Any reports from the late tag holders?

[catclaw]

Any reports yet as we are in the 4th day of the season. We went one for three and will be back out Christmas day to finish out the season. Saw the two biggest bucks were already rutting. My buddy in 24A saw the same thing, buck chasing does all over- just haven't seen a really big one doing any chasing yet! It is cold but DRY...

[az4life]

Just got back and saw more bucks than any year I can recal. LOTS of forkies but I am holding out for a bigger one. My partner took a large forkie today.

Spotted him from 1000+ yards, then again when we moved about 3 hours later. 700 yards and across a canyon.

 

He decided to stalk on the buck and then hiked down about 600 feet elevation and back up to about the same on the other side. Took about an hour, I guided him to where the buck had moved and helped him top out on the ridge in a good spot, which left him with 150 yards to a bedded buck out in the open for a shot. Then watched in the scope as he got in position and made the shot.

Pictures later but I am tired and have too much to do before hitting the hay.

[bullwidgeon]

I heard all sorts of rumors this weekend that are useless without pictures. A 140 something non typical from unit 22 and another good one from 36B. Again, just rumors that are worthless without pics. Sounds like it is pretty good out there though. Good luck guys..

 

Bret M.

[lfootmatt]

36b update,

 

Lack of vacation time forced me back to the office. I'll be back out 12/24 AM and 12/26,30,31.

 

12/16 = 20 does and 2 spikes. Nothing worth shooting. Bedded spike would have been an easy stalk, good wind and he was bedded facing away 450 yards out. could have easily gotten within 250 yards for a chip shot. But I really want something to put on the wall.

 

12/17 = Less deer, but still lots of does always in groups of threes. Glassed a bedded fawn under a bush at 500 yards (nikon 12x50 SE glass) the the other 2 does stood up later, again groups of three. My buddy then glassed up a fork buck at 650 yards at the top of a high ridge. Walked around for a bit and bedded down again after about 10 min. right at dusk and stayed until dark.

 

12/18 = Tried an area close to the above 2 with great coues terrain(in my pea brained assessment) didn't see squat. wind was in my favor, glassed my rear off and nothing. Dropped into the valley, good wind, found the UDA 4 lane superhighway, crap, no wonder I didn't see anything! Came up into the meadow in a nice bowl I glassed, nothing jumped out, some game trails, sign and a couple of very fresh prints in dust.

 

Other hunters reported similar findings for the 15th and 16th, lots of does and no bucks. 2 UDAs sighted on 684 opening morning. Saturday we passed a truck heading out of our area at 0 dark 30. Not good, they backed off and let us pass, dark smoked windows and no wave or anything, I suspect they weren't hunters.

 

Saturday we only heard 2 sets of shots, friday and Sunday there were none.

 

The only thing I can think of is that the nightly UDA traffic, really bright full moon and daily hunter pressure is forcing the deer to move all night and stay bedded all day.

 

Does that make sense to anyone else. I hope to see more morning activity and perhaps some pre-rut to get things going.

 

Be safe out ther and goog luck (wish me some too, I seem to need it!)

 

Matt

[bchoitz]

My sightings were very similar to lfootmatt's excellent report minus the UDA's.

I was in 35B on the west side of the unit. Lots of moonlight.

Glassed several groups of does, most still accompanied by fawns. Does were grouping in twos and threes with fawns, saw maybe 30 on Friday, and about that many again on Saturday. Ranges from 30 yards to 600 yards, but I saw nothing with a discernible antler. I was using 10x50 Nikon Bino's on a tripod.

Sunday I moved farther south in the unit and saw 8 deer. Because of the area I did not take my tripod that morning, and it took me almost 5 minutes of intense scrutiny at 150 yards on one spike to pick out his antlers. He was probably smaller than Ernesrto's . He was followed by one of the first does I saw that was alone, and she had some marks from being harassed, so I was a little more optimistic. She was eventually followed over the top by a buck which I eventually shot.

 

Those were the only two bucks I saw, and I hope the big ones are more active the week after Christmas when i go back with my wife for her deer.

 

Bret

[catclaw]

Good luck you guys keep at 'em, don't slack off...

[firstcoueswas80]

i will be out monday AM and posibly tuesday to the place where i killed my buck this year to see what i see. if a lion or coyote steps out, man do i feel bad for them! my little brother will probably be with me and we will probably be packing his Xmas present (winchester .243!!!!!)

[hunter25]

First of all I am new to posting on the site, but have been reading it all for over a year.

As for the 140 something that Brett was talking about in unit 22, I have a buddy that was in on the hunt and supposedly it was a 122" and change. I was told it was a 4x6 with a drop tine if we are talking about the same buck. I was also told that this buck was a 140ish prior to the hunt.

[bchoitz]

i will be out monday AM and posibly tuesday to the place where i killed my buck this year to see what i see. if a lion or coyote steps out, man do i feel bad for them! my little brother will probably be with me and we will probably be packing his Xmas present (winchester .243!!!!!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I wondered what he ended up with. I hope he gets to use it soon!

[Grayghos]

The guide was Ty Goodmen guessed the deer to be 140+ in the end the non tip was 125 ish.

[Dan]

Been hunting three days. Seen 4 bucks 10 does. One nice buck but couldn't get in range. Other bucks were a 3x3 and 2 forkies. My son and I got all next week to hunt. There is a lot of rut activity-- scrapes -- rubs -- they are getting started in this unit ( 24-a ) Hope to get in range of the nice one I glassed up yesterday. Let ya know next week!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL and a good and safe hunt to everyone with tags left !!!!

[matthewp45]

A friend of mine saw that buck from 22. He scored 122 and change.