High Hunt Weather

[aorams]

Hello Forum,

Leaving for our high buck rifle hunt in 3 days, NOAA weather says sunny and clear for the first 4 days with highs in the mid 70's and lows in the high 40's then cooling off a bit with a chance of rain for the last 2 days at 6800 feet (camp elevation and highest local peak).  Moon is supposed to be waxing to full by the 17th.

I was just looking for some thoughts on how to make this weather work in my favor...

I'd appreciate any advice.

Thank you

[Skyvalhunter]

Been tough the past 2 openers with the warm weather then with the smoke from the fires. Definitely glass the early morning and late evenings. If you see animals in the evening/morning that are feeding in an area make a point of getting close to there at those times for a possible shot. They definitely go nocturnal with this type of weather and full moon.

[Ridgerunner]

Should provide an ideal afternoon temperature for those high country naps......,.,will be tough hunting the first few days I suspect.

[Colville]

First days, miss the very first rays of glassing light and you might have missed whole day. 

[splitshot]

the game dept. should move all seasons a week later.  that is for deer, elk, birds etc.  mike w

[jackmaster]

pm hershey, i beleive she is the expert on the high buck hunts, she seems to gettr done, havent seen her on here in awhile though, my thought would be to try to find canyons with the most shade and desent feed, are you huntn blackies or muleys

[Old Man Yager]

  and She looks good in camo

[jackmaster]

and She looks good in camo

 

[CMG]

PM'd.

[robertsjd]

 

and She looks good in camo

 

 

[snowpack]

and She looks good in camo

 

 

  or anything else for that matter. 

[Watimberghost]

Colville and Skyval nailed it. Early and late will be your best bet. With the heat during the day, I find the mornings to be the most productive

[hirshey]

  This was a funny post to come back to...

Sorry all.. fire season has kept me extremely busy this year!

aorams, not much I can say that others haven't already. Early morning and late afternoon glassing are going to be important.. and don't camp where you think the deer might be or where they can see you! One of the biggest mistakes I see is people setting up in the open or down low in a valley where everything in the drainage can see you. If you're hunting one basin, perhaps camp in the next over or use timber, a fold in the terrain or something to mask yourself but easily accessible to where you'd like to glass in the morning. My general season hunt in the sawtooths was ruined last year by a group hiking in by headlamp at 5 AM and setting up tents at the bottom of the hillside where a huge buck hung out. Never saw him the rest of the trip. Something to keep in mind even though it's not at all weather related. Glass high.. when it's warm out and/or there's insects the bucks will bed in the shade and as high as they can tolerate to escape the heat and critters.. Some of the largest bucks I've glassed have been bedded in the rock.

Best of luck.. I'll be heading up Friday or Saturday!

[JM]

Hirshey is right about keeping a low profile. Like her I had an elk hunter set up a wall tent about 400 yds below the biggest buck I've ever seen and after that I never saw him again. Also remember to never stop glassing, I've spotted some of my biggest bucks between 3-5pm. They'll usually get up to feed for a half hour or so and move beds. Not all bucks do this but I've seen quite a few that do.

[jackmaster]

This was a funny post to come back to...

Sorry all.. fire season has kept me extremely busy this year!

aorams, not much I can say that others haven't already. Early morning and late afternoon glassing are going to be important.. and don't camp where you think the deer might be or where they can see you! One of the biggest mistakes I see is people setting up in the open or down low in a valley where everything in the drainage can see you. If you're hunting one basin, perhaps camp in the next over or use timber, a fold in the terrain or something to mask yourself but easily accessible to where you'd like to glass in the morning. My general season hunt in the sawtooths was ruined last year by a group hiking in by headlamp at 5 AM and setting up tents at the bottom of the hillside where a huge buck hung out. Never saw him the rest of the trip. Something to keep in mind even though it's not at all weather related. Glass high.. when it's warm out and/or there's insects the bucks will bed in the shade and as high as they can tolerate to escape the heat and critters.. Some of the largest bucks I've glassed have been bedded in the rock.

Best of luck.. I'll be heading up Friday or Saturday!

and PRESTO there ya have it, right from the queen of the high buck hunts finger tips, good luck hirshey, i hope to get to read another of your stories after your hunt is over. 

[Colville]

what a difference a few days make.   Weather is now going to be cloudy and wet.  Depending on the cloud deck, that can be good or it can pin you down, but we won't be worrying about sweltering heat and deer pinned down by it.

[aorams]

just saw that!  Highs of 65 and chance of showers for the opener...