Ok, here is the set-up.
A week into the season, you have moved into a new area. Three days of hunting, well, actually looking, you find a really nice buck that you would like to take home.
It's about 1:30, the wind has been pretty reliable, but you can see the afternoon clouds forming up as they have been doing all week. The buck appears to be alone and is bedded down in a mediocre spot, could be better, could be worse. It's going to take you an hour, hour and a half to get yourself in postion.
You are not alone in the area, you seen the occasional cowboy and have passed by several camps of hunters...but it's a large area.
So, do you go after him NOW, or save him for tomorrow?
Tomorrow you could get to your vantage point early, spot him, put him to bed, and have the late morning and the rest of the day to make your stalk...that is if he is still there!!
Today, well nothing is certain and a bedded buck is the opportunity you have been dreaming about all winter. Sure, it could be a better situation but nothing is ever certain hunting big bucks.
What's it gonna be??
Why?
Bob
Here in UT I go now. At 1:30 no one is out hunting and I can at least have a fighting chance of getting on the buck. If a storm is moving in, that even gives me a better shot of closing in without the threat of other hunters. If I wait till later, he's probably gone, but that's in this state. But I better make a disclaimer, I am no expert :)
Expert I'm not , around here I find the bucks in more open country will pick up and move areas for no reason , nor do they run the same trails or use the same beds day in and day out around here.
Like said before I'm NO expert. That being said I would go after him. I try and take advantage every time I see a big buck. Doesn't always work out for me but I tried I guess. Like you said, he might not even be there the next day.
My decision would be based on the other human activity in the area. IF it looked like the area was "remote" enough and the buck was NOT going to be disturbed, I would wait for the following day and get started early.
HOWEVER, if there was a good likelihood of the buck being bumped by other human activity, I personally would NOT wait until the next day.
I have been in both situations multiple times...sometimes it worked out favorably and sometimes not - when it did not it was usually because I was not patient enough once I closed the distance....
Now that I am older, I am a lot slower, but I still am working on the patience thing....
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
The thing about mulies, Some have a "home" (a very small huant, of a few dozen acres) but most don't. Tomorrow he might be 10 miles away or even double that. They are more nomadic than whitetail. If you see a buck you want to take, don't rush it, but don't let the opportunity pass either.
No Question ,go after him now as long as the winds steady.Put on your knee pads and gloves and use every bit of cover to your advantage.On your belly you should be able to close the distance to 10-15 yards.Don't rush it.When your in position get ready and let him stand naturally.Take water with you it could be a long wait.Big Mulies are like gypsies he could be 10 miles away tommorrow.Take the first good shot he gives you ,you may not get another.
I'm with Steve, go after him. I'm guessing you are talking early season so even if it takes you 1 1/2 hours to get whithin bow range, it's only 3 PM. Unless the clouds coming really change the weather, the thermals should be good for a couple of more hours.
I would put the sneak on right then.
I would go after him same day, but I would not necessarily try to close the deal immediately. If you spot a buck at 1:30 in the afternnoon, he's likely to reposition himself at least twice before he gets up to feed in the evening... and I would much rather try to close the final distance and make my shot on a feeding buck than on a bedded one.
QuoteOriginally posted by steadman:
Here in UT I go now. At 1:30 no one is out hunting and I can at least have a fighting chance of getting on the buck. If a storm is moving in, that even gives me a better shot of closing in without the threat of other hunters. If I wait till later, he's probably gone, but that's in this state. But I better make a disclaimer, I am no expert :)
X2. I am no expert either but I am with Ryan on this one. I would go after him. I tried to wait too many times pony to have worse conditions than I started with.
I would go now too. Very hard to pattern big muleys. He very likley would not be there tomarrow, even if you do put him to bed. Lots of varibles involved but you know where he is now, still alot of daylight left...why not.
I would go after him now. If you wait, he will more they likely not be there tomorrow, or another hunter may take him. Take off your boots and go after him.
I'm a bird in hand kind of guy. I always make a move, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but I never look back on the decision. Since I have switched to that mindset I have had far more shot opportunities. So I say go for it!
I'm not an expert and don't do as much spot and stalk as I would like(terrain type I hunt)but I would be half way there by now. You only get so many conditions that are favorable to stalk a bedded buck,take advantage of the few if any you may get in a season.
I'm no expert either by a long way and I have a big list of blown stalks on big bucks to prove it. But I would go after him.
That being said, I would bet a sack full of hundred dollor bills against a sack full of pennies, Mr. Big isn't alone... Look for that yearling or smaller buck (I call it a pilot buck)stratigically placed by the big one to blow your hunt for ya...
Good luck!
Todd
Good advice above and I agree with those who say go now.
Stalk 'em where and when you find 'em, mulies, especially big ones, don't hang out for long.
I've had my share of blown stalks due to what Just a Hunter said. I would try and get myself setup and glass the area several times just to make sure his does or another buck is not out on the troll looking. I got lucky with this method three times. The main reason why my stalks have been blown is because of an unspotted doe or there is a doe between me and old big boy and I get pinned down.
Shawn
I would definitely have to agree to go after him then. Chances of finding that buck again are sure no guarantee. Listen to Shedrock he is the muley expert!
First of all, I,ve never seen a mature muley ever pick a mediocure spot to bed, they usually have all bases covered well, I always try to go on them and if I can,t close the distance I don,t try to jump them but back out and hope, or try to figure where they might head, I,ve seen them clear the country if pushed, miles isn,t nothing for them especially in wide open country
Get going! As stated several times above, where he is today is not where he'll be tomorrow. If there is human activity, especially other hunters, he'll be moving at night. Even without human pressure, bucks sometimes just like to see what's two drainages over...
Mulies are social animals, and there is a high likelihood that there is another deer with him. Glass, glass, and glass some more.
Clouds blowing in may mean a shift in wind, and if the temps drop suddenly, the thermals may shift. The drift on the hill you are on is not necessarily the drift across the valley.
In the situation stated I would go after him. If the wind allows try to get above him. In the early season you are not very likely to find a big buck by himself though, so be very wary of other deer.
Definitely no expert on this but I have been through the almost exact situation on a 160 class buck. My hunting partner and I decided to wait until morning and get a better angle for the stalk. The buck disappeared never to be seen again the rest of the season. That being said, my hunting time is very limited so I have an "attempt a stalk on any visible buck on the mountain" attitude now because I usually don't have time for the waiting game.
Strike when the irons hot! Git ur dun!
I'm no expert either. So far in 4 years of hunting I have had 12 stalks and one dead buck. I agree with goin' now. Had a similar situation last year in WY. Didn't go and the next morning the group of bucks went to bed in an area I couldn't get to. I'll never do that again...go now.
Great advice above. I'd go now. Gary
Thanks guys!! I think most of us are on the same page.
I most always "go".
That said if the wind is wrong and he smells you, for sure you are done with him...probably for the rest of the season.
If it comes down to a high percentage of being winded or taking a chance on him being there tomorrow, I vote for tomorrow chances.
If you don't find him in the morning he may still be in the neighborhood.
Bob
Definitely go now. By sunrise, he might just still be there sleeping in having breakfast in bed, but I'd say the better odds would put him somewhere in the next county. Why? Just because. He's a mule deer.
Watch the wind. Go slow. Slug slow.
If you blow it, just lay down and take a nap. Tomorrow start glassing. If you don't freak him out he may not go far. Or ... He might be in in the next state. Why? He's a mule deer.