fleshy_thump
Member
- Messages
- 34
Do you take a 170 ish on opening day or wait for weather , migration, rut, etc? Thanks in advance.
Unit 44 early or late?
- Thread starter fleshy_thump
- Start date
fleshy_thump
Member
- Messages
- 34
I'm wondering about the odds of better after that winter.
BPKHunter
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,744
Frankly, you obviously didn't research this unit much before applying based on your question.
If you have not taken time to get to know and research, then by all means the recommendation for you is to shoot the first 170 you can.
Do you even know the season dates for your unit? Because if you plan to wait for the rut, you will be out of luck.
If you have not taken time to get to know and research, then by all means the recommendation for you is to shoot the first 170 you can.
Do you even know the season dates for your unit? Because if you plan to wait for the rut, you will be out of luck.
I'd be looking from about the third week of October on, especially that next seven-ten days. Some deer in units bail out of the high country earlier and 44 is described as one of those. Talk to the bio out of Twin. He'll give you good info. A 170 deer isn't special in 44, just depends on how picky you want to be.
fleshy_thump
Member
- Messages
- 34
LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-18 AT 03:11PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-18 AT 03:10?PM (MST)
LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-18 AT 03:09?PM (MST)
In terms of research, I've been reading about this unit for 15 years and reports vary wildly. No, I've never drawn before so I don't have first hand knowledge of what comes with the migration. I have spent every weekend out there since the draw, I've looked at over 100 bucks personally. I do know of a couple resident slugs in the area, but other people are already camping on them and I don't want to hunt on top of them. I have almost 20 years worth of knowledge from unit 39 late. I've seen booners come down in late oct, I've seen bucks chasing on Halloween, I've also seen years following a hard winter where you were lucky to see a 150? buck. If 44 is like 39, I know what to expect, I'm wondering if it's typically better or just as weather dependent. If it were 2016, this would be a no brainer, but the units that would be supplying the migrating population just had the worst winter in 20 years. I usually hunt those early and there was a noticeable reduction last year. The consensus on 39 late last year was dismal. Also, the biologist from twin is on vacation until sept 24, which doesn't make my decision for opening day any easier.
LAST EDITED ON Sep-12-18 AT 03:09?PM (MST)
In terms of research, I've been reading about this unit for 15 years and reports vary wildly. No, I've never drawn before so I don't have first hand knowledge of what comes with the migration. I have spent every weekend out there since the draw, I've looked at over 100 bucks personally. I do know of a couple resident slugs in the area, but other people are already camping on them and I don't want to hunt on top of them. I have almost 20 years worth of knowledge from unit 39 late. I've seen booners come down in late oct, I've seen bucks chasing on Halloween, I've also seen years following a hard winter where you were lucky to see a 150? buck. If 44 is like 39, I know what to expect, I'm wondering if it's typically better or just as weather dependent. If it were 2016, this would be a no brainer, but the units that would be supplying the migrating population just had the worst winter in 20 years. I usually hunt those early and there was a noticeable reduction last year. The consensus on 39 late last year was dismal. Also, the biologist from twin is on vacation until sept 24, which doesn't make my decision for opening day any easier.
fleshy_thump
Member
- Messages
- 34
I'm not interested in his advice anyway. By the looks of his Facebook page, the bucks I'm passing up are bigger than anything he's ever taken. He can definitely take that attitude back to California though...
I'd take it easy with BPK. If you're a regular here, you know that he's one of the best and most knowledge guys on the site. Look past the tough talk and consider what he's saying. I do think it's pretty general knowledge that 44 holds many bigger deer than you're talking and they're often on the move before the end of October. Good luck with everything. Sounds like you know how to hunt bigger deer from hunting 39.
DownThePipe
Active Member
- Messages
- 233
Was out there a lot last year with buddies and the weather sucked! Passed on bucks early in the hunt that were in the 170-180 class hoping for something really nice only to never see a drop of snow below 8,000 feet all the way till a harvest was made at the end of October. If I recall it was 65 degrees and sunny on October 28. The trouble with that unit is there are so many good looking areas that it's hard to decide where to spend your time!!!! With all the tag holders you may want to post up somewhere near the ?slugs? you found because the fact is the deer know where the private land is and I think they move their quickly!
BPKHunter
Very Active Member
- Messages
- 1,744
My bad, maybe I jumped the gun.
I see a post with someone that only has 17 posts, asking for advice on basically the eve of his hunt, which of course is a LE Hunt in unit 44, asking if he should wait for the "rut" in a unit that isn't open during the rut, and wondering if he should shoot the first 170 he comes across. I got frustrated.
If you are local, history in 39, and you have scouted this diligently this year, then my apologies. I guess you are just worried the bad winter a few years past and what I would assume is not enough big horns spotted out of your 100 buck to give you confidence, to not eat your tag if a storm hits. I assume the "rut" reference was just a typo.
I've seen good bucks the past two years, though I guess you assume based on the pics I share publicly, I either am a liar or don't know what a good buck is. I would advise this, don't underestimate how quick that unit can empty of deer once a good storm hits. Last few years, they have been real impatient. Take my advice or don't. I have spent a fair amount of time in that unit helping others with that tag, but have not drawn it myself.
Despite what you may think of me, and frankly I don't care, I wouldn't shoot the first 170 buck on an OTC tag, let alone that tag. But then again, I'm okay eating tags. Of course if you have the wall of trophies you allude to I would assume you would be willing to as well. Frankly I don't care if you shoot a forkie for meat, that is 100% your decision, but good bucks can be found in 44.
I see a post with someone that only has 17 posts, asking for advice on basically the eve of his hunt, which of course is a LE Hunt in unit 44, asking if he should wait for the "rut" in a unit that isn't open during the rut, and wondering if he should shoot the first 170 he comes across. I got frustrated.
If you are local, history in 39, and you have scouted this diligently this year, then my apologies. I guess you are just worried the bad winter a few years past and what I would assume is not enough big horns spotted out of your 100 buck to give you confidence, to not eat your tag if a storm hits. I assume the "rut" reference was just a typo.
I've seen good bucks the past two years, though I guess you assume based on the pics I share publicly, I either am a liar or don't know what a good buck is. I would advise this, don't underestimate how quick that unit can empty of deer once a good storm hits. Last few years, they have been real impatient. Take my advice or don't. I have spent a fair amount of time in that unit helping others with that tag, but have not drawn it myself.
Despite what you may think of me, and frankly I don't care, I wouldn't shoot the first 170 buck on an OTC tag, let alone that tag. But then again, I'm okay eating tags. Of course if you have the wall of trophies you allude to I would assume you would be willing to as well. Frankly I don't care if you shoot a forkie for meat, that is 100% your decision, but good bucks can be found in 44.
Idaho Hunting Guides & Outfitters
Bearpaw Outfitters
Idaho Deer & Elk Allocation Tags, Plus Bear, Bison, Lion, Moose, Turkey and Montana Prairie Dogs.
Urge 2 Hunt
We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, whitetail, bear, lion and wolf hunts and spend hundreds of hours scouting.
Jokers Wild Outdoors
Trophy elk, whitetail, mule deer, antelope, bear and moose hunts. 35k acres of private land.