Congrats on your draw!
I really love hunting 5a and have been blessed to have hunted it 3 different years. The country is classic Muley Country but doesn't hold the amount of deer one would think to find there. Though my good friend took a 30" 185 clean 5x5 there first day he ever stepped in the unit, I've hunted it north to south and not had near his luck though i've passed my share of nice but not what i went there for average mature bucks.
If i had the unit again, i'd go back to the extremely rocky roads leading north of Horse Lake and hunt the ridges above the several little ponds in that huge sage basin area. I might also check out the country behind and above the Grasshopper Ranger Station on 139, and the foothills above the farmland when entering horse lk rd from hiway 139.
Really, you could find a dandy most anywhere on the unit but most guys that do good already have their buck picked out and patterned long before opening morning. My experiences there have led me to believe that the hunting only gets harder as the 2 week season goes on.
Great Country, enjoy some of Cali's best!
Joey
"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
