Late Sept tactics

[mudlickman2]

I lucked out on Dec 1 for the Idaho NR tag sale and have been trying to get time scheduled off work to be able to make it. Long story short I’m only going to be able to go out the last week or so of the archery season.

What land features, food sources or tactics would you guys recommend focusing on for that time frame? I wish I could go out a couple days before the opener and try to get something patterned but it’s just not going to happen this year.

(Backpack hunt with buddy who has a bear tag)

Thanks for the help!


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[208hntr]

Congrats on the tag! I'm not sure what type of unit you're hunting, but for that late-September time frame, I would recommend keying in on few things:

- Land features: If the unit has high country, find the alpine zones, then look just below there inside the cover. Most bucks will be hard-horned by late-Sept and are just starting to transition away from the open country they used in the summer. They will feed early and late in the day, but stay close to secure cover.

- Food sources: Look for areas that still have green forbs (and are near cover). Bucks will still be looking to feed on green forbs when available. These will often be found on East slopes which get morning sun and afternoon shade. As the nighttime freezes knock the forbs down, deer will transition to a more browse-rich diet. If that happens, you can focus more on shrub fields. You could also see some bears in those areas thick with huckleberry and chokecherry brush. I usually run into bears in those shrub fields that are within a couple hundred yards of water.

- Tactics: Glass the edges of feed and cover at first/last light. Midday, I like to glass into the cover on north-facing slopes.. or nap and save energy for the primetimes. Do not miss sunrise and sunset! (I do not like still-hunting through the cover with a bow. You're unlikely to see a buck before it sees you, and you'll be spreading human scent through their security cover)

 

[mudlickman2]

Congrats on the tag! I'm not sure what type of unit you're hunting, but for that late-September time frame, I would recommend keying in on few things:

- Land features: If the unit has high country, find the alpine zones, then look just below there inside the cover. Most bucks will be hard-horned by late-Sept and are just starting to transition away from the open country they used in the summer. They will feed early and late in the day, but stay close to secure cover.

- Food sources: Look for areas that still have green forbs (and are near cover). Bucks will still be looking to feed on green forbs when available. These will often be found on East slopes which get morning sun and afternoon shade. As the nighttime freezes knock the forbs down, deer will transition to a more browse-rich diet. If that happens, you can focus more on shrub fields. You could also see some bears in those areas thick with huckleberry and chokecherry brush. I usually run into bears in those shrub fields that are within a couple hundred yards of water.

- Tactics: Glass the edges of feed and cover at first/last light. Midday, I like to glass into the cover on north-facing slopes.. or nap and save energy for the primetimes. Do not miss sunrise and sunset! (I do not like still-hunting through the cover with a bow. You're unlikely to see a buck before it sees you, and you'll be spreading human scent through their security cover)

Thank you! That’s very helpful info.


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[Roguemountainhunter]

Research, learn the unit, and the deer behavior in it.

 

[208hntr]

Thank you! That’s very helpful info.


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Of course! Good luck