How do you pick a unit to hunt?

go_deep · Jan 10, 2015

Calling local wardens and biologists defiantly helps in giving you confidence in picking a unit. If you want another locals opinion I've even called some of the local taxidermists and sporting shops.

woodtick · Jan 10, 2015

Success rates, talking to guys in the industry that hunt 24/7, keeping tabs on tag increases/decreases, prescouting prior to application on Google Earth to find terrain that I like to hunt over another that is less appealing. Depending on snow pack from snotel sights and predicted drought conditions will also sway me one way or another and lastly I talk to biologists after I have a couple units picked out.

This is just kinda the nuts and bolts for me but I use all and every resource I can. Scouring B&C and P&Y and keeping excel files on all the units that I'm interested in so that I can run statistics on anything I want, from tag trends, harvest trends, trends in snow pack and drought for 10+ years, some states provide 6+pt bull, 4+pt buck or better, average age of animals harvested type data that also goes into an excel file to see trends in age class.

Its easy to see that it gets to be a real mess but I love it, when I can run SAS software and see that X amount of tags increased over 6 years, snow pack was 150% for 2 of those years and then a drought ensued for the last 4, age class dropped off from over harvest and a couple tough winters and this lead to lower and lower success rates.

GOSHENGRUNTER · Jan 10, 2015

granted this was my first year....I think a lot of it depends on what you are hunting. If its a plentiful game like antelope, I don't think its all that difficult. If its deer, elk, or something else it gets tougher. I'd add my input but these guys will take care of you and they know way more than me!

woodtick · Jan 10, 2015

tdcour said:
Why would you ever run SAS for fun? I'm taking stats for my agronomy MS right now and it's less than enjoyable, but is a necessary evil. If I can't create a function in Excel on it, its not happening as far as statistics go

Learn it inside and out, trust me it'll make your life 100x better when you start to do your analysis on your data!! Now I just do it to sharpen the tool!! There are several places a guy can find code to use to help him through!!

I couldn't help myself!!

/* --- get summary statistics --- */
PROC SORT;
BY favorite;
RUN;
PROC MEANS DATA=three_stooges NOPRINT;
BY favorite;
VAR brain_damage stupidity_index;
OUTPUT OUT=stats MEAN=mean_bd mean_si VAR=var_bd var_si;
RUN;
TITLE2 Summary Statistics;
PROC PRINT;
RUN;

/* -- within group estimates of the population variance --- */
PROC MEANS DATA=stats NOPRINT;
VAR var_bd var_si;
OUTPUT OUT=within MEAN=s2_within_bd s2_within_si;
RUN;
TITLE2 Within-group estimates of the population variance;
PROC PRINT;
RUN;

RUTTIN · Jan 11, 2015

Wow Woodtick you just lost me! Ha ha. I don't even know what language that is your speaking.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

missjordan · Jan 11, 2015

The eastmans subscriptions have a lot of details in them about all the different areas/states your interested in. They are full of great knowledge and information to help narrow your search down as well

buckbull · Jan 11, 2015

Using SAS to do your analysis is freaking awesome. I've been building a database in MariaDB to load data into and build a web front end using jQuery. I plan on being able to select key attributes of units, perhaps weighted in value and be able to determine the best units based on my criteria. I thought about tying the units into google earth or even linking to MyTopo. Anyway, I'm far from completing my little side project.

woodtick · Jan 11, 2015

buckbull said:
Using SAS to do your analysis is freaking awesome. I've been building a database in MariaDB to load data into and build a web front end using jQuery. I plan on being able to select key attributes of units, perhaps weighted in value and be able to determine the best units based on my criteria. I thought about tying the units into google earth or even linking to MyTopo. Anyway, I'm far from completing my little side project.

Man that's good idea!!

Zim · Jan 11, 2015

tdcour said:
Ok, so I'm fairly new to the whole points race and out of state hunting game. I have been doing tons of research on draw odds, points needed to draw, success rates, etc. etc. etc. All of you know what I'm talking about. One thing that always sneaks into my mind as I'm pouring over excel files and websites is... How do I apply for a unit if I've never actually been there and seen what it even looks like?

Let's face it, there isn't enough time in the world to run around to all the states I want to hunt and look at all the units and decide on one. Draw stats and success can only take me so far when applying. I have to know that I'll enjoy the hunt and be able to manage the terrain for the hunt. Google earth can tell you a lot, but I wanted to just get some others' thoughts on how they approach this aspect of selecting a unit to hunt.

Huntin Fool or Eastman's Journal.

25contender · Jan 11, 2015

Even though I only Elk and Deer hunt I will be honest with you. I gave up on the points deal many many years ago. After wasting so much time and money waiting to get drawn, I decided to hunt general entry districts. I just put in a lot of leg work and scouting and it has paid off over the past 15 years. I simply like being up in the mountains hunting. There are many districts that have decent animals taken every year and most states websites break down the types of animals killed. I just happen to like and concentrate on Montana because there are so many general tag opportunities. Concentrate on one state and a few districts in that state and you will do well. When you get up in age a little you will understand about wasting time and not being out hunting.

25contender · Jan 11, 2015

Just my 2 cents on how I pick a area to hunt. My season revolves around Archery season since I don't gun hunt. So that really narrows down the dates. I don't like hunting when there is a full moon at night so that narrows six weeks down to 4-5 depending on the year. I like to hunt around the Solstice that is when I have had my best hunts. I always take 17 days off for the hunt so it gives me plenty of time. I don't like short hunts unless self imposed like this year, we had two elk packed out in the first five days of the hunt.I like to hunt tough areas that road hunters cant frequent or come close too. I also like tough mountainous areas that are fairly close to wintering ranges. The tougher the steeper the better. I like places with decent water so I don't have to pack water in and the animals don't have to travel far for their water. I hunt places where the animals are not boxed in because they don't seem to really like those types of places. I like districts with broken thick timber with lots of grazing areas in between for the animals to feed. I have learned that they like escape routes to adjoining drainage's where they can come and go as pressure dictates.I also like general areas that have a decent kill to hunter ratio. I have also learned that most areas I have hunted that produce decent animals continue to do so. This year as an example. I called in and a friend killed a P/Y less than a mile from where I have killed 2 other P/Y bulls over the years. Most of the above can be found on websites and in magazines. One more thing I like to camp as close as I feel comfortable to those animals and that can be a fine line. When I started research was almost non existent and looking at maps and talking to locals and others in the areas plus lots of boot leather in the off seasons is how it was done. I would take a few trips during the year to scout and look around different ares to hunt. And I lived 2400 miles away from where I like to hunt. I really think some put to much thought into where to hunt. I am the type that feels learning a few general areas very well will payoff in the long run. It might be old school but it works.

I also think people put to much pressure on themselves to make that kill of their lifetime on a first hunt. I didn't kill my first elk with a bow till my 3rd season. But dang did I have fun traveling around, looking at new places, and making new friends. If you have fun that kill of a lifetime will happen whether it is in a LE area or a general area. Enjoy yourself and don't make it like work!!

Tim McCoy · Jan 11, 2015

You have a great example from 25. It is similar to what many of us have learned to do, find a set of conditions that if met, meet your hunting goal. I love a rifle in my hands, focus on mule deer, enjoy the desolate hi desert/bad lands, and don't need to see a bunch of game. I've learned several places I can always find deer and hunt them often. Here is a web site, I have used to help me find spots in CO and WY I hunt or would like to. I have not bought a thing,off the site, I do like their stats even though they are 2013, especially tag numbers, success and land ownership. So if you are looking at these states, it may help you select among the areas.

http://diyhuntingmaps.com/

Lets say you are looking at CO. Click on Colorado on the map, then Hunting Colorado, then compare some units. Same for WY. Has
WY and CO for deer, elk and antelope.

Good luck and have fun finding your own spots.

Zim · Jan 12, 2015

25contender said:
Even though I only Elk and Deer hunt I will be honest with you. I gave up on the points deal many many years ago. After wasting so much time and money waiting to get drawn, I decided to hunt general entry districts. I just put in a lot of leg work and scouting and it has paid off over the past 15 years. I simply like being up in the mountains hunting. There are many districts that have decent animals taken every year and most states websites break down the types of animals killed. I just happen to like and concentrate on Montana because there are so many general tag opportunities. Concentrate on one state and a few districts in that state and you will do well. When you get up in age a little you will understand about wasting time and not being out hunting.

I started playing the points game 20 years ago in many states. The only thing that bugs me about it is it's a microcosm of our politics/tax systems. The politicians are constantly attacking us point owners devaluing our points to the benefit of special interest group line cutters. Despite those aholes, I've almost always been able to draw something somewhere, and had some fantastic hunts. Yet I always have back-up OTC plans. In those 20 years I've never needed to use the back up plans. Given today's climate, I think the best strategy is to work on hunting units that can be drawn with 3-5 points. This cuts down on hunter pressure yet allows you to hunt areas you can become familiar with.

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How do you pick a unit to hunt?

tdcour

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go_deep

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woodtick

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GOSHENGRUNTER

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tdcour

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woodtick

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RUTTIN

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missjordan

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buckbull

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woodtick

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Zim

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25contender

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tdcour

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25contender

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Tim McCoy

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Zim

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