X5B

Califelkslayer · Dec 18, 2013

Did a little chukar hunt just on the Kali side today and saw something I've never seen.

As I top a ridge I heard a commotion. Probably the same sound 10 mule deer bucks would make getting out of their beds at the same time, 100 yards away.

They had a grey/brown sage brush back ground so at first I thought it was 3 bucks and a bunch of does. Then they lined out and sky lined themselves about 200 yards away and as I was trying to count them, I realized every one of them had head gear. 3rd, 9th and 10th were pretty good bucks. The rest were youngsters. Those 3 should be pretty good bucks if they survive the winter. They were only about 2-3 miles from an open season, NV 015 muzzle loader.

On the way back up a different ridge about 4 hours later I saw 4 more bucks. I can't be sure they weren't some of the same group as I saw them trotting over a ridge about 300 yards away but the back 3 were mature bucks. Where I saw the first group run was 800 yards below where I saw the last group and they were going away BUT 4 hours anything could have happened.

Pics? Didn't think about it until it was too late. Then I kicked myself.

wildfin · Dec 19, 2013

I usually saw deer while hunting chuckar but I started only getting a few birds, so I started hunting nevada. My wife and I have max points for deer and some of what I read about x5b sounds poor. The internal look of a chuckar hunter always reveals a different story.I may need to go for bird before getting a deer tag. hope you found birds also.

rjrromero · Dec 19, 2013

How do things look after the fires?

NECALI · Dec 21, 2013

We hunted 5b the year of the fire. Saw allot of bucks, but finding a shooter was hard pressed. Went back right after Thanksgiving and saw several shooters in a few hour road trip. They migrate into that country, so what is being seen there in the winter may have come from somewhere else. And might not of been in that zone during the season. There are some good ones that are local but allot more move in later on.

Califelkslayer · Dec 23, 2013

I think the fire is a non-issue, just my opinion. Some of the burnt areas are holding deer and there are areas where there are islands of cover.

NE, I believe some do migrate in, mostly from X5A. But the 5A and 5B bucks aren't seen in early October......much. I agree, Mid-November thru the end of winter they are a lot more visable. Last 2 weeks of November the most visible.

I saw the best bucks of my 20 years hunting 5B for chukar the 2 years before the burn. Since the burn I see bucks but not those "Top End" bucks. But in the big picture I was hunting chukar 25-35 times a year during the "09"/"10" and "10"/"11" seasons and saw maybe 3-4 true 30" bucks so it wasn't like they were behind every bush.

The reason for the post was I see deer bunched up in Dec/Jan, just not large bachelor groups.

sageadvice · Dec 23, 2013

Slayer, though i'm not a 5-b hunter myself, it's good to hear a solid report about the area from someone i believe has no motive to BS us. Thanks!!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Califelkslayer · Dec 24, 2013

Joey, I'll never hunt 5B myself. Not worth the wait IMO. 6A for me this year although the wife and I are way over pointed for that tag. But I spend lots of tome out there in the winter and try to share for those who are considering a 5B tag. I do have some ideas hoe/where I'd hunt it but just an educated guess.