Big Book Cliff Bucks???

[lcchunt]

After eight years of putting in for LE hunts, I finally drew a book cliffs rifle tag. I just returned from a long scouting trip and have to admit I'm a bit disappointed. I've heard from several sources that regardless of the snow, this time of year the big bucks start moving lower. I spent my entire scouting trip in the low lands and saw very few, if any "shooter" bucks. I read in another forum that the deer on top are on the move, but again they're not down low.

I waited a long time to draw a LE tag and am getting nervous about this hunt. I'm not asking for anyone's GPS coordinates, I'm simply wondering if any qualified person may give me some advise (either publicly or privately). Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[kylek]

Icchunt,
I drew an archery tag this year, and was kind of disappointed as well. I did see a few really good bucks, but not what I expected from being up there in previous years. I ended up harvesting a good 4X4 buck towards the end of the hunt, i posted it a while back. If I were you, i'd head up top, see what you can find, if they're not up top, start working your way lower until you find them. Trust me, you'll know when you find them, you'll see plenty deer. Good luck on the hunt!

 

[gl]

we had three rifle tags on the books last year. We killed three good bucks. One was 28" and scored 170, the other two scored 165". We saw one bigger than the 170 buck but couldn't get a shot. He was pushing 190. But we were hard pressed to see a lot of real big bucks. We hunted McCook ridge the first half of the week and then the deer started to get fewer and fewer so we hunted Big Park the last half and would see a lot more deer and some nicer bucks. Good Luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[whites88]

I would also say start up high and move down, I just got back from the muzzy hunt out there and the bucks were still very high. When you find em you will know because you will see alot of medium size buck. There are good bucks out there if you can pass alot of smaller bucks.

 

[crimedog]

I wish you luck the books are a great place. I have yet to pull a tag but enjoy the area. One thing to remember is the Book Cliff's are not a trophy area. You will get a nice 160-170 inch buck and may find a bigger buck. The books are not managed as a premium unit such as the Henry's. This is a major missconception of the books that it is a premium hunt.

 

[DallanC]

It states very clearly in the unit description is it NOT a premium trophy unit. Do not put in for this unit expecting to see a bunch of monster deer... there are a few in there but primarily its just a bunch of deer in the 20-24" 3x3-4x4 range. I hunted it in '05 and got really lucky... most people I know that hunted it that year got 3x3s and 3x4s. Seems to be the average for it.

Its a very fun place to hunt though.


-DallanC

 

[slamdunk]

We had a muzzle loader tag out there three weeks ago and was also disappointed.
We saw one "shooter" buck out of about 150 small bucks in 8 days.

I sure miss the old days when it was 3 point or better!!





Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"

 

[Roy]

Keep on looking and hunting - be picky - there are some big ones there - even down low. You just have to keep looking.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[gdog]

I hunted the muzz hunt this year. Started all the way up top and stayed there for the first week, then ended up moving a little lower for the 2nd. The deer without question were on the move. I ended up killing my buck the last morning of the hunt.

At this point I think you are better off coming off the top a little. The deer are still moving and you'll catch those that came off the top earlier, plus those who are moving through.

During my hunt I saw VERY few deer in the +165 class. Tons of 18-22 " bucks, lots of big 2x2's and a bunch of 4x3's. Take a long hard look at any nice 4x4's outside the ears that you come across, cuz their not behind every tree by any means.

When you finally get into the deer, get off the roads and scope out the fingers and draws. You can cover a ton of ground out there with your optics and with the deer moving, there will be new deer moving through the area every day.

If your patient and cover some ground, you'll do ok.

 

[Rammu]

I also just came back from the books this weekend. The deer were on the move but majority of them were not far off the tops. We did see 2 bucks close to 180" and several 20" bucks. The bigger bucks were not far off the tops. Good Luck

 

[ADDICT]

I agree with all of the above. BE PATIENT!!! If you can committ the whole week tot the hunt and get out of the truck to glass the draws that aren't visible from the highway you will find deer. Those big deer are preoccupied chasing does and if you can get on a group of does that stays secluded and out of sight of other hunters, odds are a big deer will work them. You have to be consistent and head back in there often.

Every deer I saw in camps was shot off the road (they hadn't cut the legs off and their hide wasn't trashed). Use your topo maps and get away from the roads!

Here's our 04 deer (not the best one we saw either but a shooter in my book!)

 

[slamdunk]

GDOG followed me around and killed the buck i passed on!! ;-)

J/K gdog.....i'm jealous!!!



Skull Krazy
"No Bones About It"

 

[gdog]

OH MAN...the cats out of bag!!!!

Guess I owe you a beer Slamdunk!!! Thanks!

I was hoping to see more pics of deer taken this year in the books so far. If you scored, post up a pic. We should see a bunch with the rifle hunt this weekend.

Good luck!

 

[peez3006]

I had a muzzloader tag last year. I went with my buddy on the muzzleloader hunt this year. Lots of small bucks, a few decent bucks, and no big bucks. I know that the Cliffs kick out a few whoppers, but they are the exception. A fun hunt, though, with tons of deer.

Jeff's 2007 muzz. buck

My 2006 muzz. buck

 

[gdog]

If you see anything like the bucks posted above.....shoot!

 

[lcchunt]

Let me first say that I'm new to MM and really appreciate the help and advise. It's encouraging to see some of the BIG bucks that have been taken over the years in the books. There's no doubt that any of the bucks that have been posted here are opening morning shooters for me. Congrats to all of you that have been successful.

I did get some better news from some friends today that started scouting the higher elevations. I think I'll follow the general advise posted here and start high and work lower if needed. My friends talked to some locals that said the snow that Salt Lake has recently experienced hadn't made it to the books yet and that may be what's holding the big ones up top.

I'm just wondering how I'm going to make it through work the next couple days with my mind on the hunt. Please contine to post pictures of past bucks taken in the books.

Thank You.

 

[ICHABOD]

Hey Icchunt,
I,m sending you a PM.

 

[ICHABOD]

Dont want to Hi-jack this thread, but any of you guys/gals hunted the roadless area lately? I'm heading up from the south side, taking horses. Gonna pack in and get as far away from any roads as possible. If anyone has taken horses into that area let me know.
Thanx,
Steve

 

[bonepiler]

If you go out the Seep Ridge road, you will see a big set of livestock corrals near "Wood Canyon". Go east of these corrals. This can be a good area right now. The bigger bucks will be there sometime during the hunt.

 

[bonepiler]

But........ don't get your hopes up too much for a 30 incher. I would hold out for a while, but the Book Cliffs just doesn't produce many big guys these days.