unit 101-108 Ruby Mnts

jingles · Jun 23, 2008

Need a little help here. I drew a non-res early rifle deer tag for the ruby mountains. Plan on going scouting in July a few times to get to know the area. I've heard most of the deer are in units 101-103. I need to get a good map of the area that shows forest service roads and trails. Also if anybody has any other information about this unit please let me know

fatrooster · Jun 27, 2008

jingles, send me a PM with your address and I'll send you a map of the Rubies. Also, other information you need is that this unit is hard to hunt during rifle season if you hunt from atv's or a vehicle. The best advice I can give you is to hike into the wilderness area a couple of miles and climb up high to a good vantage point and be ready to start glassing at daylight. There will be LOTS and LOTS of traffic on the roads in area 10. The key for success is to get away from the crowds. fatrooster.

jingles · Jun 28, 2008

Fatrooster, Thanks for the info. I just bought a forest service map of that area. I was looking at backpacking in from the Lamoille canyon road at the end to access the Ruby Crest Trail and pack in about 3-5 miles and hunt the canyons. Could you tell me if the deer are still high in early Oct. and do they get much snow that early ? I plan on staying up about 5-6 days at a time through out the hunt. Looks like alot of water up high for drinking from the lakes. I hope it's still there in Oct. !!. I plan on scouting it out here in July just to see what the layout is like and to see what kind of deer are in the area Thanks again, Marc

fatrooster · Jun 28, 2008

Marc, there will still be plenty of water in those high mountain lakes in October. Those Lakes are truley high but the mountains still go higher. You will still have to drop down to get water or go up to hunt. Your best bet would be to get over the ridgeline and drop back down the other side to hunt those canyons that you mentioned. The harder it is to access certain canyons the better your chances will be to find a good buck. It is very important to be ready to glass at first light. You may have company up there but they will be pushing the deer from the more easily accessable canyons into the rugged canyons.
Snow is a flip of the coin. You may have little to none or you may have three feet. Be prepared for any weather. I wish you luck and I hope you get a monster muley! fatrooster.

hogliver · Jun 30, 2008

Marc, during your scouting trip, take a look at the Northeastern end of the Rubies as well. The pressure is lower and, from my experience, there are as many quality bucks as the Lamoille area. Access is better from the West (Elko) side.

piper · Jun 30, 2008

some the very best bucks seem to come out of the east humbolts, maybe better genetics, maybe because the access is a little harder, I don't know but its something I have noticed looking back 20 or 30 years

Califelkslayer · Jun 30, 2008

Jingles, Fatrooster has had good success in there so I hesitate to go against his advice BUT my only experence in there was that the deer were BELOW those lakes during first rifle. We camped 1/2 mile from a lake and hunted down from there. 25-50 bucks a day BUT nothing over 25". Better optics now so it may be even better.

As Hog & Piper said, I looked at the NE corner of the Rubys because of less pressure but didn't hunt it. Looking back, maybe I should have. The East Humbolts really intrigue me cause I've seen the bucks that migrate outta there during late archery. I would have done that but I didn't figure my older horse could make that pack in one day. Some day I'll have younger stock and go into the East Humbolts a week early and kill a toad. Good luck

jingles · Jun 30, 2008

Thanks for the info Hogliver. when you say Northeast Rubies are you talking about unit-102 or unit 101. I've talked to the biologist and he gave me some info for unit 102 around soldier peak and all that big basin on top. He also said unit 101 try to get by the boulder lake and creek drainages. By coming thru the Lizze's basin area. Thanks marc

fatrooster · Jul 1, 2008

I agree with Califelkslayer, sometimes they are down lower and sometimes they are not. If your not having luck up on top move on down. Goodluck. fatrooster.

mevertsen · Jul 1, 2008

I had a ML tag for 10 last year, and the year before, and again this year. In 06, I hunted in 103 and killed a small buck. The morning I killed mine, there was 1" or better of pogonip on the trees, and it was probably down around 0 at first light. I killed the buck down low later, and it was around 65 degrees. Last year, there was almost a foot of snow on Liberty pass around the 20th of September.

The weather in the Rubies can be as pleasant as it gets, or it can be down right miserable, even in August, let alone October.

I have also had the early tag in 2001 and 2004, and the late tag in 2000. To the best of my memory, the weather was at both extremes at some point of each season.

I have seen the same in the 1998, 1999, and 2002 when I hunted area 8, and 2005 when I hunted area 11 for cow elk. The only hunt I have been on where the weather was consisted was last year archery hunting for antelope.

Come prepared for anything, and don't be afraid to change the game plan in a moments notice.

Later,

Marcial

critterstalker · Jul 10, 2008

Try looking above shanty town thats the southern end.there's some hogs down there.One that we saw for about 5 years the last time i saw him you could see horns from 800 to 1000 yards as he ran away.there's alot of traffic but they never leave the road.We watched 4 guys in a jeep drive by while 2 nice bucks ran along side them down in the canyon 200 yrds away.They just had to walk 50/100 yards the edge and they would have seen them.Sounds like you all ready have it figured out leave the roads and you will find them.you beat half the odds already by drawing.You lucky dog!!!!!!!

Califelkslayer · Jul 10, 2008

Mevertsen said it right. When I hunted 1st rifle in "05" we got 22" of snow Oct 2-Oct 3. Deer moved from below those high lakes to where the snow was only 6-8 inches deep. About 3 miles downhill.

nmbighorn · Jul 12, 2008

critterstalker, I sent you a PM

Califelkslayer, maps haven't arrived I'll call as soon as they do

thanks, nmbighorn

hogliver · Jul 15, 2008

Marc, I was talking about 102. We hunted 102 early archery last year, saw a bunch of bucks and a few real dandies. There are only a few access points through private land down on the North end of the Rubies. I would try them all.

I usually take the last access road before you drop into the canyon that goes down to Halleck and either skirt around to the northwest side -- the road goes way back up there, or take it back to the south and west until the road ends. Get up on the ridgeline and get back in there and glass. There are basins up on top that you will see dozens of bucks in. You have got to be in shape, that is beautiful but bastardly tough country to hunt. You will be packing your deer out, so take a good pack or arrange horses.

I spent a lot of time hunting the Overland Lake area. Beautiful, beautiful country, but I did not see many bucks. I think it gets too much pressure. Others have a completely different view.

I have not hunted too much on the South end of 102, but my nephew's buddy has killed 2 big 4 points (early archery) right down across from the Ruby Lake Inn or whatever its called. He hunts the mahoghanies across from the alfalfa. Apparently if you time it right you can catch them coming/going from feed.

Finally, depending on where you live, don't overlook 108. There are good deer in that unit and it is considerably closer to Vegas.

jingles · Aug 4, 2008

Hey, I just want Thank everyone for there info on these units. I took the long trip out to the Rubies this last weekend. I spent 3 days up high on the mountains and got to know the area alittle. It was so hot up there still ! the deer were only out for alittle in the morning and night. I saw about 13 bucks and 6 of them were shooters. I also saw alot of mountain goats. I ran into a few hikers in some of the area but overall it's some of the best country i've been in. I still worry about the amount of hunters on horseback in those places I looked at but I guess I'll find out on the hunt. I also saw 2 very big I mean pushing 30' mark deer that were only a 2pt and a 2x3. Is that common in for these mountains?. Anyway thanks again and I'll let everyone know how the hunt went.

mickeyelk · Aug 6, 2008

Last year, I also saw a huge 2x2 where I was hunting. Just a huge "Y" Couldn't get a shot at it. Later!

fatrooster · Aug 6, 2008

I know a guy that arrowed a 32" wide two point in the Rubies about 10 years ago. Also I heard of a big two point in area 14 last year. I wouldn't say these deer are common but I would say that they do exist here and there.
I haven't been out yet but my season starts on the 10th of August for early archery. Lookin' forward to it. fatrooster.

kilowatt · Aug 7, 2008

Drew,
Have you seen or talked with ROB and how he did on the opener of season?? Might go to my home town tomorrow and maybe someone there might have heard something from him and if he needs to go back there again later in season.

Brian

sageadvice · Aug 7, 2008

hogliver said;
"I usually take the last access road before you drop into the canyon that goes down to Halleck and either skirt around to the northwest side -- the road goes way back up there, or take it back to the south and west until the road ends. Get up on the ridgeline and get back in there and glass. There are basins up on top that you will see dozens of bucks in. You have got to be in shape, that is beautiful but bastardly tough country to hunt. You will be packing your deer out, so take a good pack or arrange horses."

IMO, That's some VERY good advice! This is not a hard hunt if you side hill around to the South West until or unless you get a deer. Take your time and use your glasses a lot. Bucks like to bed in that area for some reason, they're there, but you won't know it until they stand up and then you'll wonder how you never saw them before.

For many years, I helped patrol the large private ranch down lower that streched for miles on both sides of Secret pass. I only drew twice but helped my Uncle get some hogs that would be shooters anywhere. I really liked it up near the top on Starvation. That, would be tough to get to, unless like us, you had the run of the place. Those were the days!