39 late archery

[huntfish714]

well i figured its bout time to start this topic up for the year. so: how bout a head count on who'll be up there, anyone gettin excited?, general areas? been seeing any? im anxiously excited i love this hunt, ill be in danskin area and have seen much lately but have heard that there startin to move down. ill be up there each weekend (as needed) and my wife also to shoot her first deer if her ankle feels better. looks like winter temps finally next week just in time : )

 

[Outdoordan]

Yes, anxiously awaiting. May go scout this weekend.

 

[huntfish714]

good luck outdoordan if you go scouting hope you see some dandys. in my opinion it should be a pretty good year, seems like success rates where pretty low this year but some real nice bucks were taken. looks like weather is gunma finally cooperate they are calling for snow next saturday at 40% chance

 

[scubasteven25]

I'll be out there chasing after them for the last few days of the season. Not sure exactly where I'll head to, but I still have a few days to figure it out. First I got my annual pilgrimage to New Mexico for some fine mule deer hunting. I can't wait.

 

[huntfish714]

right on well good luck scubasteve post some pics when you get back. i used to hunt arizona and i know those monster desert mulies are a blast

 

[bootspearo]

Really looking forward to this hunt hopefully my wife lets me go up for at least three days I have hunted it now for four years dont even bother rifle hunting anymore, just so I can go on this hunt. good luck to everyone and post your stories and photos when you get home!!

 

[Outdoordan]

Huntfish -hope you get into some good ones also! Keep some pictures flowing on here and we will compare notes.

Boot - I feel the same way. I didn't even buy my tag till last week. Never even bothered with the rifle season. I love the late hunt. Even if you don't see alot of bucks, you always see alot of deer!

www.hunthardcore.com

 

[huntfish714]

will do i appreciate it!!! i usually hunt the 23 archery hunt as i did this year but usually hold off on the smaller bucks till november. its been 3 years since i've hunted this area i believe, do to tagging in the 23 hunt but i usually go up still and scout. it should be pretty good with the weather we are having hopefully my year total on bucks passed on is bout 32 in september but knowing me ill probably settle for a cute small unique rack or first 120 : ) i tend to under estimate lol good luck to all and hope its a good year for everyone even if it means a doe towards the end to fill the freezer : )

 

[huntfish714]

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE THIS WEEKEND!!! my grandfather inlaw and his buddy shot 2 bucks over 200 in the 41? hunt earlier this week. 1 was 246 and the other was 232. both are at the taxidermist so ill have to try to take a picture of a picture and try posting. can't wait till morning! if they were down then they should all be down : )

 

[dgross]

Huntnfish714, Thats great to hear about your grandpa and buddie. I see you have a ? mark by 41. Were those bucks taken in 41 or 40 ? Reason I ask is I have the 41 tag myself and leave next week. Just curious if the rut is on or still slow everyone I have talked to said it has been warm still. Anyways any info would be apprecieated and congratulations to both of them. Lets see some pics !! Good luck to everybody headed for the 39 late hunt. Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

[huntfish714]

im pretty sure it was 41 the northern part closest to mountain home. couple tips he had mentioned was hunt fairly close to the water and near the beat fields or other agriculture land. both of them had very swollen necks and appeared to be in rut mode. these temps are getting good now as of wednesday. this weekends lows are supposed to be 27 with highs about 47. oh and on both days they were shot before 9am. hope this helps ill try to gain more info

 

[Outdoordan]

Finally got a chance to go out yesterday afternoon. Saw one nice 4X4 definitely rutted up watching over 4-5 does. Moved in to 105 yards, no way to get closer so I pulled out the rattling horns, a doe "can" bleat, and a grunter. He would not budge from the does, just stood there looking my way. Not near the amount of deer in the area. Next snow should get more to show.

 

[huntfish714]

that must have been the same buck as the one i got on today. reall nice buck and gained 410 yards on him but still needed another 20 to close the deal when a yearling came walking right up to me and nearly walked over me then realized that i wasn't a rock or shrub lol then busted all 10. two bucks and the rest does. but i guess that's why we bowhunt for the challenge. all in all saw a lot of deer but will still be another week to be prime. but ill be out there tomorrow in the blind first thing then walk the rimrock.

 

[Outdoordan]

Good luck! I will wait a few more days and hit it this week!

 

[huntfish714]

right on GOOD LUCK this week! saw a nice 5point, 4point, a forky and a spike. they were all in one big group with a bunch of does. strategy was absolutely perfect and predictions were dead on except they moved up hill to my ambush spot a little bit sooner than expected and busted me right before i got there. well maby next weekend. should be more deer then anyway. how bout any one else been seeing any thing or any success?

 

[baerman]

are you hunting at snow line, in the snow or well below? The storm this weekend should get the deer down low. Can't wait to get up there this weekend. Seeing many hunters?

 

[huntfish714]

nah... during this season i hunt right on the desert and the immediate foothills right on the desert regardless of the weather. this storm this weekend should bring all the rest of them down. we set up two blinds last weekend and the trail camera so hopefully we got some pics to post. only saw 1 hunter and that was on saturday (in my area any way) and on sunday i was glassing some hills off in the distance and saw two trucks parked next to each other with quad trailers hunting up by snow line but i saw them leave empty handed bout mid afternoon. i did also see 11 cows if some body still has a late season cow tag open (if it hasn't closed). they were feeding not 100 yards from me in the middle of the desert. HINT: hunt early morning, seems there still moving early then feeding in seclusion all day. good LUCK!!!

 

[huntfish714]

any of you guys go out this week?

 

[huntfish714]

WOW!!! some body please tell me they atleast saw deer today... i didnt see a single one and now im stumped! every year on the third weekend of nov. since 1972 our family has witnessed over a hundred in this area and have always had a kill, or even any snow in november but thi year is wack!! saw them last weekend and saw two sets of tracks this a little bit ago right at last light so no tracking effort. ive got 1.5 days left to hunt this year and im affraid its looking like tag soup. kind of regreting not shooting one of the 32+ bucks i passed on in september but i guess its all the name of the game. one the lighter side saw close to a hundred antelope and found few more sheds (like usual) so not going home empty handed.

 

[lip_curl]

i just rolled in. saw about 30 head of deer and lots of elk today, whiffed two arrows at a 25in 4x4, (range finder doesnt work in the fog...fyi.) saw another buck w/ the same frame, but heavy w/ forks...about 10 bucks total w/ two shooters. definately didnt see much down lower where you usually do this time of year...

 

[Outdoordan]

I went out yesterday afternoon and saw about 40 does, and 9 bucks. 15 elk. Biggest buck was a decent 3 pt. about 24" wide. I think this snow will bring them down.

 

[huntfish714]

that's good im glad that you guys have been seeing some! lip_curl- out of curiosity were you in heavy fog or are you in the market for a new range finder? i've got a Nikon 550 that i have been very impressed with escpecially for the price, sorry to here bout the buck i hope you get him still some time left. sounds like you both had a pretty poductive day! Good luck!!!

 

[lip_curl]

my range finder was bushnell ARC. less than a year old. i also have a brand new leica 1200, but i like the arc angle compensation when hunting the steep stuff. the fog was so thick, i couldnt see the deer at 100yards from time to time...

 

[kcnboise]

>my range finder was bushnell ARC.
>less than a year old.
>i also have a brand
>new leica 1200, but i
>like the arc angle compensation
>when hunting the steep stuff.
> the fog was so
>thick, i couldnt see the
>deer at 100yards from time
>to time...

Don't know if it will help in fog that thick, but have you tried the rain or brush setting? Used to help in fog on my Bushnells.

 

[WAPITI39]

I just got back in myself, I did see over 20 deer today ( maybe 10%) what I would usually see on this hunt, I am going to head higher up tomorrow in hopes of finding the majority of the remainders. Curious if you all are seeing the Elk up in the timber still or down in the flats areas? My wife is attempting to get an Elk with her Bow this year and we have yet to find her an Elk to stalk. This weather as you are all saying should bring them down further I would think, especially this late in the season. Good luck to you all, hopefully someone will have a pic to post and some meat for the freezer here soon.

 

[lip_curl]

didnt have time to try the rain setting on the rangefinder, maybe ill have it set ahead of time next time.
wapiti, all the elk i saw were in the open foothills, not quite in the open flats, but not in the conventional timber either. one herd was within 200 yards of the middle fork road at daylight...saw their eyes in my headlamp and could make out horns on one in my swaros in the dark, i tagged out in rifle season so they were just in my way...

 

[WAPITI39]

Excellent, good to know there are still a few left out there, Thank you for the info. I will update for all when I have more info as well. Hopefully some pics to share as well. Anyone have any pics from this hunt to p[st as of yet?

 

[BOOMSTICK]

went out in the foothills with the dog to just enjoy the snow and hopefully see some animals. carried my .22 for rabbits or pop shot a coyote. didnt see anything besides deer. i probably walked 1 mile and saw 40 deer with 4 2 points among those 40. saw most groups with nothing but does. then right off highway 21 saw a group of 10 deer with 3 2 point. the other 2 point i saw was chasing his does around pretty hard. . . gotta love the late hunt. maybe save my deer hunting efforts for archery next year.

anyone dropping deer out there? lets see some pics!

 

[huntfish714]

this year sucks!!! in my opinion. i've researched mule deer specifically my entire life and i am stumped. all of my research notes and everything that i have accumulated has absolutely no info for this year. patterns and behaviors this year are not even close to anything i've ever experienced. im wondering if the increase in wolves and possibly other critters resulting in wildlife death are the cause. i believe wolves play a major roll and need to go bye bye but never would have believed it went this far. i have noticed an increase in fawn and doe skeletons between danskins and bennit and the HUGE wolf killed in the area further suggests this scenario and not hunter error. a sad disappointment this year but still some bucks to be had just not as plentiful. wapiti- i know of a place to find some cows if that is what your wife is after. seems they have a similar route each morning but if you wait to late or spook them it will be impossible to find them again till the next day. they migrate miles north each day. pm me if you are interested. sorry but no bulls to be found including spikes. no pics on trail cam sorry guys and good luck this week!

 

[Idahoshedhead]

Wha Wha Wha that's all here on here because the deer haven't stumbled into you guys favorite spot. The deer are here and so are the toads. Broaden your search and you cam find em to. Saw over 100 deer with two giants fighting early morn. If you guys need a tissue they are on sale at your local winco

 

[BOOMSTICK]

Dang shedhead you give it rough. but i have been walking around the most trafficked of areas and still seeing plenty of deer. havent gone up where the toads roam yet but i agree that there are deer to be had. also the place between danskin and bennet mountain have been way way WAY over hunted the past 7 years or so. i remember seeing 200 deer a day in that area during the general rifle season and just a few hunters. its now 200 hunters and a few deer. walk farther n higher off the roads.

 

[huntfish714]

sorry guys not trying to whine to much. i got a two for one deal at walmart last night and a little liquid motivation i have a problem leaving the past in the past if y'all couldn't tell. and it is true i need to find some different spots and adapt i've hiked and hiked this year and now agree to move on. sorry for drama and good luck this week!

 

[bootspearo]

I check this thread 5 times a day hoping to hear a success story or even a photo. I think I am going to go tomorrow and brave the nasty weather in hopes of shooting a deer will be the first time out this year I think I am going to try low. Wish me luck Iam going to need it. Hugh

 

[WAPITI39]

PM sent, Thank you.

 

[huntfish714]

good luck boot! hope you see tons and stick a big boy!

 

[bootspearo]

Went out and braved the weather and trudged throught the snow, and braved a couple blizzards. I saw quite a few deer and quite a few bucks but they were all small. I did put a sneek on a 2x3 and got withing 52 yards thanks to a blizzard but I decided to pass on the shot since he was bedded and all I had for a shot was the spine it would of been a hit or a miss but I opted not to shoot. A doe busted me as I tried to get closer. There is alot of snow making it hard to get around up there but it was fun but really really cold. Cant wait to break free and get out again though. Good luck to everyone else.

 

[critterstalker]

not to brag or anything but last week I collected my winter meat in 39.Got my elk Monday then 2 days later I got my deer.Made the wife happy now I can take the dogs out and get serious about birds.Sorry I can't figure out how to post pictures not missing much though just a doe and a calf that got stuck in the fence easiest archery elk every! To bad it was after hiking my butt off for 5 days, made shooting a tied up elk a little easier though

 

[huntfish714]

good job critter stalker! meat is meat and good job on the elk, in the same since you put it out of its misary and kept it from suffering to death! i admire that especially since it was a calf : ) and post some pics if you got them, any animals a trophy in my buck reguardless. bootspearo- good to here you got into them and got the heart pumping and sorry to hear that it didnt work out. good luck next time you go! good luck to everyone!!! im looking for a good tip, from guiding and personal pleasure i have never found a good way to keep my bow hand warm without swapping hands from time to time and can be impossible during a stalk, ive tried all sorts of gloves and hand warmer combos and cant find the right combo for my bow hand and trigger hand other than "sucking it up" which any other hypothermia survivors on here may agree that this is a major issue, any tips or tricks would be great!!! thanks!

 

[kcnboise]

My buddy and I got out yesterday too. The good thing was with the weather the deer were right where you'd expect them to be - out of the wind and in the sun. We saw 40 something does and a handful of small bucks. Bad thing was they were on high alert because of the wind. A couple blown stalks, but better than being at work, right???

huntfish714 - try some thermal liners under your gloves like these - http://www.rei.com/product/661608 . They even have a built in pocket for chemical handwarmers, if you need them. I was out most of the day yesterday (20 degrees and a lot of wind) with a similar liner (no handwarmers) and lightweight insulated gloves over top with no cold hands. Also make sure your gloves aren't too tight (cutting off circulation) and the cuffs on your coat aren't too tight either. Make sure there aren't any gaps between the gloves and coat because if your wrists get cold your body will cut off circulation to your fingers.

 

[huntfish714]

right on thank you kc ill pick some up tonight if there open still when i get back. that's good your gettin into them to, hopefully the next time out will end with some meat in the freezer. good luck and thanks for tip!

 

[bootspearo]

Last day is tomorrow I am going who else is going to brave the weather? If its brown its down tomorrow doe or buck I need some tasty backstraps !!!!!

 

[huntfish714]

well tag soup for me first time in 8 years. but only have myself to blame after passing on a ton of them in september. as a truck driver i've been seeing a lot of deer and elk in pick up trucks for the last day and some nice elk showing off rubbing salt in the wound. nice bull on the 39 side of i84 with a martian between stage stop and the scale. i hope the bow hunter chasing him gets him down on friday i went up and blew my last chance at a nice buck and half dozen doe when i second guessed myself. shortly after i blew the motor on my quad way the heck back in there and no way to get it out till spring. saw hundreds of elk and antelope but NO tags for that unit but deer and no more deer. good luck to all!!! and any tag or Antler recipes would be great! lol

 

[bootspearo]

Well I didn't get to make it out was getting ready to leave when a buddy called me up and needed help at work, more important to work these days than go play. But we are going to go to his dads place in 53 were they have been seeing lots of deer, so maybe the backstrap adventure will continue.

 

[WASHMULEYHUNTER]

Wheres all the success pics, with all the deer there I was hoping to see some pics?

 

[huntfish714]

i've only heard of one guy who had 39 late success this year a doe and a tangled up calf. unfortunately this year on my side was absolutely pitiful. major lack of numbers from recent years. hopefully some body knows of some body that tagged and can post. love the pics