OCTOBER RIDGE STRATEGY | How to Hunt Elk and Mule Deer Smarter

OCTOBER RIDGE STRATEGY | How to Hunt Elk and Mule Deer Smarter

Using Ridges and High Points to Hunt Smarter in October

Welcome to Backbone Unlimited. My name is Matt Hartsky. In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest advantages you can give yourself during October hunts—learning how to use ridges and high points to pick apart country effectively.

By the time October rolls around, the rut has fizzled out. Elk are quieter. Mule deer are scattered. The mountains that felt alive in September can suddenly feel empty. This is the point in the season where most hunters start guessing—hiking blind through drainages, following old sign, or just hoping to bump into something.

But October rewards the hunters who slow down and think like mountain predators. The ones who read terrain, use elevation to their advantage, and break big country into small, manageable pieces.

When you understand how ridges connect bedding to feed, how thermals work off the high points, and how to glass country methodically from above, you stop wandering and start hunting with purpose.

In this post, we’ll cover how to identify ridge systems that actually produce, how to use high points for effective glassing, when to move and when to stay put, and how to think in three dimensions as you pick apart October terrain. Whether you’re chasing elk that slipped into thicker cover or mule deer holding tight to shaded faces, this strategy can completely change the way you approach mid-season hunts.

Why Elk and Mule Deer Disappear After the Rut

October is one of the most misunderstood times to be in the mountains. Hunters who thrived in September when bugles echoed and deer moved visibly at dawn suddenly find themselves glassing empty hillsides and hiking drainages that feel dead.

But the animals didn’t vanish—they simply changed priorities. Once the rut winds down, elk and mule deer shift into recovery mode. They’re worn down, wary, and focused on three things: safety, calories, and conserving energy.

They’re still in the same general terrain, just not as visible or vocal. Finding them means understanding elevation and visibility.

Elevation gives you perspective—not just height, but efficiency. From ridges and high points, you can read what the land is telling you. You can trace side drainages, spot subtle benches where elk bed, and watch how sunlight and shadow affect thermals. Visibility in October is everything.

When you can see, you can predict. You can plan movement instead of stumbling into it. You can hunt with intent instead of hope.

October weather adds complexity—some days feel like summer, others like winter. A single ridge might have frost on one side and dust on the other. Animals respond to those micro changes, shifting elevations with temperature and feed quality.

Think of ridges as the connective tissue of the mountains. They link bedding to feed, north slopes to south slopes, and shade to sunlight. When you learn to use them as both travel routes and observation platforms, you unlock an entirely different level of efficiency.

Understanding Ridge Systems and Mountain Structure

To be truly effective in October, you have to understand ridges for what they are—the mountain’s natural highways. Every animal uses them, but few hunters grasp how they work together.

A ridge isn’t just a line on a map. It’s a living corridor of movement, cover, and wind. Ridges connect the high country to the low, funnel thermals, shape wind, and provide the easiest walking paths for both hunters and wildlife.

There are three types of ridges that matter most: travel ridges, divides, and dead ridges.

Travel Ridges

Travel ridges have gentle contours, side cover, and connect feed to bedding zones without forcing animals onto exposed skylines. Elk especially prefer these, often traveling just off the crest where they can stay concealed.

If you find well-worn game trails that hug the contour just below the top, you’ve likely found a travel ridge.

Divides

Divides are high connecting ridge lines that separate major drainages. They’re excellent for observation but rarely hold animals long. Divides give you wind stability and a bird’s-eye view of how country connects—perfect for glassing and planning movement.

Dead Ridges

Dead ridges are short, tapering spurs that lead nowhere. Most hunters overlook them—but that’s why elk and deer love them. They offer isolation, no through-traffic, and security. A mature bull or buck bedded on a dead-end ridge can see danger coming and escape in seconds.

The Ridge-to-Drainage Connection

Picture ridge systems as the skeleton of the mountain, and drainages as arteries. Animals bed and feed along the arteries—but they move along the bones.

In October, elk often use ridge sides and fingers more than drainage bottoms. From a strategic standpoint, ridges are both access routes and observation platforms. Moving ridge to ridge allows you to cover more country with less noise while staying in consistent wind.

Trace major ridge lines on your map and zoom in on the secondary fingers—those subtle spurs represent overlooked opportunity. When you understand ridge systems, animal movement becomes predictable. You’re no longer wandering—you’re navigating with purpose.

How to Use High Points for Effective Glassing

The difference between hunters who consistently find animals in October and those who don’t often comes down to how they use high points.

The best vantage points aren’t simply the highest—they’re the most efficient. A productive glassing high point checks three boxes: coverage, contour, and comfort.

Coverage means visibility across multiple aspects. You want to see shaded slopes, transition areas, and feeding zones from one position.

Contour means how that high point sits relative to surrounding terrain. Ideally, you want to be slightly below the skyline—concealed, but able to see into multiple drainages.

Comfort matters too. October glassing sessions can stretch for hours. A pad, a shaded setup, and patience make all the difference. The longer you can stay still, the more likely you’ll catch subtle movement.

Morning high points should face east or southeast to catch animals feeding in early light. Afternoon vantage points should favor shaded north or northeast slopes where elk and deer stage before evening.

And remember—highest isn’t always best. Sometimes a secondary rise halfway down the mountain gives you better angles into bedding pockets than the tallest peak ever could.

Reading Country in 3D from Elevation

Reading country from elevation is one of the most powerful skills you can develop. From a high vantage, you can read the mountain like a living map.

Break the terrain into feeding zones, bedding zones, and transition zones.

  • Feeding zones: open south and southeast slopes with grass and sunlight.

  • Bedding zones: shaded north slopes, benches, and broken timber.

  • Transition zones: saddles, side ridges, and bowls connecting the two.

From above, your goal is to see how these zones link together. Every subtle saddle or timber finger tells a story about how animals move.

Use a clock-face method to glass systematically—work the landscape from 12:00 around the circle, slow and deliberate. This prevents you from skipping over pockets where animals bed tight.

Watch how sunlight moves through the day. Morning light reveals feed zones; evening shade exposes bedding edges. Recognizing those micro-patterns turns guesswork into strategy.

When to Stay High and When to Drop Low

October is a constant balance between patience and aggression. Staying high gives you control—visibility, wind advantage, and perspective. Dropping low gets you closer to the opportunity.

Stay high when you’re still learning the country or searching for fresh sign. Use elevation to glass multiple basins, track thermals, and avoid spooking unseen animals.

Drop low when you’ve confirmed activity or located fresh sign below. Move carefully, using side ridges and shadow to cover your approach. Let wind and thermals dictate your timing—not excitement.

Warm October days push elk into cooler timber. Cold fronts pull them into leeward slopes. Reading those shifts tells you when to stay back and when to close distance.

The rule is simple: stay high to learn, drop low to act. Every movement should serve a purpose.

Mastering Wind and Thermals from the Top Down

October thermals are fickle. Cold mornings push air downhill; warm afternoons reverse it. Knowing that cycle is everything.

In the mornings, cold air sinks. Use that to your advantage to glass low and move quietly. As the sun rises, thermals flip—first unevenly, then steadily uphill. Avoid dropping into drainages during that chaos.

By midday, thermals stabilize. That’s the time to move along ridges, glass basins, and reposition. In the evening, air cools and begins to fall again—don’t rush your stalk until you’re certain the downhill pull is steady.

Use the leeward side of ridges—the downwind side—to stay hidden and scent-safe. Check thermals constantly with milkweed or powder.

Wind is a living thing in the mountains. Treat it like something you can manipulate with your position, not just something you endure. The hunters who master air control bump fewer elk and create more opportunities.

Moving Ridge to Ridge with Purpose

Ridges aren’t just travel routes—they’re frameworks for how to think and hunt.

Move slowly from ridge to ridge, glassing both sides. Each ridge gives you insight into feed transitions, bedding pockets, and how pressure pushes animals.

Leapfrog ridges instead of pounding one drainage. Use connecting spurs and saddles to work across country in loops instead of straight lines. This keeps your scent out of basins and allows constant learning.

Think of main ridges as highways and secondary spurs as exits. Mature bulls and bucks often bed on those quiet side ridges where they can see danger and escape quickly.

Every few hundred yards, stop, glass, and note elevation, sign, and thermals. Over time, you’ll build a living mental map that makes each future decision easier.

The October Ridge Strategy and Final Takeaways

October hunts test patience more than any other time of year. The bugles are gone, animals are cautious, and movement is subtle. But that’s exactly why glassing discipline and elevation strategy matter most.

The ridge strategy is built on one word: control.
Control of visibility, control of scent, control of energy, and control of time.

Plan your ridges before you hunt. Study maps for main spines, saddles, and glassing points. Learn how thermals breathe in and out of each basin, and trust your glass more than your legs.

Movement burns energy. Observation finds elk. When you learn to stay elevated, watch the terrain unfold, and move only when the conditions align, you’ll start seeing October differently.

October rewards the quiet, patient, and disciplined hunter—the one who doesn’t chase ghosts but learns to find truth in terrain. Using ridges and high points isn’t just a tactic. It’s a mindset.

Slow down, think bigger, and trust that the mountain will reveal its secrets if you give it enough time.

TEAM BACKBONE Membership & Closing

If you’re serious about taking this kind of knowledge deeper, that’s exactly why I built TEAM BACKBONE.

It’s more than a membership—it’s a way to sharpen your edge with exclusive tools, strategies, and a tribe of hunters who refuse to quit. Inside, you’ll get:

  • 20% off site-wide on all Backbone Unlimited gear

  • A member-only t-shirt shipped monthly, not available anywhere else

  • Full access to the digital content vault—guides, checklists, fitness programming, backcountry strategy, and mindset training

  • A private Facebook group with direct access to me and a community of driven hunters who live relentless

  • Direct call, text, or email access to me for personalized advice on training or hunting strategy

  • Automatic entry into monthly gear giveaways

If you’re ready for that kind of inner circle, TEAM BACKBONE is waiting at BackboneUnlimited.com under the Membership tab.

Thanks for being here. Until next time—Train Harder, Hunt Smarter, and Never Settle.

Back to blog