Unit 171-173 reports?

Rando · Sep 11, 2014

Any archery hunters have any reports regarding unit 17? Seeing many bucks? How's the water situation? Any success?
I have an early season rifle tag and have not had a chance to get out and scout. Any feedback would be appreciated!
Thank you!
Rando

Rando · Sep 21, 2014

Anyone?
Anything to share?
Throw me a bone... ;-)
Gonna be there for the rifle opener on 10/5, and plan on hunting in the Arc Dome Wilderness. Hunted there back in 2006 and had a great hunt. Saw lots of bucks, but only one "shooter"...but my standards were higher that year! Hoping to find a 155+ this year.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks.

peez3006 · Sep 22, 2014

I'll be there for the opener also. I did a quick scouting trip 6 weeks ago. In the area I looked over, there seemed to be less deer. Was drier than normal too. I'll probably be in the wilderness. I didn't make it in there last year. But over the past 10 years, the quality seems to be slipping. We'll see what happens!

Don P

Rando · Sep 23, 2014

Thanks Don!
Good luck to you!
I will be camping over in the Leadbetter Canyon area and drive a grey GMC with a grey camper shell. Tent camping. Stop in if you see me!
Appreciate your feedback.
Rand

peez3006 · Oct 15, 2014

Hey Rand. How did 17 treat you? It was tough for me. I spent a couple of days poking around outside of the wilderness. Ended up having to backpack into the Arc Dome. Was the driest I've ever seen it. We didn't make it in as far as I'd have liked. I killed the biggest buck that we saw. Might think about getting packed in next time.

Don P

sagebrush · Oct 15, 2014

Nice job, Don. Which way did you end up going in, Ledbetter or Peavine?

Rando · Oct 15, 2014

Congrats Don!
My hunt was a tough one... As you well know, the heat and full moon made it tough.
I had two good buddies help me out over 4.5 days of hard hunting. Went into the wilderness at the top of Leadbetter on opening day and worked my way in quite a ways toward Peavine Mtn. Only saw two small bucks that day. was inside the wilderness from dark till dark!
Went in from Cow Canyon on day two and hiked all the way down to Reese River and around up into Beeson Creek. Saw very few deer and no bucks... Until that evening when we saw 13 deer in one group with two small bucks.
Back into wilderness at top of Leadbetter on Day 3 and, worked our way around to the SouthEast...only saw 5 does and came out of wilderness at midday.
Found a spot to glass outside the wilderness that night and spotted a really great quality buck. He was too far to shoot, or close on that night, so,we decided he would be the buck to focus on for the next two days. Really thought we stood a good chance at seeing him as he was far off any roads and was just feeding that evening without being bothered.
I am CERTAIN that no one else spooked him, but we never turned him up again.
Great camping weather, but poor hunting weather.
What a tough, grueling unit! Big unit with tons of ground for those big bucks to hide in.
We bumped into a father and son who were looking for a doe to fill the kids Jr. Tag...and they hadn't seen a single doe (from the roads)from Sunday morn thru Tuesday afternoon. We did see them up Leadbetter later on Tuesday evening and they had shot a doe.
Did you see many bucks? See any other hunters?
Thanks for following up!
Rand

sagebrush · Oct 16, 2014

Sorry it was such a tough hunt for you Rand. Sounds like the quality just keeps slipping in 17.

peez3006 · Oct 16, 2014

I looked around a few different spots. The Shoshones, Ledbetter, and Peavine. We saw a few bucks in the Shoshones. Nothing good. We saw the most bucks in Ledbetter. Probably 10-12 bucks. Still nothing good. Peavine was doe city. Tons of does. This was only the 2nd buck we found in there. I passed him originally, but later decided to take him when he came down the hill mid day. I think that if we would have gotten farther up the mountain, we would have found a better buck. Quality has slipped, but I'd rather draw a tag, then collect points.

Don P