Mule Deer Scouting (WY Area 60)

[jtm307]

This will be the first time I've hunted mule deer. I visited this area to look for deer a couple of times over the past week and have spent a good deal of time just camping and fishing in this area. All I found were does, and I have only ever laid eyes on 3 bucks in this area in decades of living here. The season here is from 10/20 to 11/5. If I find places where does reside, is it safe to assume this is where I will find bucks, or will it still be too early to find bucks chasing does? That's my main question. Additionally, if anyone has had experience in this area and is willing to share info, I'm all ears. I've heard the buck quality is high, but what about quantity? As a new mule deer hunter, I'll probably just shoot the first legal deer I find.

 

[jtm307]

*bump*

No advice?

I went in again over the weekend and found a lot of sign in an area. I'm just not sure this is where I should go when the season starts.

 

[nuevo_eph]

I'm guessing nobody knows the area well enough. From my little experience with mule deer I would suggest that the bucks are not there yet and are hiding up higher or in nastier spots until the rut. If I see does and forkies I can almost guarantee that I won't see bucks around my area in central NM. Get up higher and start glassing sanctuary spots.

 

[jtm307]

Thanks for the info. I should've been less area specific. Do you think that will change in late Oct/early Nov? Or is that usually still too early for the rut to bring the bigger ones down? I was thinking along those lines too, but I hiked/camped near the highest point in the unit early this summer and saw very little sign. Fortunately it's really close to home so I can still make several trips up before hunting season.

 

[utah400elk]

I know the area well... I have seen a lot of good bucks around the does near the end of Oct to the first week of Nov. One of my good friends shot a great 170 class 3 point that was chasing a group of does on Oct 31 a few years back. He would not leave the does even after being shot at and missed the first time. He was definitely a little rutty. That was several miles north of your area but same vicinity. The later you go the more bucks you will find near the does. Your problem in that area will be all the trails and weekend campers. Look at some of the state area that drops to the east. The harder to reach areas that can only be accessed by hiking from the forest service area can be very good. you have a good tag and it will be a fun hunt.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

We hunt the northcentral part of the state every year and normally we start seeing more bucks starting to come out of the woodwork the last few days of October to start checking does out and some of the smaller ones will actually start staying with or close to the does even though the main rut is 2 to 3 weeks away.