Desert tag Archery

[Archery King]

Oh please let the official results remain the same i want to hunt the dessert unit 

[kkirkma3]

I had that tag in 08, and it was a nightmare. Didn't see didly squat during the hunt (3 days, 3 deer, 14 coyotes), and sure as heck couldn't get to bow range of anything legal. I then went up north frustrated, and ended up taking up a nice 3 point the next morning. I had those deer patterned out pretty good earlier in the season, but after the gun hunt they were no where to be seen.

[280ackley]

I had the tag back in 05 I think.  After the rifle hunters the deer were very scattered.  I did see a few P&Y bucks though.  I missed a 150 class 3 point and had a good hunt overall.

[jimkrueg]

I was drawn in 06. I parked at Beta Lake and walked in before day light and sat on a high dune.  I would glass until I see a nice shooter then try to make a stalk. There isn't much cover. After getting busted a few times I started to get aggressive and got alot closer.  I went home and put a 70 yard pin on my bow. I ended up getting skunked, I went after does the last day. I set up on a trail and waited. Took one shot and missed. It was a fun hunt. Lot's of action. Good luck.

[Archery King]

Thanks for the stories guys im hoping for some heavy rut action but will see.

[Gobble]

Thanks for the stories guys I'm hoping for some heavy rut action but will see.

LOL  You must be the ultimate optimist

The 3 guys that responded above that had the tag before all got skunked, had I read their comments and I was you I would be a little concerned . I hope you get a bruiser  

[MuleySniper]

Good luck with your hunt! I'd scout as much as possible. Those big boys aren't dumb and those russian olives and cattails are thick!!
MS

[Archery King]

I am always optimistic about any hunt if i felt like i didn't have a chance i wouldn't go lol.  Now my Alkali archery bull tag im a little on the fence about its gonna be a difficult hunt for sure, but no worries i will kill a stud 

[teal101]

Good luck with your hunt! I'd scout as much as possible. Those big boys aren't dumb and those russian olives and cattails are thick!!
MS

And that's where ya wanna be looking.  Get out early morning and sit on a dune and glass the olives and tules pre-season and find where they're going and coming from.  We've chased deer all over out there when duck hunting, and seen some real bruisers.

[WDFW-SUX]

Biggest problem with the YTC is the Elk might not be there on any given week.  At least with the Desert you know there in there.

[dc]

I drew desert Archery.  Nov. 29 / Dec.12.  Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Skyvalhunter]

congrats

[BLUEBULLS]

just watch out for that crunchy snow. I've had a couple friends draw that tag and one was skunked and the other had several opportunities and the other killed a nice heavy old buck.

It's not hard to find them, but it is hard to get close to a good one.

[280ackley]

 
That right there is 100% correct.  I had crunchy snow for the last week and half of my hunt.  I still saw deer but it was very difficult to get under 100 yards.  I did get a chance at a P&Y buck and missed.  

[halflife65]

My dad drew a couple of years ago.  I walked along with him and got really close to a huge 4 X 6 but couldn't get him in position (I was about 70 yards and he was behind me).  Unfortunately, he had only 3 days to hunt (some unfortunate crap came up and blew his hunt), so he shot a small 4 point on the third day.  On one hand it was good - he recently started archery hunting after rifle his whole life and this was his first buck with a bow - but on the other hand we didn't have time to get back after that big buck.

The other cool thing was that I was standing directly behind him and looked right down the arrow as he released it.  Shot the buck at 25 yards and I watched the arrow smack the buck.  It went a few yards and toppled right over.

By the way, I called the deer in with one of those Deer Talk calls.  It was cruising by and I honked on the thing, it turned and ran to about 5 or 10 yards from us, couldn't tell what it was looking at, started walking away, I hit it again, it came back, did the same thing - turned and started going away, hit it again and it came back, stopping broadside at 25 yards.  I don't know who was more excited, me or my dad.

We were out in the sage near some Russian Olives and in the sand dunes.  Very interesting terrain to hunt.

[halflife65]

halflife, any pictures?

Actually, I have a couple.  I remembered the thing being a 4 point, but actually a pretty small 3 point.  Not too impressive from an antler standpoint, especially with the bucks that are in the unit, but being his first (archery) deer and on the last day that he could hunt, he just went with it.  Plus, how it all went down was really cool.  I think that with a few archery bucks under his belt he wouldn't have shot it.  I've seen him pass on does and bigger bucks with his rifle.

I didn't ask him if he minded if I put his picture on the internet, so that's actually me in the picture.  I'm not sure how he'd feel about it...he's sort of paranoid about that kind of thing.  All the best pictures have him in it (as it should be.)

[Timberstalker]

Buy two sets of Boots first off.  Seriously it is a great tag.  I had it in 06 for archery and there is a picture of my buck on another thread.  It is not an easy hunt but you will see bucks every day.  I scouted it starting in early september until the hunt started around the 15th of November.  I had fun and learned a lot on the hunt.  Jake is right about the crunchy snow, but even worse is when the fog rolls in.  It makes it tough.  Put the miles on, but spend time glassing as well.  You will be amazed how many deer you see when you sit down and glass.  I believe the fewest bucks I saw in one day was somewhere around 18.  The most was about 30.

Have fun and let the air out of a big one.

[h2ofowlr]

My friend just drew this tag.  He has never been there before, so he is going to head over once or twice to scout it before he takes the week off to hunt.  We will see if he can get a nice buck.

[monster]

i have a summer house in the desert area i see bucks all the  time if you need any help or a place to stay let me know

[Bulldozer]

I live in the desert unit and have access to some private land here. Let me know if I can help.