"MOST INTRIGUING UNIT"

[AZMIGHTYMULIES]

Of all the western states, what is the most intriguing unit for mule deer ? Say you were to be given a tag of your choice, where would you pick and why ? My choice of course is the AZ Strip 13A or 13B . There are other units of course that produce B&C bucks, but year after year the Arizona strip produces B&C bucks consistently than anywhere else IMO, is why I spend 120+ days out there every year .

 

[elkhunter49]

I seem to remember bigger bucks comeing out of Colorado year after year than anywhere else. Utah produces the occasional big deer and I see photos of some from Alberta, Canada and Sonora, Mexico but I'd still take Colorado if given the choice. OBTW I don't have a dog in this fight as I'm from Texas. Good Topic, later Baker.

 

[bigmoosie]

1.Henry Mtns. Utah
2.Idaho area 45
3.Ariz. 13a or 13b
4,Colo. unit 21
5.Calif. Goodale if Junior
6.Nev. Area 231
I have been lucky enough you hunt all these units except Ariz.and Goodale but have been in them many times. Henry Mtns right now number 1 without a doubt, in my opinion.I would be very happy with any of them. Oh yea forgot about Antelope Island

 

[PeterGriffin]

Not even the strip, kaibab, henries, pauns, etc... holds a candle to the Jicarilla in New Mexico or Eagle county Colorado for book heads.

I'd love to hunt the Jicarilla!

A guy can pretty much hunt Eagle County any year and know there are book heads in every unit.

"Dear MacGuyver, Enclosed is a rubber band, a paper clip, and a drinking straw. Please save my dog." Peter Griffin aka The Family Guy

 

[AZMIGHTYMULIES]

You see, some of these areas that are being mentioned I'm not at all familiar w/ other than the Henry mountains here in Utah . Such as Colorado for instance, yes , I know in the history books, there seems to of been more B&C bucks taken out of Colorado than almost anywhere else, but now days , you only occassionally here about a few each year coming from parts of Idaho, colorado , Utah , New mexico etc . But what parts of Colorado could you compare to the Arizona Strip right now ? The Arizona Strip is the Holy Grail for mule deer in Arizona , hence , for colorado what area would you consider the "Holy Grail"?

 

[PeterGriffin]

Look at the record books yourself. The strip is great, but doesn't put nearly as many bucks in the books as Eagle County Coloroda or the Jicarilla. Even in recent times.

Just the black and white facts.

Don't get me wrong I'd take a strip tag any day of the week.

"Dear MacGuyver, Enclosed is a rubber band, a paper clip, and a drinking straw. Please save my dog." Peter Griffin aka The Family Guy

 

[ColoradoOak]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-22-11 AT 11:46PM (MST)[p]Since 2005:

Coconino County, AZ: 11 typical, 2 non-typical B&C entries

Mojave County, AZ: 8 typical, 4 non-typical B&C entries

Eagle County, CO: 12 typical, 1 non-typical entry

Garfield County, UT: 6 typical, 2 non-typical entries

Rio Arriba County, NM: 22 typical, 5 nontypical entries

 

[sageadvice]

ColoradoOak, thank You for adding that info to the conversation as i was curious, probably along with some others. One thing though, all counties are not near equal in size or hunting territory. Maybe that may have some bearing, not sure.

Also, in my mind, availability of public land is paramount though maybe not germane to this exact topic.

Joey

 

[D13er]

the gald danged germans got nothing to do with it sage......



JB

 

[sageadvice]

LOL,

ger?mane (jr-mn)
adj.
Being both pertinent and fitting. See Synonyms at relevant.

Joey

 

[AZMIGHTYMULIES]

ColoradoOak That is great deatailed information thanks . Is thiat information out of the new updated B&C record book that just came out ? I can only imagine what other bucks that were harvested though that the individual did not list his trophy buck into the books .

 

[BOHNTR]

>I can
>only imagine what other bucks
>that were harvested though that
>the individual did not list
>his trophy buck into the
>books .


While that may be a factor in some of the data, another factor to consider is the amount of bucks measured by guides, etc., that are measured inaccurately. I've personally measured four AZ Strip bucks for B&C entry that were reported to be 190"+ (some posted on this site) by some guides and those who were "very familiar" with the scoring system. When it came time to officially measure them, they didn't make the minimum for B&C....some not even close. Heck one guide told his client the buck he killed was at the 190+" mark.......it ended up netting in the mid-160's.

BOHNTR )))---------->

 

[bigmoosie]

That's a big miss, I wonder if the guide wasn't talking gross?Even though it says unit in the U.S. I would bet the next record typical comes out of the Peace River country of Northern British Columbia or Alberta there are some monsters in that country.

 

[eldorado]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-23-11 AT 09:17PM (MST)[p]Most sought after hunt:

1) Jicarilla
2) Strip
3) Henry Mts.
4) Eagle County, late season
5) Saskatchewan
6) Sonora

Eldorado

 

[ColoradoOak]

>ColoradoOak That is great deatailed information
>thanks . Is thiat information
>out of the new updated
>B&C record book that just
>came out ?

That information is right out of their database. As up to date as it gets.

 

[travishunter3006]

the best unit is probably northern utah general rifle tag. whopper spikes everywhere!!!



It was a big bodied 2 point.

 

[TerynItUp]

Here is the link for the Jicarilla galleries. Even spotted Doyle Moss in one of the photos....

http://www.jicarillahunt.com/gallery

If I could have a deer hunt anywhere it would be there, only about 70 miles from home to boot.

Hunt Hard. Shoot Straight. Kill Clean. Apologize to No One.

 

[SoleSearcher36]

Based on conversations I've had with many hunters over the years, the general consensus among them is that B&C has become too much of a glorification of the hunter rather than a tribute to an exceptional animal. I suspect it is this same sentiment that has kept/keeps many guys from having stuff entered/scored. That is a shame in a way. That being said, you can't argue with the stats that Colorado Oak posted up.

 

[BCBOY]

IMO British Columbia is one of those areas where B&C bucks are shot and never heard about in the current hunting media. For the most point, they are shot by meat hunters who don't have a clue what it is that they just killed. Last year a guy killed a 230+ official net buck while road hunting as his first ever deer. He only got it officially scored because he had joined a local hunting website and a bunch of us encouraged him to get it taped. It was entered into the BC Record Book but not the B&C. If you look in the BC Record book you see a ton of entries of bucks that break the B&C mins but when you look in the B&C you don't see those bucks entered there. Hunters up here just don't care. They like the local book but even at that it is hard to get guys to enter because they are worried if they put the location of where they harvested their deer, other hunters will be drawn to that area. Many many B&C class deer are just hanging in wood sheds and garages that no one ever knows about.

As for what I think is the most intriguing unit, I'd say where I hunt. Been hunting my areas for years now and still learning the puzzle that we call trophy mule deer. Sometimes when I think I am starting to figure the puzzle out, the puzzle falls apart and I have to start from scratch. That is why it is so intriguing to me. I have killed some great bucks and have seen some way way bigger. I know there are B&C bucks living where I hunt because I have the sheds to prove it. Killing them is another story though.

 

[cjboz]

Northern Utah general tag!! Hands down. None of the buck links mentioned above hold a candle to the Nomad Buck!!

 

[Gator]

+1 on BCBOY said they kill alot of Big bucks up there, that are huge by anybody standards, But they are just normal type bucks to those BC guys. they don't even start getting a hard on until those bucks break 200"


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
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[nontypical]

What???No one picked Wyo 102??LOL.