Paunsaugant Deer
Mule Deer
Can the Paunsaugant give you a chance at a 190+ buck. I have a friend that has enough of points to draw this tag.
If you just look at the pictures on the web of bucks from Paunsaugant, you'll see tons of 170+ bucks and some 190 inch bucks.
That said, your question isn't the best way to ask that. There's a 100 units across the west that will "give you a chance at a 190+ buck."
I think I'd ask "what are my odds of seeing a 190+ inch buck in xx days of hunting guided/unguided in archery/ML/rifle season."
I've never stepped foot in the unit so I can't answer my version of the question, but I've seen pictures of 190 bucks from the unit, so the short answer to your question is yes.
I'm curious what's the biggest mule deer your friend has killed?
4 or 5 years ago someone (call him hunter Z) on monstermuleys "announced" that he had enough points to draw the Pauns archery tag, and asked about the trophy potential. A very long thread ensued, mostly very positive comments were made. When the dust settled someone else with 2 points more than hunter Z drew the tag that year. I've always wondered if that person was influenced by what he read on MM. Maybe he never saw the thread, but the points required jumped about 4 that year. Just food for thought.
Only one way to find out.
There's tons of 200 inch deer in West Desert.
#200 inch deer West Desert
Holy crap, my buddy just did a hunt in West Desert and there were 200 inch mule deer behind every cactus.
West Desert 200+ inch deer.
200" Mule deer West Desert
190 200 250 inch typical atypical mule deer West Desert
shot killed bow hunt archery kill huge 200 inch world record deer West Desert Utah
This deer was killed by George Harms in Hermosillo, Mexico.
West Desert, Utah.
Huge 200 inch mule deer.
They're freaking everywhere.
West Desert. I think your onto something.
I had the pauns rifle tag last year and would be happy to discuss by PM
How many points does it take to draw this West Desert unit!!??
I haven't send my Utah App in yet!
"How many points does it take to draw this West Desert unit!!??"
Well it's gonna take a LOT MORE now that Idyl let that well-kept secret out on the innerwebs!!
Everyone wants a 190" buck that's why the record book has some many of them. LOL How about a reality check, you may want one but they're not that common. He may want a chance at one but will it happen - not likely. Your friend should have realistic goals and he may achieve them.
Still amazed my how some guys have little to nothing to add but just can't help but hear them selves talk.
Best my buddy has killed is a 186 and he has several that are close to that. With 40+ years of hunting experience in most every western state he understands 190's are not around every tree. He was applying for the Pauns. before it went down hill the he switched to the Henrys. I think he may have 21 NR PP and wondering if it might be time to look back towards he pauns.
Bill thanks for the PM.
If I had that many NR points, I would hold out for the Henry Mountains.....just based on what I've seen in both the Pauns and Henries.
The problem with holding out for the archery tag in the Henry's is that you might never draw. There's only 1 NR archery tag given out so it goes in the random round and there's no bonus round. A guy with 21 NR points has 20 times better odds of drawing the tag than someone with 1 point, but in reality, his realistic odds aren't that much better than the guy with 1 point as it's basically the difference of 0.3%.
Is he going for the rifle tag?
BTW, all the people who "have little to nothing to add" kept your thread bumped to the top of the forum where more people saw it.
That may be true as it stands right now......however, you never know which year they add one additional archery tag???
There's no comparison between the two (Henries versus Pauns) unless you're hunting private ground, IMO. If I had those points it would be worth the wait for the Henries.
There's only 9 resident tags. They'd have to double the tags for us to get another.
He was planning on the archery tag. For some reason I thought there were two NR tags in the Henry's. Well I guess he is going to stick with the Henry's again this year. He has been pretty lucky in UT drawing an Ogden Moose with 4 points, a second cow moose tag with 2, and a Fishlake late bull tag with 4 points.
Thanks again for the input and keeping the thread going.
The Henry's rifle tag has a bonus tag, but he's looking at needing 22 there and if he's got 21 going into this draw, it'll probably be several years before he get's his chance at the bonus tag.
Henry's archery there's only 1.
Pauns archery has 1 bonus tag and 1 random.
Maybe run this past your buddy: Since this is such a big hunt and decision, why not go out to Pauns for 3 days with a camera and a spotting scope in august or september and check it out with plans to hunt the next season if he likes what he sees? It's a long ways, but he could hit some National Parks with the wife and make a trip of it.
I have hunted the paunsagunt many times over the past ten years...both deer and elk and even antelope and can tell you that 190 is doable but difficult. I would say 180 is much more of a realistic goal to attain. True legit 190 gross bucks are quite rare on the pauns. P.M. me and I can give you more info.
