Advice

Let me set up the scenario...It's general season..mid october..rut hasnt kicked in..No snow..Your area's highest elevation (and a small portion) is 8,900ft..it's lowest (also a small portion) is 5,500ft with average being 6,5000 to 7,500ft.Lots of slopes to watch..Tracks are scattered,and don't seem to be concentrated.

What would you look for first?Water?Cover?Both?Do they depend alot on the juniper to shade them?Trying to get an idea of what to look for so I can eliminate ground quickly.

The reason I am asking is...

I found one section with some south facing slopes scattered with juniper on the south side of them,and very thick with juniper on the north side of them.I was thinking it might hold deer on the north side of the slope,and then they may feed onto the more open south side of the slope in the evening...It doesn't appear to have much water near.

I also found an area that is fairly open with one small area of juniper.I was thinking it might attract deer b/c there aren't many other trees near.There are water sources near.SO I am thinking this spot may be better.

Am I on the right track?Is this what you look for when going into a strange area?Help me out..thanks..

Yes I am from the east where you can't see more than 50yds...lol..Thanks for any help.
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I know this sounds cliche but the good ones will most likely be in either the toughest or most overlooked by other hunters areas on the unit. They will travel miles to water and feed at night and not necessarily bed anywhere near either. At least this is my findings.

Bill
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Thanks for the response.I understand where you are coming from..I don't have real high hopes.My goal is a decent 4x4 24inches wide or so..again thanks.
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MuleyMadness
Yes look for tracks first. Waisting your time if there is no tracks/sign etc. IMO.

I agree deer can and will travel a long ways to water so it's still important but matters not if there is no deer in the area.
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camodup
Two words... Trail Camera :)
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By mid october they should be traveling to and from any pinions or oaks in the area that have nuts on them to feed. They seem to like pinions best. I'd find them before the season.
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ridgetop
Look for saddles in all elevations and brushy areas around these saddles. These are very good feeding areas. If there are rocky cliffs or rim rock, look in those areas too. Good luck.
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Thanks guys,any tips you have are appreciated.I hear they feed on bitterroot.Is that during a certain time or what?What food sources would you say you look for in a foothills type area?Thanks!
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camodup
What i personally do is just watch what they are feeding through out the whole year, and then look for whatever that may be all over and then watch for deer to be in those areas. Just a way to stay ahead of the game. Check and see what the deer are doing, and then use that to your advantage. Maybe they like a specific type of tree to bed under, then find it in other places, catch my drift?
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waynedevore
Mule Deer bucks like to bed about 3/4 up on the sides of canyons, buttes in the rough country, on little benches. Against a tree or bush or rock for shade in warm sunny days. they like to be up where they can spot danger. Very windy type conditions will send them to sheltered spots in heavy stuff or the bottoms of draws.
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"camodup" wrote:What i personally do is just watch what they are feeding through out the whole year, and then look for whatever that may be all over and then watch for deer to be in those areas. Just a way to stay ahead of the game. Check and see what the deer are doing, and then use that to your advantage. Maybe they like a specific type of tree to bed under, then find it in other places, catch my drift?
 I gotchya..unfortunately I live nearly 2,000 miles away from my hunt area,and I am going to have to try and sort through areas quickly,and figure out what I need to look for.I plan on getting to my hunt area a few days before to scout..I do understand what you mean though.The game here is sortof the same.The more you stay on top of them,and figure out what they are eating during that time of the year,and where to find it can be a big key.

"waynedevore" wrote:Mule Deer bucks like to bed about 3/4 up on the sides of canyons, buttes in the rough country, on little benches. Against a tree or bush or rock for shade in warm sunny days. they like to be up where they can spot danger. Very windy type conditions will send them to sheltered spots in heavy stuff or the bottoms of draws.
Thanks!That makes alot of sense.I am just so unfamiliar with the terrain,and having hunted everything but mulies,don't want to go in clueless..thinking they will be like whitetails..I'm getting an idea what to look for now.
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