Morning Access

[dubbs]

I'm going on my first rifle hunt for mule deer this year. I have hunted this same area previously during archery season. During archery we have had the place to ourselves so we didn't worry about getting to our glassing spots in the dark.

With rifle season I'm expecting a lot more company where we hunt. I like to be the first vehicle to the parking area, so that I can have the first pick of spots and not have to adjust my hunt due to someone beating me there. Where we hunt is open country, but has a lot of hills, ravines and badlands. While it is hilly, there isn't a lot of elevation change between the ridges and valleys, only about 100-200' or so. So even the highest glassing spots you can't see everything.

My question is do you worry about spooking deer in the dark on your way to your glassing spots? Or is it more important to be glassing at the earliest possible light?

How often are you moving around during rifle seasons? Obviously if you aren't seeing deer you relocate, but does pressure keep them moving or do they find a spot to hide out?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Try to get to spot that has the least amount of chance of spooking deer (every scenario is different). But remember, just because you are hiking over “here” the deer can hear/smell you over “there”.

In general - ya gotta be in place and glassing where you think will most advantageous. Then just move
Around during the day. But if you know that there is one you are going after, then alter route to get glass on him at first light that would be the least likely to spook.

There are tons of different scenarios and lots of diff ways to answer your question(s).


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[realunlucky]

If your not first your last! Glassing at first light is my favorite time of the entire day. Although in this day and age it seems to matter a lot less and people will crowd you anyways when they roll up 20 minutes after sun rise. You can only worry about the variables you can control.

You need to use good judgment on rather you'll blow the deer out in the dark. It's easy to do and pushing them into cover when you can't see defeats the purpose of glassing early. I hunt a unit in Colorado that is checker boarded with private and accessing too early just pushes the deer off the public and on the private before you can see, super frustrating when guys unfamiliar race past us while we are patiently waiting on the sun.

So to answer that question is it depends.

Lastly yes pressure can keep deer on thier feet longer (opening day) but for the most part the deer adjust and find pockets of cover to hole up in unmolested. Other than opening weekend, I think colder temperatures are a better predictor of how long they are up and moving around.

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