James McKew

Mule Deer bucks are out there.

After hours of fruitlessly wandering in the hills and not seeing any animals, many hunters throw their hands in the air and head back to camp. Not you. Not today.

I get it, we all feel that way. But, mule deer bucks are actually there, hidden by sagebrush or rock outcroppings, or under a quiet pinyon tree. It’s your job to find them. This proves a daunting task as the season progresses. Deer become “gun-wise” and choose to stay hidden during the daylight hours, only feeding at night. I remember seeing ten-point bucks on the highway just outside of Elk, Nevada, once muzzleloader season started. So, instead of giving up, try this idea: Hunt the offshoots of a canyon.

Mule Deer bucks will avoid the main canyon. They head to an offshoot canyon to sleep during daylight hours. Their beds will be on the north slope, where they can look down into the canyon below. This pattern will continue until the weather becomes cold, at which point they will need to switch to the south slopes to warm up.

If you are hunting in sagebrush country, which most of the western U.S. is covered in, spend your time walking high ridges. Being careful not to let your shadow fall where it can be seen by the deer. Glass down into the north slope hillsides, inspecting every bush, tree, and rock for tell-tale antlers poking up.

Good luck out there.