My honey hole is now everyone's!

[Ikeepitcold]

My mule deer hunting hole in Nv has now been foun out! I saw 6 different archery hunters in the same spot I took my 175" buck last year. And while Antalope hunting for my wife's buck this year I saw 4 rigs roll up the same drainage we go to and didn't come out. I've heard that to get the rif raff out I should tell everyone I know about the area and let it get hunted out then nobody will hunt there anymore then u can go back in 5 years or so and get good bucks again. I'm not to sure about this "strategy". I've been so pretective of the area I have a hard time telling folks about it. I know one of my hunting partners have told a few guys and I feel this has been the demise of the area but I won't blame it all on him. (I want to though). What do you guys think I should do? I have decided to start hunting a new area so at least I and my buddies won't be taking more deer from the area to help with my cause but I'm really bummed about this area we have been taking great bucks for the past 6 years or so.

[Drhorsepower]

Sucks man, I love telling stories but my common response for location, "nunya canyon" because that is exactly where it is. Especially for deer hunting because chances are you will be hunting it again, even if you live in nv and can't draw a tag as a resident . I find more guys are willing to give up the goods on more coveted tags like sheep, goat etc... Because chances are they will never draw that tag again.

Your story is a carbon copy of a lot of hunters experience, they take someone new in their spot and next time they go back, it's overrun. Sorry to hear that Ikic. Sucks man,

What should you do? Question is what can you do.. I think nothing besides not showing that buddy your spot again

[Ikeepitcold]

Sucks man, I love telling stories but my common response for location, "nunya canyon" because that is exactly where it is. Especially for deer hunting because chances are you will be hunting it again, even if you live in nv and can't draw a tag as a resident . I find more guys are willing to give up the goods on more coveted tags like sheep, goat etc... Because chances are they will never draw that tag again.

Your story is a carbon copy of a lot of hunters experience, they take someone new in their spot and next time they go back, it's overrun.

Sorry to hear that Ikic. Sucks man,

What should you do? Question is what can you do.. I think nothing besides not showing that buddy your spot again

Well I can't not tell him he is my hunting partner but I have laid down the law to him and I think he has got the drift. The BIG problum now is non of us has the time with kids now in sports and families that come first over hunting to go scouting and find the new spot. I guess we will have to draw the tag and scout while hunting now. It pretty much sucks now

[Old Hunter]

There's more than one reason i've hunted alone all these years.

This is just one of them. I don't tell anyone where I go. Not that they're the best spots there is, but because I don't want to see another hunter. It's impossible to still hunt if other hunters are there.

I feel for you man, and the only advice I can give is don't tell anybody.

[Spud]

I went to the parking place to go to my "secret" place last year and there was a 23' trailer, kids bikes, three tents and 4 guys in a van sleeping there. Maybe it's because they are out of work or who knows why. I can't believe they drug a trailer up that road, if it would have snowed it would have still been up there this spring. The guys in the van only lasted one rainy day. I hope plan b works out for you too.

[packer58]

Sorry to here about your buck hole IKIC. I think in this day and age with less deer and fewer areas that hold good bucks a guy really has to be carefull who he takes in if anybody. It really sucks not to be able to take a bud or two into an area and share the hunt. It really takes a special partner "SWORN TO SECRECY" to share an area and call it your's.

The thing that really pisses me off is that the guys that are in your hole probably didn't do any research, burn any gas scouting, and certainly didn't spend years looking, finding and protecting all thier hard work. They just followed directions that were given to them.

Don't get me wrong, i do share general info but do not get to specific with anything. I have to much time, energy and money invested to run the risk of just giving it away.

[Kevin Root]

I agree with you Ikeepitcold. I'm not sure if telling a lot of folks about the exact drainage, basins or honey holes you want to keep more private and then have to wait five years sounds like a very good option to me. I guess you have two options though that you have already mentioned, sad but true. Hunt it or don't hunt it. If it were me, I guess I'd weigh out how blown out it is with folks that might make you want to hunt it the same, maybe hunt it different or like you've already mentioned find a plan B area to hunt. What other options are there?

Most of the times I'm just pretty general about public hunting spots, hunting units, national forest or wilderness areas. If I've hunted a private ranch or leased some land to hunt, I'll again share the general area but not the actual spot(s) on the lease. I guess if someone was a good detective they could perhaps match a picture to the spot but that would be a pretty good detective.

With fishing spots, I've told folks the exact spots, even made youtube clips showing them where to fish and what to us a a lure for the CA DFG "California Heritage Trout Challenge". Most of the places I go are several miles into wilderness areas….. and well I just don't think they get over fished even if I tell folks where and show them pictures of the trout. People tend not to want to walk very far off the beaten path for fish like I do.

I hope your area works out for you Ikeepitcold. It can't be very much fun seeing an area where you have gone for years and not seen a sole in it and now see it full of folks. The time factor to scout a new spot has to suck as well. My hope is perhaps the folks that you saw in your area won't see it's potential like you have and do and they will move on and hunt a different spot. One never knows…..

[Ikeepitcold]

I agree with you Ikeepitcold. I'm not sure if telling a lot of folks about the exact drainage, basins or honey holes you want to keep more private and then have to wait five years sounds like a very good option to me. I guess you have two options though that you have already mentioned, sad but true. Hunt it or don't hunt it. If it were me, I guess I'd weigh out how blown out it is with folks that might make you want to hunt it the same, maybe hunt it different or like you've already mentioned find a plan B area to hunt. What other options are there?





Most of the times I'm just pretty general about public hunting spots, hunting units, national forest or wilderness areas. If I've hunted a private ranch or leased some land to hunt, I'll again share the general area but not the actual spot(s) on the lease. I guess if someone was a good detective they could perhaps match a picture to the spot but that would be a pretty good detective.

With fishing spots, I've told folks the exact spots, even made youtube clips showing them where to fish and what to us a a lure for the CA DFG "California Heritage Trout Challenge". Most of the places I go are several miles into wilderness areas….. and well I just don't think they get over fished even if I tell folks where and show them pictures of the trout. People tend not to want to walk very far off the beaten path for fish like I do.




I hope your area works out for you Ikeepitcold. It can't be very much fun seeing an area where you have gone for years and not seen a sole in it and now see it full of folks. The time factor to scout a new spot has to suck as well. My hope is perhaps the folks that you saw in your area won't see it's potential

like you have and do and they will move on and hunt a different spot. One never knows…..

Thanx Kevin. I have hoped that these hunters would have moved on but it seems there are more and more each year. If these hunters are the same guys I don't know. I kinda don't think they are because this area is a better late season hunt but during the past years I've seen some nice bucks in the velvet. From what I've heard a lot of these hunters have heard from bird hunters that there are big buks here and that's how they have found the area. I think these hunters are not harvesting bucks but if they see them they will continue to try to draw tags in the area. This year my hunting partners both drew tags for this spot so we will give it another try. We also plan on a scouting trip to a mt range accrosed they valley. Maybe we can find a new spot in the same area. The tags are 1:3 so it's pretty easy to draw.

[Old Hunter]

I hate to say this, but I don't think hunting forums is always a good idea. I went most on my life never on a forum. Well, they didn't even have computers for most of it.
Since starting to post on forums. I see way too much information passed around. I'm from the old school of getting out and doing it myself. Hunters have gotten way to lazy. Boots were made to wear out.

[Ikeepitcold]

I hate to say this, but I don't think hunting forums is always a good idea. I went most on my life never on a forum. Well, they didn't even have computers for most of it.
Since starting to post on forums. I see way too much information passed around. I'm from the old school of getting out and doing it myself. Hunters have gotten way to lazy. Boots were made to wear out.

Again I so agree. I have alway been a firm believer in scouting and finding your own spot. I know for a fact that I tell people the general unit I hunt in but that is as far as it goes. I've even been asked by very close family members were I hunt and I tell them a totally different place.