110orbust Report post Posted August 25, 2004 I've been hunting unit 32 for about 13 years, and have a few places that I go, but I have never seen anything in the B&c class. I have had chances at 100 inch deer, but nothing extra extra huge. Anybody willing to share some tips or hot spots. I am a patient glasser, and use top of the line optiks, but that big one seems to elude me every year. I am a full time student now and can't spend as much time scouting as i would like. tlcaffall@yahoo.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elmacho Report post Posted August 25, 2004 Tall order. I am in same boat. Book bucks are tough. getting someone to share their honey hole is even tougher. good luck. El Macho Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted August 25, 2004 Keep your eyes in the glasses my friend. Are you sure you have your eyes open while they are on the binos. (just a joke). I hate to say this to much out loud but you should be seeing some great bucks. Stay away from the main flow of hunting preasure. Remember some preasure is good. It moves the deer while you set and rest for the pack out. Rest your eyes often to some times they need rest and then you can see movment better. In the morning glass from the shady sides then you will catch them sunning and grabing a bite to eat. They sure do shine in the sun. alot of good bucks I see I find there hornes and ears first. Look for the horazontile lines of the deer too. Like there back line or belly line. Alot of guy's will look in the brush for leggs. it does not work that way. As far as some spots to go good luck with the ones you have hunted in the past. Stick with them because those 100 inch bucks have got to grow sometime. it sounds like you have got some very good spots picked out. They are there and you will find them. They have to do some moving you just have to be watching when they do move. Hope this helps you out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elmacho Report post Posted August 26, 2004 I second AZ Guide's post. I've only been hunting these ghosts 3 years. I learned to be very patient in sitting down and just watching thru the glass. First year I was moving from spot to spot glassing around. Saw 5-10 deer a day. Second year sat a little more and saw 10-15/ day. third year sat for hours on end, never went back to camp until after dark and ended up seeing deer all times of the day. It's tiring but saw 20-25 deer per day. I figure the more deer you locate the more to choose from. All November hunts so far. Good luck, whack a toad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BACKCOUNTRY Report post Posted August 27, 2004 After several years of hunting unit 32's northeastern side, I have come to the conclusion that packing in and camping overnight is the answer. Try to stay on the outer fringe of any day hunters loop. I was once told by a old timer F&G officer that the hunter pressure creates a series of zones that deer will respond to. In close to roadways is the "luck of the hunt" zone, out from this zone to a day trippers loop will increase your odds substantially, but from the day loop outer fringe to the good water source and bedding zones thru the upper reaches of the backcountry are where your odds go way-up for El-Grande Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gnoto Report post Posted August 27, 2004 for me at least it all changed when I realized trees do not generally grow horizontally(sp) and for sure if they do they are limbs not trunks. Thats the secret. Here and in the thick stuff I grew up in the North East. Other suggestion is to stop the constant glassing you have no idea how much eye strain plays especially at 400yds. Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes at a time when you rest. i have found at times just closing my eyes for 10 minutes(not sleeping)allows me to regain much greater focus. I prefer a 20-50x50 spotting scope and i change eyes every 15 minutes. allows me to feel like I am missing nothing. Lastly. just becasue you see a small buck does not mean he is the only one in the area. I ahve found at least with Coues if you look for a minute there is usually a alarger buck nearby. Your often picking out the scout I know its hard to believe but you are Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buckhungry Report post Posted August 30, 2004 I've hunted this unit 3 of the last 5 years for pigs. I take the Copper Creek Road out of Mammoth for about 5 miles. I saw one dandy 4 pointer, but that was the only whitetail I saw. Mule deer are another story. I've seen tons of does and 2 thirty inch muley bucks. I don't know if the elevation is high enough in that particular area to hold a lot of Coues. What is the weather like for deer season? It seems to me it would be pretty dang hot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manamal Report post Posted August 31, 2004 One thing to keep in mind 110orbust, is once youve glassed a particular canyon or mtn. or whatever, glass it again, and then glass it AGAIN!! however many times it takes you to find the bucks you are looking for. I bet even the best glassers in the world can't find all of the deer w/in a glassing arena on even the second pass of an area. Also glass in a grid type pattern, and when you move your binocs, only move 1/2 to 2/3 of your field of view, in other words overlap each new field of view. Hope this helps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
110orbust Report post Posted September 1, 2004 (edited) Thanks for all of the tips. My dad taught me how to glass, he learned from Duwane Adams. I really could take periodic breaks. I also know a book buck is a tall order especially for October Hunts. I can't wait to get out and glass more. Good luck to you all this year. Edited January 1, 1970 by 110orbust Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues addict Report post Posted September 11, 2004 110orbust Backcountry has pretty much hit the nail on the head! I love unit 32, it is my favorite unit. Try to figure out where the people are and go somewhere else! You need to penetrate deeper then the rest of the other hunters. If you backpack in you will usually acomplish this. I missed a buck in unit 32 in 1999 that I think would have gone 120'' easy, but I will never know for sure. I hunted for 3 days last year in unit 32 and I never saw another hunter. If you are a college student than I bet you are physically capable of getting way in to some of those wilderness areas. I am getting kinda old, but I still don`t see many hunters,so if I can get way back in there so can you. Mag light in, and mag light out, you can sleep when its dark. If you pack in then you won`t have to go far to start glassing each day. I know there are trophy class bucks in unit 32. My brother in law and I found a lion kill last year that was around 110''. They are there just keep at it. Don`t be afraid to try some new areas, sometimes it works. My son and I found a good area 2 years ago just because we were willing to burn some shoe leather. He missed a nice buck, on the last day. Never did see another hunter! The trophy bucks aren`t stupid, thats why there big! They generally don`t hang around roads and quad trails! Good Luck Coues Addict Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues addict Report post Posted September 12, 2004 110orbust I almost forgot to ask! which hunt did you get drawn for this year? Did you put in for unit 32 again or what? Good luck Coues Addict Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
110orbust Report post Posted October 3, 2004 I got the Oct. 29 hunt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
galiuro mountain man Report post Posted October 5, 2004 I was in 32 today scouting for Jan archery hunt. I made a 5 mile loop into the wilderness, and the deer are still lower. I saw some good bucks in one group right off a main road. Most were 90 to 100 inches, and one would go to 110 or better. I only saw 2 bucks up high, where nobody but me has been. I figured they would be there by now, but not yet. I figure it will be this way untill the first gunshot. GMM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dodger Report post Posted October 6, 2004 I have hunted unit 32 with my brother for the past 4 seasons and we have been fortunate enough to take 4 coues out of there. 3 of the 4 were glassed up and the 4th was kicked up while my brother and I were setting up to glass. My brother kicked him up I going over to another vantage point and the deer ran out in front of me about 150 yards. My brother never saw him, but he saw the does that he was with. You can imagine his reaction when the gun went off. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!! Anyways, I'll second the "glass and glass again and glass again". I have been glassing a canyon, stopped, said to myself "There has to be a deer in this canyon" and then started the second pass and wound up shooting a buck on the second pass. I shot my buck last year on the fourth pass after sitting in the same spot, glassing the same canyon/mountain for 3 hours. There are good bucks all over the unit. Just get away from the roads and glass, glass, glass.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
workhorse Report post Posted October 14, 2004 How are the areas around mercer ranch (sombreo butte) and also muleshoe?Does any one have any info?Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites