Nevada Deer Strategy

lostinOregon · Dec 15, 2008

This isn't a where do I go post, this is a what is the right season post. My strategy so far in applying for NV deer has been wait for a premium tag/late hunt. I am beginning to re-think that a bit. I hunt colorado often in the 3rd season and the deer are migrating but sometimes there not rutting much and the timing seems to coincide with some of the "late" Nevada seasons.

So I guess my question is does a guy put in for a unit that he can draw every 3 to 4 years and try to learn an area and hunt it for the next few years as tags allow. Or do you shotgun approach with the best units first, early seasons at the tail end of your application. With this approach it is like Forrest Gump says, you don't know what your going to get and that won't tend to lead you to a unit that you learn to hunt. I have had my best success muley hunting when I am able to hunt a unit for several years and learn the areas.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the shotgun approach worked for you guys even though you don't know the areas or do you stick with a general region and the units around that area. Frankly I grew up hunting in Oregon and the deer season is the first of October. It generally sucks, low deer activity and a greater need for flip flops and suntan lotion rather than a deer bag. So what do you guys do?

Any help that you don't want to post please PM me.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Rich

ELKOHUNTER · Dec 16, 2008

Well the one thing about NV is that there really are no bad units. yes threes bad places to hunt but no bad units. they all hold good deer and good bucks. The thing you need to do is find out what you would rather hunt. Our early rifle season is hot most of the time and hard to hunt. The late is what a rifle hunt should be like as far as weather goes. The late archery season is when the rut starts and it starts to get cold. Every once in awhile you get a year like last year where it was snowing all over the place in the early rifle. Then you get a year when we have now just got a little snow. I try to know what unit/hunt I'm going to hunt that way I can plan ahead. I hunt with my bow so I can almost draw a tag every year. But with you being a NR I would put in for what I can draw and not take me a life time to get. Threes big bucks in every unit. Now I'm not saying there standing on the side of the road looking at you but there you just need to hunt hard and find them. And you need to use the tactics that apply for the season your hunting. Let me know if this helps.

lostinOregon · Dec 16, 2008

It does help, I am just a little gun shy because of my experiences hunting in Oregon at the beginning of October. I have the areas picked out but am wondering if 3 hunts in 10 years is better than 1 even if it isn't the best seasons

Thanks

Rich

silverstatehunter · Dec 18, 2008

I personally would rather hunt as much as I can, Regardless of seasons, and deer qualitly. I agree there are really no bad areas in Nevada. I actually enjoy putting in for different areas every year. Most of the areas in Nevada are huge anyways. I know that area 7 and area 10 are bsically the size of some eastern states, So if I was you, I would just try to get a tag as often as possible, I can't remember the last time I didn't see a quality deer hunting in Nevada. Closing the distance is a different story.

ELKOHUNTER · Dec 18, 2008

I hear ya on the "Closing the distance" part. lol

CAelknuts · Jan 6, 2009

I used to do what you do. I had 11 points built up when I finally drew a 221-223 tag a few years ago. I was psyched. Only problem was, I was very busy at work, and figured I'd just hunt the last five days of season, as that would be 'best' anyway. Long story short...by the time I got over there, it was raining like hell and everything was a total mess. Couldn't get around at all, and wasn't seeing any deer when I did get out. Hunt was a total washout.

After that, I decided that maybe it would be more important to actually draw tags and go hunting, regardless of season timing or unit. Now, I make my five choices for units I'd like to hunt and apply for early seasons as well as late. This year, I'll probably make my most desired tags the first two choices, then easier to draw tags the last three. Last two will definitely be archery hunts, maybe more.

lostinOregon · Jan 7, 2009

Caelknuts,

Your point is well taken, the older I get it is becoming more about the quality opportunities. Thanks for everyone's input. I knew I wouldn't get that many responses but having never hunted any time in Nevada I wasn't sure if a early season was worth the time and effort.

Rich