Sinlahekin late buck Whitetail input?

[Gunitharvester]

Well, I drew the late rifle buck tag for the Sinlahekin (any whitetail buck). I have poked around there one time in the past (about 6 years ago) and driven thru on the back way to Conconully.  I know there's some nice Mule Deer that come out of that area late season, and I've heard of some dandy whitetail sightings, but I'm hoping to get some input from you guys on the area.  I know the rut should be heating up, I know that you want snow, but I don't know where a good starting point would be as far as being up in the timber, or down in the valley-keeping an eye on the does..... Any tips would be great, keep the negativity to the minimum please.
-Thanks

[CP]

Nice tag.

I'd start in the valley, Conners Lake and North.  Along the creek bed - in the food plots. 

[MuleDeerCrazy]

A buddy had it last year and I tagged along.  We saw lots of does and small bucks down in the valley bottom, but I think I would focus up in the timber where you would normally expect to find mule deer.  We hunted both and if I had it to do again, we'd stay up in the timber.  We got buggered up several times by guys when we were trying to hunt the valley, but never saw a soul up in the timber... and we saw quite a number of whitetails up there.  Just a matter of time til one of them is a nice buck!

[spin05]

we hunt archery there and yea the whitetails seem to get higher and higher up every year

[grundy53]

Yep. I've seen them all the way up almost to Skull and crossbones.

[MuleDeerCrazy]

Most people can't stand the thought of hunting the thick timber when they have all that open valley to hunt, but I think the big timber is where a guy's gonna get lucky on a really big buck?

[Frankchurchbandit]

PM sent (x2)

[time2hunt]

Above Chopaka lake in the timber those big Whitys won't show till the rut


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[Gunitharvester]

Thanks for your  , guys! Now I have a starting point, I guess the next info I need to lock in is private land access....

[Jonathan_S]

I'd recommend getting as much private land access as possible.  Leases change, owners get frustrated with early season hunters, cattle get moved etc.  You don't want to be relying on one ranch or plot    Easier said than done - I know - but it's worth the extra effort.