How to get at the TRUTH???

longshot349 · Dec 9, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Dec-09-08 AT 06:09PM (MST)[p] I Have accumulated enough points to now draw a high quality deer tag in Colorado. I realize the winter kill last year was a major factor in alot of units. My question is ;

How do you get at the truth about the quality of a unit?

I live to far away and dont have the time to visit each unit myself ,so that leaves me having to rely on hunt reports and reviews from hunters and biologist.

The problem is , one guy tells me deer are thick as cat hair and nice bucks are just a matter of picking one out.He saw dozens of bucks each day.. The trouble here is , this guy may not know quality hunting if it slapped him in the mouth....

The next guy tells me that he hunted the area and all the deer are dead from winter kill and the biologist are full of crap and just want your money. This guy says '' dont go '' ....The problem here is, this guy may be telling the truth , BUT , he may just not anyone knowing or drawing his favorite unit and letting the secret of his '' honey hole'' out...

How do you guys get at the truth about a unit without personaly visiting it yourself.. I realize there are success charts and tables , but is there anything else that I am missing?? Thanks..

thebuckstopshere · Dec 9, 2008

Check out the post by Founder - asking for advice. Just ask. You will likely get a few responses, and be able to determine which of yer "guys" is telling it like it is.

In other words, ask the people on here for advice about the specific unit you want to hunt.

longshot349 · Dec 9, 2008

Thanks.. Im new on the forum and havn't learned all the inside stuff yet.. Any other replys?

Founder · Dec 9, 2008

All you can do is ask about an area. If you have knowledge of your own, maybe about a state or area somewhere, then maybe offer to share some of your knowledge in return.

However, you will never know the "TRUTH" about the quality of a hunt, simply because everyone hunts different, hunts and units change all the time, and everyones hunt skills are different. So, an area that I might think is horrible, another guy might love. Maybe because he knows a better honey hole, or maybe he's a better hunter, or hunts harder and smarter. There are so many variables that help determine a persons opinion of a hunt.

If you do not have the time to scout the areas you want to hunt, then you have to rely on what biologists and other hunters tell you. I guess the trick would be to get as many opinions as possible, combine them all, and take a guess.

As for Colorado, draw the tag and go hunting. When the hunt is over, you'll have your answer as to whether the quality was what you wanted or not. That's all you can really do.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

LuckyShot · Dec 9, 2008

This one always works. Tell the guys here on MM that you are a photographer on assignment to film mature mule deer for a study on deer management through the CO Game and Fish Dept. If you can get a healthy number of big bucks on film while in the velvet, then the info is relayed to the Colorado Fish and Game in an attempt not to decrease upcoming archery tags in the area. You'll get twice the responses, all of them honost!!!

Elkcrzy1 · Dec 10, 2008

So how many points do you have and what area are you considering ? What is a quality buck to you ?

Ticks N Tines · Dec 10, 2008

How about GOING THERE and finding out for yourself, that way you don't have to rely on others. Go scout it and and check out the quality of deer, if you are satisfied hunt it, if not then don't hunt it.

Elkcrzy1 · Dec 10, 2008

Not always possible if your out of state, have kids, family, job, etc and only a certain amount of time off.

txhunter58 · Dec 10, 2008

My initial thought on a response was:

"You can't handle the truth"

Of course that is not a nice response to your question, so I decided not to use that one. LOL.

For a short one word answer, the truth is: Time.

Spend the time to develop relationships and you will get the truth you seek. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!!!

For further skinny on the truth, go to my reply here:

http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/DCForumID32/700.html

txhunter58

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

ruttinelk393 · Dec 11, 2008

Asking a question on a forum is no different than hearing some bs in a sporting good store or talkin to a guy in the field. You have to take it for what its worth. Too many variable attached to answers like the type or level of hunter your asking, weather, large units may produce two different reports etc.... The bottom line is the more you ask and research, the more likely you may find a common thread and throw out the rest. The best thing is to do your own scouting and that is all I am 100% confident with.