031 Deer

excavator · Jun 26, 2011

I have wanted to hunt this unit for a few years now, and I finally broke down and bought a landowner buck tag for 031 this year.

So anyway, now the pressure is on to find a good buck. I made the drive down there this weekend to get a feel for the unit.

There is a lot of work to be done between now and me hopefully killing a good buck.

If anybody is interested in providing any general information on this unit, it would be much appreciated. A PM would be great if you feel so inclined.

Thanks,

Excavator

HEVISHOT · Jun 27, 2011

You could shoot one of those alfalfa bucks since you got a landowner tag. Those are the deer that supposedly cause the landowner crop damage. Not the big one on the mountain that never goes into those fields.

coyotebuster08 · Jun 28, 2011

Excavator,
I have been on that hunt a few times, if I were to hunt it again I would have 2 seperate hunts planned before I went.
Plan #1 would be for bad weather on the mountains, North of the unit. In that case I would hunt the foothills above the ranches. There are some good bucks that will be bedded there. they hit the fields and does at night and retreat during the day. Lots of deer in there and fun hunt.
If it stays warm, you will have to go up and get them because they will still be up high, same as most other units I guess. We always had better luck on the units East side than the West side.
Some cranky landowners with questionable gates posted as well. Get a private land map (BLM) before you go as well, to keep the landowners honest.
Good luck,
CB08

excavator · Jun 28, 2011

>You could shoot one of those
>alfalfa bucks since you got
>a landowner tag. Those
>are the deer that supposedly
>cause the landowner crop damage.
> Not the big one
>on the mountain that never
>goes into those fields.

HEVISHOT,

Not real sure exactly what you are getting at. Maybe you could elaborate.

Excavator

ducksbucksandbulls · Jun 30, 2011

I hunted antelope in that unit 10 years ago or more.
Most of the Bucks we saw were with in a 1/2 mile of the state line .
biggest was 180 type bedded in the sage...

excavator · Jul 7, 2011

Coyote Buster,

Thanks for the information. I am hearing from different people that the north central area of the unit is a decent spot to check out. When I drove over there a few weeks ago, I was amazed at the lack of trees, but I think there are a few aspens, etc...in the higher country. I could see a few in the binos anyway.

What access did you use to get up to the top (the north central area, which is the highest area in the unit). I have studied the maps and see a few different ways to get up there, but I am just curious what you felt was best. I will be coming from Oregon and was wondering if it might save me a lot of time to come in to the north central area of the unit from the north rather than driving around. Some of the roads look like they will be difficult to get up when it gets wet. Anyway, just curious what you thought about getting up there.

Also, how hard is it to get away from the four wheeler guys? I will try and hunts areas where vehicles, fourwheelers, and horses can't.

Thanks again,

Excavator

excavator · Jul 7, 2011

Coyote Buster,

Thanks for the information. I am hearing from different people that the north central area of the unit is a decent spot to check out. When I drove over there a few weeks ago, I was amazed at the lack of trees, but I think there are a few aspens, etc...in the higher country. I could see a few in the binos anyway.

What access did you use to get up to the top (the north central area, which is the highest area in the unit). I have studied the maps and see a few different ways to get up there, but I am just curious what you felt was best. I will be coming from Oregon and was wondering if it might save me a lot of time to come in to the north central area of the unit from the north rather than driving around. Some of the roads look like they will be difficult to get up when it gets wet. Anyway, just curious what you thought about getting up there.

Also, how hard is it to get away from the four wheeler guys? I will try and hunts areas where vehicles, fourwheelers, and horses can't.

Thanks again,

Excavator

PCPython · Jul 8, 2011

You can get away from the vehicles and the four wheelers, but horses can go just about anywhere.

excavator · Jul 8, 2011

Agreed. A guy needs really steep ground or lots of blowdowns to get rid of horses.

Excavator

coyotebuster08 · Jul 11, 2011

Excavator,
If it is warm than Disaster Peak is a good choice. Twice we have started heading up there and saw shootable deer before we got near the top. There is a road near the state line that meanders up there so entry from Oregon makes sense.
I wouldn't worry too much about other hunters, we have always hunted the last week and most folks were tagged out by then. A lot of those "field deer" get shot out pretty quick and alot of hunters hate to pass up a sure thing 4x4 standing 50 yards from a road. One of the reasons that the Landowners are so cranky I guess as most of that land is posted "No Hunting".
There is also a lot of good country North of the Home Place Ranch? (Maybe Homestead?).
Between that ranch and the Indian reservation (Where the Indian Ranchers are ALSO cranky) there is a maze of middle elevation land that no one seems to hunt very hard. Roads are rough 2-tracks in that area and the bucks stack up in there during October and venture out at night to the fields to the East.
This is really a great hunt and you will see a lot of deer, some of which can be great bucks, there are some good non-typical genes in that herd.
CB08