Mule deer in the summer tactics?

[dfanonymous]

In the zone I hunt during archery, the deer have really become nocturnal, no movement really during the day, with only doe in the early morning moving around. Anyone have any tactics for hunting in hot weather..?..115F to be exact.

 

[Barrelnut]

I would guess they are bedding as high and rugged as possible, at the bottoms of rim rock with access to shade and some reasonable access to water. Either that or they are camped out the edge of an irrigated alfalfa pivot. LOL

They will move during the day for shade. Once a spot becomes warm and sunny they will move. Seen them move lots of times just over the hill to the other side as sun position changes during they day.

In that kind of heat, you would think they would go to water once at some point duriing the day.

Just need to be real close to their bedding area and wait for that once or twice they might get up and move during light.

Welcome to the forum and good luck. That's some tough conditions for hunting.

 

[dfanonymous]

They are still in velvet, I was thinking those horns might still be sensitive, but hot weather and little creeks starting to dry up as well as nutritious food, the patterns are starting to be disrupted. Scouting I glasses for hours like anyone who spots and stalks, in a well known area. At the end when the sun was almost down I walked over to the bushes and watched a few doe jump out, so they are still in the area, just not moving at all even for the sun moving around. They are deep in the shrub. Imight consider bed raids if it stays this slow, unless there is an off day it cools down and they come out in the morning or whenever...