# Wasatch West Deer



## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

I'm looking for some input on hunting the Wasatch West unit this year. I drew a muzzy tag (1st year hunting with a muzzy) as my 5th choice. I've hunted it a few times before without any luck. I've been out scouting quite a few times this year without seeing very many deer. I've read the DWR report saying:

"This unit is probably the gem of north-central Utah this year. The unit received a lot of rain this year, especially on the Wasatch Back (the eastern side) of the mountain range. Jones says deer herds are doing extremely well. "I've talked with hunters who have hunted this unit for decades," he says. "Many of them report seeing more small 4-point deer this summer than they've seen in more than 20 years." (http://wildlife.utah.gov/wildlife-news/1467-number-of-bucks-as-good-as-or-better-than-last-fall.html)

I haven't seen it. I've spent all my time south of Provo Canyon, and almost all of that has been south of Hobble Creek. I've scouted two full evenings and a morning without seeing a single deer. I've gone high (8500' +) and low. I believe there are deer out there, I may just be looking in the wrong places.

To those who hunt this area, can you provide any tips for finding deer? You don't need to provide specific areas (unless you want to), but a generic example of a canyon or hillside in which you have found deer would be helpful. The type of cover (pines, quakies, scrub) to look for might help as well.

Also, any tips for making scouting/glassing trips more effective?


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I have seen a lot of deer on the east side of your unit. One really nice buck, a ton of smaller bucks.


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## Blackie6 (Jul 7, 2014)

What type of deer are you looking for? And what style of hunting are you doing? (Road hunt, day hike, backpack etc) There are a few canyons that I can reccomend too always find deer depending on what you are doing.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

I saw a couple of two points in Dimond Fork two hours ago..:!:..

They were in bow range from the truck....8).....


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I hunt this unit a lot, its my first choice. this unit is steep and rugged and the deer (at least where I hunt) are hard to get to. I'm a little reluctant to give out info on particular spots #1 it may be my "spot" #2 I don't want to piss anyone else off that may be hunting the area I provide. The deer are there, I hunt high and what I do to find deer is get to high ground and I sit in that spot for several hours and glass, when I say glass i mean I set up my tripod and I look under every tree, shadow, boulder, draw, until i'v picked the whole mountain apart, when i'm done with that I start over from the beginning and do it again. 

the deer move, they cant sit all day they will move. it may be just a very short distance, but they move. I'v sat and glassed an hour before I spot my first deer. you'll be amazed when you memorize the landscape then go back through and notice things you didn't before. that said you do need to be in a area where there are deer to begin with.
glass places that look bucky, keep in mind these deer know there way around the mountains. they will be tucked up out of the way from immediate danger, and they'll usually have a few escape routs. don't over look the small stands of trees too, i'm talking like a group of 3 trees on the hill you have been watching all day, there could be one bedded down behind them. just cuz you don't see them doesn't mean they arent there. I'v even glassed up some of the biggest deer out in the middle of the open, like in a shell rock basin, they'll bed down out there because they can see danger coming from afar, the way I see them is by their racks sticking up out in the open. 

what locations have you been in scouting and maybe I can help you a little more.

I use to have a hard time finding deer in the past, but the last few years i'v been focusing on my glassing method and I am having better results. Also note, you need to be organized in your glassing, consistent pattern from side to side. I'v read in a survey study that the brain can proses images better when glassing from left to right, that may also be another technique that you may want to try


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

Blackie6 said:


> What type of deer are you looking for? And what style of hunting are you doing? (Road hunt, day hike, backpack etc) There are a few canyons that I can reccomend too always find deer depending on what you are doing.


I'll be hunting mostly day hikes from a basecamp (trailer) or from a short drive from camp. I'm not super particular about the size of the deer. I've always been just fine taking a yearling if given the chance. But this year, I'm really hoping to put in the scouting/hunting effort to get a 3 pt or better. I'm starting to enjoy the challenge of the hunt and I think it would be really cool to take an older/smarter deer, especially with a muzzy.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

goofy elk said:


> I saw a couple of two points in Dimond Fork two hours ago..:!:..
> 
> They were in bow range from the truck....8).....


I took my kids for a drive up Diamond last night, too. Only saw 1 doe and 1 2pt. Nice and close to the road, though, so the kids were really excited about that.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

goosefreak said:


> I hunt this unit a lot, its my first choice. this unit is steep and rugged and the deer (at least where I hunt) are hard to get to. I'm a little reluctant to give out info on particular spots #1 it may be my "spot" #2 I don't want to piss anyone else off that may be hunting the area I provide. The deer are there, I hunt high and what I do to find deer is get to high ground and I sit in that spot for several hours and glass, when I say glass i mean I set up my tripod and I look under every tree, shadow, boulder, draw, until i'v picked the whole mountain apart, when i'm done with that I start over from the beginning and do it again.
> 
> the deer move, they cant sit all day they will move. it may be just a very short distance, but they move. I'v sat and glassed an hour before I spot my first deer. you'll be amazed when you memorize the landscape then go back through and notice things you didn't before. that said you do need to be in a area where there are deer to begin with.
> glass places that look bucky, keep in mind these deer know there way around the mountains. they will be tucked up out of the way from immediate danger, and they'll usually have a few escape routs. don't over look the small stands of trees too, i'm talking like a group of 3 trees on the hill you have been watching all day, there could be one bedded down behind them. just cuz you don't see them doesn't mean they are there. I'v even glassed up some of the biggest deer out in the middle of the open, like in a shell rock basin, they'll bed down out there because they can see danger coming from afar, the way I see them is by their racks sticking up out in the open.
> ...


Thank you. I really appreciate this post. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for. I think I've identified one of my issues: time. A lot of times if I don't see anything in the first 10-20 min or so I'll move to a new spot and try again. I do this partially because I'm not sure if the area even holds deer, but also because there are so many places I'd like to look at that I try to scout multiple places in just one morning or evening. I think I should slow down and dedicate the entire morning to a single area.

Steep and rugged is 100% accurate and I find the terrain a little intimidating. 
How big of canyons are you glassing? What is the maximum distance you are glassing? Maybe I'm trying to capture too much of an area.

If it's okay, I'll PM you some of the locations I've been scouting and you could give me some input.


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

that sounds good. take your time out there, like I'v said. I'v glassed the same landscape for an hour or more before i'v seen deer, you'd be surprised at some of the places they'll pop out of.

Its good to have alot of other options to choose from on your hunt, but don't feel like you need to hunt them all. For me i'll pick the spot I want to hunt the most and i'll stay in that area most the time, but i'll have a backup spot if absolutely needed. even the best of hunters will go a day or 2 without seeing a deer. 

Be patent, and glass, glass, glass! (like looking at the same group of trees 10 times) just repeat it.

the distance I glass really depends. I glass as close and as far as I can. As far as my gear will allow me to. and I pick the high ground so I can see a farther, wider range.

if you got a bi or tripod use it or make something that will work like one. if you have your glasses perfectly still you will se more game. I'v spotted deer using a tripod that normally I wouldn't have without one.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Deer can be found all over that unit but if you want to find more bucks you need to hop a wheeler and do some speed scouting. Yes drive fast. You cover more country and you will see more deer. You will see plenty of young bucks doing this. Stay out of the pines! Now if you are wanting to see larger bucks think high nasty terrain away from roads and away from people. This time of year id stay higher than 8,000 feet for bucks. You need to get up at 2 am and hit the trails that will take you 2 to 2.5 miles in away from roads. Use your glass and watch east and west facing slopes. Stay out of the pines unless your looking in the stunted pines arround timber line. There isnt alot of feed in regular pines. Also find the head of spirings and place a trail camera on them. Good luck


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Quakeys and mule deer seem to go hand in hand later in the rifle hunt. They also like scrub oak canyons. The key is water in close proximity. Close meaning 1.5 miles or less.


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## nocturnalenemy (Jun 26, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> Quakeys and mule deer seem to go hand in hand later in the rifle hunt. They also like scrub oak canyons. The key is water in close proximity. Close meaning 1.5 miles or less.


Thanks for your input SW. I'm heading up over labor day and I'll use your advice.hopefully I'll find some deer and can report back.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Good advise given. 
Also check out saddles between canyons. Deer like to feed in those saddles and when escaping from other hunters, will pass through small saddles.


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