20C Scout Report – Mule Deer Questions

[MuggyMan]

I’m pretty new to mule deer hunting; most of my experience is hunting elk. Never hunted desert before, always hunted high country. So I have a few questions for some of you with lots of mule deer knowledge.

 

Been doing my homework in an effort to be successful: studying maps and Google earth – a lot (starting to get dirty looks from the wife). Made 4 trips to new unit so far. I’ve worked hard to find these bucks. I’m going to fib a little bit on a few of the details, just enough to keep anyone from guessing where exactly we were. If by some chance someone has an “Ah-Ha!” moment and recognizes the location, please keep it to yourself. Like I said, I’ve worked hard to find these bucks. They are not monsters anyway, but I would be thrilled to tag one for my first ever deer.

 

Actually, I've taken a lot of details out. Don't want to give away location. If we harvest either of these bucks, I will write it up and tell all the scouting details.

 

Made a trip to new unit this weekend, and glassed up a pair of decent 4x4 bucks. Hiked miles from road, over a ridge to a spot overlooking some water in a little valley we found miles away from any road. Our glassing spot was the high ground by far. We could see for at least a mile in 3 directions. We glassed up 2 bucks, not in the draws and ravines in the hills where I expected to find them, but in the middle of a patch of scrub on a flat plateau, cliffs and rimrock on 3 sides, a gradual downward slope on the 4^th side.

 

At first this surprised me as I would have expected them to be bedded in the hilly part. But after thinking on this, I can see how these bucks would have felt safe there. Is this an unusual spot for mule deer bucks to be bedded?

 

These 2 bucks were almost exactly same size – body and antler (maybe twins?).

 

My hunt is November 13-19. Are these 2 bucks likely to still be hanging together then? Will they likely be in the same place?

 

[Str8Shot]

I would not say that where you are seeing them is unusual, they are not feeling pressure yet. Bucks will tend to be in bachelor groups through November , but often get broken up during the early hunts ... sometimes they regroup sometimes they split into smaller groups and pairs.... Once rifle season begins and they feel the pressure you may find them more in the draws and canyons during the day as you expected. Do not overthink it too much, if you know there are bucks there now just plan on different ways you will approach the area once your hunt starts. If it gets really windy , look in the draws for certain and often they will bed 1/2 - 3/4 up on the hillsides breaking the wind and offering best shade.

[MT_Sourdough]

Not in 20c, but in a nearby unit, I have observed that the mule deer have started frequenting the tops of Mesas after avoiding those areas all summer. Through the summer, tracks across the tops of mesas were few and far between. Once the temps started to cool, the mule deer have started spending a lot more time around the top rims and regularly cross over the top.

For what it's worth anyways. Might be helpful.

[TOBY]

Now come up with a plan of where are they going to booger to after the first hunt. This unit gets pounded every year and this year tags were upped by 400 plus a rut jr.in late dec. Stay off the beaten path. Find a spot that cant be glassed by big optics or youll have someones posse leading them in. I have the first hunt. Hotter but first dibs. Best of luck.

[khmer6]

Not unusual to see them out in the open scrub/sage brush if they aren't feeling pressured. Lots of big deer will stay in the flat lands. If they know how to hide and stay hidden when need be and bolt after the danger is gone, the flats are a good spot.