Unit 42

timoutdoors · Jul 27, 2024

Wife Drew the unit 42 tag for November. Best to hunt early or late? I know it’s not what it used to be, but what size buck is realistic? Any information is appreciated.

htnfool · Jul 28, 2024

The last week is best….170 is a very good buck but a bigger one is always a possibility. Hunt hard and glass like a bastard. Have your knee supports on. It tough hiking out there.

tominboise · Jul 28, 2024

I've drawn that tag a few times but not for the last 10 or so years. I had better luck hunting opening day as opposed to later. Many bucks travel from the unit to the North down into 42 as the rut goes on.

2005 buck from the Northern edge:

2007 bucks my hunting partner and I got on the Northern edge:

2011 Buck. This one was killed in the southern side of the unit:

Drew a couple more times but did not see anything worth pulling the trigger on, on either of those two trips. I will be elk hunting in the unit starting in mid October and will keep my eye out for any decent bucks.

I've never seen the mythical 30" buck down there even though I have looked over the entire unit. Doesn't mean there aren't any. Just that I couldn't find any.

htnfool · Jul 28, 2024

tominboise said:
I've drawn that tag a few times but not for the last 10 or so years. I had better luck hunting opening day as opposed to later. Many bucks travel from the unit to the North down into 42 as the rut goes on.

2005 buck from the Northern edge:
View attachment 152383
2007 bucks my hunting partner and I got on the Northern edge:View attachment 152384
2011 Buck. This one was killed in the southern side of the unit:
View attachment 152385
Drew a couple more times but did not see anything worth pulling the trigger on, on either of those two trips. I will be elk hunting in the unit starting in mid October and will keep my eye out for any decent bucks.

I've never seen the mythical 30" buck down there even though I have looked over the entire unit. Doesn't mean there aren't any. Just that I couldn't find any.

Nice gallery of bucks amigo, but maybe we have a misunderstanding….It’s a 42 deer tag she has….not a 40 tag

tominboise · Jul 29, 2024

htnfool said:
Nice gallery of bucks amigo, but maybe we have a misunderstanding….It’s a 42 deer tag she has….not a 40 tag

Yes, I understand. These were all taken in 42.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Jul 29, 2024

I drew it last year after 24 years of NO's from Fish & NO GAME !!! I spent well over a month scouting & talking to ranchers and ranch hands that are in the unit everyday. I hunted the 1st 10 days of the season straight .. the 2nd week hunted 5 days the 3rd week another 5 days. We Never saw a buck that would even hit 150" we had 4 wheelers - sxs - access to a couple of good private ranches , walked 4 to 7 miles a day and glassed damn near every part of the unit .. Talked to probably 40 of the 72 tag holders all of them said pretty much the same very few deer seen . Saw 3 bucks taken the entire time down there & the biggest may have been 155" .. This unit with the 2 point hunt - the over abundance of lions & yotes plus fires & winter kill is a F--ing Garbage hunt !!!

timoutdoors · Jul 30, 2024

Thank you for the information and overall hunt experiences. We are hoping to harvest a 150 class buck and spend time enjoying some new country. Plan is to hunt the first 5 days of the season then go from there.