Antelope Island Mule Deer- Unguided

[Travis Hobbs]

Big Bucks, Bigger Secrets: Antelope Island Unguided

Imagine getting one of the most sought after mule deer tags in the world, and spending 75 days scouting with close friends, what a story.

www.rokslide.com

It’s fun to think about drawing a super special tag….. and I always wonder when it comes down to it, how would you make the most of it!?!

 

[wind gypsy]

Big Bucks, Bigger Secrets: Antelope Island Unguided

Imagine getting one of the most sought after mule deer tags in the world, and spending 75 days scouting with close friends, what a story.

www.rokslide.com

It’s fun to think about drawing a super special tag….. and I always wonder when it comes down to it, how would you make the most of it!?!

I'll have to give it a listen when time allows.

I think for a lot of us there is a desire to have a guide to try to capitalize on it with the largest animal possible. I also think that path is much less rewarding from an experience standpoint for most of us.. DIY with friends sounds ideal its just that not everyone has the extra time outside of season and friends with time during season to spend on it.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I'll have to give it a listen when time allows.

I think for a lot of us there is a desire to have a guide to try to capitalize on it with the largest animal possible. I also think that path is much less rewarding from an experience standpoint for most of us.. DIY with friends sounds ideal its just that not everyone has the extra time outside of season and friends with time during season to spend on it.

No doubt. Time is a big thing and so valuable.

 

[GoatPackr]

Totally agree with doing DIY. What an experience!!!
Something to be proud of for sure!!!

Good podcast

 

[RaggedHunter]

Just finished, this was a great podcast. Good on him to make the most of the entire experience and make the most of the tag. What an incredible experience. My hat is off to him and the way he went about the entire hunt.

I thought it was very interesting hearing about all the different deer behavior. One might tend to think that deer on the island would have no reason to develop reclusive/sneaky habits. I've always wondered how much of a deers habits are learned from hunting pressure, predators etc. vs how much is just engrained in them. I think this just goes to show that some deer are just born inherently sneaky. Very cool!

 

[CorbLand]

I didn’t know that you had to stay on the trail system if your just the general public. I have told my wife a couple times I wanted to go out there and spend a couple days looking for deer but that kind of changes things.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Appreciate Chuck carrying the torch for the common man in Utah!

 

[gburk]

If you’ve got the time and aren’t too far away, that’s the ideal way to do it… good for him doing it his way and not succumbing to the pressure.

One thing I don’t understand, why all the secrecy leading up to it? Sounds like he didn’t want his buddies to talk about it, not sure why exactly.

 

[Jaden Bales]

“I value the process more than the product. The scouting WAS the hunt.”

Man that’s been similar to my mantra all year. Loved this one.

Also, couldn’t help but recognize how down that herd is, and that there were only 2-3 200” bucks on the island. Pretty good example how having nearly zero buck hunters out there, and no large predators sure ain’t helping that deer herd.

 

[MuleyFever]

On the very limited hunts the scouting is the hunt and is such a fun part of having the tag. I wish that I could have spent more time scouting on mine and my wifes Henry tags. The actual hunt is just finishing up what you have been working on for all that time prior.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I didn’t know that you had to stay on the trail system if your just the general public. I have told my wife a couple times I wanted to go out there and spend a couple days looking for deer but that kind of changes things.

It’s still a really cool place, if you haven’t been out there, do it man!

 

[Travis Hobbs]

If you’ve got the time and aren’t too far away, that’s the ideal way to do it… good for him doing it his way and not succumbing to the pressure.

One thing I don’t understand, why all the secrecy leading up to it? Sounds like he didn’t want his buddies to talk about it, not sure why exactly.

I think mostly he just wanted to enjoy the hunt with friends and not have the spotlight on him, his hunt and what they were finding, going to do, etc.

I guess soon after the draw results there was outfitters actively trying to find out who had the tag. I wished I would have dove into that a little more.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

Just finished, this was a great podcast. Good on him to make the most of the entire experience and make the most of the tag. What an incredible experience. My hat is off to him and the way he went about the entire hunt.

I thought it was very interesting hearing about all the different deer behavior. One might tend to think that deer on the island would have no reason to develop reclusive/sneaky habits. I've always wondered how much of a deers habits are learned from hunting pressure, predators etc. vs how much is just engrained in them. I think this just goes to show that some deer are just born inherently sneaky. Very cool!

I think what he told me about the deer behavior blew me away too!

I guess I expected the deer to be very docile and almost ignore human presence out there. Very interesting and makes me re-think what I assume a lot of deer are reacting to on public land.

 

[gburk]

I think mostly he just wanted to enjoy the hunt with friends and not have the spotlight on him, his hunt and what they were finding, going to do, etc.

I guess soon after the draw results there was outfitters actively trying to find out who had the tag. I wished I would have dove into that a little more.

Oh that’s interesting- that probably would get annoying quick. He sounds like a bit of a control freak- not that there’s anything wrong with that. Something I aspire to, in fact

Anyways- great story, enjoyed it.

 

[2Stamp]

Oh that’s interesting- that probably would get annoying quick. He sounds like a bit of a control freak- not that there’s anything wrong with that. Something I aspire to, in fact

Anyways- great story, enjoyed it.

It can get pretty ridiculous, the hype and pressure from outfitters on some of these limited draw tags. I have a friend that drew the Trifecta tag here in WY a couple years ago. He adamantly wanted to do it his way, no Outfitters just his friends/family, and learn some new country. He got blasted on txt from an outfitter here, berating him for not doing the tags justice and "wasting" them.

I think Chuck mentioned the pressure that is on the Island tag holders. It was a good episode. It's a cool place to visit.

 

[Scottyboy]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I knew of antelope island, the deer and the $$$ they brought but really didn’t t know of the island…so the history lesson and what not was excellent - - thank you Travis and Chuck for going down that road. I know Chuck gives 2 shits about the score and didn’t measure anything besides the spread, but what kinda deer are we looking at 220’s??? And does anyone know what the auction buyer shot? Again I’m not asking for any other reason than curiosity and not meaning to compare or judge for that matter

 

[Travis Hobbs]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I knew of antelope island, the deer and the $$$ they brought but really didn’t t know of the island…so the history lesson and what not was excellent - - thank you Travis and Chuck for going down that road. I know Chuck gives 2 shits about the score and didn’t measure anything besides the spread, but what kinda deer are we looking at 220’s??? And does anyone know what the auction buyer shot? Again I’m not asking for any other reason than curiosity and not meaning to compare or judge for that matter

I don’t have a pic of the guided hunter- but here is Chuck’s deer, 35” outside frame, 37” with Cheater (if I’m remembering correctly)


His bases are unreal…. 6”+