Nevada 241-245 rifle

willfrye027

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I am in shock…just picked up this tag on FCFS! I never dreamed I would get to hunt a well know unit like this. I always pick up mediocre tags and go hunting rather than shoot for the stars in the draw. Anyways, after you guys are done hating on me (NR) for picking up this tag, I would love to get some advice. Never hunted Nevada but I do go on 2-3 out of state hunts a year and am young and in good shape.

Currently I have off Oct 16-20 and 24-31.

Considering trying to hire a guide as this is a once in a lifetime hunt for me and I do not know the unit. Would love to hear some guide recs and thoughts on that. I am not rich but can sell some optics/guns and stuff to make it work.

Thanks in advance!
 
Tough year. Drought has really hit lots of that country and the good guides are likely booked by now. Good luck!
 
Tough year. Drought has really hit lots of that country and the good guides are likely booked by now. Good luck!
Yeah, drought is concerning but hopefully the wet summer will help a few bucks reach their potential this year. Regardless for how many points I “lost”, I’m happy to hunt a good unit even on the worst year.
 
No hate for a NR getting the tag.... Hate to the NR who has never hunted the state let alone the unit with no time to do any leg work.

Also doesn't make sense that this is a once in a lifetime tag in a mediocre unit (used to be stellar) at such a young age as you claim. This isn't a once in a lifetime tag for a 40 year old NR......
 
No hate for a NR getting the tag.... Hate to the NR who has never hunted the state let alone the unit with no time to do any leg work.

Also doesn't make sense that this is a once in a lifetime tag in a mediocre unit (used to be stellar) at such a young age as you claim. This isn't a once in a lifetime tag for a 40 year old NR......
Well I’ve got about 14 days to hunt so I’m sure I’ll be putting in some let work. I don’t own 100 trail cams or live close to the unit if that’s what you mean by “legwork.” If I’d have known sooner I’d have already spent weeks in the unit instead of the mediocre hunts I’ve already been on.

1% odds at 20 points for a NR? I’d consider that once in a lifetime.

Either way it’ll be a great hunt and I couldn’t be happier to have the tag.
 
there will be giants kill regardless of drought, and if you had 10 years of legwork in you will still not know all of those units,and out of the 4 or 5 mtn ranges , most will not be touched, I had not been anywhere out there were there was not water,and other places with trick tank that they fill by water truck, if there is cattle there is water. I have seen deer and horses as far from water as you can get. I watched a group of horses running down hill from like 3 or 4 miles away drink and run pretty much full speed back to the same place in 100 degree weather ,not sure if they were hungry or thirsty must of been both. pick a range and stay there.
 
Congrats on the tag. Don't worry that you're a NR or that you've never been there. That's one reason we hunt... to explore and search and, oh yeah... hunt. If I drew such a tag, I'd come to MM asking for direction too... there's guys that will razz ya a bit, but hopefully others will give you an area to go start looking. Please come back and let us know how the hunt goes.!! Many of us here still love a good story...
 
Mogollon rim is the way to go I am guessing he is fully booked though. If you go DIY go the last week of rifle and hope the bucks are starting to rut a bit
Trying to work something out with Greg, he may be available depending on what happens opening week..definitely my first choice at this point
 
Watch out for some of the most bullsh*t guide/outfitter/scout ethics you'll ever see in that unit. They totally ruin hunts for the DIY guy.
 
Watch out for some of the most bullsh*t guide/outfitter/scout ethics you'll ever see in that unit. They totally ruin hunts for the DIY guy.
Well that sucks. I would think with so much country to hunt and not many tags that wouldn’t be an issue…but I can imagine if the gov tag holder wants a particular buck that is easy to find, there would be issues. Curious what you’ve seen
 
Plenty of horn growth in NV this summer, I'd just go put some glass to work and kill a nice buck. If you're good at finding deer you should have zero issues filling your tag with a nice buck in that time frame. Remember to check the spots that most people don't, you don't have to be in the highest most rugged basin to find a nice buck!

Found this one in NV in Aug. were he was I'd guess he's seen little to no hunting pressure in his life.
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Well this hunt did not go as expected. I made plans to hunt with Greg/MRO at a daily rate when they finished up with other clients. In the meantime he gave me some places to start hunting.

First evening I did not see a deer after glassing a huge canyon system that looked amazing and supposedly held a good deer that had survived several archery stalks earlier in the year. The next morning I caught a glimpse of two smaller bucks before they bedded out of sight about 1.5 miles away. I recognized them as the “buddies” of my target buck. I decided to move in closer for the evening hunt and commit to their little bowl in case the big one was already bedded in their or I just missed seeing him that morning. On the way in there I saw a big buck track that looked fairly fresh..a good sign in such deerless country.

I sat on my perch glassing into thick brush strewn with large boulders where I had last seen the two small bucks. The sun set and still no signs of life. Soon the wind died and it was completely still and quiet. I heard a deer walking on the ridge directly behind me and it was getting closer. I could not see from where I was sitting but I heard it get closer and closer. Then I heard a hisssss of that deer taking a piss! I figured I better take a look because this thing was right on top of me now! I slowly got out from under my tripod and tried to make no noise as I eased up a few rocks with my rifle in hand. Suddenly there he was: staring into my eyes at 20 yards! All I could see was his head and antlers and he was not the target buck, but looked pretty good. I put him in my scope and my first thought was to pass, he’s only at his ears. He gave me 1-2 seconds to think and spun around to leave. As he jumped off the side of the ridge my instinct had apparently taken over and my gun went off with my crosshairs on the back of his neck. I saw for tumbling and knew it was a hit. “What did you just do!!! You killed a dink on first day you idiot!!” I had some serious doubts about my split second decision to shoot this deer. Thankfully he had ground growage!!! I am thrilled with this buck and Greg actually had video of him in the summer in a canyon about a mile away where he had been living. I’m told he was definitely a shooter for this year.

Pictures don’t really capture his mass..he’s got 42” of mass and rough score is 188”. Pretty thrilled and he’s a better deer than the one I was hunting for in there. My only regret is not having the chance to grind it out and spend time seeing the unit. But I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth!!
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His head and body were massive which led to some major hesitation at first glance. 26” ear to ear. Glad I didn’t have much time to think or I may have passed on him which would have been a mistake!
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Man, what's the trick to get a huge 4 pt to walk up behind my glassing spot? I would have pissed myself. Great buck!
Yes 241. I don’t mind sharing the unit numbers for a place that is so hard to get a tag.

Some insane luck for sure!

Got started on a euro mount and it’s gonna turn out great. Still thinking about a shoulder mount but I blew a huge hole in the neck and didn’t save the cape. Not sure if I want to try to find a thin hair October cape for him or just roll with the euro. It would have to be a pretty big cape to do him justice. Huge body and fat head, he was prime going into the rut.

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Yes 241. I don’t mind sharing the unit numbers for a place that is so hard to get a tag.

Some insane luck for sure!

Got started on a euro mount and it’s gonna turn out great. Still thinking about a shoulder mount but I blew a huge hole in the neck and didn’t save the cape. Not sure if I want to try to find a thin hair October cape for him or just roll with the euro. It would have to be a pretty big cape to do him justice. Huge body and fat head, he was prime going into the rut.

View attachment 90464
certainly looked like 241.......it wasn't a jungle.....and was pretty sure it wasn't 243,244, or 245......and....very well done
 
Great buck....was it not what you expected because the lack of bucks that you saw?
All of the intel I had on this unit was to expect a grind and to see very few deer. The guides had been struggling (up until this week actually) and I figured I would be in it for the long haul. I’m thinking my tag was turned in by someone who did a little scouting and realized how tough of a hunt it would be. The trophy potential is absolutely there but for how few deer per square mile there are, I can’t believe a shooter walked in on top of me..on the first full day of hunting.
 
All of the intel I had on this unit was to expect a grind and to see very few deer. The guides had been struggling (up until this week actually) and I figured I would be in it for the long haul. I’m thinking my tag was turned in by someone who did a little scouting and realized how tough of a hunt it would be. The trophy potential is absolutely there but for how few deer per square mile there are, I can’t believe a shooter walked in on top of me..on the first full day of hunting.
I hear you.....sometimes you are simply in the right place at the right time. That happened to me a few days ago in Wyoming. Gotta take those when you can and be grateful. Those make up for the "great hunts" that turn into tag soup. Congrats again. I'm on FCFS a lot and it's nice to see its benefited hunters on here.
 
I hear you.....sometimes you are simply in the right place at the right time. That happened to me a few days ago in Wyoming. Gotta take those when you can and be grateful. Those make up for the "great hunts" that turn into tag soup. Congrats again. I'm on FCFS a lot and it's nice to see its benefited hunters on here.
Tell us (show us) more.
 
Pine peak, mogollon rim, bull ridge, call epic outdoors maybe they’ll do it, mossback, currant creek outfitters, call Cody Neilson at go hunt he may have some recommendations as well.
 
Pine peak, mogollon rim, bull ridge, call epic outdoors maybe they’ll do it, mossback, currant creek outfitters, call Cody Neilson at go hunt he may have some recommendations as well.
I think you are a little late to this thread....lol
 

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