Planning first mule deer hunt

[Vabaseball10]

I have started my planning for my first Idaho mule deer hunt. I am planning for next year 2021 to go. I am a disabled veteran and plan on buying a mule deer tag as well as a elk tag. I plan to put emphasis on Elk, but will not pass up a mature mule deer buck if I come across one. I will be thrilled with either one. I have looked at several units and have considered 28 for the most isolated areas, but have also considered some of the 60's units also because they seem maybe easier for getting around. I am planning to hunt with a buddy, but may end up doing a solo hunt. I will be traveling from Virginia so boots on the ground scouting will be limited. I am not asking for locations to hunt, and I am perfectly okay with going home with my tags also, I'm just excited about the experience. So my questions are about altitudes of deer and elk at different times of the year, and information as to why they are at those elevations. With this information, I plan to use Idaho hunt planner, and Onxhunt to find areas to look for. If there are other resources to read, I will certainly look those up. Any help is appreciated.

 

[GetWestern]

I’d pick up a couple books on elk and mule deer hunting most of those will give the answers your asking.

 

[Marble]

I’d pick up a couple books on elk and mule deer hunting most of those will give the answers your asking.

Exactly....

There is more to it then just targeting a specific altitude range. A lot more.

If it's your first few years of hunting mule deer and elk, you've got an exciting and large amount of info to learn. Experience and knowledge of the area you are going to will be bigger influences on your success, than choosing the right area, altitude or season.

My best suggestion is for you to take a trip where you want to go during the summertime or early fall, close to when you want to hunt, and scout. The 1 to 4 days it will take you to locate a camping spot, trailhead, water, town, animals, learn things the wind does etc., will not have to be learned on your first trip out.

 

[Rich M]

I think you'll have a lot of fun but do suggest more of a rolling terrain if your disability is of a mobile kind.

I've not hunted up in the mountains and don't want to. Just not for me at this stage of life.

 

[Vabaseball10]

I am still pretty mobile but things just hurt a bit, but I've pushed through that for a while. I've started asking for information now so I can start learning what I need. I was asking about altitude so I can try to narrow down the areas I'm looking at. I've been watching and reading Randy Newmans stuff to get help too. I don't expect a kill on my first trip but I'd like to at least have a starting point.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Welcome to Rokslide! I think you're probably barking up the wrong tree going by altitude as your starting point for finding deer or elk. They'll be wherever there's enough food, water, and lack of human pressure to feel safe. That could be at 11000 feet, or 3000, it just depends.

 

[Marble]

This above, and I think success on your first trip isnt crazy at all. There are always opportunities for smaller bucks that run around with does whenever I'm hunting mule deer in colorado. And like it was said, that from 7,000 to 11,500.

If you can ride a horse then you could use it to cover territory on the way up and then hunt from there. That's what I do for the old guys in the group. They wouldn't make it more than a day here and there if we didn't have horses.

 

[Vabaseball10]

Ok I appreciate the information. From some of the threads I had gathered that the deer move up and down in altitude according to the season. I thought it would help me narrow down my areas to read topo maps. But I fully accept the experience on here. I am new to this and don't pretend to know more than I do. I will certainly start reading some of the books suggested to learn everything I can over the next year and a half.

 

[Wyohunt19]

Unit 28. The elk range from the river all the way to the top. from the top down towards the river it’s steep but low pressure