VERNON WEST DESERT TAG 2009

W

WORKNMAN

Guest
I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR HAVING THE CHANCE TO HUNT THIS UNIT. I WON THIS TAG AT THE 2009 WESTERN HUNTING CONSERVATION SHOW. BUT!!! THIS HUNT WAS A REAL DISAPOINTMENT. I HUNTED FOR 7 DAYS 2 BEFORE THE HUNT SCOUTING AND DIDN'T SEE BUT ONLY TWO BUCKS OVER 24 INCHES. WE SAW 50-100 DEER PER DAY. 25-40 BUCKS A DAY BUT POOR QUALITY.3X3,3X4 AND CRAB CLAW 4 PTS.ALMOST EVERY DAY THE BIGEST BUCK WE SAW WAS A 3X3. I HAD FUN WITH MY FRIENDS DOWN THERE BUT WAS REALY FRUSTRARED ON WHAT WE SAW. I ONLY GOT A 3X3 21INCH WIDE, 25 1/2 HIGH. O.K. BUCK, BUT NOT WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A LIMITED ENTRY UNIT.WE DID NOT HUNT OFF THE BACK OF ATV'S, WE HUNTED OUR ASS OFF. THANKS ZACK MERKLEY AND KEN HALL FOR ALL YOUR HELP. THANKS SFW AND MULE DEER FOUNDATION FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THIS HUNT.IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THIS UNIT FOR THE LIMITED ENTRY DRAW, DO ALOT OF HOMEWORK. TOUCH BASE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE FOR TIPS AND INFORMATION ON WHERE TO HUNT.TIP#1 GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THE ROADS, THERE ARE ATV'S ALL OVER THE PLACE DOWN THERE. THEY EFFECT THE DEER MOVEMENT GREATLY!!!
 
Doesn't sound like he's complaining to me, read his first sentence. Sounds like he's telling all of us who were considering the west desert deer hunt to be very cautious and think hard about it. I appreciate the post! thanks Worknman
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-16-09 AT 07:45PM (MST)[p]not every buck that comes off the Le units are trophys. by the way it looks to me you were one of the unlucky ones. Most people took bucks better than I have ever seen coming off that unit.

I guess for 5 bucks you got your moneys worth and you can still put in next year.

I wish it would have worked out better for you but hey that's how it goes sometimes.

4a7d1f93337c7fd7.jpg

Archery is a year round commitment!!
 
ZAC MERKLEY is awesome...you couldn't have had any better help. Too bad you didn't find what you were looking for. At least you were successful anyway. Some pics would be awesome.
 
The way i look at it is that a LE tag is an opertunity. What you do with the opertunity is up to you. There are big bucks on all of the limited entry units, they dont stand on the road with a sign that sais "kill me" but they are there. I am NOT saying that you didnt put the effort in, I didnt hunt with you. I am saying that the opertunity to kill a great buck is there.
 
>workman, where did you hunt on
>this unit?

I hunted the west slope of the sheeprock mtns. Just north of the communication towers, off Erickson Pass road.
 
>Won this tag for what? $5
>bucks? and your complaining....

I'M NOT COMPLAINING, I'M INFORMING.
 
>The way i look at it
>is that a LE tag
>is an opertunity. What
>you do with the opertunity
>is up to you.
>There are big bucks on
>all of the limited entry
>units, they dont stand on
>the road with a sign
>that sais "kill me" but
>they are there. I
>am NOT saying that you
>didnt put the effort in,
>I didnt hunt with you.
> I am saying that
>the opertunity to kill a
>great buck is there.
OPPORTUNITY IS ALL ANY ONE CAN REALLY ASK FOR, AND I WAS GIVEN THAT. AS I SAID, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE TAG AND THE CHANCE TO HUNT. I DONT KNOW ABOUT ANY DEER STANDING ON ROAD'S WITH SIGN'S SAYING KILL ME. I DIDN'T SPEND MUCH TIME ON ANY ROADS. FURTHERMORE, THERE WERE TO MANY DAMN ATV'S ON THEM.
 
>LAST EDITED ON Nov-16-09
>AT 07:45?PM (MST)
>
>not every buck that comes off
>the Le units are trophys.
>by the way it looks
>to me you were one
>of the unlucky ones. Most
>people took bucks better than
>I have ever seen coming
>off that unit.
>
>I guess for 5 bucks you
>got your moneys worth and
>you can still put in
>next year.
>
>I wish it would have
>worked out better for you
>but hey that's how it
>goes sometimes.
>
>
4a7d1f93337c7fd7.jpg

>Archery is a year round commitment!!
>


YOUR 100% CORRECT!!
 
>I'd love to have that hunt.
>HOPE YOU CAN DRAW THE TAG AND BEST OF LUCK!!!I WOULDN'T WASTE MY VACATION TIME OR MONEY ON IT AGAIN. SORRY, NOT TRING TO BE RUDE JUST HONEST.
 
>Check your PM's. Yea, ignore
>the critics. Good post.
>
THANKS, I'M NOT TRING TO BE AN ASS. I'M JUST BEING HONEST. A GUIDE I KNOW FROM THE AREA SAID HE HAD ONLY SEEN ONE ABOVE AVERAGE BUCK KILLED THERE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. I KNOW NOW WHAT HE WAS EXPLAINING TO ME.
 
>Doesn't sound like he's complaining to
>me, read his first sentence.
>Sounds like he's telling all
>of us who were considering
>the west desert deer hunt
>to be very cautious and
>think hard about it. I
>appreciate the post! thanks Worknman
>
YOUR WELCOME, MY POST WAS SO OTHERS WOULD NOT WASTE THEIR TIME AND BONUS POINTS EXPECTING A GREAT HUNT. I'TS A STEP ABOVE A GENERAL SEASON NORTHERN REGION TAG. THAT'S HOW I FEEL. I'M SURE SOME LOCAL'S THAT SPEND ASSLOADS OF TIME OUT THERE COULD DO BETTER. BUT FOR SOMEONE WHO MUST DRIVE HOUR'S TO GET TO THE UNIT TO HUNT WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.I MEET A HUNTER IN STOCKTON THAT SAID HE WAS PUTTING IN FOR THIS UNIT AND HE HAD 9 BONUS POINT'S. I TOLD HIM HE WAS CRAZY AS HELL.
 
The Vernon is in need of a managment hunt! There are some big deer on Vernon, but is is over ran with big 2's, 3' and 3x4's. It's getting very hard to get a solid 4x4. Alot of that is genetics, but the trash bucks far out number the quality bucks.

I agree though, for a LE deer unit it could use a little more TLC from the DWR. It could be a great unit but something will need to change.

Another thing to thing about is the deer migrate early off the mtn, alot of times when the rifle hunt comes around. The big deer have migrated down, and are out in the desert and junipers.
 
I was with workinman on this hunt and I can tell you our expectations were high for the unit. We spent more time behind our spotting scope's and bino's than I can ever remember on any other hunt. We saw a ton of deer, 50+ in the scope at the same time but there weren't the bucks we were expecting. I have hunted in Montana on general season hunt and seen in one day a dozen bigger bucks than we found on this unit. I don't know if the mild weather had something to do with it but they just weren't there! We covered by foot and glass most of the area we were located, passed 1 buck the second day a 5x4 which we probably should not have but that's huntin. We had time and thought we could do better. Bottom line this unit needs some love, this is a perfect example of the DWR over hunting an area (too many tags). They should manage the game we entrust to them and not the dollars as so many times happens. Had a great time with my friend, which is what it's all about! A effort on a C hunt, this unit could be so much better!
 
I have seen some really nice deer on that unit. There are some big 2 and 3 point bucks That should be managed better but, still a nice tag to have. Everyone take WORKNMAN'S advice dont waste your time it makes my chances better.
 
>I have seen some really nice
>deer on that unit. There
>are some big 2 and
>3 point bucks That should
>be managed better but, still
>a nice tag to have.
>Everyone take WORKNMAN'S advice dont
>waste your time it makes
>my chances better.
GO FOR IT!!!
 
>Worknman,
>
>What caliber of buck were you
>looking to kill on this
>unit?
I WAS LEAD TO BELIEVE THAT A CLEAN 4X4 24-25 INCHES WAS POSSIBLE. WE SAW TWO BUCKS IN 9 DAYS THERE THAT MEET OR BARELY EXCEEDED THAT. ONE WAS A 4X5 THAT HAD SMALL CRABY BACKS ON THE SECOND MORNING OF A 9 DAY HUNT. ANOTHER WAS A BUCK I SAW ON MONDAY NIGHT DRIVING OUT IN THE DARK. I DONT USE THE HEADLIGHT ASSIST. NOT MY WAY OF HUNTING.I HAVE HUNTED MONTANA THREE TIMES ON GENERAL SEASON TAGS ON STATE AND BLM LAND. WE SAW MORE 24-25 INCH CLEAN 4PTS. IN A 1/2 DAY THERE, THAN I SAW IN 9 DAYS ON THE VERNON UNIT. IF THIS IS SOMEONE'S FAVORITE UNIT I'M SORRY IF I HAVE PISSED SOMEONE OFF I'M NOT TRYING TO. JUST TRYING TO HELP OTHERS OUT WITH THERE FUTURE HUNT'S LIKE OTHERS DID FOR ME.
 
If you only saw two bucks that met your that 4x4 24-25 wide expectations then #1 you were in the wrong area, and #2 you didnt put in your pre-season work as you should have. There are many, many bucks on this unit that meet and exceed your expectations. I do agree with you that in some areas there are alot of smaller 20-22 inch deer but thats the nature of having a limited entry unit. post up some pics of the buck you shot and be proud of it! It sounds like you had a great hunt with your freinds reguardless of killing a booner buck or not.
 
>If you only saw two bucks
>that met your that 4x4
>24-25 wide expectations then #1
>you were in the wrong
>area, and #2 you didnt
>put in your pre-season work
>as you should have.
>There are many, many bucks
>on this unit that meet
>and exceed your expectations.
>I do agree with you
>that in some areas there
>are alot of smaller 20-22
>inch deer but thats the
>nature of having a limited
>entry unit. post up
>some pics of the buck
>you shot and be proud
>of it! It sounds
>like you had a great
>hunt with your freinds reguardless
>of killing a booner buck
>or not.
SHOOTINFOOL, I had never hunted this unit before. I did do some preseason scouting. I relied heavy on information and tips from the Wildlife Biologist from that area. The fish and game officer that works that area. Also, two guides that live in that area. They all told me the same place to hunt. I felt they were the best source of information I had. When people are paying $5500.00-$6000.00 dollars to buy landowner and conservation tags to hunt here I just expected more. My mistake.I did not expect a bonner buck, nothing even close to be honest.
 
Worknman thats great that you got a $5.00 LE tag. It is also great that you got a deer with it. Do you mind saying who the guides are that told you to hunt around that area. Also what other areas did you try. If you went south of the towers I know you would have seen more and bigger deer. Did you say you are freinds with these guides. I had a guide from out there tell me where to try and man he was right on the money I just could not close the deal. Thats why if anybody is looking for a guide I would recomend these guys. If you have the time and can try a few areas it is a good hunt. I had a great time. I hope to win it for $5.00 at the next expo. I would love to see a picture of your deer.
 
>Worknman thats great that you got
>a $5.00 LE tag. It
>is also great that you
>got a deer with it.
>Do you mind saying who
>the guides are that told
>you to hunt around that
>area. Also what other areas
>did you try. If you
>went south of the towers
>I know you would have
>seen more and bigger deer.
>Did you say you are
>freinds with these guides. I
>had a guide from out
>there tell me where to
>try and man he was
>right on the money I
>just could not close the
>deal. Thats why if anybody
>is looking for a guide
>I would recomend these guys.
>If you have the time
>and can try a few
>areas it is a good
>hunt. I had a great
>time. I hope to win
>it for $5.00 at the
>next expo. I would love
>to see a picture of
>your deer.
I'm sure its my bad luck partly!!
 
Don't you just hate that bad luck. It seem like it get's me alot more than I like. Ya if you got a pic of your buck it would be nice to see. If you want I posted mine you should be able to see it.
 
>>If you only saw two bucks
>>that met your that 4x4
>>24-25 wide expectations then #1
>>you were in the wrong
>>area, and #2 you didnt
>>put in your pre-season work
>>as you should have.
>>There are many, many bucks
>>on this unit that meet
>>and exceed your expectations.
>>I do agree with you
>>that in some areas there
>>are alot of smaller 20-22
>>inch deer but thats the
>>nature of having a limited
>>entry unit. post up
>>some pics of the buck
>>you shot and be proud
>>of it! It sounds
>>like you had a great
>>hunt with your freinds reguardless
>>of killing a booner buck
>>or not.
>SHOOTINFOOL, I had never hunted this
>unit before. I did do
>some preseason scouting. I relied
>heavy on information and tips
>from the Wildlife Biologist from
>that area. The fish and
>game officer that works that
>area. Also, two guides that
>live in that area. They
>all told me the same
>place to hunt. I felt
>they were the best source
>of information I had. When
>people are paying $5500.00-$6000.00 dollars
>to buy landowner and conservation
>tags to hunt here I
>just expected more. My mistake.I
>did not expect a bonner
>buck, nothing even close to
>be honest.



well who ever those guides are that told you to hunt north of the radio tower on the back side of the sheeprocks need to be slapped. Especially if you told them what kind of buck you were looking for. Dont get me wrong, there may be a big buck or two in that area, but i sure have not located any there. I spoke face to face with the dwr officer that is over the vernon, kenn hammond, and he told me alot of places to look for a bigger buck, and not one of them was where you hunted. Infact I spoke to several of the cow pokes from vernon utah livestock and they all said to stay away from this area for that caliber of buck. Well that is besides the point. Like I said before if you do your homework and put in some scouting time this area holds some great bucks. There is a reason why some people pay $5500+ to hunt this area.
 
If you wanted a clean 25 inch 4 point i probably could have only shown ya 10 or 15 a day. Your post really made me smile...... If there weren't the caliber of bucks in the area you hunted, and there were, why didn't you move? Vernon has access everywhere! While the unit has some size, a person can sure cover a lot of it very easily. And while Vernon will never be like the Henrys, great deer are killed here every year, including this year! I hope you find an area that meets your stringent standards next year. You'll probably kill 6 or 8, 200 inch deer in your life so 2009 will just be a small waste of time for ya! The Vernon Utah Livestock boys are great neighbors and decent cowboys but they suck at giving muledeer advice. Here's a buck that was within 2 miles of where you hunted.......
DSCF0013-21.jpg


This buck was taken in 2007 year within 5 miles of your spot.....
kevins1.jpg


Same hunter with 2008 model Vernon buck......
kevins2.jpg


2006 buck right from where you spent time.......
UTAH-DEER-06-043-_2_.jpg
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-19-09 AT 07:27AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-19-09 AT 07:26?AM (MST)

>If you wanted a clean 25
>inch 4 point i probably
>could have only shown ya
>10 or 15 a day.
>Your post really made me
>smile...... If there weren't the
>caliber of bucks in the
>area you hunted, and there
>were, why didn't you move?
>Vernon has access everywhere! While
>the unit has some size,
>a person can sure cover
>a lot of it very
>easily. And while Vernon will
>never be like the Henrys,
>great deer are killed here
>every year, including this year!
>I hope you find an
>area that meets your stringent
>standards next year. You'll probably
>kill 6 or 8, 200
>inch deer in your life
>so 2009 will just be
>a small waste of time
>for ya! The Vernon Utah
>Livestock boys are great neighbors
>and decent cowboys but they
>suck at giving muledeer advice.
>Here's a buck that was
>within 2 miles of where
>you hunted.......
>
DSCF0013-21.jpg

>
>This buck was taken in 2007
>year within 5 miles of
>your spot.....
>
kevins1.jpg

>
>Same hunter with 2008 model Vernon
>buck......
>
kevins2.jpg

>
>2006 buck right from where you
>spent time.......
>
UTAH-DEER-06-043-_2_.jpg

Darrell, If you were seeing 10-15 bucks a day that were clean 24-25 inch clean 4 pts. I sure wish I had meet you down there, I didn't. I'm glad I made you smile, always like to make people happy. I don't have stringent standards, i didn't expect to see 200 inch deer. and I never said I wasted my time. I was given an opportunity to hunt a limited entry unit by SFW and The Mule Deer Foundation by going to the 2009 Expo. And as I said I was grateful. I couldn't bring up your pic's you posted, my work computer has alot of security filters on it. I'm sure they were nice buck's. I guess my bad luck is due to liveing 2 1/2 hours away. Thank you for your informative reply. You made me smile.
 
>>>If you only saw two bucks
>>>that met your that 4x4
>>>24-25 wide expectations then #1
>>>you were in the wrong
>>>area, and #2 you didnt
>>>put in your pre-season work
>>>as you should have.
>>>There are many, many bucks
>>>on this unit that meet
>>>and exceed your expectations.
>>>I do agree with you
>>>that in some areas there
>>>are alot of smaller 20-22
>>>inch deer but thats the
>>>nature of having a limited
>>>entry unit. post up
>>>some pics of the buck
>>>you shot and be proud
>>>of it! It sounds
>>>like you had a great
>>>hunt with your freinds reguardless
>>>of killing a booner buck
>>>or not.
>>SHOOTINFOOL, I had never hunted this
>>unit before. I did do
>>some preseason scouting. I relied
>>heavy on information and tips
>>from the Wildlife Biologist from
>>that area. The fish and
>>game officer that works that
>>area. Also, two guides that
>>live in that area. They
>>all told me the same
>>place to hunt. I felt
>>they were the best source
>>of information I had. When
>>people are paying $5500.00-$6000.00 dollars
>>to buy landowner and conservation
>>tags to hunt here I
>>just expected more. My mistake.I
>>did not expect a bonner
>>buck, nothing even close to
>>be honest.
>
>
>
>well who ever those guides are
>that told you to hunt
>north of the radio tower
>on the back side of
>the sheeprocks need to be
>slapped. Especially if you
>told them what kind of
>buck you were looking for.
> Dont get me wrong,
>there may be a big
>buck or two in that
>area, but i sure have
>not located any there.
>I spoke face to face
>with the dwr officer that
>is over the vernon, kenn
>hammond, and he told me
>alot of places to look
>for a bigger buck, and
>not one of them was
>where you hunted. Infact
>I spoke to several of
>the cow pokes from vernon
>utah livestock and they all
>said to stay away from
>this area for that caliber
>of buck. Well that
>is besides the point.
>Like I said before if
>you do your homework and
>put in some scouting time
>this area holds some great
>bucks. There is a
>reason why some people pay
>$5500+ to hunt this area.
>
I guess this is what happens when you live 2 1/2 hours away.
 
>I guess my bad luck
>is due to liveing 2
>1/2 hours away.

I'd give my left nut to live 2.5 hours away from where I hunt. I drive close to 8 hrs one way to scout for Mule deer 4 or 5 times a summer.
 
>I guess this is what happens
>when you live 2 1/2
>hours away.


I live 2 hours away also....I did make it out there a ton of times though. I am awful glad i did as well.
 
>>Doesn't sound like he's complaining to
>>me, read his first sentence.
>>Sounds like he's telling all
>>of us who were considering
>>the west desert deer hunt
>>to be very cautious and
>>think hard about it. I
>>appreciate the post! thanks Worknman
>>
>YOUR WELCOME, MY POST WAS SO
>OTHERS WOULD NOT WASTE THEIR
>TIME AND BONUS POINTS EXPECTING
>A GREAT HUNT. I'TS A
>STEP ABOVE A GENERAL SEASON
>NORTHERN REGION TAG. THAT'S HOW
>I FEEL. I'M SURE SOME
>LOCAL'S THAT SPEND ASSLOADS OF
>TIME OUT THERE COULD DO
>BETTER. BUT FOR SOMEONE WHO
>MUST DRIVE HOUR'S TO GET
>TO THE UNIT TO HUNT
>WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.I MEET A
>HUNTER IN STOCKTON THAT SAID
>HE WAS PUTTING IN FOR
>THIS UNIT AND HE HAD
>9 BONUS POINT'S. I TOLD
>HIM HE WAS CRAZY AS
>HELL.

Not sure where you hunted at but it was obviously not a good area. The rifle hunt is probably the hardest hunt out there but there's some really nice deer out there. I think you're just blowing off steam when you say it's barely better than a Northern Region general tag. That's probably the most OFF statement I've heard in a while. I had an archery tag out there last year and ACTUALLY SCOUTED and saw LOTS of bucks over 22-24" every tag no matter the month. Sounds like next time you get a good tag you need to work a little harder preseason or just waste one again.
 
>
>>I guess my bad luck
>>is due to liveing 2
>>1/2 hours away.
>
>I'd give my left nut to
>live 2.5 hours away from
>where I hunt. I drive
>close to 8 hrs one
>way to scout for Mule
>deer 4 or 5 times
>a summer.
Are you a single parent with a 2 year old daughter. With your closest family 2000 miles away.I am.
 
Bigbuckchaser, How did ol' Kevy Olson get two deer tags in two years on the Vernon? Did you guide him on the vernon?
 
worknman, You are a good guy. There are lots of opinions out there about units and hunting. Thanks for sharing yours. You are one of the good guys on this site. If you get a minute post a pic of your buck.

4b05a0dc28df3cd3.jpg
 
I hunted it this year and it's not worth 9 points. It is better then hunting the central rifle, that's not saying much thou.
 
There has been many deer taken out of season on this hunt for at least the last few years and that really hurt this hunt.
 
I hunt coyotes and chukars out there alot and have seen some bucks that would make you gag. Saw one 180 class buck standing on the side of the road one evening that was a gorgeous deer. I got out of my truck and walked within 30 yards of him. HUGE swollen neck, he looked at me and his hair stood up so I decided to get closer to the truck... :) But he was a very nice deer. Too bad you did not have the results you were hoping for on the hunt.
 

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