Which directions do you glass?

[broadhead]

Couldn't figure out exactly where to place this thread so I'll just put it in here. Due to access issues I'm forced to mostly hunt the western slopes of the Santa Rita's down here in 34a. That means I have to spend a lot of my time glassing toward the east, which sucks in the morning for obvious reasons and I try to avoid it. I try to play the sun behind me when glassing whenever possible. How much consideration do you guys place on which direction you glass at first and last light when the sun is at its lowest angle? I get focusing on north facing slopes once the sun gets higher to pick apart the shade but what about early and late? Does that rule still apply or should I try to get the best vantage point of likely travel areas while they're up and moving in the early and late hours to avoid fighting the sun in my eyes? Thanks!

[CatfishKev]

I've really wondered this when hunting the western sides of the mustangs for pigs in the evening. I've wondered if east vs west side had different varying times of peak activity and what not.

[dustin25]

Generally,try to have the sun at your back for the earlier morning and the sun in your face the rest of the day.that just puts the odds in your favor,but it definately dosent mean you cant do the opposite and find deer, sometimes that might be your only option.

[PseAZ]

We have a spot down here by us that we have to glass into the sun a lot during the mornings, We try and locate as many deer as we can before the sun peeks over then move in to investigate. If we know there is a big buck in the area we will hold up in the spot and try and locate him or the group he's normally with. For some reason in this area they just prefer the west facing slopes. I also bring a towel or something and drape it over my hat helps me a lot being able to locate deer without the extra light coming in the sides.

[firstcoueswas80]

Glassing in the shade is never a bad spot to find deer no matter what time of day it is.

[AZbowhntr]

I took Duwane Adams glassing class years ago. We glassed the south and east facing slopes first thing in the morning and then turned around as they started feeding towards bedding areas. Coues deer will stay up later than muleys so it lets you glass away from the sun longer. I think it was around 9 when we turned and started glassing the north facing slopes. It was crazy because we started seeing deer feed out of view and turned around to glass the opposite ridges and had different deer pop into view.

[Red Rabbit]

We glassed the south and east facing slopes first thing in the morning and then turned around as they started feeding towards bedding areas. Coues deer will stay up later than muleys so it lets you glass away from the sun longer. I think it was around 9 when we turned and started glassing the north facing slopes.

 

Tis a good strategy

[oz31p]

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[broadhead]

Thanks guys, this really helps. I noticed last year even in the summer that the deer would move early in the morning regardless of where the sun was. I think I've been too focused on glassing only west and north facing slopes and as a result have missed a lot of deer and ended up looking into the sun in the mornings way more than I ever had to. Thanks again for the advice!

[COA]

Be careful with this! I thought I knew to glass x slope at x time.

 

I took a very patient first timer and he was finding deer consistently in spots they shouldn't have been.

 

My advice stay in the glass and move methodically and you will find deer.

[azslim]

I kinda let the weather dictate, if it's hot and I need shade I try and glass the shady slopes, if it's cold and I want sun then I glass sunny slopes. Unfortunately this means you have to put up with the weather, which sucks on really windy days because you have to face the wind and glass the lee slopes.

[firstcoueswas80]

Be careful with this! I thought I knew to glass x slope at x time.

 

I took a very patient first timer and he was finding deer consistently in spots they shouldn't have been.

 

My advice stay in the glass and move methodically and you will find deer.

My Philosophy for finding coues deer for several years has been the only place you won't find them is where you don't look. They don't read the book, they don't read the internet forums. They go where they want when they want why they want.

[Littrell]

Shade!! Find it and glass it. The bigger the better. However there are no rules, you could find them anywhere. But from experience bucks will be in the shade. Or heading to it.

[lancetkenyon]

All.

[chico]

Been said here before--- I just repeating -- deer gonna be where they want to be .