Finding Deer vs Finding BUCKS

[YosemiteSam]

I like seeing deer.  I feel frustrated on days where I don't see anything but am perfectly content to not shoot anything as long as I'm at least seeing deer.  So, especially for you western mulie hunters, how do you find the BUCKS?  I can find deer.  Not a bunch but some.  Usually in clusters -- nothing for a day or two then 3-5 the next.  Any tips for locating the bucks before the rut (rut=closed season here)?

I typically hunt creek bottoms and meadow edges here.  Bedding areas aren't always consistent -- especially now that the season is underway.  I've spent a little bit of time higher, above the timber line and have found concentrations of droppings but they're always old -- 10 or more piles around but all hard & grey.  I revisit these areas at least once per day because the one buck I've pulled out of CA was up along a mountain pass, not in the creek bottoms or meadows where I've seen all the does and fawns.  I always find it interesting to see how deer practically load up an area full of droppings and they're always above the timberline.  But given the age of the piles, I don't spend a whole lot of time there & usually go back to where I see the actual deer or other fresh sign.

So, any tips on locating bucks vs does and fawns?  Are "deer latrines" above the timberline indicative of anything in particular, such as more likely to be bucks vs does?  I'm reaching, but still welcome any advice.

In our valley with prescouting, we see a couple of dozen deer every time we go out.  I have yet to see any with antlers.  Last week we saw a tiny little fawn.  Its mama will be safe from us.

[no]

if you are hunting older deer you will have to get used to not seeing deer every sit. They are different animals, hunted differently, especially if you are hunting beds. Mike

[Stumpkiller]

Simple.  Deer come out and move around in legal shooting (daylight) hours.  BUCKS only come out AFTER legal shooting hours.

My game camera proves it.

[Sam McMichael]

If you can find the does, just wait till the rut. Then you can find the bucks.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by Sam McMichael:
If you can find the does, just wait till the rut. Then you can find the bucks.

Well, that would work most places but not the High Sierras.  By the rut, the deer are moving down and the season is closed.  Thanks anyway.