Spotted a Buck, Need your help!

Neillamm

FNG
Joined
Jun 17, 2018
Messages
7
Alright guys, I'm out here in Colorado. Glassed a nice mule deer this evening at about 500 yards. I am inexperienced at best when it comes to hunting out west. I know that I've blown whitetails by being too aggressive, so I decided to play it safe and just watch him until sunset. My question is...now what??

Do I wait until midday tomorrow and go get in position and wait him out? Do I show up there in the morning? Should I have been more aggressive and put a stalk on?

I'm super grateful to have seen deer, and count this hunt as a success already, but obviously I'd love to pull the trigger. Any advice is appreciated!!
 
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
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Not sure of your reasoning for waiting until mid-day. He may be close to that spot in the morning. Get out there and try and find him before he beds down.
 
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
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Texas
What weapon? If you had wind in your favor, you probably could have made a move. I agree to be back there first thing in the morning. The buck is probably in rut right now, and you should be able to close to 200-300 yards without a ton of difficulty if it isn't super crunchy and noisy.
 

robby denning

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It’s the hard core rut, that buck is likely moving a lot. Be there by first light, absolutely don’t let your scent blow in there, try not to use a flashlight, and keep it quiet. Give yourself extra time to hike in so you aren’t in a rush making noise. Kill him the first good chance you get, he could be three miles away In a day.


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OP
N

Neillamm

FNG
Joined
Jun 17, 2018
Messages
7
Awesome, I appreciate the info. I'm hunting with a 300 WSM. The more I'm researching, the more I'm regretting not making a move, but only one way to learn. I'm just used to hunting whitetails back home where you can pretty much expect them to be on the same pattern day to day.

Should I be close to where I spotted them at first light, or back up on my glassing ridge?
 
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If you have an area that you can glass from that offers a good view of the whole area that would be good. As Robby said he could be moving a lot. I forgot that the rut is heating up. I wouldn't necessarily go straight to where you last saw him. If he found a doe though he may be right there.
 
OP
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Neillamm

FNG
Joined
Jun 17, 2018
Messages
7
Cool, yeah he had a few does with him and a small buck following closely. I'll plan on going back to the same glassing point, and making a move from there. Hopefully he'll be there, but if not, I've learned a lesson!
 

robby denning

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Get on your glassing point as long as it let’s you keep the wind. Try to see as much country as possible as it’s getting light.


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Joined
Jun 13, 2016
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Cool, yeah he had a few does with him and a small buck following closely. I'll plan on going back to the same glassing point, and making a move from there. Hopefully he'll be there, but if not, I've learned a lesson!

Good! Relocate him again and kill him in the morning.
 

robby denning

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Robby do you really think a flashlight makes a difference? What about a red light?

Absolutely!!!! I rarely turn them on if I’m close to where a buck might be. And I don’t trust the red lights enough to even try them. Big
Deer are too far n few to gamble on anything


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Joined
Apr 15, 2017
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Id be at the glassing spot early and hope to pick him up again. Move in if you can, closing the gap only 200 more yard you can usually pull it off with the right terrain
 

KHNC

WKR
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Jul 11, 2013
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3,426
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NC
Next time be ready to shoot 500 yds. Definitely not out of the question with that rifle. Get you a turret setup and practice with it. Good Luck!
 

30338

WKR
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
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1,861
Per KHNC above, buy something like a SWFA 6x scope with mil quad reticle and kill that sucker next time at 500 yards. When I first moved to Colorado in my 20s, 500 yards was the other side of the moon. Now 30 years later and a lot of shooting with the proper equipment, 500 yards is really doable.

That said it is exciting getting to tag along on your hunt via this thread. Lot of years of knowledge you just tapped into. Hope you get to post a pic of him. Good luck!
 
Joined
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The OP seems like a nice guy. I'm nervous for him that the buck is in another county right now and the game is up. If so, on to the next buck as they're on the move.
 

Trial153

WKR
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Oct 28, 2014
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NY
I am not much help as rifle hunter but I have killed a handful of late season mule deer with a bow. I go right after them with the wind in my favor or if I cant do that I try to cut them off either between does or in the direction the are going. I have gone from watching a buck at 600 yards away and 45 minutes later they are arrowed. I happens fast when they are in the rut.
You have to make the best of opportunities your given at this time of year. It's not like early season when you can sit on a buck till the time is right sit to long and you never see them again.
Good luck!!
 
OP
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Neillamm

FNG
Joined
Jun 17, 2018
Messages
7
Thanks for all of the thoughts guys!! I was glassing at first light, and never found him. Found a bedded doe, and thought he was close by, but to no avail. KHNC and 30338, I hope to be able to shoot up to 500 soon. Sounds crazy, but I'm in town with my wife for Thanksgiving, and have bought this gun from a friend out here about 6 months ago that I literally picked up yesterday morning. He said it was sighted dead on at 200, and because I hadn't even shot it yet, I didn't want to make a poor shot. Normally I would never pull something off like this, but I had paid the extra few bucks to get a mule deer tag in addition to my preference point, and since I was purchasing the rifle, I thought I would spend a few days out there. I was debating on just focusing on pheasants, but I said what the heck. My intent with purchasing the .300 is to hunt longer ranges, so hopefully by the next hunt, I'll be ready :)

That said, I've been learning a ton on this hunt! Honestly, I have done little to no research besides figuring out a few places that may hold some muleys. So I count it as a blessing to be seeing a few deer. Biggest learning curve has probably been to not count on mule deer patterning like whitetails. Back home, I can count on a big buck running the same course once ever day or two, but in the public land chase of mule deer, I need to act when an opportunity arises. I keep thinking back to yesterday and how I could have easily pulled a shot off by closing the gap, but I'm thankful to have laid eyes on him and I know my day will come.

Tomorrow's my last day. Cold front and snow moving in, so hopefully they'll be on the move! Thanks for all the input. Will update if I'm successful.
 
Joined
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Kudos to you, I respect you not taking that shot. The mule deer learning game is so challenging and yet so rewarding. It is largely why I find so much joy hunting them. I can't even count how many "replays" of botched stalks and screwed up scenarios from out in the field that go through my mind. That's where the hard lessons have been learned for me. I'm stubborn like that. Keep at it, don't let your guard down and stay alert. Good luck out there!
 

Macegl

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 2, 2016
Messages
160
If there's a lot of does in there, it might not hurt to hang around that general area. If you only have one day left to hunt, at least you know your in an area that can hold a good buck and there are does. Chances are, a buck will come around, even if it's not the same one.

Good on you for not taking a 500 yd shot. That's a very tough shot, especially if you're solo. I've seen quite a few people lose track of a deer due to recoil at that range, and not have the slightest idea where it went, or if it was even hit after the shot. Better to close the distance to a range that you know when you shoot, it will be a good hit.
 
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