GMU 24B and Reavis Ranch??

[setarcher]

Hi all.  Been several years since posting as I PCS'd from AZ in 2015.  I've packed-in archery hunted in the SW/24B solo and with a couple of buddies betw/2013-2015.  We decided our pack hunt for 2018 would be the rut hunt in Jan 2019 and looking to return to this unit or maybe 22 for a 7 day pack in hunt.

In previous hunts, I had always planned to check out Reavis Ranch, but we were in deer without having to hike 7-10 miles.  Have read articles and posts in other forums that say it's covered up in deer but difficult terrain and less spotting opportunities due to relatively thicker vegetation.

We're avid hunters, have packed in to places like AZ, CO, and ID and given the deer we were on in December hunts, very confident that we should have even more success during the January hunt.  At least sightings anyway.  Closing the deal on one of these Grey Ghosts is another story.

That said, based on my current research and personal experience, I'm soliciting feedback from folks experienced with 24B as well as 22.  More specifically, Is Reavis Ranch worth the hike to use as a base camp and hunt in and around?  Given a rut hunt in Jan, does the Ranch area get pressured pretty hard and will we be competing with other hunters?  Anyone that may have experience with both 22 and 24B, do you have a preference or feeling of what you believe is a better deer hunt opportunity?  I've never been in 22 so we would be starting from scratch rather than being able to start in areas from past experience.

As a side note, I found it odd in all past hunts combined, I only ran into one other hunter walking the trail during Thanksgiving weekend.  Several hikers, but no more than one hunter.  This included rifle hunters drawn for the Dec hunt time frame.  Not sure if that's an indication of one, folks not wanting to put in the work to get into remote area; two, us being in an area that albeit we were in deer, was not an area that held larger numbers and quality...

Thanks in advance for anyone that can provide some insights.

  

[Zeke-BE]

You will run into a couple hunters probably if your based on the trail.  But a 7 day hike in archery it won't be anything remotely close to a rifle hunt 

[Flatlander]

If you search the archives you will see other responses I have posted to this topic. But if you hike in to Reavis Ranch from the North you will pass better glassing habitat than you will be in when you get to the ranch.

If you have time to pattern deer around the ranch you may be able to sit a blind or stand and try to ambush.

[Flatlander]

If you search the archives you will see other responses I have posted to this topic. But if you hike in to Reavis Ranch from the North you will pass better glassing habitat than you will be in when you get to the ranch.

If you have time to pattern deer around the ranch you may be able to sit a blind or stand and try to ambush.

[setarcher]

5 hours ago, Flatlander said:

If you search the archives you will see other responses I have posted to this topic. But if you hike in to Reavis Ranch from the North you will pass better glassing habitat than you will be in when you get to the ranch.

If you have time to pattern deer around the ranch you may be able to sit a blind or stand and try to ambush.

Thx.  Not sure why, but my search engine doesn't seem to work.  I'll type in wording that I know exists in the forum and it comes back as nothing found...??  Regardless, I believe I recognize your pic and you likely assisted me back in 13 when I first went out.  If I have to go off of anything other than the map recon, and based on my experience in the unit, agree there are great glassing spots all along the trail without having to go to RR.  I've just come across a few forum inputs/articles that rave about it.  Maybe I can look up some of my old original posts and see your response then as well.  Thx again.

[trphyhntr]

screw all that.