I would hunt late rifle in area 22 or 6 if it was me. Of course that is going on old research and the year my dad drew the PIW tag. It was about 7 years ago. He went unguided and only hunted rifle. We hunted early rifle in 6 then late rifle in 22. Saw a lot of nice bucks n both. A couple of great bucks in each as well. I later wished we hunted 6 late though. He missed a 190 typical in 22late and we saw a monster we couldn't get to because the deer wouldn't stop in the junipers and just kept moving away.in the thick junipers. I was later told we should have gone to where we last as him and tracked , the dirt there is good for that
I liked 6 better as it is more open and I like to glass, you can glass 22 also but it is much thicker. Juniper is like carpet in there.
We also hunted 194 or 196 way late (between Christmas and New Years) which has great potential but is weather dependent and we didn't have weather enough to move the deer down but enough before the hunt to drift the snow and make access difficult to impossible.
Like I said my NV info is old so research it there may be much better places to start.
Dad ate his tag but enjoyed every minute of the hunt. Someone above already pointed it out but I will say it again MAKE SURE TO ENJOY THE HUNT! There will be people who will hear you have the tag and place expectations on it and you will place expectations on it and that's ok to a degree as it will keep you off the trigger and you will enjoy more hunting. But know the buck YOU are happy with and shoot him if the opportunity arises, unless he's standing next to a bigger one. Don't let him walk based on still having another hunt way late (194-196 or others) that may be weather dependent. You may not get weather, we didn't. Unless you just want to soak every second out of the season in which case do exactly that.
If you take people take only people that lift you up not people that pout when you're not seeing deer or pout when you kill a PIG because they are jealous.
Bottom line enjoy this tag you probably won't see it for awhile. I hope you kill a monster, but most of all I hope you enjoy the hunt. Good luck.
Bill
People who work for a living are quickly being
overwhelmed by people who vote for a living.