My honey hole is now everyone's!

[Ikeepitcold]

I think You shot all the deer out of there!! Lol jk

Honestly I have thought alot about this. How many years can an area afford to give up great bucks till the big ones are gone? I don't have a clue. But I've thought maybe it has been myself and the guys I hunt with. And that's only the deer I know that have been taken. Can 3-4 160"+ bucks be taken from a area year after year and still be able to continue to produce more of the same caliber of deer each year? Say for the past 5 years?

 

[7mmshot]

They might be there in your area. But do they know what you know? patterns.. trails.. bedding areas and times of day where they are? I hate seeing other hunters I usually try to avoid all people. But they still have to Out shoot you and out hunt you.

 

[Old Hunter]

They don't need any talent to move the game out of the area.

 

[wapiti66]

It depends on how many smaller bucks you see in the area while hunting. If you are passing/seeing several 140" bucks then you are likely to keep seeing big deer in your area the following years. If you have a group of guys come in that start shooting the smaller bucks, that will prolly mean a decline in big buck numbers in the following years. They don't get to 180" if you shoot them @ 160"

 

[JNDEER]

IMO, keep that spot to yourself and your friend!

Hunters come and go all the time. Of all the hunters I come across every year I would say 5-10% are repeats and the rest are just out to get out. Unless they have found your exact honey hole and have seen and know what you know, there is a good chance they may not come back. If your hunting the same area then it is probably more of an easy draw and for the past few years NV has gotten soo much publicity it is crazy. Keep your spot a secret and give it a few years, I bet those guys will bail out and you could have it to yourself again soon.

 

[sjsmallfield]

IMO, keep that spot to yourself and your friend!

Hunters come and go all the time. Of all the hunters I come across every year I would say 5-10% are repeats and the rest are just out to get out. Unless they have found your exact honey hole and have seen and know what you know, there is a good chance they may not come back. If your hunting the same area then it is probably more of an easy draw and for the past few years NV has gotten soo much publicity it is crazy. Keep your spot a secret and give it a few years, I bet those guys will bail out and you could have it to yourself again soon.

I would have to agree. Last year we went into our favorite spot for the bow season opener. There were close to 20 camps where there only used to be about 4 and they managed to run everything out of the country. After saying we weren't going to hunt there this year we decided to take a ride in there opening weekend. To our surprise there were only about 5 camps and we got into quite a few deer again. Stick with your spot IKIC.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

It depends on how many smaller bucks you see in the area while hunting. If you are passing/seeing several 140" bucks then you are likely to keep seeing big deer in your area the following years. If you have a group of guys come in that start shooting the smaller bucks, that will prolly mean a decline in big buck numbers in the following years. They don't get to 180" if you shoot them @ 160"

That's the thing we see lots of young deer plenty of small 4x4s and 3x3s but nothing mature anymore in the 5-7 year range. We're in the passed say 6 years hunting there with the exception on the last 3 we would see multiple 170"-190" 5-7 year old bucks. And when I say multiple I mean 5-6 in the 160" range to 2-4 in the 170"+ range without looking real hard. What boggles my mind is where are all theses bucks we have seen that should be closed to being mature?

 

[Ikeepitcold]

IMO, keep that spot to yourself and your friend!

Hunters come and go all the time. Of all the hunters I come across every year I would say 5-10% are repeats and the rest are just out to get out. Unless they have found your exact honey hole and have seen and know what you know, there is a good chance they may not come back. If your hunting the same area then it is probably more of an easy draw and for the past few years NV has gotten soo much publicity it is crazy. Keep your spot a secret and give it a few years, I bet those guys will bail out and you could have it to yourself again soon.

I'm really counting on your opinion. I hope it is true.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I would have to agree. Last year we went into our favorite spot for the bow season opener. There were close to 20 camps where there only used to be about 4 and they managed to run everything out of the country. After saying we weren't going to hunt there this year we decided to take a ride in there opening weekend. To our surprise there were only about 5 camps and we got into quite a few deer again. Stick with your spot IKIC.

Thanx. I think we are going to hit our spot for the opener and a day or two after before we go into new country. Also my partner will be out a few days before looking over some new areas too since we know where the deer have been in the past.

 

[velvetfvr]

I don't worry about it. I find hunters where I hunt but I know where the deer are. Most of these people don't have a clue. I went after a 3x4 after 5 quads went by him on the mountain. I knew where he was but he ended up getting spooked. I also scout and most people don't so scouting key. Also not all of us archery guys are going to take a buck if any are like me.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I don't worry about it. I find hunters where I hunt but I know where the deer are. Most of these people don't have a clue. I went after a 3x4 after 5 quads went by him on the mountain. I knew where he was but he ended up getting spooked. I also scout and most people don't so scouting key. Also not all of us archery guys are going to take a buck if any are like me.

Ya you've had a tough one but you have the drive. You will get the chance and get the bomber your looking for. Keep up the hard work.

 

[velvetfvr]

Ya you've had a tough one but you have the drive. You will get the chance and get the bomber your looking for. Keep up the hard work.

Thanks, my parents finally realize how to archery hunt. We went out 3 days at a time and when we left I knew what I had to do so they promised me a week next year even though they said that the last 2 years so we will see. Might have to lower my standards from 180 class to a nice 3 point.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Jees what a hassle! OH

 

[NDHunter]

IKIC, I thought of some advice for you when people ask where you hunt. When you get a nice animal and they say, "where did you get that one?" Just tell them what my uncle says, "right behind the front shoulder."

 

[Ikeepitcold]

IKIC, I thought of some advice for you when people ask where you hunt. When you get a nice animal and they say, "where did you get that one?" Just tell them what my uncle says, "right behind the front shoulder."

Heck ya! I like it thanx!!

 

[dying to kill]

i hear ya all on people taking your spots even tho its mostly private land here in ok i started out at about age 6 hunting with an older distant family member and 10 years later he had aprox 15 friends that he was bringing out that got old pretty quick needless to say there is only about 2 that still come out hunting, and it was not a very pretty picture when they found out they couldnt come out any more, the lesson i learned if someone is selfish enough to take it upon their selves to keep on inviting people to a good spot then im gonna be selfish enough not to invite em huntin with me any more

My mule deer hunting hole in Nv has now been foun out! I saw 6 different archery hunters in the same spot I took my 175" buck last year. And while Antalope hunting for my wife's buck this year I saw 4 rigs roll up the same drainage we go to and didn't come out. I've heard that to get the rif raff out I should tell everyone I know about the area and let it get hunted out then nobody will hunt there anymore then u can go back in 5 years or so and get good bucks again. I'm not to sure about this "strategy". I've been so pretective of the area I have a hard time telling folks about it. I know one of my hunting partners have told a few guys and I feel this has been the demise of the area but I won't blame it all on him. (I want to though). What do you guys think I should do? I have decided to start hunting a new area so at least I and my buddies won't be taking more deer from the area to help with my cause but I'm really bummed about this area we have been taking great bucks for the past 6 years or so.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

i hear ya all on people taking your spots even tho its mostly private land here in ok i started out at about age 6 hunting with an older distant family member and 10 years later he had aprox 15 friends that he was bringing out that got old pretty quick needless to say there is only about 2 that still come out hunting, and it was not a very pretty picture when they found out they couldnt come out any more, the lesson i learned if someone is selfish enough to take it upon their selves to keep on inviting people to a good spot then im gonna be selfish enough not to invite em huntin with me any more

I like it! Words to live by. Thanx

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Don't get too freaked out about it, IKIC. Every year good trophies are taken in high-pressure areas. I also prefer to hunt less-pressured country, though. I am willing to help point somebody in the right direction, but some of my areas are still secret ... SHHHH.

The one great equalizer is remoteness. When I killed my deer deep in the wilderness last year, I didn't see a soul. You would have to be crazy to hunt deer there...

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Don't get too freaked out about it, IKIC. Every year good trophies are taken in high-pressure areas. I also prefer to hunt less-pressured country, though. I am willing to help point somebody in the right direction, but some of my areas are still secret ... SHHHH.

The one great equalizer is remoteness. When I killed my deer deep in the wilderness last year, I didn't see a soul. You would have to be crazy to hunt deer there...

That's what we say lot too when we kill a big deer in our spot too. We are Friggin stupid to hunt were we do but it seems to produce big bucks. A long hike in a a longer pack out. It never seems to even enter my mind when I'm looking at that buck way down in a canyon but when he's down and the photos are all done being taken and you begin to calm down and process on where you accually are then it sinks in. But in the high pressure areas we go to where the big bucks have been in the passed and hope to find one again. I guess the good thing is most guys won't find it but every year they seem to be popping up closer and closer to our spot.

Screw it! I'm gonna start road hunting! Anybody have a good road I can hunt? I'm not looking for info on your honey holes just a good road that I can shoot good deer from!

 

[sjsmallfield]

Screw it! I'm gonna start road hunting! Anybody have a good road I can hunt? I'm not looking for info on your honey holes just a good road that I can shoot good deer from!

Hahahaha!!! Now that's funny.