Sitting water for archery mule deer wyo

[willfrye027]

My wife and I are heading to southern wyoming for an archery hunt this September. I know the area fairly well from previous hunts. It can be pretty hot, and there are some nice water holes I can imagine sitting over. I’m thinking, especially for my wife, some kind of ambush situation around water might up the odds for success.

Does anybody sit water for muleys? And tips? Is it worth sitting afternoons? I imagine the big boys won’t be likely to come out before dark...but my wife would probably shoot a 2 year old deer with her bow given a good opportunity. I won’t be setting any cams before the hunt at this point which probably would have been ideal..

 

[wildwilderness]

That’s how all the big bucks are killed in AZ. Evening is a good time to sit, but you never know when they will come. Some water holes I knew in CO the bucks would hit in the morning, swing by before bedding for the day. Of course a trail cam will tell you all you need to know.

for a beginning archer I think it’s the best chance, other than road hunting and jumping out to shoot a spike. if your wife is confident you can split up leaving her at water and sit another hole or go spot and stalk yourself. More efficient use of time if you both have tags

 

[willfrye027]

Thanks for the tips. Sounds like it’s worth a try especially in the evenings after prime stalking time is over

 

[Rich M]

Went antelope hunting once during muley archery and saw most mule deer along watercourses. There were mostly does but they were never that far from water - streams and water holes.

The one "decent" buck I saw was leaving a crop field and paralleling a stream. Not sure if he bedded along the stream or in the sage.

 

[wytx]

They all need to drink.
Good ambush spot with time to look over her or your target. I would try it at least for a day or 2.

 

[robby denning]

As long as it's permitted, put up a Tcam even on the hole you're sitting. It'll help to know what's up on the hours you're not there.

AZ guys catch those bucks at water in the morning too, on occassion.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Sitting on water is like watching paint dry. 99% of the time the bucks will hit it after sunset (legal shooting hours) and you'll see everything else come and drink. I sat on one hole for two mornings and evenings...saw bull elk, javelina, coyotes & a bobcat but no bucks. I do not like sitting...to me "hunting" is the pursuit of game. If I'm not moving, I'm not hunting. I know it works out for some but it's just not my thing. Even a few hours in a natural ground blind frustrates me to no end. There are times when it's the only option...your last best option but I hate it. Especially when the game cams capture bucks drinking at 1am.

 

[wytx]

I've had mule deer bucks walk right by mid morning while sitting an antelope blind. They had a different spot on the water to drink than the antelope. They drank then went on and bedded and got up to feed later in the day and traveled back to the area from which they came that morning. One big lop for them.
Does the water have shade ? Make a ground blind, natural if so.
If it's a used waterhole, she may see a multitude of different animals, especially if water is scarce.
Gives her time to look over animals, and take a relaxed shot.
I would sit it one day, all day to see. or put up a cam.

 

[jimmy88]

Definitely worth sitting near a water hole. I've seen a lot of bucks get their early morning drink on. The big fellas do tend to be off the beaten path for water in the evenings.

 

[dtrkyman]

One year in the Douglas area I was hunting Pronghorn over a windmill tank, in 2 days I had 3 P&Y class mule deer bucks come in, was awesome watching them inside 30 yards drinking, but also painful not having a tag!

Was on a private ranch.