whats wrong with us!!!

[KaibabHunter]

The majority of my mule deer hunting has been in thick timber in the mountains so when I started looking for hunts a little closer to home in the desert I naturally went straight to the desert mountains. A couple of guys had told that the big bucks where up high in the nastiest parts of the hills and I hiked my butt off trying to find them. Never really did. Finally got the trail cams out and after 2 months had a whopping 2 does, 6 pigs and one lion to show for it. That's when I started asking around and was told overwhelmingly that I need to be in the flats. I came up with a new strategy, found an area in the flats and used the cams to dial in on a spot that actually has some deer - hopefully they'll still be around for the Jan bowhunt.

 

I've learned that the desert is a whole nother animal than the forest. A lot of what I use in the hills still applies but for desert deer, I'm a little more inclined to sit on a well used trail near water as long as there using it which means the drier the better for me. Where I'm at now there is no elevation what so ever around so glassing is tough. If I could glass I would. In the trees I like to still hunt but the desert is loud and the deer densities are smaller so bumping into them is tough. The other thing that made sense to me was that lions are made for mountain terrain and much more effective at killing deer. There were 4 confirmed cats in the desert hills I was in and that might explain the low # of sightings. I have had a cat on my flats cams but the deer are still hanging around - knock on wood. Plus the ruts coming so hopefully that will draw the bucks in towards my area towards the does. Getting as specific as possible understanding how the deer use the area you're hunting, desert or forest, use the area and the willingness to adjust your tactics to whatever makes sense for the hunt is getting me closer, bit by bit, to having a chance.

 

I guess its not so much that deer are different but a hunter's mind set may be.

[izquik72]

I would have to say with as many tags you and your father have recieved add that to time in the field spent with him that is a lot of success!

 

As far as the harvest portion It will come. Keep at it and listen to the advise you have recieved here.

[natureboyfloyd]

This topic underscores the need to actively develop knowledge and intuition from experiences. Cousechaser3 is right on; ignore scent and wind, and all the other stuff (gear like camo, optics, etc) may not help.

Study tracks! See a deer, or any animal, and spend some time seeing the print. I have aged tracks from seeing the animal to a month out. Priceless. Once, a muley in RMNP, and another time a dog under a billboard when I was in college. This knowledge allows some sense of who went by when. Draw the prints, and keep a journal. Read Tom Brown jr, or any book, like Mammal Prints and Sign, by Mark Elbroch. Never pass up an opportunity to learn.

 

Intuition. I scouted over many weekends, and yet no buck in late November. I camped out, hunted well, but just does. On day three, I could really get a sense of the does, but my intuition said "Hey, dummy! The buck aint gonna come.' I went home Sunday, worked Monday, took off Tuesday, planning a hunt in a different area within the unit. And could not sleep, for my sense was that this new area would provide opportunity (been there once).

 

Result. Rattled twice (did it work?), and at 8, shot a spike at 52 yards, my 1st coues. (Rifle Marlin 30-30, open sights, 170gr. Fusion rounds, repaired stock)

 

By the way, I could not find a buck all late summer/early fall but once (many does) at Sabino Canyon. Watched javelina babies suckle, called foxes, etc..., in my homemade ghille jacket, but no buck. Would I have scored an early season buck in that area? NO. But in January, I stopped painting on my large watercolor canvas, brewed up some tea, walked 15 yards into the brush up Rattlesnake Canyon and saw bucks chasing does. Next week, had the King Buck walk 10 yards from me. LUCK coupled with TIME, and a sense of HUMILITY.

 

Good Luck. The end result seems to dictate the narrative, but this sight is a good place to vistit and reflect on your personal hunting practices.