Hem
Well-known member
Got it! Never been over there,but have heard access can be challenging.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
I've hunted that area and the bucks are always looking up! Congrats on a couple dandies!
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
Either sex deer B tag. Archery only.
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
Very awesome! Love that first one you shot, thing is a stud!
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,643
My lucky day. Got to see a nice dead buck and learned a big new word.
Congrats on the buck, Tony! Could you feel your fingers when you shot?
T
tjones
Guest
I waited till the very last minute to pick the bow up, metal riser and all.
T
tjones
Guest
Mostly private and heavily hunted. I know the pressure around where I hunt and it always amazes me a buck can live till he is mature. Not sure of the number of trips I have in between mornings and evening, but 60 plus is probably close. It's a handy spot and I can hunt lots of mornings before work. In all those trips since archery opened I have shot two arrows.
Hem
Well-known member
That is what is so crazy cool about big mature whitetails....their ability to lay low for all but a few days during hunting season. In the heavily watched/hunted (and private) Ruby valley a resident friend of mine saw a buck last week that would hold up to any of the Iowa super bucks.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
Tony, Am I wrong in assuming that car collisions kill more deer there than hunters?
Hem, Have you taken a spin along the Ruby in August, along the Snowcrest ranch. Not strange to see multiple 160+ bucks, and sometimes bigger.
Hem, Have you taken a spin along the Ruby in August, along the Snowcrest ranch. Not strange to see multiple 160+ bucks, and sometimes bigger.
I'd bet more bucks are hit by cars in the rut alone than total deer killed by hunters.
I've had the either sex b tag 4 of the last 5 years, and have never even taken an arrow out of the quiver. It's TOUGH hunting on the little bit of public access. Meanwhile you can drive by the Double Fork right now and there's hundreds of deer feeding out in the wide open all day.
They could give ten either sex tags to every hunter in the valley and they still wouldn't put a dent in the population.
I've had the either sex b tag 4 of the last 5 years, and have never even taken an arrow out of the quiver. It's TOUGH hunting on the little bit of public access. Meanwhile you can drive by the Double Fork right now and there's hundreds of deer feeding out in the wide open all day.
They could give ten either sex tags to every hunter in the valley and they still wouldn't put a dent in the population.
Hem
Well-known member
Greenhorn,
Yeah, having bow hunted the Ruby on and off for some years its no surprise what kinda bucks mature there despite the hunting pressure. There is enough private ground that may be exclusive hunting properties but really are not hunted hard for the SUPER bucks that poke their heads out once and awhile.The Ruby valley is simply awesome,unfortunately the access is a fraction from what it used to be.The buck my friend saw last week takes it to a higher level.(but maybe not any larger than the 170 buck you shot as a kid).Dunno,didn't see it myself.I am still trying to break the 160 class, so what do I know.
T
tjones
Guest
I don't believe cars kill more then hunters, a season that runs from first of Sept. to Jan. 15 with the possibility to kill 2 bucks and 3 does ( which use to be 5 was reduced to 3 and will be returning to 5). Bow hunters take a toll. For some reason hunters have a hard time believing they have an impact on game populations.
Cars kill a bunch, hunters kill a bunch.
Sure there are sanctuaries that hold big numbers, but others parts get hunted hard. I hunted one such place south of Stevi that I suspected had more deer on it then the stretch from Woodide bridge to Hamilton. That piece gets hunted hard. I find quite a few bucks and does on the piece I hunt dead packing arrows I don't recognize.
I'am not saying the whitetail population is hurting, I am saying they get hunted hard on a large portion of the district. it's a good thing they are prolific.
I know plenty of bowhunters that draw the B tag and kill 2 bucks every year they draw. Does it put a dent in the overall population probably not, does it put a dent in mature buck population away from the sanctuaries -probably so.
Cars kill a bunch, hunters kill a bunch.
Sure there are sanctuaries that hold big numbers, but others parts get hunted hard. I hunted one such place south of Stevi that I suspected had more deer on it then the stretch from Woodide bridge to Hamilton. That piece gets hunted hard. I find quite a few bucks and does on the piece I hunt dead packing arrows I don't recognize.
I'am not saying the whitetail population is hurting, I am saying they get hunted hard on a large portion of the district. it's a good thing they are prolific.
I know plenty of bowhunters that draw the B tag and kill 2 bucks every year they draw. Does it put a dent in the overall population probably not, does it put a dent in mature buck population away from the sanctuaries -probably so.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Tony the woof.....congrats anyway.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
Heck of a year tjones.
When I lived in Missoula I loved the whitetail doe opportunities that ran through January 15 in that area. Definitely under-utilized by hunters.
When I lived in Missoula I loved the whitetail doe opportunities that ran through January 15 in that area. Definitely under-utilized by hunters.
