55 deer are

bchap05 · Oct 8, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-08-19 AT 05:03PM (MST)[p]Hey all drew the 55 Oct tag. Which I know is not amazing, but is decent. Never hunted area so I read all the related posts on here and other forums. We are experienced we have taken a couple 180-200s on public land and probably 25 deer.

Basically everyone says hunt Harrison, cache, independence, city of rocks or malta.

We are on day 4. Hit Harrison twice, cache/independence twice and aren't seeing much at all. Have hiked 32 miles gps tracked so we don't road hunt. Glassed high. Glassed rocks. Glassed junipers. Hunted from 7k to 9k ft.

So far we have had chance at 2 forkies which we passed. Seen like 30 doe. Maybe another buck we couldn't confirm.

Deer sign everywhere but no bucks. But seems odd considering this unit has produced 250-300 bucks a year with 55-70% harvest for years.

Talked to others who are reporting the same issues. Have only heard maybe 6 shots total and there were probably 50 different people up here throughout the weekend and seems most are also not road hunting.

Any ideas or anything happen here recently I'm unaware of?

My only guess was maybe we had early snow and archery unlimited massacred them last year. But the archery numbers were down last year

Seen zero killed. And even the horse guys said they can't find anything

IDoutdoors · Oct 8, 2019

Pm sent

Foxbow · Oct 9, 2019

Bucks might be down lower near private land

bchap05 · Oct 9, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-09-19 AT 04:10PM (MST)[p]We have seen 50-60 now but no new bucks. All does. Talked to a rancher who lives here said it's worst year he's ever seen. Said normally they are all over the place. Cant drive up the road without seeing a 3 or 4. Wasn't sure what was going on or what happened.

Might try lower Foxbow. Unfortunately today it's like 15 degrees and blowing 50mph. Smashed our pop up tent to pieces. So haven't been able to hunt much due to the brutal wind

andrew12gauge · Oct 9, 2019

Cold front moving in might get more daytime activity, but I think on any mule deer hunt in southern Idaho that runs until Halloween you're better off hunting the last week of season. Bucks really start acting dumber and mixing in with doe groups more. Shot my buck chasing does on the 27th last year

bchap05 · Oct 10, 2019

>Cold front moving in might get
>more daytime activity, but I
>think on any mule deer
>hunt in southern Idaho that
>runs until Halloween you're better
>off hunting the last week
>of season. Bucks really start
>acting dumber and mixing in
>with doe groups more. Shot
>my buck chasing does on
>the 27th last year

Think that's the plan. We found 4-5 bucks last night and I ended up missing. Actually glad I missed as I think he was smaller than I thought at first. Was a little too excited after 40 hard miles and no bucks.

Foxbow · Oct 10, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-19 AT 04:49PM (MST)[p]Like Andrew said,if you can wait should see more bucks towards ?

bchap05 · Oct 11, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-11-19 AT 10:14AM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-19
>AT 04:49?PM (MST)
>
>Like Andrew said,if you can wait
>should see more bucks towards
>?

Yeah we pulled out. Planning on going back 25th or 26th to Halloween. Talked to some other hunters right before we left yesterday that showed a pic of an absolute toad that was taken during the October hunt last a few years ago.

Foxbow · Oct 13, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-13-19 AT 09:34AM (MST)[p]>LAST EDITED ON Oct-11-19
>AT 10:14?AM (MST)
>
>>LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-19
>>AT 04:49?PM (MST)
>>
>>Like Andrew said,if you can wait
>>should see more bucks towards
>>?
>
>
>Yeah we pulled out. Planning on
>going back 25th or 26th
>to Halloween. Talked to some
>other hunters right before we
>left yesterday that showed a
>pic of an absolute toad
>that was taken during the
>October hunt last a few
>years ago.

Yeah that big nontypical was killed down low on a private ranch

Glock10mm · Oct 20, 2019

Goose creek area has always been great, ive tagged out opening day for years there.

bchap05 · Oct 24, 2019

>Goose creek area has always been
>great, ive tagged out opening
>day for years there.

I'll check it out. Found an absolute toad this morning. With two fours sparring below him. So big he looks like an elk at 2k yards

HalfAce · Oct 24, 2019

>>Goose creek area has always been
>>great, ive tagged out opening
>>day for years there.
>
>
>I'll check it out. Found an
>absolute toad this morning. With
>two fours sparring below him.
>So big he looks like
>an elk at 2k yards
>

What class we talking about?

I have a tag next door. Getting excited to get out there.

bchap05 · Oct 24, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-24-19 AT 01:17PM (MST)[p]>>>Goose creek area has always been
>>>great, ive tagged out opening
>>>day for years there.
>>
>>
>>I'll check it out. Found an
>>absolute toad this morning. With
>>two fours sparring below him.
>>So big he looks like
>>an elk at 2k yards
>>
>
>What class we talking about?

>
>
>I have a tag next door.
> Getting excited to get
>out there.

Not quite sure. Biggest buck I've ever glassed, so he's big. He has a bunch of does he was pushing. I got about 180 yards with a perfect rest above his does around noon. But unfortunately he had split off by then along with the two smaller bucks.

Just waiting for him to be dumb and join them again now

IdahoInfidel · Oct 24, 2019

>LAST EDITED ON Oct-24-19
>AT 01:17?PM (MST)
>
>>>>Goose creek area has always been
>>>>great, ive tagged out opening
>>>>day for years there.
>>>
>>>
>>>I'll check it out. Found an
>>>absolute toad this morning. With
>>>two fours sparring below him.
>>>So big he looks like
>>>an elk at 2k yards
>>>
>>
>>What class we talking about?

>>
>>
>>I have a tag next door.
>> Getting excited to get
>>out there.
>
>Not quite sure. Biggest buck I've
>ever glassed, so he's big.
>He has a bunch of
>does he was pushing. I
>got about 180 yards with
>a perfect rest above his
>does around noon. But unfortunately
>he had split off by
>then along with the two
>smaller bucks.
>
>Just waiting for him to be
>dumb and join them again
>now

You shoot that big b@stard or what?

bchap05 · Oct 24, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Oct-24-19 AT 08:13PM (MST)[p]>>LAST EDITED ON Oct-24-19
>>AT 01:17?PM (MST)
>>
>>>>>Goose creek area has always been
>>>>>great, ive tagged out opening
>>>>>day for years there.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I'll check it out. Found an
>>>>absolute toad this morning. With
>>>>two fours sparring below him.
>>>>So big he looks like
>>>>an elk at 2k yards
>>>>
>>>
>>>What class we talking about?

>>>
>>>
>>>I have a tag next door.
>>> Getting excited to get
>>>out there.
>>
>>Not quite sure. Biggest buck I've
>>ever glassed, so he's big.
>>He has a bunch of
>>does he was pushing. I
>>got about 180 yards with
>>a perfect rest above his
>>does around noon. But unfortunately
>>he had split off by
>>then along with the two
>>smaller bucks.
>>
>>Just waiting for him to be
>>dumb and join them again
>>now
>
>You shoot that big b@stard or
>what?

No him and the 4 pt must have split from the does. Guess he didn't get big by being dumb. Some other hunters spooked the does and they walked to within 45 yards of me. No idea I was there they milled around for 5-10 min. Had a small forkie with them with his nose up their butt constantly.

bchap05 · Oct 25, 2019

Had another chance today. Shot at a nice buck and missed again. Not sure what my deal is but my confidence is shot.

Wasn't an easy shot. He was spooked was on the move and I had about 2 seconds to take a standing shot with no rest while breathing hard due to the climb.

After I missed I jumped down on a rock rest. Got a 2nd shot as he went through trees but was still moving.

About to trade in this Ruger. I never missed with my old war heavy 30 06 with a pos tasco 4x scope. If I shot it died. Now with my Ruger American and vortex scope i miss everything I shoot at. Have missed 3 of 5 animals with this gun