Mid elevation Mule Deer with a Bow

[UTJL]

This is my first time hunting mule deer with a bow. I’m in a unit that has high open basins and meadows but is mostly mature aspens, some conifers, some small lower meadows. I’ve scouted 7 days, and found a number of bucks in the high basins and also in mid elevations.

Thinking ahead I believe many of the bucks will move down into the mid elevation aspens/small meadows when the season starts (mid August). Most of the small meadows aren’t glassable from a distance and the bucks effectively disappear once they enter the aspens.

I’m looking for any advice on how to effectively hunt the mid elevations with a bow? My first thought is to still hunt the aspens into the wind but I think it’ll be incredibly difficult.

 

[Hippie Steve]

Sounds like a classic spot and ambush, that's the play I would make. Good luck!

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Treestand

 

[UTJL]

Sounds like a classic spot and ambush, that's the play I would make. Good luck!

Would you focus on the small meadows you can glass from farther out or meadows you have to be on the edge of to see into?

 

[UTJL]

Treestand

So far I haven’t found a pinch point for a treestand setup. With the heavy winter we had there is water and food everywhere. The deer are spread out this year which is a double edged sword.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

So far I haven’t found a pinch point for a treestand setup. With the heavy winter we had there is water and food everywhere. The deer are spread out this year which is a double edged sword.

You'd be surprised at what those muley bucks do when in Aspen cover, or any heavy tall timber, for that matter.

 

[Hippie Steve]

Would you focus on the small meadows you can glass from farther out or meadows you have to be on the edge of to see

I will PM you

 

[UTJL]

You'd be surprised at what those muley bucks do when in Aspen cover, or any heavy tall timber, for that matter.

I’ve found them bedded and walking when scouting the Aspens mid day. It’s more finding a spot I’ll believe they’ll walk by within the hundreds of acres of aspens.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I’ve found them bedded and walking when scouting the Aspens mid day. It’s more finding a spot I’ll believe they’ll walk by within the hundreds of acres of aspens.

There's always spots in tall timber groves (aspens, pines, spruce, fir, cottonwoods, sycamores, etc) where a person can setup treestands (plural) and have reasonable expectation of flinging arrows/bullets at mature mule deer bucks. Works great in the Rocky Mountain West. One of the guides I hunt with down there has it as his tactic of choice for both archery and rifle hunters.