What do you consider Bucky country?

[Jason277]

Hello all, Ive been hunting for 6-7 years now started later in life at 40 but getting after it , I started hunting blacktail in timber cuts and reprod. I have gravitated to more mountain style hunting for mule deer/ benchleg blacktail in the Cascades of Washington . Ive read books like the "Edge" by David Long and Mike Duplan which has been great for Ideas of country to look for but alot of the pictures dont really match the terrain that is here in Washington . I always hear people say on podcasts and in books that the country looks " bucky" . Please give some of examples of what you view as "bucky" . Not looking for specifics just general ideas . Thanks in advance Jason

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Food, water and cover in a small secluded area, probably the rockiest and steepest spot in an area too


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[willfrye027]

I think “bucky” means I’ve seen bucks before in similar looking habitat. I don’t think it’s easy to describe, but I know it when I see it

 

[gsully]

You and me both buddy! I hunt the Oregon cascades, above timberland and cuts, and am continually perplexed by it. These mountains can be very different than the big lush basins, and classic bucky country that I see in books, videos and a lot of mule deer content from the more popular states.

It may help to watch some of the Washington videos to give you some ideas where others are keying in on, thinking Samong, PNWILD.

All that said, I’ve found bucks in all areas which makes it even more frustrating. When I should have been looking high in the cliffy rocky stuff, I’ve found them in down in the bottom buried in the thick stuff.

Another area I think we have it more difficult is the mid day/shadow glassing. We don’t have those nice little shadow pockets behind junipers, and thick stands and burns are very difficult to glass into especially for mid day bedded bucks.

Good luck!

 

[Plainsman79]

Food-They are slaves to their stomachs. It doesn't matter if your in the cascades of the PNW, the highest basins in Colorado or the grassy plains in the Midwest. A deer’s diet changes throughout the year. Figure out what your area has to offer for quality food during the timeframe you’ll be in the field. Then focus on those areas. Each area is unique but the principle is the same. An example would be forbs in the summer, switching to forbs/browse right around first frost and then all hardwood browse post first frost.

Find their food and then dial in on really small areas that offer food, water (if in a dry area) and shade.

 

[AHayes111]

Brushy is bucky.

 

[TaperPin]

What looks like good country and produces big deer in one place does not mean it’s good in another. I’ve had some Montana guides doing their personal hunting in Wyoming and they were focused on terrain that looked like home and were 1,000’ below where the older deer hang out. I’m just as guilty and try to correlate what works back home with a new area without fully understanding it.

I have a long list of “Bucky” looking areas that don’t hold any deer.

 

[Jason277]

You and me both buddy! I hunt the Oregon cascades, above timberland and cuts, and am continually perplexed by it. These mountains can be very different than the big lush basins, and classic bucky country that I see in books, videos and a lot of mule deer content from the more popular states.

It may help to watch some of the Washington videos to give you some ideas where others are keying in on, thinking Samong, PNWILD.

All that said, I’ve found bucks in all areas which makes it even more frustrating. When I should have been looking high in the cliffy rocky stuff, I’ve found them in down in the bottom buried in the thick stuff.

Another area I think we have it more difficult is the mid day/shadow glassing. We don’t have those nice little shadow pockets behind junipers, and thick stands and burns are very difficult to glass into especially for mid day bedded bucks.

Good luck!

Yes I really like Samong , I try to key in on the areas they see bucks . Seems like PNwild pretty much does the high hunt up north .