For hunters who might also be in the market for hunting ranches for sale in the West, you’re on the cusp of rifle season. Your chances for success this season will depend on your preparation. If you’ve put in the time this fall and know the landscape you’ll be hunting, you’re likely better off than your fellow hunters.
But there’s still work to do before you hit the field in search of your mule deer buck or trophy elk. Here are some tips, particularly if you’re looking to bag an animal on one of the hunting ranches for sale in the Rockies.
Sight in your rifle
No, you can’t spend too much time on this. Take your rifle out to the range and start dialing it in. You can bore-sight your rifle by removing the bolt. With the bolt removed, simply look down the bore of rife and find your selected target. Then, with the rifle perfectly secure, move your scope reticle to the target, too. Some hunters use a bore-sight tool that projects a laser on a selected target. Both methods are good. They will help you quickly sight in you run.
Others use the simple grouping method. To do this, find your target. With your rifle perfectly stable, make three or four shots at your target. Through binoculars, see where your grouping ended up in comparison to where your scope is pointing. Then, simply adjust your scope reticles as needed. Usually three or four groupings is enough to property sight in your gun.
One important note: sight your rifle in using the same round you’ll be hunting with.
Have you scouted your hunting ranch or unit?
Scouting is vital. Preferably, you’ve made at least a couple of scouting trips to your hunting unit. And, if your unit includes acreage on one of several hunting ranches for sale, you should have some good intel from the ranch owner. By now, you should generally know where the animals you’re after will be, and when they’ll be there.
If you haven’t scouted, time is short. Head to the hills as soon as you can and put in the miles. Glass from high elevation and do your best to find the herds. This time of year, you’ll very likely hear bugling bulls, so follow your ears. Early in the season, bulls and bucks will be higher, where it’s safer. You should scout higher, too, and then slowly get to know the landscape. As the season progresses, animals will move to lower meadows. As you’re scouting, look for the easiest routes from the high country to lower-elevation meadows. Keep water sources in mind as you do this.
Be patient
The start of rifle season can seem chaotic. If you have permission to hunt on private land, you’ll see fewer hunters. If your unit is public, that scouting you did weeks earlier will pay off. But, no matter where you hunt, the key is to be patient. Most hunters in the woods and mountains are one- or two-day hunters. If you can, block off a week during rifle season and approach your hunt methodically.
Take your time and get to know the land. Spend a lot of time behind your binoculars. If you don’t rush yourself, you’ll put yourself in a great position to be a bit more selective when it comes to finally taking a bull or a buck. If you’re rushed, you might regret the first – and perhaps only – shot you take.
For mule deer, understand that bigger bucks are very likely going to be in cover once fist light hits the slopes. Spend time glassing scrub oak groves and aspen groves where tall grass and browse is available after the sun comes up. This is where you’ll locate the buck you’re after.
For bulls, follow your ears until the bugling stops. Once the rut is over, some bulls will immediately head for the hills. Others will be exhausted and looking for food. If you’re hunting post-rut on one of the many hunting ranches for sale, don’t forget about the quality meadows these ranches often boast. Post-rut bulls will be looking for calories. You might find them in meadows and alfalfa fields.
Final word
Rifle season offers a great opportunity for hunters to fill the freezer with quality meat. But you need to be prepared. Make sure your rifle is sighted in. Do your scouting homework. And, most importantly, know the land you’re hunting.
And, if you’re looking for hunting ranches for sale, start with a quality ranch broker who understands the market. It helps, too, to find a broker who also hunts. They can help put you in touch with ranch owners considering a sale. And, if you’re really lucky, you might get an invitation to hunt one of those prospective investments.
The bottom line, though? Be prepared and be patient. If you’ve put in the time, you’ll have a great chance at bagging a quality bull or buck.