Hey all..with 3 preference points for the general deer season, I think I should be able to draw either Southwest Desert or Pine Valley in 2018. I?m curious if anyone cares to share their opinion on which unit provides a better opportunity for a 160 or better buck. I?ve been leaning toward the Pine Valley Unit just based on research as far as deer numbers, but really can?t find much info online regarding either of these areas. I know Southwest Desert holds some good bucks, but haven?t heard very good reports the last couple years.
General tag input
- Thread starter Calbuck
- Start date
JimP
Administrator
Toss a quarter up into the air and go for it.
I have hunted the Southwest Desert around Indian Peaks, WahWah Mountains and Garrison and have seen some real nice bucks, but they are scattered through out the units and you usually have to get lucky to bag one.
I haven't hunted Pine Valley but they take one or two nice ones off of it each year
I have hunted the Southwest Desert around Indian Peaks, WahWah Mountains and Garrison and have seen some real nice bucks, but they are scattered through out the units and you usually have to get lucky to bag one.
I haven't hunted Pine Valley but they take one or two nice ones off of it each year
Thanks Jim I have a buddy that hunts Southwest Desert every 3-4 yrs and that is the same info I get from him..I also have a friend that does the same for Pine Valley, he?s pretty tight lipped but I?ve seen some of the bucks he?s taken and they have been good bucks..
luckynv
Active Member
Hey Calbuck, I have a friend that lives in New Harmony and he sees Lots of Bucks on that side of the Pine Valley Unit. He sent me some pictures of sheds last year that were just short of massive. Good luck and God bless
JimP
Administrator
A lot of those deer around New Harmony come out of Zions National Park and winter on the private around New Harmony. That could be one of the reasons for all the sheds.
The specific areas I?m looking at are in the vicinity of Enterprise Reservoir..mainly the west side of Enterprise. Any input? Looks like decent country by satellite map..prob gets hammered by hunters.
Seems now there?s an early rifle hunt too, which may be better as the deer are not migrating yet?
The interstate keeps the pinevalley and Zion bucks divided during the rut. Most of the bucks on the west side of interstate are from pinevalley mountain, residebt to new harmony or one of the lucky ones that survived the hunt on bumblebee.
If you hunt pinevalley do the early but if you go southwest I would stick to late. The reason is the early season overlaps with the general bull/spike hunt and in the SW you will have to compete with a lot of elk hunters. Very few elk/elk hunters in pine valley.