Choosing a new deer hunting spot?

[Paul in Idaho]

I have spent a lot of time this weekend looking at hunt stats, maps, and Google Earth. I have 3 new muley hunting spots located, and I'm now trying to decide which one to scout.

Figuring out what is a "bucky" spot is still difficult. Escape routes, water, and bedding cover exist in all 3 areas. What factor would you look at next? I have mainly been searching for 8500 - 9500' elevation areas, after wasting a couple years hunting too low. Recently, though, I saw a huge buck at around 5500' and that has me doubting my focus on elevation.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[sneakypete]

Probably better off if you have time to scout them all, just in case you get over run by more hunters than you figured!

 

[Paul in Idaho]

That would be ideal, if my schedule would allow it.

 

[huntid73]

More times than not, I have found that elevation a lot of times isn't the biggest factor, it seems to me that good cover and sneaky escape routes paired with hard to access produces bucks. There have been a lot of times I have seen horns and white rump booking it away because the buck could see me approaching without me seeing him, and had a quick out to the next drainage. As a matter of fact, some of the biggest bucks I have seen have come out of small pockets that most hunters walk by because they are "too small" to hold a big buck, while that same buck sneaks out the bottom.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

What time of year will you be hunting them? They are probably going to be in different places between early September and the middle of November.

 

[Paul in Idaho]

Thanks, huntid73. Good point. I'll have to look carefully at the escape routes.

MinnesotaHunter, my main hunt is the 2nd week of October - the start of Idaho's general rifle season. I hope to get a weekend or two during September's archery season too.