stalk deer once they are bedded. I've tried areas similar to yours but the Buck Brush and Aspen pockets are just too hard to hunt.
The deer have all the advantage in those areas.

About the best chance you have in areas like you are hunting is pattern the deer and see what trails they are using if possible. Get in there early and sit and hope for the best. It sounds like your deer live in a smaller area they know they are safe in.

Thant makes for some tough archery hunting.

This is great advice I should have found different area but all the big bucks kept me focused there. I ended up eating my tag but did a few opportunities. Once I snuck up when a storm came in and filled the canyon with thick fog but got disoriented. A few times I snuck in close to the thick brush and waited till they moved. It is sure frustrating hunting that stuff

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[Mark86]

I'm pretty new in the archery game but have had a little success in open country and this works for me but others will probably disagree. This may not make sense but don't be afraid to blow it or afraid to fail. I get aggressive, probably overly aggressive, but the good thing about mule deer is if you blow the stalk they're not going to go all that far. And you can let them calm down and catch up to them. they'll go bed then just do it again. What I know for a fact is that if you sit there and watch those bucks do the same thing day after day, and you do the same thing expecting different results, you're probably not going to get any closer. And it's a hell of a lot more fun hunting them like that! For me anyway. Good luck to you I hope you find a way to get in range!

*if you don't want to be mobile like I like to be just ambush them. Easier said than done but lots of guys are successful using that tactic. Maybe try a ground blind? Have fun whatever you do that's what it's all about!!

 

[justin davis]

I'm pretty new in the archery game but have had a little success in open country and this works for me but others will probably disagree. This may not make sense but don't be afraid to blow it or afraid to fail. I get aggressive, probably overly aggressive, but the good thing about mule deer is if you blow the stalk they're not going to go all that far. And you can let them calm down and catch up to them. they'll go bed then just do it again. What I know for a fact is that if you sit there and watch those bucks do the same thing day after day, and you do the same thing expecting different results, you're probably not going to get any closer. And it's a hell of a lot more fun hunting them like that! For me anyway. Good luck to you I hope you find a way to get in range!

*if you don't want to be mobile like I like to be just ambush them. Easier said than done but lots of guys are successful using that tactic. Maybe try a ground blind? Have fun whatever you do that's what it's all about!!

Bucks don’t go very far and calm down? Not always the case for me. I’ve seen big bucks spooked and they will leave a basin never to be seen again. Big old bucks don’t mess around.

 

[Nomad]

Dwight Schuh's book, "Hunting Open Country Mule Deer: A Guide for Taking Western Bucks With Rifle and Bow" is my absolute favorite mule deer hunting book of all time. I know I've read it 5 or 6 times and I learn or re-learn something each time. He's an absolute fantastic writer and storyteller, but the book itself is full of great tips and tactics from front to back.

This was my first year to attempt any spot and stalk archery hunts for mule deer. I had many encounters but 3 specific and true stalks where I put his tactics to work.

7 hour stalk in Colo high country - Miss... Long shot op and empty tank make for a bad combo
3 hour stalk in NM desert unit - got a little too cocky thinking I could get closer than the 55 yard shot op he gave me. Busted (used a decoy with great success)
4 hour stalk in NM desert unit - spotted a really nice mature buck at about 250. 200+ yard belly crawl over 4 hours ended 35 yards from this buck. Like the story goes, "he just needed to take 1 or 2 more steps to clear some brush"... but instead he turned calmly the "wrong" direction and vanished into the desert scrub... like a ghost. Actually, he must have really turned into a ghost because he still gives me nightmares.

I probably never would have even tried any of these stalks without reading this book. I had always assumed that nothing of the sort could be done.

One of the main takeaways from his book is that you're going to fail... a lot. Don't be afraid of failure. Trust the process. Dwight Schuh has so many stories of failure in his book that I'm inclined to feel sorry for the guy every time I read it. I bet he'd chuckle at that.

 

[El General]

Great thread.