Pine Ridge Nebraska Whitetails

[mvmnts]

I hunted Pine Ridge for turkeys a couple years ago, definitely saw some whitetail but weren't really looking for them either. I hunt whitetail every year up in CT, but there we hunt on the mountain and the deer make a mostly honestly living on acorns, forbs etc, not ag land.

Help me start to conceptualize how/where whitetails use the landscape in the pine ridge Nebraska area. I'll tell you what I think so far, and how I'd like to hunt. And then maybe you guys can correct me or add to my knowledge. I'm used to backcountry hunting so I'm eager to use that ability to hike and hunt more remote areas to my advantage if possible. Although it doesn't look like you can get more than a couple miles from most roads.

There's four kinda areas that I'm mentally breaking the landscape down into. There's public fields and open areas bordering private ag, there's major river bottoms, creek bottoms that are probably dry, and there's the hills. I'm kinda thinking of staying out of the hills to be honest, as I don't have a tag for muleys. Do you think this is a mistake? I know WT use the hills too, but I'm wondering if percentage wise I'm going to see many, and without a lot of prior scouting not sure I'll know where to look.

As far as river bottoms and creek bottoms. Is it worth packing in to creek beds that have broadleaf trees but are obviously dry some or most of the year? These are the most remote areas I can find, but is the pay off worth it? Or should I stick to just rivers that have actual water while I'm hunting.

How tightly should I be sticking to public adjacent to ag? White on rice? Or is it just something to look at first? I'll be bowhunting for a few days to get the lay of the land and then switching over to rifle for 3 or 4 days as well. I'd really like to get into a saddle for archery, but I'm thinking the only viable place for that would be river bottom.

 

[bmicek]

I am unfamiliar with the pine ridge area but I am familiar with Nebraska whitetails. More often than not, river bottom ground is going to hold more deer. But think of it as a gradient for deer numbers/quality. River bottom will have the most deer but most hunting pressure. Creek bottom will hold a respectable number of deer, and some hunting pressure but less than the river bottom. The hills will hold a lot fewer deer, but I would bet the quality of bucks goes up due to lower hunting pressure.

If it’s a short trip, you may want to stick with river bottom and creek bottom. Gauge the hunting pressure and work around it. If you can cross a river, you’ll get away from a lot of the pressure.

 

[mvmnts]

Thanks. I have only doe tags on this trip, but I may go out for a buck next year if things go well. Glad to hear I'm roughly on the right track. Do you think it's worth trying to find a spot to hang right in the river bottom where the trees are thick?

 

[bmicek]

Thanks. I have only doe tags on this trip, but I may go out for a buck next year if things go well. Glad to hear I'm roughly on the right track. Do you think it's worth trying to find a spot to hang right in the river bottom where the trees are thick?

If does are what you are after, then that’s where I’d be hunting. You mentioned ag fields, if you can find food and cover, you’ll find deer. If the ag field is harvested, it may even pay to get there a day early and glass the fields at last light and see where the deer are entering the field to feed.

 

[William Sublette]

None of it makes any any difference.

You'll see more hunters than deer.


And the deer will be pinballed to surrounding private ground in short order.
(Most already have been)

Your best chance will be escape funnels to private ground.

 

[mvmnts]

None of it makes any any difference.

You'll see more hunters than deer.


And the deer will be pinballed to surrounding private ground in short order.
(Most already have been)

Your best chance will be escape funnels to private ground.

Yeah okay, this defeatist nonsense is not really helpful. If you ask about literally any over the counter area this is what you hear 100% of the time.

 

[mvmnts]

If does are what you are after, then that’s where I’d be hunting. You mentioned ag fields, if you can find food and cover, you’ll find deer. If the ag field is harvested, it may even pay to get there a day early and glass the fields at last light and see where the deer are entering the field to feed.

Yeah I'm going to try to get there a couple days early and do a little archery hunting and get a lay of the land somewhat. Being rifle season and the rut, I want to be somewhere in the mix and hopefully get lucky on the opener with something passing by.

 

[William Sublette]

Yeah okay, this defeatist nonsense is not really helpful.

Well then, allow me to retort.


Your projecting a sense of entitlement.


Would you rather have chamber of commerce sunshine blown up your skirt?

 

[Dinger42]

I hunted all over pine ridge last season. We saw 3 bucks the first couple days and then nothing but does, speed goats and quail the rest of the 9 day trip. Tough area to hunt on public according to the locals due to the big Ogallala grass fire they had a few years back.

 

[mvmnts]

I hunted all over pine ridge last season. We saw 3 bucks the first couple days and then nothing but does, speed goats and quail the rest of the 9 day trip. Tough area to hunt on public according to the locals due to the big Ogallala grass fire they had a few years back.

I have nothing but doe tags. If you care to share some more detailed intel in a pm, I'm all ears. I'm just trying to get some meat. I normally try for elk but my knee is bothering me this year so can't be packing out elk quarters.

 

[Titan_Bow]

I bow hunt and my son rifle hunts public land Nebraska every year. The difference between archery and gun seasons is night and day. During bow season you can actually hunt deer and deer behavior, but opening day of rifle, you need to be hunting the pressure. Look for funnels, small strips of thick that lead off the public, thick areas that are sanctuary, and farthest from roads and trails. Try and anticipate where other hunters might be or might be pushing deer.


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[Dinger42]

I have nothing but doe tags. If you care to share some more detailed intel in a pm, I'm all ears. I'm just trying to get some meat. I normally try for elk but my knee is bothering me this year so can't be packing out elk quarters.

As soon as I have 10 posts and can send PM's I will do that hahaha! new here. I have some pin's on onx I can look back at and show you where I saw some does. When are you going to pine ridge?

 

[mvmnts]

As soon as I have 10 posts and can send PM's I will do that hahaha! new here. I have some pin's on onx I can look back at and show you where I saw some does. When are you going to pine ridge?

Second week of November, going to archery hunt for a bit and then hunt the first 2 or 3 days of the rifle season. I have a season choice tag for WT.

 

[mvmnts]

I bow hunt and my son rifle hunts public land Nebraska every year. The difference between archery and gun seasons is night and day. During bow season you can actually hunt deer and deer behavior, but opening day of rifle, you need to be hunting the pressure. Look for funnels, small strips of thick that lead off the public, thick areas that are sanctuary, and farthest from roads and trails. Try and anticipate where other hunters might be or might be pushing deer.


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I'm really torn on how to split up my time, whether to spend more time in archery or more time in rifle.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

haven't been there for several years but spent time in both the PR area and the sandhills. The whitetails there aren't much different than anywhere else. Thickest cover will hold deer. I never saw anything up in the pines, unless it was traveling through. Maybe others have had different success but the deer I shot and witnessed shot all came from cover.

 

[Hunting716]

Keep us posted on how you do!

 

[Jmiller_outside]

I've done the non res muzzleloader hunt and I was very lucky to get on a good buck the last couple days of my solo trip. I will definitely be going back, but next time with a bow in hand and different mindset. Its cool country, but tough hunting if your not used to hunting something like the pine ridge area - I glassed more does that I could have ever guessed I would out there, my trip got more exciting the further East I went and the smaller pockets of public that I stumbled on.

 

[KHNC]

I hunted Pine Ridge for turkeys a couple years ago, definitely saw some whitetail but weren't really looking for them either. I hunt whitetail every year up in CT, but there we hunt on the mountain and the deer make a mostly honestly living on acorns, forbs etc, not ag land.

Help me start to conceptualize how/where whitetails use the landscape in the pine ridge Nebraska area. I'll tell you what I think so far, and how I'd like to hunt. And then maybe you guys can correct me or add to my knowledge. I'm used to backcountry hunting so I'm eager to use that ability to hike and hunt more remote areas to my advantage if possible. Although it doesn't look like you can get more than a couple miles from most roads.

There's four kinda areas that I'm mentally breaking the landscape down into. There's public fields and open areas bordering private ag, there's major river bottoms, creek bottoms that are probably dry, and there's the hills. I'm kinda thinking of staying out of the hills to be honest, as I don't have a tag for muleys. Do you think this is a mistake? I know WT use the hills too, but I'm wondering if percentage wise I'm going to see many, and without a lot of prior scouting not sure I'll know where to look.

As far as river bottoms and creek bottoms. Is it worth packing in to creek beds that have broadleaf trees but are obviously dry some or most of the year? These are the most remote areas I can find, but is the pay off worth it? Or should I stick to just rivers that have actual water while I'm hunting.

How tightly should I be sticking to public adjacent to ag? White on rice? Or is it just something to look at first? I'll be bowhunting for a few days to get the lay of the land and then switching over to rifle for 3 or 4 days as well. I'd really like to get into a saddle for archery, but I'm thinking the only viable place for that would be river bottom.

Pine Ridge public is SLAMMED with rifle hunters. Majority of the deer head to private once rifle opens. If you want to hunt this area, you should plan it for bow season.

 

[mvmnts]

Shot two deer in 4 days, a doe and this small buck. Didn't see any other hunters, I left before rifle even opened. First kill with my saddle too, **** I love that thing! I stuck to the river bottoms like my gut told me to. Didn't disappoint. Saw some real big deer too, but I'm not experienced or patient enough to slay the big boys. Great trip.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Way to go man! I've killed a lot of small bucks like that where I hunt out there, they sure taste good! Good to hear you had fun and a successful trip! Stick with it and learn an area and you'll start to figure those bigger bucks out eventually! One tip I can give you, especially in that week just prior to rifle opener when the bucks are usually moving a lot. Hunt ALL DAY, and hunt open country that you might be overlooking if you are only concentrating on the thick bottoms. I've taken some nice bucks in areas where I was tucked up under a cedar or a makeshift ground blind, and had bucks cruising for does come by me during mid day. While a lot of deer seek refuge in the thick stuff, there are a lot of these whitetails (AT LEAST IN THE AREA I HUNT) that will feel just as secure, or more secure, out in the open where they can see and smell anything coming. Look for stuff like this if you can. Little, sometimes, almost imperceptible fingers of cover that lead out of thick areas, and ultimately allow for travel to food sources. I've had does come in and bed all day in these exact fingers I've circled here, and I have had bucks cruise them all hours of the day, primarily on the downwind side, looking for said does. If I had been in the thick river bottom, I would have never seen them, and an added bonus, the wind is usually WAY more predictable out in these more open spots.