Hunted the rifle tag a few years back, saw bucks every day. We had the best campsite in our very full campground. Lots of loud partiers and drunks that left loads of trash.
Yeah, you will see loads of dinks and does down by the reservoirs early and late but we saw most of the quality bucks out in the sage or in the transition zone between the sage and dark timber higher up. I shot a nice 25" 4x4 out in the sage, and he had been in a bachelor group of seven bucks(the biggest was a 28" 4x4 which I searched for every day)which I never saw together again after the original scouting trip. We talked with a bow hunter who did get a nice 28" 3x3 along the 7A and 7B border. He came back to help a fellow rifle hunter and shared a bunch of good local info with us. Thanks to you guys...
There are loads of OHV and ATV roads some posted closed/no entry and some are wide open. The motorcycle and ATV boys just ride in around the barriers and run the deer ragged. There are also lots of private property that is not posted, especially around the ATV park and the golf course homes. Saw good bucks every day, but they are untouchable, we just took lots of photos...
Look for areas that have "no" road access, that are steep and brushy with cover. There was good water and feed everywhere, in fact there are many guzzlers.
One spot which does not get much attention is around Floriston, but be forewarned it is very steep, rocky and there is little legal access. The area along the Verdi to Dog Valley has great cover,water yet does allow access to ATVs. Look at the ridge running east west along the north edge of Stampede reservoir, lots of good cover, food and habitat with little road access.
Good luck,
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