MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

Seems like everyone only gets excited about a draw hunt.Why so down on the general hunts?Because of the pressure?Timing?Surely Nice bucks can be taken during this time too.

Agreed, I shot my first 4 deer on general hunts, one nice muley and a great whitetail included. Also a great time to get out and have some fun with freinds and fill the freezer.

Not sure why everyone seems to get that way....yeah a limited entry area would be awesome but I am way stoked to get out and hunt again this year on the general hunt. On last years hunt, I was able to find a nice little honey hole that had 3 nice big 4 points in it but just was not able to finsh the deal due to the wind shifting on me when I was about 50 yds out and spooking the deer (archery). But I am going to get on top of them this year and finish the deal! So I'm counting down the weeks now!!!

PLP wrote:Seems like everyone only gets excited about a draw hunt.Why so down on the general hunts?Because of the pressure?Timing?Surely Nice bucks can be taken during this time too.

I get down on the general areas because of the pressure. It's very hard to pattern a buck in an area where he's pushed multiple times a day. I also hate it when I hike in a ways and start glassing only to have multiple other hunters in the same canyon.

One year a small two point ran up the far side of a canyon I hunt. Between eight hunters I counted 40 shots. These guys were flinging lead at 600+ yards.

In a limited area I believe those hunters wouldn't have felt the pressure to shoot at anything with anlters. If they did want the two point they could have at least closed the distance.

I have taken several smaller bucks because that's what was available in the area. I know the mind set of you can't shoot a big one if you don't pass on the small ones. I'm slowly progressing more to the point of holding out for a good one but I still like a good deer steak in the freezer. Often on general season hunts that means taking a small 2 or 3 point.

You can luck out on public land in a general season hunt as I did two years ago but on most popular general season areas taking a buck like I did is a rare thing, at least where I hunt it is.

After helping out on the Henries last year, I see the potential of limited entry areas when herds are managed for quality. Ivery much understand the excitement of LE tags over public land general season tags. But maybe I'll get lucky again on a general season hunt. It's what keeps a hunter hunting.

Notenough that is a great buck

Absolute beast!!Utah I assume?

Yeah i dunno about other people, but General hunts are my favorite time of year! Going with your friends for a giant camping trip full of fun where you get the opportunity to shoot a deer, dunno about yall but thats a big time bonus for me!

Dont get my wrong but LE tags are great

PLP wrote:Absolute beast!!Utah I assume?

Southern Utah general season muzzle loader.

BIG R wrote:Notenough that is a great buck

Thanks Big R

camodup wrote:Yeah i dunno about other people, but General hunts are my favorite time of year! Going with your friends for a giant camping trip full of fun where you get the opportunity to shoot a deer, dunno about yall but thats a big time bonus for me!

Dont get my wrong but LE tags are great

I hope I didn't come off too negative. I'm with camodup on loving the opportunity to be out with my family and best of friends on the general season hunts. It's a pass-time that I hope I'll be able to enjoy for decades into the future. It's just that every year there are more and more hunters in the area we hunt. Last year was the first in 18 years that we didn't camp at "our" campsite. There were fourty guys with tagsin a small canyon on the muzzle loader. When we started hunting there, only eight or so tags were in the area. It's getting ridiculous. The thought of a LE deer tag is very appealing. Til then I'll enjoy the campouts with the chance at harvesting a deer.

I know for me, I like the better opprotunities on controlled units. There are usually more and bigger deer to choose from. The seasons also generally last a little longer than in the general units. I have yet to draw a controlled deer tag in my lifetime, but have harvested a buck every year off of general units. Granted the biggest one I've shot was a Two year old crab claw four point. (Basically a two point.) I've only seen one monster buck on a general unit, and the hunt in that unit had been over for a month. (Saw him while elk hunting in late November.) Are there big bucks in general units, yes. But they are very far and few between and increadibly intellegent. Just look at the number of sheds and the quality of sheds in general units vs. controlled unit sheds. HUGE difference. My biggest shed set came off of a controlled unit... 200"+ Muley. I haven't found anything bigger than a small four point in the general units.
Just my .02

It's fun to spend the time with friends, but it's crowded for sure. You scout out a couple options and find people sitting on the face your watching. Or sitting in the saddle you watched nice deer feed over. Just so many hunters out there. But I wouldn't want to limit the number of tags either. Everyone should have the chance to get out there and enjoy the hunt.