Mule Deer E Scouting Image Snips

[Flatlander3]

Well I feel like this could be very beneficial to alot of folks or this thread could slide down the forum list to be forgotten about.

I thought it would be a cool thread to take snips of topo maps, google earth images, etc. of areas you target for Mule deer and point out key areas. This can be of random areas you have never visited or your secret honey hole (protecting the location of course). I think no one should include roads or parcel data (public land names, private owner names, etc) or any other location identification keys to protect all spots either you or someone else likes.

I love e scouting, as many of you probably do, but I don't have alot of Mule deer experience. Just curious for things people look for with real images that peoplecan relate to other areas.(north slopes with south feeding slopes close, water and bedding, etc.).

 

[tomengineer]

Well I feel like this could be very beneficial to alot of folks or this thread could slide down the forum list to be forgotten about.

I thought it would be a cool thread to take snips of topo maps, google earth images, etc. of areas you target for Mule deer. This can be of random areas you have never visited or your secret honey hole (protecting the location of course). I think no one should include roads or parcel data (public land names, private owner names, etc) or any other location identification keys to protect all spots either you or someone else likes.

I love e scouting, as many of you probably do, but I don't have alot of Mule deer experience. Just curious for things people look for with real images that peoplecan relate to other areas.(north slopes with south feeding slopes close, water and bedding, etc.).

Following if anyone is willing to share. It all blends together after a few hours.

 

[teej89]

I'm pretty sure this was covered once before but I could be mistaken. It'd be old if so, 12+ months. Definitely a neat topic though!

 

[teej89]

GOHUNT // The Hunting Company

GOHUNT empowers hunters with the tools, technology, gear, and resources they need to get the most out of their time in the field.

www.gohunt.com

Mule deer scouting on Google Earth.

What are some tell tale mule deer grounds that people look for when using Google Earth? Just curious when there isnt the classic high basin area what else do you guys look for?

www.hunttalk.com

still seeing if I can find the thread I was thinking of.

Edit: out of luck finding it, maybe I was making it up ha!

 

[crock239]

following, and thanks for the links. Assuming the pandemic doesn't screw up fall hunting seasons, will be going on first mule deer hunt this fall, so just beginning e-scouting targeting mule deer

 

[SAJ-99]

You might want to set parameters on how much you need to zoom in. This below is a pretty big picture. Analyze away. There is a lake outside this picture on the NE corner.

 

[Flatlander3]

GOHUNT // The Hunting Company

GOHUNT empowers hunters with the tools, technology, gear, and resources they need to get the most out of their time in the field.

www.gohunt.com

Mule deer scouting on Google Earth.

What are some tell tale mule deer grounds that people look for when using Google Earth? Just curious when there isnt the classic high basin area what else do you guys look for?

www.hunttalk.com

still seeing if I can find the thread I was thinking of.

Edit: out of luck finding it, maybe I was making it up ha!

This is exactly something that I was thinking we could replicate.

 

[Flatlander3]

You might want to set parameters on how much you need to zoom in. This below is a pretty big picture. Analyze away. There is a lake outside this picture on the NE corner.
View attachment 137576

I would glass from spots 1 (multiple basin/ravines to the W/NW/SW) ,2 (basins to the N/S/E), and 3 (northern facing slope with more vegetationjust to the south of here).

 

[Hunting Wife]

Here’s a couple...#1 is my idea of mule deer heaven, for the type of terrain I usually hunt. These are fairly zoomed in.

#1


#2

 

[SAJ-99]

I would glass from spots 1 (multiple basin/ravines to the W/NW/SW) ,2 (basins to the N/S/E), and 3 (northern facing slope with more vegetationjust to the south of here).
View attachment 137577

You pretty much nailed it. I spent a lot of time on 1 because I could see multiple directions and it was my target spot each morning. I could see for a mile. I probably should have said that there is a road along the north boundary of the picture so never looked at 2. I had a plan to head toward 3 to look for a bigger deer, but it was like 4 miles from my truck and once I got to spot 1 I would start seeing deer. Also to note in this picture, the sagebrush at the bottom of the coulees is 4 ft high. The deer would funnel though from the east (water I presume) and then lay down in the sage. Regardless of the wind, any stalk required me to walk two miles and across various parts of wide open terrain, which can kill a LOT of time. But it is one of the joys of hunting Mule deer in the wide open.

 

[Flatlander3]

Here’s a couple...#1 is my idea of mule deer heaven, for the type of terrain I usually hunt. These are fairly zoomed in.

#1
View attachment 137569

#2
View attachment 137574

What areas on #1

Here’s a couple...#1 is my idea of mule deer heaven, for the type of terrain I usually hunt. These are fairly zoomed in.

#1
View attachment 137569

#2
View attachment 137574

What areas would you hit on spot 1? I agree it does look great.

 

[SAJ-99]

Here’s a couple...#1 is my idea of mule deer heaven, for the type of terrain I usually hunt. These are fairly zoomed in.

#1
View attachment 137569

#2
View attachment 137574

#1 looks like deer could be anywhere. I find those areas to be to toughest.
#2 That white ridge on the southern half looks like good ole MT alkaline soil, so it is probably deeper, steeper, and softer than it looks. I don't see deer doing anything but moving through there. I would probably focus on the northern half, maybe start in the afternoon and find a high spot probably along the fields and glass back into the coulees to see if I could pattern them.

 

[Hunting Wife]

#1- I missed the biggest mule deer I ever had a shot at in this spot my second year of hunting. Strategy was usually to slip into those timbered fingers before light and glass those stubble fields as early as possible. After that, still hunt the deep draws and glass the rim rocks and creek bottoms down in there. Reverse process at last light.

#2- Sorry, a description probably would have been helpful. I’ve never hunted it for deer, but have seen lots of bucks and one absolutely beautiful big buck in there one fall. The white is coarse clay/alkali with badland rocky buttes and junipers/scrub. Steep and deep. Water in the bottoms north of the fields, and in the bottom south of the buttes. If I was to hunt it, I would probably sit somewhere along that edge to glass both the hay/stubble tops and the bottom below the buttes early to see if I could catch bucks moving into those buttes to bed. Probably spend a lot of time shifting and glassing those buttes to pick them apart during the day.

 

[Flatlander3]

Where would consider the hot spots below?

 

[HalfAce]