Block Management

[johnsd16]

I have been looking over the BMA map for region 7, and wow is there a ton of land enrolled. I realize most of the land in the region is still private but between BLM and type 1 BMAs there is A LOT of ground. Lots of big parcels too.

I have been looking at the larger BMAs that are "walk in only" usually from designated parking areas. I suspect that keeps the traffic down compared to BLM where people are driving two tracks. For the type 2 areas I was expecting to see more stringent restrictions on the number of hunters per day. I guess I was assuming the type 2 would be better hunting due to being more restrictive, but if some of these 2,000 acre pieces allow 8 hunters/day, am I any better off there than a 12,000 acre type 1 area, or just a massive tract of BLM. I know much of this will have to do with habitat, etc, and I'm sure there are pockets of animals/parcels that can support lots more pressure than others.

Our strategy was to try and find big tracts that were tougher to navigate and walk way in and spend all day hoping to find mature bucks pushed into these areas by peripheral pressure and then be on their feet during daylight rutting (we are hunting November 14-21).

Also, anyone know when huntonx updates their chips to reflect 2015 land status? If we buy the GPS chip now, will a newer version be coming out before fall?

 

[Hoytfanatic]

A lot of the block management will actually get very little use. I would venture to guess that 50% or more is way under utilized. You should do well if you can find those parcels with limited road access. The obvious meadows near roads and easy areas will see the most traffic. Even some of block management areas will butt up against other public lands. Possibly even roads, so two vehicle systems can work great, park one then drive around to the other side and hunt through to first vehicle. Be extra kind and don't abuse the land and you will have an extra special appreciation from the locals.

 

[Dos Perros]

A lot of the block management will actually get very little use. I would venture to guess that 50% or more is way under utilized.

Agree. There is a ton of land and not very many hunters. Finding the good spots will be tougher than avoiding the other hunters. Even after hunting up there 8 years we still might drive an hour or more to spots we know about, every day.

 

[Musket Man]

The few times I hunted on block management I never saw another hunter.

 

[gonhunting247]

BMA's have been very productive for both deer and antelope for me. I rarely saw anyone else while hunting there.

 

[Hoytfanatic]

Agree. There is a ton of land and not very many hunters. Finding the good spots will be tougher than avoiding the other hunters. Even after hunting up there 8 years we still might drive an hour or more to spots we know about, every day.

i agree there still is a hunting aspect involved with block management, just cause there is access doesn't mean there is a critter that is right for you also there.

 

[johnsd16]

i agree there still is a hunting aspect involved with block management, just cause there is access doesn't mean there is a critter that is right for you also there.

I'm at a bit of a loss on which type 2 BMAs to try and make reservations at. I try and utilize the cadastral and google earth as best I can, but as a mule deer rookie I'm not sure if what I'm looking for is even correct. Some of the properties look mighty barren. The whitetail hunter in me is looking for cover, water and elevation change. Trying to sort through the BMAs that have a good number of acres and limited hunter numbers but then look good on satellite images is tough. I have a few picked out though and will be trying for reservations tomorrow morning for at least two.

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm at a bit of a loss on which type 2 BMAs to try and make reservations at. I try and utilize the cadastral and google earth as best I can, but as a mule deer rookie I'm not sure if what I'm looking for is even correct. Some of the properties look mighty barren. The whitetail hunter in me is looking for cover, water and elevation change. Trying to sort through the BMAs that have a good number of acres and limited hunter numbers but then look good on satellite images is tough. I have a few picked out though and will be trying for reservations tomorrow morning for at least two.

You can only do so much from home, even with all the technology we have.

I've never hunted mule deer so this might not be worth much, but in Montana it seems like I see 50 does for every buck. Alfalfa seems to concentrate them. One time we were driving along the Musselshell River during the magic hour and we saw literally hundreds of deer along many miles of irrigated alfalfa, and had a few close calls. I'd start with the alfalfa and work out from there.

 

[johnsd16]

You can only do so much from home, even with all the technology we have.

I've never hunted mule deer so this might not be worth much, but in Montana it seems like I see 50 does for every buck. Alfalfa seems to concentrate them. One time we were driving along the Musselshell River during the magic hour and we saw literally hundreds of deer along many miles of irrigated alfalfa, and had a few close calls. I'd start with the alfalfa and work out from there.

I hear ya. I remember driving through the area just outside Yellowstone and into the bighorns and same thing. Looked like cattle. That was spring though.

As is expected, most of the alfalfa is on private, some BMAs have fields, but the time of year the satellite photos are from makes it hard to tell what's in some of the fields. I have a few places picked out where there is public access to cover that butts up against private fields, but requires a long walk from the road (2-4 miles). I'm hoping those areas hold deer during the day and get checked by bucks but not by hunters due to access and being somewhat hidden as far as I can tell. There are also a couple of type 2 BMAs I hope to make reservations on that have good looking fields.

I'm sure though I'm not the only one that thinks these spots look good on the maps. Hopefully there's snow, so I can look for tracks (both deer and boot!).

 

[Boehunter]

Its all about trial and error we have signed up for some in the past that looked promising on maps then get there and we could of played golf with how grazed down the cattle had it. With that being said I wouldn't over look a type 1 and I would for sure be signed up for more then one type 2 during my hunt.

 

[johnsd16]

Its all about trial and error we have signed up for some in the past that looked promising on maps then get there and we could of played golf with how grazed down the cattle had it. With that being said I wouldn't over look a type 1 and I would for sure be signed up for more then one type 2 during my hunt.

That's what I'm worried about. I have one type 2 reserved, working on the second but the phone is busy. We also have about 8 other areas between type 1 and BLM that we want to check out. We could hunt for a month!

 

[Dos Perros]

Where are you guys staying?

 

[johnsd16]

Where are you guys staying?

We wanted to stay in Ekalaka, but we couldn't book a place for the whole trip. We are now staying in Baker in a house. Sleeps like 8 or something but we will be the only ones there. Secured reservations on two type 2 BMAs today. One is one party per day and the other limits hunter numbers on a given day. First one is two days, second is three days. We have eyes on a couple of places that take reservations starting later.