The 1 Thing You Learned- MULE DEER

[Oregon Hunter]

#5 -> YES!!! If you've ever been in the field... and then way the hell over there you've seen hikers on the PCT... you know about how blaring the shine off trekking poles is. I make it a point to throw some electrical tape, or black marker over anything that's too shiny of a surface on equipment. Any little thing like sticks out like a sore thumb. Vortex used to be dumb about that with those laser-etched reflective branding parts on their binos. Always cut lil pieces of dull electrical tape to cover em up. Very little in nature is "shiny". Just leaves/vegetation, water, rock surfaces, and stuff on critters.

So true! The shiny finish Remington used on their 700 bdl rifles could be seen reflecting from across a ridge.

 

[Oregon Hunter]

All archery lessons for me:

1. Socks on scree don't work.
2. Cover a basin from all angles.
3. Glassing at night does not mean a basin has been scouted.
4. Sometimes the best mule deer killers are too cautious.
5. Shiny things are evil.
6. Too close is a thing.
7. Too far is a thing.

#4 Sounds interesting. Could you elaborate more on what you mean?

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Here’s one I’ve learned the hard way many times - however you hike into an area, hike that way back out in the dark. Don’t look on your OnX and think ‘well this way out must be faster’. I’ve ended up in downed timber and thick shit one too many times thinking I had come up with a better route, when I would have been much better off going out the same way I came in.
Similar to this is when you are hiking out in the dark you should always stay high even if you have to gain elevation at the start. There is nothing worse then being in the dark and being down in a creek bottom or in thick timber. Gain elevation early, and hike above the timber line so you aren’t in the thick shit in the dark.

This is a terrific tip, and something I had never really thought about doing intentionally!

 

[Laramie]

Not all good bucks live miles from a road. Two of the best bucks I ever put a stalk on lived within archery range of a main road. A guy out antelope hunting told me about them as he had seen them several times head into some willows to bed, right next to the road on public land. I was a pretty inexperienced hunter at the time so messed up on them two consecutive days. I ended up killing a different buck there a few years later. I have no idea why deer like that spot but I have found many other similar spots through the years within a few hundred yards of main roads.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Not all good bucks live miles from a road.

Came to say this same thing, the two best bucks I've killed (and the best buck I've missed) lived in the same stand of trees with roads on either side of their little knob.

Hell of a hike up said knob, but as the crow flies it wasn't more than 800 yards from either road.

 

[dtrkyman]

They are my nemesis!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Not all good bucks live miles from a road. Two of the best bucks I ever put a stalk on lived within archery range of a main road. A guy out antelope hunting told me about them as he had seen them several times head into some willows to bed, right next to the road on public land. I was a pretty inexperienced hunter at the time so messed up on them two consecutive days. I ended up killing a different buck there a few years later. I have no idea why deer like that spot but I have found many other similar spots through the years within a few hundred yards of main roads.

So true! My biggest buck came less than a 100 yd from a major highway

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Came to say this same thing, the two best bucks I've killed (and the best buck I've missed) lived in the same stand of trees with roads on either side of their little knob.

Hell of a hike up said knob, but as the crow flies it wasn't more than 800 yards from either road.

I enjoy seeing big bucks close to the road, but it's also frustrating because you find out they have been living right under your nose the whole time hahaha

 

[Str8shooter]

If you find good bucks in a high basin...they can be there the next season...and the next.... keep that sh*t to your damn self!

 

[Fatcamp]

If you find good bucks in a high basin...they can be there the next season...and the next.... keep that sh*t to your damn self!

Or anywhere else for that matter.

 

[Laramie]

If you find good bucks in a high basin...they can be there the next season...and the next.... keep that sh*t to your damn self!

A secret high basin? lol- not in today GPS age.

 

[Vegas03A3]

Most will know this, but newcomers may not. If you blow one out, stay calm and get ready to shoot. Odds are better than even money, he's gonna stop a ways out and turn to look back. You'll typically get 5-15 seconds at him before he moves out.

I think my instincts would foul this situation up when it happens. Thanks for pointing it out.
I’m SUPER new, so blow one out is to accidentally reveal yourself via scent, right?

 

[Oregon Hunter]

If you find good bucks in a high basin...they can be there the next season...and the next.... keep that sh*t to your damn self!

No kidding! It's amazing how fast the backcountry can get blown out buy a few hunters

 

[Oregon Hunter]

I think my instincts would foul this situation up when it happens. Thanks for pointing it out.
I’m SUPER new, so blow one out is to accidentally reveal yourself via scent, right?

Glad to have you on the forum, you're in the right place! Blowing an area out can be done with sent, sound, sky lining yourself, trampling around the area. It's basically referring to scaring all the game away. I'm an expert at it lol

 

[Sportsman247]

Most will know this, but newcomers may not. If you blow one out, stay calm and get ready to shoot. Odds are better than even money, he's gonna stop a ways out and turn to look back. You'll typically get 5-15 seconds at him before he moves out.

100% true. Was hiking in w my Buddy who had the tag and a very nice buck jumped up at 50 yards. He shot and missed(with a $7000 custom rig...LOL), the buck went down in a canyon and came up on the other side and stopped to look back. I guess my Buddy got his nerves under control and crushed him at 200 yards.

 

[Oregon Hunter]

100% true. Was hiking in w my Buddy who had the tag and a very nice buck jumped up at 50 yards. He shot and missed(with a $7000 custom rig...LOL), the buck went down in a canyon and came up on the other side and stopped to look back. I guess my Buddy got his nerves under control and crushed him at 200 yards.

I hope you teased your friend about missing an easy shot with an expensive rifle. Just kidding though, we've all done that

 

[Ketron10a]

Reading all of these makes me even more excited about October. Thank you to all of the contributors.

 

[Wassid82]

check rock outcropping every time. And use them to conceal your outline when spotting. Rocks have been key for me when hunting big bucks

 

[dtrkyman]

check rock outcropping every time. And use them to conceal your outline when spotting. Rocks have been key for me when hunting big bucks

Looking for bedded bucks? I always saw them in Wyoming using them, of course I was always hunting Pronghorn!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Hey Roksliders! I just started another "1 Thing" discussion about elk. If you have anything you've learned about ELK, please share your experiences over on this thread The 1 Thing You Learned- ELK