Area Biologist Questions?

[crowlja]

At what point do you typically consider contacting the area biologist about an area and what questions do you tend to ask them?

Here are my questions so far:
Elevation band for transional range in this region (Elevation band the deer might be in if it's a dry year or a snow year)
Historical hunting pressure in the area
Age class he's been seeing this year/last couple years

Kinda sparce but I don't want to take up all of there time.

 

[Muleyczy]

Imo I never contact any biologist. Some are of the belief that if you call the biologists they’ll fill you in on some valuable insider information. My experience is most give general information, if they even answer or call back, and if you do talk to them they field lots of calls and give the same information to anyone who calls. Talking to hunters or figuring it out is probably your best bet….but I could be wrong, that’s just my experience.

 

[guitarpreston]

I talked to the one in the unit I drew. He gave pretty generalized info but tried to answer my questions. I was caught off guard when he called back and forgot most of them though. I was more asking about weather and access etc. wish I had asked your questions.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

At what point do you typically consider contacting the area biologist about an area and what questions do you tend to ask them?

Here are my questions so far:
Elevation band for transional range in this region (Elevation band the deer might be in if it's a dry year or a snow year)
Historical hunting pressure in the area
Age class he's been seeing this year/last couple years

Kinda sparce but I don't want to take up all of there time.

Some will answer, others will be harder to track down. They also seem more interested in answering questions the more limited your tag is. If you have an OTC tag in western Colorado, maybe don't waste their time, but I think its always worth giving a try - he or she might get back to you quickly, or you may never hear again.

They probably will give you general information if you ask general questions, but your questions here would be good ones. I would also recommend being complimentary and being otherwise generally "nice". They'll no doubt have had a similar conversation with other folks, but on occasion they'll pass out a real gem. I've done it myself.

 

[crowlja]

Thanks for the responses. I figure if I have more specific questions, then it may cut back on the "general" response that might be more helpful to me anyways.

 

[Beagle001]

Do a bunch of research on your own about the area. I’ve had decent luck mentioning a specific butte/mountain/drainage etc as your first or second spot and they may tell you something about that spot.
If you gather that they send all of the other folks who call into a certain spot, go elsewhere lol

 

[MNGrouser]

It never hurts to ask, but my experience has been it is nearly impossible to even get a call back. I hope you have better luck than I've had.

 

[Justin_Tree]

I think it is best to reach out when you have a decent idea of where and how you want to hunt and ask about those areas and tactics. If you’re not prepared with questions, you’re gonna get the same general information that is given to most that call. One of the most valuable questions that I ask is “are there areas that are void of deer”. I then know to avoid those areas and can feel confident that the areas I am scouting/hunting have a buck somewhere, just gotta stay positive till I find him.

 

[bluesulphur]

You may get great info, or you may not. You won't know until you try.

 

[Axlrod]

Waste their time?? They work for YOU!
I have called several here in Montana, usually when I am going into a new area. They have been mostly helpful. One met me in the area one day (he was planning on being there anyway). He was very knowledgeable about historic range conditions as they relate to drought. And herd numbers.
Another was new to the area i was asking about, but had a lot of info on the area he had just come from. Including access to some of the area, I didn't know about.

 

[crowlja]

I think it is best to reach out when you have a decent idea of where and how you want to hunt and ask about those areas and tactics. If you’re not prepared with questions, you’re gonna get the same general information that is given to most that call. One of the most valuable questions that I ask is “are there areas that are void of deer”. I then know to avoid those areas and can feel confident that the areas I am scouting/hunting have a buck somewhere, just gotta stay positive till I find him.

That's a great question! Thanks!

 

[crowlja]

Waste their time?? They work for YOU!
I have called several here in Montana, usually when I am going into a new area. They have been mostly helpful. One met me in the area one day (he was planning on being there anyway). He was very knowledgeable about historic range conditions as they relate to drought. And herd numbers.
Another was new to the area i was asking about, but had a lot of info on the area he had just come from. Including access to some of the area, I didn't know about.

Access to one of the spots I had e-scouted is one of my questions...just don't know if the biologist would be the right one to ask about that. But I plan on asking anyways

 

[lnewton]

I have called both the area biologist and the game wardens in the unit I am hunting this year in New Mexico. I did have quite a few specific places that I was interested in especially the canyon names and drainages. That helped a bunch while asking them questions.

 

[westonhoma]

I will get calls back. I bullshitted with a dude from CO for a good bit and he told me to call him back whenever to talk about hunting or more about the area (unfortunately did not draw the tag tho). I think it just comes down to the type of person who is on the other end of the line lol.

Best tip is be very specific about your questions. You should know as much as you can about the area before talking to them. Then you can convey you have actually done some homework. I will start with very specific questions, maybe not even hunting related (as about trail access or good water sources in specific area). Always be courteous , sometimes at this point they will gladly go down a rabbit hole of if the area youre looking at will be good to hunt in.

 

[westonhoma]

And side note imo.. "general" information is better than no information if you are coming from out of state. So always worth calling around I think

 

[WCB]

Waste their time?? They work for YOU!

Not sure their job duties or responsibilities include game scout. Also, yeah I bet 99% of guy literally waste their time.

 

[S.Clancy]

I generally send an email with some very pointed questions about the areas of the unit(s) I am going to hunt. I include maps etc. I almost always get very useful information back

 

[Mule3006Elk]

I spoke with 2 different biologist. Each a different area of the state. One gave standard canned responses.
A biologist will know an area to a degree. To expect them to know exactly where the bucks are in October, transitional zones for the their area during your hunt time frame, when the bucks will move, hunting pressure etc, depends on the biologist. If the biologist is not a hunter I don't expect precise details > their mind is wired differently. If they hunt you are more likely to get useful information. A biologist that hunts is always looking for game in the field, year round, even if they are working. Personally, I can't be in the field and not look for game. My mind is wired that way. The 2nd biologist was awesome. She gave me details, drainages, etc. She had also authored a study with ongoing investigations in this area. She was rattling off information like I was at an auction.

TIP: find big game studies conducted by fish/game in your unit. Try to contact the author of that study. They will have a plethora of information if they are willing to help.

 

[TaperPin]

In the drainage I hunt older age class bucks are up high - they are all up high. In a dozen years of hard hunting I’ve never seen an old buck in the middle or lower areas. Not all areas are like this, so that would be a good question for a biologist.

Personally when talking with a game warden I’d lead off with a question about which drainages outfitters hunt - it doesn’t mean you can’t hunt there - the aholes near me hunt right under our noses - but it is good to know so as you’re hiking into a new camp site, there isn’t a dozen people and two dozen horses.

Likewise, if you aren’t familiar with the types of trails and camp locations horse hunters are likely to focus on, that’s a general question that might get a specific tidbit of information. “Is it true most horse hunters only go in 5 miles from trailheads?” For some reason I’ve heard this my entire life, and of course there’s a little truth to it, but it might get someone who has hunted there to spill the beans of a great area nobody ever seems to want to camp or hunt at.

There’s a wide range of personalities (on both ends) and phone voices - I know guys who make a ton of money on the phone and sound like radio dj’s - people just bend over backwards for them. Others who are actually more competent, have a poor phone voice and they can’t get schitt out of people.

 

[guitarpreston]

forgot to add the one I spoke with mentioned I could text him, so I did asking for an email so I could better gather my thoughts and not have to spit random things out on the spot and no rush to return. He said that was fine and gave it to me….now we wait