question about august archery in the desert

[kennyazman]

I have a couple of water tanks that I plan on setting up my ground blind coming up this august. I normally will sit there in the evenings and wait until dark hoping to catch a buck coming into water. My question to you desert mule deer hunters is do you have much action on the water tanks during the rest of the day when it is 100+ outside. to me it just didnt make any sense to sit there during those nasty august days in the desert but I wonder if im missing opportunities at some deer coming in. what do you guys think? what times of day do you see the most action at water during the summer months in the desert.

[Eagle Eye]

Set up a camera

[ready2hunt]

+1 to the camera

 

When it comes to water holes (personally) I have seen the most activity at dusk (Wish I could say that's when I have shot one haha). But it really just depends on the pressure from hunting along with many other x factors. Since they are not wearing themselves out in the rut yet they can wait until dark to drink. Clearly they can come into water at any time- any day but during those really hot ones, just like us, they will wait it out in the shade most often. IMO

[AZLance]

9am to 2 pm is the best time.

[KaibabHunter]

My cams have shown me a little bit of all times. Sunrise, sunset, 9 am, 1 pm, dark hours up to 105 degrees. If the area has been on a long dry spell on an isolated water, sometimes 2x a day.

 

+ 1 on putting out cams to see what they're doin on the holes ur watching.

[kennyazman]

Good stuff so far guys. Keep it coming. Id like to get some more thoughts on this because I already see some differant views. As far as a camera.... I get a little nervous after hearing about the ones that get stolen all the time.

[AZHUNTER05]

Buy some cheap cameras if your worried about them getting stolen. I use the wildview cameras and they cost about $50 and work pretty well for the money.

[KaibabHunter]

Get a security box, cable, and lock, spray paint camo pattern, and conceal it with natural vegatation when u put it in. I don't put mine on spots without enough cover to conceal and lock it to for fear of theft. One option is to back track the most used trail into the water and set ur can off water. This has worked well on holes with easy access or lack of concealment. Cams are fun cause u get an idea of what's in the area, when they come in and how much use a spot is really getting-something that would reqiure u sitting there 24/7. Since 2008 I've only had 1 cam stolen.

[WHALE]

I have only shot 1 mulie in agust over water and he came in a 8:30 and it was already hot. I have glassed them going to water a couple times around the 2:00 hour.

[Coues Archer]

I've had most luck really early in the morning around 600-730 a.m. And at dusk! But your just going to have to set up all day and figure out there watering patterns because all muleys are different. I've also seen them show up at peek heat of the day. Best thing I would say is set up a camera at those tanks.

[kennyazman]

I appreciate all the advice. at first i wasnt sure how i felt about the idea of cameras, kinda felt a little bit like cheating to me, but the more i keep thinking about it the more i think it is a great tool. also the trail cam forum is one of my favorites to go on and see all those pictures that you guys put up. Im starting to get excited about the potential of seeing some of the bucks that could be around that I may have never known were there otherwise. I think Im going to give it a try and hope it doesnt get stolen by someone. i hate thieves.

[JLW]

no guarantees even with cams out but it sure makes you feel better when they are hitting it regularly.

not as many people playin in the desert when it's 110 degrees so I would give it a shot.

good luck!

post up some pics when you get it going!

 

James

[gbocardo]

Last august I did the normal routine, glassed in the early morning and again before dusk and made some good stalks but would return to camp mid day. On one of the days I thought i would try an earlier start and headed back to my glassing hill about 2 pm and too my surprise walking in the middle of the road were 4 bucks only 30 yards from the water and only 40 yards from me. But of course I was in my Ranger and not prepared as my bow was in the bed, along with my release. So, needless to say all I could do was watch them run off. I did attempt a stalk as they settled in some Juniper only 200 yards away but was never able to get close as they had eyes on me the whole time. The next day I tried sitting at that water hole all day and nothing but sweating my butt off until dusk when a huge monster came over the hill but never made its way down the hill until it got dark. I prefer a spot and stalk as opposed to sitting on water.

[metau]

Was out last weekend checking cams and had a dozen deer walk in on me shortly after 1pm

[GotBowAz]

Last year at about the 4000 foot level, I sat in a tree stand and roasted my hind end off. I sweat horribly and drank close to a gallon of water every day. August in the desert is hot and miserable. I am moving to higher ground this year. I will say I did see some nice bucks, none came in range as I was on one of a few trails going to a water source someone else was already sitting. However those bucks mostly moved in around 1pm every day. 2 years before that I sat a ground blind near a waterhole and had a diamond back come in a visit me! Hench the tree stand. As for the desert… Never again in August.

 

Just remember, in the desert when you kill one you won’t have time to be taking pictures. You will need to get the hide off and get it quartered and hanging in the shade ASAP. Something to keep in mind.

 

As others have pointed out, put in a game camera and try to pattern them. I put mine up in a limb less tree with a tree stand climber and lock it, then angle it down towards the trail or water source. This helps keep it from getting stolen. Guess if they want it bad enough they will go get a climber and cut it down. So far, Knock on wood, I haven’t had an issue but I get pic’s of people every now and then. Good Luck, stay cool.

 

GBA