Great idea skipping opening weekend. I'd come as late in the season as you can...
Here are a few thoughts:
There are some REALLY bad block management areas. Some are overgrazed, no cover, over hunted, etc. Some are enrolled in Block Management because no outfitter or rich guy wants to lease them. Look very carefully at the type of cover that is around the ranch, trees, draws, streams, etc. You can do this by looking at arial photos (I think its
www.terraserver.com) and more detailed maps.
I went on one down by Broadus that might have had a few jack rabbits, that's all...
Some are excellent and take only a few people each day. I think the best are Walk In Only (it will show you this on the block management book). Look for Walk In Only, great cover and tons of acreage. This way you avoid the ATV/Road hunt crowd and, if you walk off the road a mile or so your chances of seeing someone else are very slim. You can find a great place to hunt this way, but you must reserve your weekend very quickly after the information come out or you'll be out of luck.
Take as many days as you can when you come out. If you only have a few days and you reserved a place that stinks, you screwed. If you give yourself a chance to go to other places you're much more likely to have a great experience.
If you do draw a tag and find the block management places cruddy, you've got a few hundred thousand acres of public land, BLM and State, to hunt. Just find a place where the ATVers can't go with good cover and terrain and you'll have a great chance of success. Just get way off the road! There are some very nice deer on public land, but you've got to work for them.
Hope the cold and snow doesn't wipe out too many deer this year.
Hope you draw a tag! If you don't this year, keep at it.
