Southern Utah

[King_B]

Hey all, I drew a Southern general season deer tag this year. It will be my first time hunting the southern region. I have always hunted central and southeast. I do have family that lives in southern Utah, and they have given me some areas to hunt, but can anyone else point me in a general direction? Not asking for honey holes, just a general area.
I am in school and have a newborn, so have not been able to get out a lot this year so I am a bit concerned.
I went to a place where my brother-in-law shot a good buck a few years back, but we didn't see one deer. That makes me worried about that area. It was mid-July when we went so I was thinking it may have been too hot for them to be moving? There was sufficient water.
This place we went is the only place I really know, so any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[dleonard3]

If your brother-in-law shot a good buck in that area during rifle season, it should have deer in the area again this rifle season. The deer in the Southern region start moving during the Muzzle Loader season (I assume from hunter pressure). When the guns stop roaring, they settle in where ever they are. Right now they could be scattered all over and anywhere between high above timberline to clear down in the rabbit brush covered deserts. A few days before the rifle hunt starts, the crowds of hunters moving in will start to drive the deer away from any roads and trails, but they will also re-start the migrations. It's always a good bet that a good number of deer will be in the Enterprise area, as well as south all the way to Pahcoon flats and near the Nevada border in the desert, but these areas will be crowded with hunters. If you prefer hunting in uncrowded areas, you'll have to look into areas with very low populations of deer also, like the Indian Peaks area. The Fish & Game say there's a 30/100 buck/doe ratio out there this year, but remember that could easily translate into 3 bucks and 10 does on the entire unit. Put on a backpack and get 5-6 miles away from roads. Plan on sleeping out there with the deer. Find areas within a few miles of a water source, with lots of feed and cover. Get up high where you can see alot of area and sit down with a good high power pair of binoculars or spotting scope on a tripod and keep your eyes glued to it from first light until last light. You'll surely see something worthwhile sooner or later. Then it's just a matter of working your way into range and taking the shot. Don't you wish it was that easy?

If you want other specific areas to look for a buck, you could stop into some of the local sporting goods stores and ask around. Someone might slip up and tell you about a monster buck someone saw last year or during the summer.

Good Luck, and I hope we all kill monsters this year.

 

[rmanwill]

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