Archery 2023

beaston

Member
Messages
50
Hey guys I just finished up my hunt this year and I’m looking forward for next year but I think I want to try a new unit out I’ve hunted the pine valley unit for my whole life and I’m curious if you guys have any tips on where I should put in for next year I’m looking to get a bigger buck( we all are) but yeah thought I would share a post just to see what everyone has to say
 
If you’re wanting to hunt a new unit to kill bigger bucks, with all due respect, you’re headed down the wrong road. If you want to kill bigger bucks, focus on the country that you know, and learn to hunt the secretive old bucks that live there. A few exist in just about any unit, and they are all equally cagey and very hard to kill. They’re right under your nose now, most likely.

If you want to just explore new country, for the sense of adventure….. that’s a completely different story. Best of luck
 
If you’re wanting to hunt a new unit to kill bigger bucks, with all due respect, you’re headed down the wrong road. If you want to kill bigger bucks, focus on the country that you know, and learn to hunt the secretive old bucks that live there. A few exist in just about any unit, and they are all equally cagey and very hard to kill. They’re right under your nose now, most likely.

If you want to just explore new country, for the sense of adventure….. that’s a completely different story. Best of luck
Thanks for the input now that you say it I have seen some monsters where I do hunt I just can’t seem to figure them out so maybe with some more time I can any recommendations there?
 
Thanks for the input now that you say it I have seen some monsters where I do hunt I just can’t seem to figure them out so maybe with some more time I can any recommendations there?
Hunting big bucks is a lifetime pursuit. It’s damn hard. I’m 46 years old, and I learn every single hunt, myself. Find a Mentor, that’s a real buck killer (if you can) and learn as much as you can. Go along on hunts, even if you don’t have a tag, and learn. You have to be a student to be a great Buck or Bull hunter. Most guys that do it well, are specialists.

I’m a jack of all trades, and not super great at any of them. I know how much dedication it takes to consistently kill big bucks. It’s a lot
 
Hunting big bucks is a lifetime pursuit. It’s damn hard. I’m 46 years old, and I learn every single hunt, myself. Find a Mentor, that’s a real buck killer (if you can) and learn as much as you can. Go along on hunts, even if you don’t have a tag, and learn. You have to be a student to be a great Buck or Bull hunter. Most guys that do it well, are specialists.

I’m a jack of all trades, and not super great at any of them. I know how much dedication it takes to consistently kill big bucks. It’s a lot
Yeah that makes sense maybe I’ll try to contact some people to see if they need help on any hunts That way I can learn thanks!
 
One other tip, that seems to be common sense, but it’s very difficult to do, until you’ve killed your share of bucks…

You can’t kill a big one, if you shoot a small or medium one. You will have to set a standard, and stick to your standard, even if it means you will eat tags. Trust me… You will eat tags, once you take on the mentality of big bucks or nothing…..
 
EG hit the nail on the head with his advice. I will be headed to PV with my son for the later rifle season, and from what I understand, it has been on a huge downhill slide. But I'll bet theres still a few good ones in there. Would be interested to chat privately with you on your hunt this season.
 
Best advice I received years ago is to truly learn how to glass. It takes practice, good equipment, and extreme patience. Once I really started to get good glassing, I started killing big bucks more regularly.
 
Best advice I received years ago is to truly learn how to glass. It takes practice, good equipment, and extreme patience. Once I really started to get good glassing, I started killing big bucks more regularly.
Please elaborate on “Get good at Glassing”.
 
I agree it is very beneficial to hunt an area you know, and get to know it better. But, you can't kill a big buck, if there aren't big bucks there. We have many units in Utah that just don't give bucks a chance to get old...

I would suggest exploring a bit or you might find yourself 15 years from now not having a place to hunt. Back in 2008 I branched out of my family's tradition of hunting a particular unit and I took an Archery tag in a totally new unit I'd never been to. Over the next 5 years hunting there, I missed more nice bucks with a bow than I like to admit, my cousin and BIL as well... but, we also all harvested a couple bucks each and it was some of the best hunting I ever experienced.
 
Please elaborate on “Get good at Glassing”.
Plenty of info out there. A guy needs to figure out what works for him but the bottom line is learn how to use your glass to find bedded or hard to see animals. A few links to get a person thinking;



https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...=2ahUKEwjst6yNhan6AhUcMDQIHbg7CVsQ0Qx6BAgEEAE
 
Plenty of info out there. A guy needs to figure out what works for him but the bottom line is learn how to use your glass to find bedded or hard to see animals. A few links to get a person thinking;



https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...=2ahUKEwjst6yNhan6AhUcMDQIHbg7CVsQ0Qx6BAgEEAE
DD, to me, when you say "learn to use your glass", I think "slow down and pick it apart" AND BE PATIENT! Something I'm not always good at.. but I have been taking this approach and starting to see animals I otherwise probably wouldn't have.
 
DD, to me, when you say "learn to use your glass", I think "slow down and pick it apart" AND BE PATIENT! Something I'm not always good at.. but I have been taking this approach and starting to see animals I otherwise probably wouldn't have.
It was really hard for me early on to sit and glass one area for a hour+. I always preferred to be moving and looking over the next hill.
 
Hahah
EG hit the nail on the head with his advice. I will be headed to PV with my son for the later rifle season, and from what I understand, it has been on a huge downhill slide. But I'll bet theres still a few good ones in there. Would be interested to chat privately with you on your hunt this season.
ah yeah totally I don’t really know how this all works but totally ?
 
And thanks for the advice everyone when I say ( big bucks) I’m talking anything with a 4 in it I shot my first one last year and I just want another one ? but I totally get the glassing I have found bucks glasses it just takes so long I will totally read up into those links you sent thanks by the way another thing I might try to do is hike more and try to get off the road I think that might be pretty beneficial but if you guys have any more tips I would love to hear them again I’m a youth hunter so I’m not the most experienced and am always looking for advice!!! Thanks everyone
 
And thanks for the advice everyone when I say ( big bucks) I’m talking anything with a 4 in it I shot my first one last year and I just want another one ? but I totally get the glassing I have found bucks glasses it just takes so long I will totally read up into those links you sent thanks by the way another thing I might try to do is hike more and try to get off the road I think that might be pretty beneficial but if you guys have any more tips I would love to hear them again I’m a youth hunter so I’m not the most experienced and am always looking for advice!!! Thanks everyone
Another tip - Sometimes big bucks live in unlikely places. One of my best deer ever was "hiding" in the wide open less than 1/4 mile from a road in very unlikely terrain. They can be at any elevation at basically any time of year. My point is don't overlook things that most other hunters ignore. Good luck to you!
 
Learn to read tracks. Big bucks leave big, wide, blunt tracks. Many times, you will find a big track long before you lay eyes on a big buck. Tracks don’t lie
 
Get really good at gravel stalking. If you aren't wearing out a set of BF Goodrich each hunt you aren't doing it right. The quietest I have found are Hankook on a Subaru.
 
If any 4 point with a bow is what you’re looking for, that should not be an issue if you’re hunting hard.

Never hunted pine valley but it might be worth considering hunting a unit that YOU think will make for easier stalks. If you are finding “big” bucks and not killing them, maybe the terrain is not great for your style of archery hunting. If you’re just not seeing any 4 points at all on your hunt, you need to work on the basics (scouting, glassing, etc). If that is the case I don’t think a new unit will help you and I would be focusing on learning more about the country you already have some insight and experience in.
 
If any 4 point with a bow is what you’re looking for, that should not be an issue if you’re hunting hard.

Never hunted pine valley but it might be worth considering hunting a unit that YOU think will make for easier stalks. If you are finding “big” bucks and not killing them, maybe the terrain is not great for your style of archery hunting. If you’re just not seeing any 4 points at all on your hunt, you need to work on the basics (scouting, glassing, etc). If that is the case I don’t think a new unit will help you and I would be focusing on learning more about the country you already have some insight and experience in.
Thanks for the input yeah that’s my goal right now again not looking for 180+ just a decent old deer this year I saw probably 3-4 4-4s so not a ton so maybe I’m in the wrong place? Or I’m just not looking hard enough who knows but thanks! I want to learn how to scout and glass really well because I think if I can get good at that then it will help me out a lot
 
Thanks for the input yeah that’s my goal right now again not looking for 180+ just a decent old deer this year I saw probably 3-4 4-4s so not a ton so maybe I’m in the wrong place? Or I’m just not looking hard enough who knows but thanks! I want to learn how to scout and glass really well because I think if I can get good at that then it will help me out a lot
I’d stick with the unit you know and keep learning more about the country and how to hunt it. It’s a popular unit for a reason. You will waste precious days of hunting trying to learn a new area. Keep building on what you already know
 
Bearpaw Outfitters

Experience world class hunting for mule deer, elk, cougar, bear, turkey, moose, sheep and more.

Wild West Outfitters

Hunt the big bulls, bucks, bear and cats in southern Utah. Your hunt of a lifetime awaits.

J & J Outfitters

Offering quality fair-chase hunts for trophy mule deer, elk, shiras moose and mountain lions.

Shane Scott Outfitting

Quality trophy hunting in Utah. Offering FREE Utah drawing consultation. Great local guides.

Utah Big Game Outfitters

Specializing in bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, mountain goat, lions, bears & antelope.

Apex Outfitters

We offer experienced guides who hunt Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope, Sheep, Bison, Goats, Cougar, and Bear.

Urge 2 Hunt

We offer high quality hunts on large private ranches around the state, with landowner vouchers.

Allout Guiding & Outfitting

Offering high quality mule deer, elk, bear, cougar and bison hunts in the Book Cliffs and Henry Mtns.

Lickity Split Outfitters

General season and LE fully guided hunts for mule deer, elk, moose, antelope, lion, turkey, bear and coyotes.

Back
Top Bottom