Good Units vs. Not Good Units

[Jaden Bales]

I recently had a frustrating conversation with someone looking for help finding deer. They basically were wondering what they did wrong in an area I would consider to be a turd of a unit in Wyoming. They were wanting to hunt dry sage public ground looking for a mule deer.

I hunted it last year just for a weekend and fact of the matter is there are few deer on the public ground. I've heard from multiple folks it's hard to find a good representative muley buck. Simply not great forage, cover or water on the public land to hold a good population. It's likely why it's a leftover option for nonresidents. And if that didn't give it away, the season dates are in November to encourage killing some of those higher deer concentrated ag-fields.

But all this got me to thinking, what makes a good unit versus a not good unit for you?

Now I'm not talking about a limited hunter, high deer number, super special 5+ preference point experience. Obviously those are going to be a better time than those you pick up from either general tags or 1 or 2 point draws.

Where's the line here though? Is a good unit one with plenty of deer to look over? Few deer but the opportunity at a stud? The ability to get away from hunting pressure, though it's an easy to draw unit?

Just curious what your thoughts are...

 

[WCB]

For me...its a combo of all the above. These are in absolutely no particular order

1.For myself I like to shoot mature bucks. So the area needs to have some sort of potential or at least a base line population of the deer I would be willing to shoot.

2.I like to look over deer but a unit where I look at 100+ deer a day is useless if #1 is not there. I however don't want to hunt somewhere void of deer.

3.Pressure/available land to hunt with #1 and #2 available/possible. I live in MN and hunt private and public. I have a public spot that the last 5 years I have seen multiple buck each year in the 150-160" range just hunting the first day and a half of season. However, I won't be goin back next year because people are idiots and even though I know I have a great chance at that caliber of buck I'm over it.

4. I want to hunt certain states every year or every other year. Because of this I normally hunt 2-3 states a year. 1 or two are the same every year and then I'll bounce back an forth on 1 or 2 depending on years. I'm not waiting 5-6 years to hunt a state that I can hunt every other. so far I have shot mostly above average to average deer for units that take that 3-5 years but I'm hunting units that take 0-2 points to draw. To me, and this is definitely hunter dependent, I have seen guys wait 3,5,7,10 years on draw tags and the hunt sucks, potential decreased form previous years, or guys shoot average size bucks.

5. I could care less about terrain...I'm not going to go hunt somewhere because of the terrain and that alone. see #1-4

 

[Jaden Bales]

For me...its a combo of all the above. These are in absolutely no particular order

1.For myself I like to shoot mature bucks. So the area needs to have some sort of potential or at least a base line population of the deer I would be willing to shoot.

2.I like to look over deer but a unit where I look at 100+ deer a day is useless if #1 is not there. I however don't want to hunt somewhere void of deer.

3.Pressure/available land to hunt with #1 and #2 available/possible. I live in MN and hunt private and public. I have a public spot that the last 5 years I have seen multiple buck each year in the 150-160" range just hunting the first day and a half of season. However, I won't be goin back next year because people are idiots and even though I know I have a great chance at that caliber of buck I'm over it.

4. I want to hunt certain states every year or every other year. Because of this I normally hunt 2-3 states a year. 1 or two are the same every year and then I'll bounce back an forth on 1 or 2 depending on years. I'm not waiting 5-6 years to hunt a state that I can hunt every other. so far I have shot mostly above average to average deer for units that take that 3-5 years but I'm hunting units that take 0-2 points to draw. To me, and this is definitely hunter dependent, I have seen guys wait 3,5,7,10 years on draw tags and the hunt sucks, potential decreased form previous years, or guys shoot average size bucks.

5. I could care less about terrain...I'm not going to go hunt somewhere because of the terrain and that alone. see #1-4

That's a killer breakdown. I think this composite is probably how I look at things, too, with caveats.

Seeing more deer is important where I'm at in my experiences just cause I like to have a lot of shot opportunities, especially while archery hunting. The age class will probably come as I kill more bucks...I would bet/hope.

I love to hunt terrain that I find neat, whether it's sagey and cliffy or up in the high country. So that's a higher factor for me. I suppose being in cool terrain can sometimes mean you get away from folks, because it's wilderness or super steep and rugged or something like that. So terrain and pressure probably are tied a bit.

 

[Fatcamp]

#1: Has mule deer.
#2: Public land with access.

That works for me.

 

[idahohikker]

I normally like places that can grow mature bucks and have at decent age class, without a lot of people. It's okay if the deer numbers overall are not super high. However, in the states I've hunted, and definitely in Idaho, there's a strong correlation between deer numbers and hunter numbers (more deer equals more hunters). It can be a bit of a mess sometimes but I'll mix in units with high hunter numbers if I know it has a lot of deer and cranks out some good ones. A few units are ridiculous and I just avoid altogether but others are workable. I like some mix and match of the various pros and cons that come with every different area.

 

[Travis Hobbs]

In my experience, it’s a combination of factors.... having said that, I’m under the firm belief it’s better to hunt often and once on the ground knowledge is established, units that are “junk” or can be hunted yearly can turn into gems for a guy putting in the work.

I personally, would rather have a deer tag in a not so great unit that I can spend a pile of time in and get a tag on a regular basis than a good tag in a unit I don’t know anything about.

 

[sneaky]

There's great bucks in "junk" units and junk bucks in "great" units. Familiarity with an area certainly helps, that's for sure. Seems nowadays if you want to escape pressure you should avoid wilderness areas as they are magnets for people. Especially the #sickforit crowd. Plenty of animals on regular ol NF and BLM land.

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[OXN939]

But all this got me to thinking, what makes a good unit versus a not good unit for you?

A unit where I get to observe a healthy, well-managed ecosystem. Important attributes: large areas that don't have roads, decent game numbers, and cool terrain. I'd take a 150 class buck from a week long trip in a really awesome backcountry area all day long over a 180 that hopped out right next to the road.

 

[Jaden Bales]

A unit where I get to observe a healthy, well-managed ecosystem. Important attributes: large areas that don't have roads, decent game numbers, and cool terrain. I'd take a 150 class buck from a week long trip in a really awesome backcountry area all day long over a 180 that hopped out right next to the road.

I'm on this train for the most part.

I feel lucky enough to have plenty of tags and friends/family who need help all fall long. So I'd take a 180" buck along the side of the road any day since I'm fortunate enough to keep hunting and have those other experiences still that same year. Perks of living out west I suppose.

 

[idahohikker]

I'm on this train for the most part.

I feel lucky enough to have plenty of tags and friends/family who need help all fall long. So I'd take a 180" buck along the side of the road any day since I'm fortunate enough to keep hunting and have those other experiences still that same year. Perks of living out west I suppose.

Yeah the friends and family helping is really meaningful and fun to me. It also makes it easier as a trophy hunter to just pass on whatever doesn't fit the bill. I guess you could also take a meat animal and help someone find a trophy also. It's great to live close and have options.

 

[Jaden Bales]

Yeah the friends and family helping is really meaningful and fun to me. It also makes it easier as a trophy hunter to just pass on whatever doesn't fit the bill. I guess you could also take a meat animal and help someone find a trophy also. It's great to live close and have options.

Ol' Cody Rich had this saying about the four things he wants in a hunting season - one for me, one with you, something old, and something new. Pretty good way to look at it.

Plus, if you're in a place like Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, most mid-west or eastern states, etc, you can stack a bunch of tags for meat in your pocket as well as some buck tags for more of the 'trophy' experience.

 

[idahohikker]

Ol' Cody Rich had this saying about the four things he wants in a hunting season - one for me, one with you, something old, and something new. Pretty good way to look at it.

Plus, if you're in a place like Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, most mid-west or eastern states, etc, you can stack a bunch of tags for meat in your pocket as well as some buck tags for more of the 'trophy' experience.

Yeah that's good. Kind of sounds like Cody has been spending a lot of time around wedding receptions. Lol. And you young s.o.b.s without children or busy jobs get lots of time in the field. Color me jealous. I help a handful of guys on here each year to live vicariously through them.

Jaden, I'm interested to hear how your season plans are shaking out once your WYO draws come out. PM me if you want.

 

[Jaden Bales]

Yeah that's good. Kind of sounds like Cody has been spending a lot of time around wedding receptions. Lol. And you young s.o.b.s without children or busy jobs get lots of time in the field. Color me jealous. I help a handful of guys on here each year to live vicariously through them.

Jaden, I'm interested to hear how your season plans are shaking out once your WYO draws come out. PM me if you want.

Hahah. I'll tell him that. He's a softy at heart.

Yeah, I'm living it up while I can! I'm excited to take my little-ones some day, but gonna be selfish 'til then. I'll hit you up in PM's at 10:01 tomorrow morning.

 

[Rich M]

Some great comments.

I don't live out west and it is a major effort to get out there. After a low point antelope hunt I swore I would have more points to have more a more enjoyable hunt - collecting points and will be until about 2025 - long time to wait but it'll be worth it.

If a hunter has an ambition of a "mature" buck and wants a XXX-inch buck, the way to achieve this is not to hunt every possible season, but to go where they are. I'd like to say that a 5 pt unit is worth the wait but local knowledge on a low point unit will produce some big bucks. In WY I know that more points usually equals more land access and better hunt areas/bigger deer on public. In CO it almost seems like the season is what makes the difference. Again - just a traveling hunter - not attached to any one area or state - nor needing to do this all the time but enjoying what I/we do get to do. Fun stuff. Hunting around home is fun too.

We did a 0 point mule deer hunt last year and took a 160 4x4 and missed a 120-130-140-ish 3x3 with palmated fronts. By accident - nothing we did was right, just kept doing, and then received some local help. Very nice of the guy to help us out and we saw more deer from there on out. Nothing we'd know being from a location far far away.

So, I'd say local knowledge trumps points. However, a 5 point unit trumps a 1 point unit for the traveling hunter like myself who has little idea about how mule deer hunting actually "works". It would be easier to blunder into a deer if there are more of them or there is better habitat and less hunters.

 

[Fatcamp]

Some great comments.

I don't live out west and it is a major effort to get out there. After a low point antelope hunt I swore I would have more points to have more a more enjoyable hunt - collecting points and will be until about 2025 - long time to wait but it'll be worth it.

If a hunter has an ambition of a "mature" buck and wants a XXX-inch buck, the way to achieve this is not to hunt every possible season, but to go where they are. I'd like to say that a 5 pt unit is worth the wait but local knowledge on a low point unit will produce some big bucks. In WY I know that more points usually equals more land access and better hunt areas/bigger deer on public. In CO it almost seems like the season is what makes the difference. Again - just a traveling hunter - not attached to any one area or state - nor needing to do this all the time but enjoying what I/we do get to do. Fun stuff. Hunting around home is fun too.

We did a 0 point mule deer hunt last year and took a 160 4x4 and missed a 120-130-140-ish 3x3 with palmated fronts. By accident - nothing we did was right, just kept doing, and then received some local help. Very nice of the guy to help us out and we saw more deer from there on out. Nothing we'd know being from a location far far away.

So, I'd say local knowledge trumps points. However, a 5 point unit trumps a 1 point unit for the traveling hunter like myself who has little idea about how mule deer hunting actually "works". It would be easier to blunder into a deer if there are more of them or there is better habitat and less hunters.

Where as I hold that 5 years spent OTC/low point units puts you far ahead in the skill category which really counts.

 

[sneaky]

You can go to a 5 or 10pt unit and get blanked too. Then, not only did you burn a bunch of points, but you have a bitter taste in your mouth because of it.

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[Fatcamp]

You can go to a 5 or 10pt unit and get blanked too. Then, not only did you burn a bunch of points, but you have a bitter taste in your mouth because of it.

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I think building points can be a good thing but if you want to hunt mule deer you have to be in the field. A ten point unit you have never been to as a first mule deer hunt is not a solid plan.

 

[Trial153]

For me bowhunting I need fair numbers, I will shave off trophy quality a little in favor of more bucks almost always. The name of the game for me for success multiple stalks on mature bucks. The very best units will give you numbers and trophy quality, the secondary units its give and take.
If i gun hunted I would reverse my criteria

 

[vanish]

I like to see animals and not people.

If the worst thing about a unit is I am in an area with few mature bucks but lots of deer, and I get to spend the whole season watching deer ... that's fun! It meant I got to hunt longer. Every new deer that appears is excitement.

Not much less fun to me than watching people blow out deer all over the place, where they become hard to see after the first day or two.