Dilemma - Drew Nevada 71-79,91 Archery Mule Deer Tag

[Brendan]

So, it's July 19th and I just got an email tonight saying I drew an early archery mule deer tag for Nevada off the alternate list. Units 71-79, 91. Season opens August 10th and closes September 9th.

I have a Colorado archery mule deer tag for a 3-4 point unit and was planning on hunting 9/2-9/12 or thereabouts but I can't do both. Physical and gear prep isn't an issue because I've been preparing for a Colorado high country hunt. The Colorado seasons aren't great, and I've been a little bit worried about crowds surrounding a big wilderness area in the CO unit, especially with Labor day weekend.

My logic tells me I should turn in the Colorado Tag, and switch plans to hunt NV and e-scout my tail off until I leave. But, I've never set foot in any of the units in NV. I know the Jarbridge Wilderness is one option.

So what would you do? I can't hunt both, so my initial reaction is hunt Aug 15th - 27th in NV. Anyone have any advice about those units that they want to share privately?

 

[cmahoney]

How many NV points did you have?


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[CApighunter]

I’d hunt NV and eat the tag fee for Colorado. The states are polar opposites for predicting when you’ll draw. As much as NV is a gambling state, take the money and run, you’ll have your CO points for next year.

 

[Brendan]

I want to say I had 5 points in NV. Was never really shooting for the real high point units anyways.

Eating the tag fee for CO to keep my points would leave me with 5 next year and I could always draw the same unit.

 

[Fatcamp]

I’d hunt NV and eat the tag fee for Colorado. The states are polar opposites for predicting when you’ll draw. As much as NV is a gambling state, take the money and run, you’ll have your CO points for next year.

Oh, ya.

 

[cmahoney]

I’d keep your NV tag. Way easier to glass bucks in august and you probably aren’t going to see a ton of other hunters.


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[Cant hit em]

You have alot of time allotted , can you move your hunt to later in August , hunt Nv and when you kill something go to Colorado for the rest of the time ? That would be an epic trip.

 

[Brendan]

Unfortunately, I can't do both. It'd be epic, but I can only take the two weeks off because of work.

Looks like the decision is made for me, not that it was ever much of a decision, Colorado tags are going back. That's what I'd planned on doing when I checked the "Alternate" box on the Nevada app that I thought would never amount to anything!

If anyone has any advice whatsoever on these units they'd share privately - I'm all ears. Looks like I've got 3 weeks from Friday...

 

[Brendan]

Figured I'd update the thread. Colorado tags were returned, Nevada tags are here, I leave for Nevada a week from Friday, and have my initial locations all planned out.

Weather looks sunny, dry, sunny, dry, sunny, dry, sunny, dry... You get the picture.... Packing extra water jugs, fuel, and probably leaving the chains at home.

Probably won't get a chance to really sit back and really enjoy it until I get there, but almost game time.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

 

[ELKOHUNTER]

Just a heads up

 

[Tayler Wayne]

Curious how this hunt shook out for you @Brendan?


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[ndmarine]

Yes please fill us in

 

[Brendan]

Typed this up in a PM to someone, so cut paste here:

In one sense, fantastic. Probably saw 70-80 bucks in 9 days, went on 8-9 stalks. And, as a rookie mule deer hunter, that's what I needed. Learned a TON about spot and stalk mule deer and will be much better prepared for the next hunt.

The bad part, there were lots of people around anywhere road accessible (even WAY up the gnarly questionable road I was on) Almost all bucks were small, I saw maybe one "Big" deer, one medium sized 4-pt that I almost connected with, but the rest weren't that impressive. I would have been happy with any of the 8-9 I stalked, but keep in mind my standards aren't that high.

The other thing that made it hard, no deer bedding up high, at all. Zero. Didn't see one the entire trip where I was, and only one deer bedding in more open, stalkable area. And I did try spending a bunch of time behind glass, but I think it was so dry, so smoky, that all the water was lower and the deer were all bedding in Aspens where I was. Multiple times I would have stalked within 20 yards of a deer and couldn't tell where he was. Then, after a couple hours of stalking, the wind would switch, or I'd get a little too close and the deer was gone.

So anyways, I'd go back if I get the opportunity, but not sure I'd hunt exactly where I was.

 

[S.Clancy]

Typed this up in a PM to someone, so cut paste here:

In one sense, fantastic. Probably saw 70-80 bucks in 9 days, went on 8-9 stalks. And, as a rookie mule deer hunter, that's what I needed. Learned a TON about spot and stalk mule deer and will be much better prepared for the next hunt.

The bad part, there were lots of people around anywhere road accessible (even WAY up the gnarly questionable road I was on) Almost all bucks were small, I saw maybe one "Big" deer, one medium sized 4-pt that I almost connected with, but the rest weren't that impressive. I would have been happy with any of the 8-9 I stalked, but keep in mind my standards aren't that high.

The other thing that made it hard, no deer bedding up high, at all. Zero. Didn't see one the entire trip where I was, and only one deer bedding in more open, stalkable area. And I did try spending a bunch of time behind glass, but I think it was so dry, so smoky, that all the water was lower and the deer were all bedding in Aspens where I was. Multiple times I would have stalked within 20 yards of a deer and couldn't tell where he was. Then, after a couple hours of stalking, the wind would switch, or I'd get a little too close and the deer was gone.

So anyways, I'd go back if I get the opportunity, but not sure I'd hunt exactly where I was.

How far were you getting off roads? I only ask because that is a really good mule deer unit, we hunted a much easier to draw unit, saw less bucks, but saw some really nice ones, the biggest of which I missed which was a legit 165-170" 3x3. I would have expected you would have seen at least a couple big bucks. Either way, great experience and NV is pretty awesome!

 

[Brendan]

How far were you getting off roads? I only ask because that is a really good mule deer unit, we hunted a much easier to draw unit, saw less bucks, but saw some really nice ones, the biggest of which I missed which was a legit 165-170" 3x3. I would have expected you would have seen at least a couple big bucks. Either way, great experience and NV is pretty awesome!

Definitely not as far as I could have, best way I could describe the area I was in was an area other people were passing by to go deeper, and I was seeing deer every day. But one of the other reasons was I spent a lot of time behind NL's and my ATX95 glassing other areas, other basins, glassing some of the ridge lines, hiking to glass other vantages and I didn't see a damn thing elsewhere that I could conceivably hike to and hunt (Plenty of Elk though) so made the decision not to leave deer to go looking for more deer.

I also blew two tires between the trip out and the way in to the unit, so was definitely nervous about driving all over creation on some shitty terrain relocating, so there was that.

Learned a ton, would do it somewhat differently, don't regret it at all.

 

[S.Clancy]

Definitely not as far as I could have, best way I could describe the area I was in was an area other people were passing by to go deeper, and I was seeing deer every day. But one of the other reasons was I spent a lot of time behind NL's and my ATX95 glassing other areas, other basins, glassing some of the ridge lines, hiking to glass other vantages and I didn't see a damn thing elsewhere that I could conceivably hike to and hunt (Plenty of Elk though) so made the decision not to leave deer to go looking for more deer.

I also blew two tires between the trip out and the way in to the unit, so was definitely nervous about driving all over creation on some shitty terrain relocating, so there was that.

Learned a ton, would do it somewhat differently, don't regret it at all.

Definitely hard to leave deer to find deer! I would love to be able to hunt that country someday but it gets tougher and tougher every year to draw. Sounds like an awesome hunt!