Unit 73 November Deer Hunt.
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BrianID
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Hunt every chance you can until the season closes. There should be some rutting activity starting by now and you never know when you might find a big buck. There are deer all over 73. Get out and put the time in and you have a good chance of finding a nice buck.
I've been putting in for that tag for years...and finally drew it myself this year. I don't have much for ya' though - been out a ton and have yet to personally see a decent buck and I've looked at a lot of them. I've got intel on a few ("he's a giant!", "he's a great buck!" and "he's a real good one!") but have yet to lay eyes on anything of note. I will tell ya' that rutty things are kickin' off and I've watched many small bucks lookin' swol', tearing up brush, sparring, and chasing does in the last week. Headed out in the morning - not in any hurry but it would be nice to at least see a decent one to get a little fired up.
Good luck! We'll be out and about most days so might run into ya' - silver Ram, flatbed, dog kennels on back.
Good luck! We'll be out and about most days so might run into ya' - silver Ram, flatbed, dog kennels on back.
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Curious how you ended up - did your wife find a nice deer?
I hunted my brains out - probably ended up in the field close to 40 days, saw tons of deer, tons of bucks, catalogued and voyeured every doe group I could find for days and days. I only got onto one mature 180ish buck by blind azz luck that I just couldn't get a good shot on but had a helluva good time trying with a buddy helping me. Consensus was it was just a bad year for mature bucks due to bad 2017 winter knocking that age class really hard...sounds reasonable and makes me feel better but I'm willing to go with I just suck!
I came real close to just pulling trigger on a real pretty, tall, really deep forked, nice eye guards, 24"ish typical 4x4 with about 30" left in the season. I laid in the dirt for the last 30" prone on him but he was with 17 does hell bent on protecting him and messing any shot I had. He was young and he'll make a good one for somebody next year - like alot of them that I saw.
I threw together some vids I shot of some the bucks on my own place during the hunt - I had a pretty good corner of the 1.5-2.5 yo buck market!
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runamuk
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Good job dg, Hope you draw that tag again on a really good year.
Hope you stick around MM .. could use a few more like you around here.
I live up in Poky but I have property down between Malad and Holbrook in 73 - so that's where we typically do our deer hunts geared towards family, friends, kids getting their first deer type of hunts.
Of course, the unit holds some real nice "lifetime" bucks and I've seen a bunch of the bucks taken in past years on that tag so I have always put in for the late hunt 5-tag draw figuring a trophy buck might be dumb enough at that time even I could maybe get one!! Apparently a 50 day season, a whole unit essentially to myself, and alot of time on my hands wasn't enough to get it done!!
I was curious how the OP or other tag holders did...figuring someone drove around the unit for a day, found a monster buck rutting does right off the road, bagged him and is wondering what's so tough about it!!
buckhorn
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I guess it’s like everywhere else. Those lifetime bucks are few and far between. Also this was a down year throughout the west.I live up in Poky but I have property down between Malad and Holbrook in 73 - so that's where we typically do our deer hunts geared towards family, friends, kids getting their first deer type of hunts.
Of course, the unit holds some real nice "lifetime" bucks and I've seen a bunch of the bucks taken in past years on that tag so I have always put in for the late hunt 5-tag draw figuring a trophy buck might be dumb enough at that time even I could maybe get one!! Apparently a 50 day season, a whole unit essentially to myself, and alot of time on my hands wasn't enough to get it done!!
I was curious how the OP or other tag holders did...figuring someone drove around the unit for a day, found a monster buck rutting does right off the road, bagged him and is wondering what's so tough about it!!
Thanks for the reply
Sumas
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All I can say is I agree. Tough year. Biggest deer we saw was on private. Oh wait that is most of the country is down there. Anyway great time out in the mountains with my wife and memories we will have for ever! Needed snow! Lots of deer. Thanks for the video it was awesome.
Ha, I can't think of the number of times in the last month I said "he'll be a good one next year"!
I may put in for the Unlimited Draw next year hoping to capitalize on that (I think I can get that tag next year after drawing this tag this year but I'll have to look into it). Hunting for big bucks during the unlimited can be a pretty tough affair with the trees and brush typically still full of leaves making spotting super hard and the propensity for the older boys to just hunker down all day in some ridiculous spot that most of us overlook, waiting out the onslaught of hunters till the rut gets the better of them.
Coyote_chaser
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Doug hunted his butt off. I was with him for a few days and we had a blast. Saw tons of bucks, but just had a hard time finding anything with some age.
buckhorn
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Copy that!
Definitely lots of private in 73. And those family members of the private hunt it hard also.
buckhorn
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That says a lot
When locals hunt hard that late in the year and don’t turn up any older bucks there’s probably not any.
More snow would’ve helped I’m sure.
I did find a big shed once way back in the big onion if that tells you anything.
Spent one snowy morning on a ridge up in the B.O. really feeling like it was going to be the day - great spot to find a big buck...didn't even see a deer. One big herd of elk. Did cut a big buck track in the fresh snow headed down the mtn to private.
That last day nice young tall framed 4x4 I almost pulled trigger on I'm pretty certain lives up in the B.O. and is on my mind for next year.
Good work on reporting back, glad you guys had a fun hunt. Bummer about the tough age class. Praying for a mild winter this year and next, if so I feel we will be in good shape for fall 23’.
Blue chip tag syndrome is real and is easy to get caught up in. I drew 32 late rifle in 20’, although not the historical notoriety of 73, I had a tough hunt. I killed a 159” buck. I was fortune to have 4 of us fanned out with alpha glass over 9 days of hunting, and it was the best buck any of us laid eyes on. I couldn’t have drawn up more perfect weather for my hunt, snow, cold, 2 feet of snow up high, still didn’t matter. Good 4 points just weren’t there.
That was my first blue chip tag. You know there won’t be a 180 behind every bush, but you do feel strongly you’ll have a chance at one if you hunt hard. Sometimes it’s just not in the cards. The beauty of ID is that a 180 or 330 can come from every unit in the state. But our draw tags aren’t shoe ins. 32 late or 45? 2,000 cow hunters to contend with. 40 and 22, the 2 point hunts. 46 late and don’t get weather, the elk might not even be in Idaho. Finally draw, but it’s 4 years after a record winter! The caveats can be frustrating, haha. Good job on not settling, as I did. True mental fortitude.
Blue chip tag syndrome is real and is easy to get caught up in. I drew 32 late rifle in 20’, although not the historical notoriety of 73, I had a tough hunt. I killed a 159” buck. I was fortune to have 4 of us fanned out with alpha glass over 9 days of hunting, and it was the best buck any of us laid eyes on. I couldn’t have drawn up more perfect weather for my hunt, snow, cold, 2 feet of snow up high, still didn’t matter. Good 4 points just weren’t there.
That was my first blue chip tag. You know there won’t be a 180 behind every bush, but you do feel strongly you’ll have a chance at one if you hunt hard. Sometimes it’s just not in the cards. The beauty of ID is that a 180 or 330 can come from every unit in the state. But our draw tags aren’t shoe ins. 32 late or 45? 2,000 cow hunters to contend with. 40 and 22, the 2 point hunts. 46 late and don’t get weather, the elk might not even be in Idaho. Finally draw, but it’s 4 years after a record winter! The caveats can be frustrating, haha. Good job on not settling, as I did. True mental fortitude.
Blue Chip Tag Syndrome. I like it!! I knew there was something wrong with me from the moment I rushed out and bought my tag like 5 minutes after I found out I drew the tag!!
Now I have some sort of blue chip tag soup PTSD because I'm afraid to drive anywhere in the unit fearing I will see a 200" buck standing right next to the road!
Some stills from my wanderings:
Cat and moused the 180sh buck thru this burned cedar chit for about an hour - had a broadside steady on the tripod 160 yd shot but mighta bagged a doe and a fawn that took up residence in my scope as well so no-go, then had him broadside at 80yds - with a dead cedar directly in front of him, then had him broadside at 120yd - with a dead cedar directly in front of him (Coyote_chaser had him in the wide open the whole time from where he was watching from and was yelling at me "WTF are you doing!!" "WTF are your doing!" - hilarious) , finally I had him in wide open broadside at 180yds up a steep slope but I couldn't get the dead cedar branch I had to improvise take a rest on to quit bobbing up and down - crosshairs at top of shoulder then elbow, top of shoulder then elbow, rinse and repeat...then he was gone:
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IdahoSwede
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Very cool video! thanks for sharing
BrianID
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Thanks for reporting back. It just shows how few mature bucks really survive the season in 73 (and other general units) when guys that know how to hunt the unit have a difficult time finding a mature buck with such a long season. There are very 5+ year old bucks in Idaho. Many of the bucks get killed the first year they grow antlers.
Butts
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This travesty occurred in the late 80’s throughout the early 2000’s.
If Southern Idaho managed for trophy quality they would not
Butts
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Call the IDFG and ask why you can’t even find a 24” 4 point on a November hunt in 2021, but early 2000’s there were 200+to be seen and hunted in early October?
BrianID
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The 4 point rule really just increased the number of 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old 4 points. It also increased the number of older bucks that didn’t have the genetics to grow 4 points. I think the 4 point only is not a good long term plan but should be considered an option after a bad winter kill.
Butts
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almoayhunte
No, it allowed more 3.5 and 4.5 year old bucks the next year. Which allowed better harvest of older age class.
The stand by reason for Id witching from 4-point to any buck, was 3 points where being harvested and left to Rot. Great narrative they got going
F g knew this unit was yielding good deer and capitalized on it. They knew back in the early 2000’s it would be years before it would fall. WELL it has. GONE!!
If they went back to 2-point only for 6 years and still keep the lion quota as is. It would help.
I think the 4-point plan is good for mule deer every where! Period.
No, it allowed more 3.5 and 4.5 year old bucks the next year. Which allowed better harvest of older age class.
The stand by reason for Id witching from 4-point to any buck, was 3 points where being harvested and left to Rot. Great narrative they got going
F g knew this unit was yielding good deer and capitalized on it. They knew back in the early 2000’s it would be years before it would fall. WELL it has. GONE!!
If they went back to 2-point only for 6 years and still keep the lion quota as is. It would help.
I think the 4-point plan is good for mule deer every where! Period.
BrianID
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Do you think the 4 point rule would be a good 10 year plan? I don't think it would be a good plan for anything longer than 3 or 4 years.
The 4 point rule would never create a significant number of 5+ year old 4 point (or better) bucks with deep forks. There were some big old 3 points and some old 4 points with crab claws. I actually think it was better for 170"+ bucks before the 4 point rule. The 4 point rule created a bunch more 120"-150" bucks that would get killed a year or two before they reached their genetic potential.
Some hunters are happy with 120"-150" 4 points. Others are happy with 1 1/2 year old two points. Some guys will eat their tag before shooting a 160" 4 1/2 year old 4 point. Some guys are happy shooting a doe. It is impossible for the F&G to implement a management plan that makes everyone happy. Until Idaho deer hunters demand less opportunity for better quality, we will never see great hunting for old bucks in Idaho.
I never saw 3 point or two point left to rot the years the years the 4 point rule was put in place. I don't even know anyone personally that saw that happen either. I spent a lot of time hunting, scouting and shed hunting those units during those 4 point years and it was a wide spread problem, I would have seen it. The excuse the F&G gave me for removing the 4 point rule was it would never create the deep forked 5+ year old bucks that many hunters wanted. I actually agree with them. I still think the 4 point rule would be good to implement for 2-3 years in many units after a there is a bad winter kill. I'm willing to give up the opportunity to kill a "meat buck" but many others are not willing to give up that opportunity.
JPickett
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Butts
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Guess I’m not seeing what you are saying, but happens allot on here.
I sure don't have any great answers to solve the balance of offering hunts for those that just wanna shoot a buck/deer and those that just wanna to shoot a big, mature buck. Throw in the whims of Mother Nature and management really becomes a crapshoot.
For giggles:
Here is Rut Cam 2014 - no real monsters but for comparison the biggest buck I got on Rut Cam 2021 for the full month was a forked horn! On one of my guzzlers:
How about a few of the bucks on my place from general/unlimited season 2017:
vs. last year general/unlimited season - slim pickens (my wife and I did get into a 10 minute stare-down at 15yds on a really heavy mature 170'ish buck that went full Matrix on us and escaped unscathed):
While I'm at it - 2019:
So far, my personal management system of letting 'em grow and mature another year doesn't seem to be paying off for me bagging a whopper!!
I hate to say I was disappointed when it was still a great way to spend a month and I was glad to have had the opportunity to at least have a way better than usual chance at an exceptional buck.
For giggles:
Here is Rut Cam 2014 - no real monsters but for comparison the biggest buck I got on Rut Cam 2021 for the full month was a forked horn! On one of my guzzlers:
How about a few of the bucks on my place from general/unlimited season 2017:
vs. last year general/unlimited season - slim pickens (my wife and I did get into a 10 minute stare-down at 15yds on a really heavy mature 170'ish buck that went full Matrix on us and escaped unscathed):
While I'm at it - 2019:
So far, my personal management system of letting 'em grow and mature another year doesn't seem to be paying off for me bagging a whopper!!
I hate to say I was disappointed when it was still a great way to spend a month and I was glad to have had the opportunity to at least have a way better than usual chance at an exceptional buck.
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