Contributors to this thread:
Made it out in 39 today for the first time in a lot of years. Saw approx. 50 does and only 1 little forked horn buck. Questions, where are the bucks? Will the join up with the does when the rut kicks into full gear? The forky was chasing does a bit. Just found it strange to see that many deer without horns this time of year.
I am betting the bigger bucks are still up high a little bit; they are starting to move down to about 4000 in elevation here as of yesterday. ( Salmon Area)
I just got back from 31 days in unit 39. I think it all depends on where in the unit you're at and what the weather's been like where you're at. We saw mostly small bucks, forks and three points, below about 5000 ft. Above 7000 there were some bigger ones but they had not begun to chase does much and stayed pretty spread out.
My guess is that when the real cold weather hits and STAYS, they'll be down and lusting after the ladies. It's just a bit late this year as compared to some recent years.
The Old Sarge
i went out 2 times in unit 39, during general deer season with my bow (kinda scary having rifle shots going off on both opposite ridge standing in the middle)
I saw two 4x4 buck, but pretty sure they both got whacked as when they crossed over the ridge in front of me, they were followed by rifle shots. I heard about 10 shots easy both days I was up there. Looked like the rifle hunters were cleaning up the bucks in the lower, easier to get to ridges (first row of ridges) right off the road. The second day I went up I only saw one small forky and tons of does. Hopefully the cold weather drives more bucks down soon!
Went up today. We saw about 50 does on private land. 1-2x2 buck and a one horned 2pt. The 2x2 was sniffing does and attempted a couple of mounts, but the doe was not having it. We then went up high to the lookout area in the snow and never cut a single elk or deer track in the snow up there. Did see 6 coyotes up in the snow together. Tried to call them, but they were not interested in our calling.
I went out yesterday and seen about 100 deer. I got a photo of one small 4x4 and seen a STUD of a mule deer at about 120 yards. (I wish I had a deer tag) I was hunting elk and seen about 40-50 all in one herd. I could not get close because of the wind and all of the eyes. It ended up being a short day because of the weather. It looked to me like they were headed for the low country
made it out tuesday and saw about 100 deer. 6-7 bucks and only one 4x4 that was a dink(maybe 100")
great day might take the boys out this afternoon
Think I will go out this afternoon also. Dieing to use the Deer head decoy my wife and kids made.
anyone get a snow buck? wondering how the snow/weather was up around the arrowrock part of unit 39...heading up tomorrow morning. This little snow pushing any deer down??
Wind was blowing pretty good on top. Camelback kept freezing up. Not the best day for spotting deer, most of the deer were hunkered down that I saw. It seems impossible to stalk these deer when bedded in the thick stuff. It appears to me a 2 person push ambush strategy would be more successful.
yah it was a little cold. little windy. my camelback spout kept freezing too. pretty crunchy on the hills. started off hiking up the same basin as 3 other people. kinda a bummer. got halfway up and spotted couple does bedded, watched em for a bit then noticed another deer moving through the trees towards them, a very nice tall 4x4ish with good mass. wish i could of gotten a picture or video of him. watched him intensely chase a smaller 3x3 buck away from the doe he was courting. while trying to figure a way to put a stalk on one of my unknown bowhunter companions popped over the hill and spooked em.
with the frozen ground pretty much only way to hunt was a 2 person push. unfortunately my unknown bowhunter pushers couldn't keep up and the deer made it over the ridge in front of them. so i waited at the top watching another bowhunter slowly make his way up towards me. as he closed within a 100yrds of me we had 2 does and 3 forky bucks zip between us. they were 48yrds from me and not stopping. they passed closer down toward him and i watched him go to full draw standing in the open but he never shot not sure what happened. even rut crazy the bucks disappear but 9:30am and i never saw them again.
anyone have a DIY way for making stalking boots. socks over boots? etc?
The title of this thread should be Unit 39 does. Went out last Thursday and Friday, and then this afternoon (tuesday 17th) saw close to 70 deer 98% of them does. Where are the bucks? The small bucks are nosing the does, so the does (atleast some) are in heat.
Are they killing to many bucks during rifle season in 39? Not an accusation, just interested in opinions from those with much more experience in the unit.
heard the bucks are still higher. Funny thing is last year we had no snow but the area i usually hunt was fantastic. lots of deer and lots of good bucks. this year you still see a lot of deer but not the numbers like last year and no good bucks. i went to a different area this year and found a ton of deer and one good buck and some ok ones but no really good ones. i have yet to see one over 150.
Ridge Runner, I was in unit 39 the entire "any weapon season". (There is no "rifle" seasons. ) :0) Everybody I hunted with and talked to had the same story ... tons of does, a few smallish bucks and almost no big fellas.
Makes me wonder if this is a reaction to having so many wolf packs in play.
The Old Sarge
Old Sarge,
Are you suggesting the wolves are preferentially eating bucks? Doesn't seem to be a shortage of does. And I have seen plenty of bucks in the foothills around Boise where hunting pressure is not the same.
I made the loop on Oct. 31st from Blacks creek back down the river and saw the highest density of hunters I have ever seen in Idaho. My first thought goes to high buck harvest rates. Again, I don't have the experience in the unit to give anything but an opinion.
i did 3 days during the "any weapon season" i saw lots of bucks hitting the ground. The two 4x4 bucks hit the ground in the same day. The rifle shot barrage (as i call it) was quite fiery in the lower section of 39 off arrowrock res. I saw the two 4x4 bucks the first day, only 2x2 bucks the second day, and only Does the 3rd day. My last trip up last weekend I did see a very nice 4x4ish and a group of 2x2 and 3x3s. But it did look like the rifle hunters had some good success at least in the lower part of 39. As i was driving out, saw lots of horns in the back of trucks, but i can only speak for the Arrowrock Res area of 39.
I wasn't suggesting anything like that. But maybe the bigger bucks react differently than the does and younger bucks.
looking at the data online, the harvest of antlered mule deer in unit 39 doesn't seem to be any higher then preceding years, F&G has a running tally of the 2009 hunting reports. see the link. of course not everyone has submitted their reports for 2009. just some interesting data.
you can compare that chart with the previous years at this link:
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/hunt.aspx?ID=21621
OK I know this buck isnt a wall hanger but I had opening day to hunt and saw about 50 does and 3 bucks. This buck gave me a 40 yard shot and I couldnt pass on it. My brother didnt get a chance to hunt so he was glad to get some meat... I left for Alaska on Tue. Wish I would have had more time to hunt. From the looks of all the does and how this buck was chasing them around is only a matter of time and snow till the bigger boys will be down lower. Good luck to all on this hunt. "Ponch"
OK I know this buck isnt a wall hanger but I had opening day to hunt and saw about 50 does and 3 bucks. This buck gave me a 40 yard shot and I couldnt pass on it. My brother didnt get a chance to hunt so he was glad to get some meat... I left for Alaska on Tue. Wish I would have had more time to hunt. From the looks of all the does and how this buck was chasing them around is only a matter of time and snow till the bigger boys will be down lower. Good luck to all on this hunt. "Ponch"
Ok, now it is definately unit 39 BIG bucks. I had an awesome day chasing good bucks yesterday. Was 60 yards from a monster buck tried to get 20 more on him and he caught me. 6X6 with great mass. Not real wide but an awesome buck. 45 minutes later shot at a good 4X4 buck, not huge but nice. Missed low. Kicking myself for that. AWESOME day. Saw 3 other decent to good bucks.
I compare the 39 hunt as level with an African safari. I remember an article written in a hunting magazine a LONG time ago; where Ric Hinton commented on seeing hundreds of deer a day.... a claim that was scoffed at by hunters all across the country. Ric is a swell guy; but I don't think anyone foolishly said it to his face ( lol ) . It is an ideal spot and stalk hunt; I always enjoyed it tremendously.
i believe he was scoffed happened to me right here on the bowsite last year LOL
Mr. Wapiti,
I don't remember anyone scoffing at your claim. I simply asked the GENEREAL AREA where you'd seen so many deer when everyone else all over 39 was seeing few or none for two months straight.
Did I ever tell you the story of walking right into the middle of 3000 bull elk? ;0)
The Old Sarge
an look we just walked right into the middle of pile of Bull sh&* LOL have a great weekend :)
hey in case you wanted to know the last day i hunted we saw close to 400 deer :) totally different area.
nope just telling you the truth not spinning a yarn like some would do :)
man that 39-3 tag looks like gold, driving back from arrowrock 39 area and seeing multiple hundreds of deer on the other side of the road.
I believe you guys, the last place I hunted I saw well over 100 deer a day. The place I am hunting now I start out hiking from daybreak so not as much scoping like before. I still saw 50+ deer, including 5 bucks smallest a 3 point. No shots. Saw a great 4X4, a good 4X4, and a another true monster. Awesome hunt. It is turning into one of my favorites. This is not 39-3. Saw a 5X5 bull with a one horned 6 point (must have been broken?). The first 4X4 was bedded just below them. They blew my stalk.
You gotta love it when elk blow your stalk on mule deer. It means you've found a nice place to hunt!
Went out again yesterday, another great but frustrating day to end my 39 late hunt. Had a 3X3 in a thicket at 17.5 yards but couldn't stop him when he boiled out of there. Watched a big herd of deer run into our canyon where my big 6X6 was. This herd had 5 bucks including a very nice 4X4 in it. The 6X6 joined them and it was nice watching the reaction of the other bucks as he "trolled" through the 15 or so does. Got some cool video of it on smaller hd camera. (My nephew broke the viewfinder on my expensive canon XL camera slipping in the snow on Saturday). The footage is in the sun so not primo video but cool none the less. In the video he walks out with the big 4X4 scattering when he hits the ridgetop. He is big not only in rack but huge in body. Standing next to a 3X3 that was with the group makes the 3X3 look like a fawn. I can only hope he makes it through until next year.
