NV 151-156 Deer

[Aerosith]

Hey everyone, I have been fortunate enough to have picked up a returned NR NV Archery deer tag in area 15.
I am not looking to ask for any spots or locations for deer, I already have a unit picked out with many spots I plan to hunt. Considering how busy my schedule is and the fact that I have several tags in other states I am seeking general information to see if it worth it to keep the tag. I am not dead set on finding giant deer nor does it seem like this zone will often produce that. I am wondering what the population density is like? What quality of deer should I expect to find? What is the hunting pressure like? Is it possible to find a mature 4yo+ bucks? And any past success or other insights?
I am looking forward to this hunt being an adventure in new country hopefully yielding success on a mature deer, I have no desire to kill a young deer and I have no qualm with being unsuccessful. The fun is in the adventure and memories made. This will be a solo hunt. Due to the nature of this post being publicly viewable, PMs are appreciated. I also plan to report back after the hunt.

 

[lynlan1819]

Hey everyone, I have been fortunate enough to have picked up a returned NR NV Archery deer tag in area 15.
I am not looking to ask for any spots or locations for deer, I already have a unit picked out with many spots I plan to hunt. Considering how busy my schedule is and the fact that I have several tags in other states I am seeking general information to see if it worth it to keep the tag. I am not dead set on finding giant deer nor does it seem like this zone will often produce that. I am wondering what the population density is like? What quality of deer should I expect to find? What is the hunting pressure like? Is it possible to find a mature 4yo+ bucks? And any past success or other insights?
I am looking forward to this hunt being an adventure in new country hopefully yielding success on a mature deer, I have no desire to kill a young deer and I have no qualm with being unsuccessful. The fun is in the adventure and memories made. This will be a solo hunt. Due to the nature of this post being publicly viewable, PMs are appreciated. I also plan to report back after the hunt.

16 is a really good area.

 

[POk3s]

Aerosith,

I had the tag for first rifle hunt for these units last year. It was the only time in my life I thought about returning a tag but I like to hunt and explore so I went along with it. Well…I should've turned the tag in quite honestly. I’m regretting burning my points on that hunt. I saw 7 bucks in 6 days or something like that and 3 of those bucks were spotted the day before the season opened. I actually went home early. First time I’ve done that.

 

[Aerosith]

Aerosith,

I had the tag for first rifle hunt for these units last year. It was the only time in my life I thought about returning a tag but I like to hunt and explore so I went along with it. Well…I should've turned the tag in quite honestly. I’m regretting burning my points on that hunt. I saw 7 bucks in 6 days or something like that and 3 of those bucks were spotted the day before the season opened. I actually went home early. First time I’ve done that.

Sorry to hear that you did not have a great hunt, I can see how it could be a very tough hunt. I actually just got back from my hunt there this past Monday, I hunted Thursday evening-Monday morning. I got this tag as a returned tag, and it was probably the best deer hunt I've ever been on. In total I saw 60 deer, of which 15 were bucks and 5 mature bucks in that bunch. 8 buck pronghorn, 2 coyotes, and I saw my first mountain lion in person. Here is a buck I got a stalk in on Friday , we had a 25yd face off and he wouldn’t let me draw before he spooked.
Friday evening I glassed up 4 bucks a couple miles away. I decide I was going to hike over to them Saturday. Saturday morning came and I glassed up my first mtn lion.
I finally got over to those bucks where I saw them bed after a couple miles of hiking. I found this guy at 300yds from my location, I put a stalk on him and got to 40yds. Unfortunately my quiver snagged a sage brush which alerted him out of his bed. He ran to 55yds with a steep downhill angle and stopped, I was able to get a shot but I had the range wrong and the arrow went right over his back.
After returning to my glassing spot, I glassed up 4 new bucks including 1 that was a really nice mature deer. They were in a bad spot to stalk so I watched them the entire evening in hopes of finding them Sunday morning.
Sunday morning came and unfortunately I saw none of those bucks, but did see a few 1-3yo bucks. Nothing to go after. After seeing that big mature buck it was him or nothing. I glassed the same areas what seemed like 5 times. Sunday afternoon I figured they had moved, and hiked through the area I saw them the previous day. I hiked to another adjacent ridge where I could see a new canyon aswell. That evening I glassed one more time and located him again at last light all by himself. I was scratching my head at how it was possible to walk less than 30yds from him bedded unknowingly and not have him spooked. At this point I named the buck ghost, because he was there but you could not see him.
Monday morning I had a plan to wake early and sneak to where I had seen him, unfortunately that plan failed as well and I could not find him. I figured that the full moon made the deer nocturnal all night and made it impossible to glass him during the mornings. At this point I also had to head back home for school. It was a great hunt and I hope someday I can return. I forgot to mention this was a backpack hunt and I was several miles from the roads. And although I was unsuccessful I passed on many smaller/younger bucks in bow range, I was determined to kill a mature deer.

 

[POk3s]

Sorry to hear that you did not have a great hunt, I can see how it could be a very tough hunt. I actually just got back from my hunt there this past Monday, I hunted Thursday evening-Monday morning. I got this tag as a returned tag, and it was probably the best deer hunt I've ever been on. In total I saw 60 deer, of which 15 were bucks and 5 mature bucks in that bunch. 8 buck pronghorn, 2 coyotes, and I saw my first mountain lion in person.

I wondered if it had already opened while I was responding but didn’t want to take the time to go look. That is great!!! Maybe I’m just a lousy hunter

 

[lynlan1819]

Sorry to hear that you did not have a great hunt, I can see how it could be a very tough hunt. I actually just got back from my hunt there this past Monday, I hunted Thursday evening-Monday morning. I got this tag as a returned tag, and it was probably the best deer hunt I've ever been on. In total I saw 60 deer, of which 15 were bucks and 5 mature bucks in that bunch. 8 buck pronghorn, 2 coyotes, and I saw my first mountain lion in person. Here is a buck I got a stalk in on Friday , we had a 25yd face off and he wouldn’t let me draw before he spooked.View attachment 337326
Friday evening I glassed up 4 bucks a couple miles away. I decide I was going to hike over to them Saturday. Saturday morning came and I glassed up my first mtn lion.View attachment 337327
I finally got over to those bucks where I saw them bed after a couple miles of hiking. I found this guy at 300yds from my location, I put a stalk on him and got to 40yds. Unfortunately my quiver snagged a sage brush which alerted him out of his bed. He ran to 55yds with a steep downhill angle and stopped, I was able to get a shot but I had the range wrong and the arrow went right over his back. View attachment 337331
After returning to my glassing spot, I glassed up 4 new bucks including 1 that was a really nice mature deer. They were in a bad spot to stalk so I watched them the entire night in hopes of finding them Sunday morning.View attachment 337332

Yeap,Like I said in post #2 it's a really good area,with some pretty good size bucks in it.

I hunted the area over 9 times throughout my hunting years and always tagged out.

 

[HUNTNNW]

I have never taken 1 hunters perspective over a unit as if it were good or terrible. Hunt it for yourself and do what you know. Example I hunted a unit in ID one year and probably saw 300-400 elk and elk were on every single ridge I glassed from the fs road. I read a guys story on a forum and he was there the same days and had a elk tag and was telling everyone how terrible the unit is. Quite unbelievable

 

[lynlan1819]

In 1981 me and my father hunted the est side of Area 11 for deer, found a herd of more than 500 deer of all sizes on the top of a hill grazing,every person we told that to said we were liars.
After that I never gave info to another hunter ever.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Been told the same thing about area 11 because most people just drive around on the Success Loop. There are deer there though you need to get away from the road.
The east side is an awesome place to hunt deer or elk.

 

[lynlan1819]

Yes driving the loop rarely fills your tag,you need to get out on foot sometimes and hunt the hills and ravines.

 

[Sockeyeslammer]

heading here in a couple weeks for my dads rifle tag. Was there decent cell service? We’re planning on splitting up. Thinking of hunting 152 area

 

[lynlan1819]

Verizon yes,T Mobile sucks.

 

[Aerosith]

heading here in a couple weeks for my dads rifle tag. Was there decent cell service? We’re planning on splitting up. Thinking of hunting 152 area

It depends on where you are, if you are up high on a peak or ridge likely yes. But if you are in the bottom of a steep canyon possibly not.

 

[DGA]

My wife and I have tags for Nevada area 151-156, have never hunted those areas. We’re hoping to find some nice bucks, this my wife’s 1st deer tag so I really would like for her to fill her tag.. Any suggestions to help her out would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DGA]

Thank you both for your valuable input.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Nice bucks for a FCFS tag and well worth it. I was lucky and just picked up a late tag for the same unit.