52 vs 70 (3rd Season)

stilltrying · Nov 2, 2018

I have been doing a ton of research on unit 52 vs 70 for 3rd season deer. (What is everybody's opinion on the pro's/cons's of these two hunts)?

coyoteslayer · Nov 2, 2018

My brother has a 52 tag and I have a 70 tag, so we will see in the next week. I hunted 70 4th last year and tagged along for the 3rd season and was not impressed. I did not kill a buck on the 4th season. I am hoping it was just a bad year, going to give it another chance.

stilltrying · Nov 2, 2018

Good luck coyoteslayer - it will be good to hear the results and your thoughts after this year. (May get more weather this year than last which will help).

appaloosa · Nov 3, 2018

I hunted deer in 52 during 3rd season a couple of years ago. There were quite a few deer, but the amount of public land where the deer were was pretty limited, and crowded.

callsalot · Nov 3, 2018

I've hunted unit 70 3rd season twice. I think first time was in 2006 or 2007 and it was awesome, the second time was around 2014 and I couldn't believe I was in the same unit it was not good at all sorry to say. Never hunted 52 but if there is a chance it's OK I'd look there.

Ridn9high · Nov 3, 2018

Was in 70 during 3rd season last year helping my brother with his tag. We were not impressed with the unit. But being our first time in the unit, we don't have other years to compare it to. If you have questions, feel free to PM me.

stilltrying · Nov 5, 2018

Thanks your thoughts align with what I have been seeing; 52 is a challenge due to private ground and the migration to those grounds before 3rd season, 70 historically has been good but recently not so much. (wondering if the problems with 70 have been a result of not a lot of weather the last few years that would push the deer to the western side of the unit.

txhunter58 · Nov 6, 2018

I elk hunted 704th season 2 years ago and was not impressed. Little snow, but even hunted high and didn't see much of deer.

I think the recent woes are due to a couple of bad winters a few years ago. Numbers haven't recovered since then but doubt they have lowered the tag numbers much.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

stilltrying · Nov 6, 2018

Thanks for the reply - sounds like 70 took a beating from what I am hearing. too bad as it was once a really good deer unit.

Snoopdogg · Nov 13, 2018

I have to add my 2 cents; 70 sucked for bucks/big deer this year. Weather didn't help, but it still sucked. 70 is a big unit and this is just one hunters' perspective.

stilltrying · Nov 13, 2018

Snoopdogg - That's too bad, not sure why 70 has gotten so bad over the last few years.

coyoteslayer · Nov 14, 2018

I burned 13 points on 70 4th last year, and was able to get a 70 3rd on returned list this year. I love the country and wish it was good enough to go back, but I will never go back to hunt. Last year, I had high standards and ate tag soup. Hunted hard, scouted hard. This year, I was hoping things would be better, but if you are looking for anything over a 2 year old buck, this unit is tough. They kill over 800 bucks a year off this unit, and it shows. If you want a yearling buck or a two year old buck, and want to see deer, then this would be a hunt for you. Two years ago, I contacted hunters who had hunted the 4th season and they told me how tough/bad it was. I made the mistake of thinking the weather was just bad, and that there would be better bucks the next year, since they didnt get killed the year before. So I put in for the hunt, and burned 13 points on a unit that I would not put in for again. My advice, dont be like me.

JT · Nov 15, 2018

I've hunt 70, 3rd season for the last 4 years, the first couple of years I killed mature bucks, one was a heavy 3 point and the other was a 29? 3x4. The last two years have been terrible, I thought maybe last year was just a off year, but this year we hunted our ass off, spent all 9 days hunting and I ate my tag. I?v never hunted 52 but after this year I would NOT recommend 70. We were seeing a fair amount of deer, just nothing even close to big. The country is beautiful, but I just don't think I'd recommend it if your looking for a buck older than 2 1/2 - 3 1/2, I'm thinking I just got damn lucky the first two years that I hunt the unit.