TJT96
Member
I burned the few deer points I had to start getting some experience under my belt for mountain hunting and have many questions that I was hoping to get help with. I’ve been to the area that I’m going to before and have seen plenty of deer but it was in December so I’m not sure if any of the info I gathered would translate to mid-October. I’ve left the region out but those of you that know Wyoming could piece it together pretty quickly, I reckon.
That being said, I’m an absolute newbie at mountain mule deer and am hoping to narrow down my e-scouting. Here’s some broad info on the unit and a multitude of questions. Even if you had an idea/answer for one of the questions, I’d be happy to hear it!
Unit Info:
Wyoming NR General Mule Deer
Mid-to-late October
4,000ft - 10,400ft elevation (excludes Wilderness)
Windward side of the mountains
Questions:
That being said, I’m an absolute newbie at mountain mule deer and am hoping to narrow down my e-scouting. Here’s some broad info on the unit and a multitude of questions. Even if you had an idea/answer for one of the questions, I’d be happy to hear it!
Unit Info:
Wyoming NR General Mule Deer
Mid-to-late October
4,000ft - 10,400ft elevation (excludes Wilderness)
Windward side of the mountains
Questions:
- Is there a general elevation band that deer are usually in during this period?
- Are bucks bedding on the north or south facing slopes during this time of year? How cold/windy does it need to get for them to switch to the south slopes?
- I understand that mature bucks will most likely be alone and in thicker cover, what kind of terrain features should I focus on while e-scouting to find their bedding areas? (e.g. basins, steep slopes, avalanche chutes, etc.)
- What does thick timbered bedding area look like on satellite maps?
- Are sagebrush patches productive forage during this period? What other forage is productive in mid-October?
- What are the mule deer does focusing on for forage during mid-October?
- Other general tips for finding deer?