Paunsaugunt Muzzy deer 2012
Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 2:04 am
First off, hello to all, new member here.
A little info-I am a Utah resident of 42 years and drew a Paunsaugunt Muzzy deer tag for 2012 with 13 points. I know its not going to be a easy hunt but considering my other options (Henrys rifle or muzzy, Alton cwmu) I figure its my best chance at a good Utah buck and I would like to draw a limited Utah Elk tag some day, running out of time.
I am looking for advice on the hunt from anyone with experience on the unit during the new muzzy dates. I realize that late september may be hardest time for hunting the deer. I spent some time on the unit last year before the archery hunt scouting and then again right before last years muzzy hunt. I got to know the top of the plateau pretty good .
Last year I believe the normal deer patterns/locations were effected by the very wet spring-water and feed evrywhere, deer more spread out on the unit then normal. There were not a lot of deer on the top plateau in early August, the bucks I did see were right near main roads. It was strange as I could not glass up any bucks away from the beaten path (roads and wheeler trails) where you would expect to find them. Serious glassing from vantage points in late September turned in the same results or lack of results I should say.
I have received a lot of advice allready but most of it is based on the archery season or the rifle season. I am getting conflicting advice on what elevation/areas to find the deer in late September. Some are telling me to hunt high on the upper plateau and the other opinion is to hunt the mid elevation juniper country.
One common theme is the deer move off the top once they shed their velvet and that the first hard freeze will move the deer off the top.
I guess my best game plan is to scout the Mid elevation country south off of the plateau and also the Hatch bench area and be prepared to hunt wherever I need to to find the deer.
Thanks in advance for any advice
A little info-I am a Utah resident of 42 years and drew a Paunsaugunt Muzzy deer tag for 2012 with 13 points. I know its not going to be a easy hunt but considering my other options (Henrys rifle or muzzy, Alton cwmu) I figure its my best chance at a good Utah buck and I would like to draw a limited Utah Elk tag some day, running out of time.
I am looking for advice on the hunt from anyone with experience on the unit during the new muzzy dates. I realize that late september may be hardest time for hunting the deer. I spent some time on the unit last year before the archery hunt scouting and then again right before last years muzzy hunt. I got to know the top of the plateau pretty good .
Last year I believe the normal deer patterns/locations were effected by the very wet spring-water and feed evrywhere, deer more spread out on the unit then normal. There were not a lot of deer on the top plateau in early August, the bucks I did see were right near main roads. It was strange as I could not glass up any bucks away from the beaten path (roads and wheeler trails) where you would expect to find them. Serious glassing from vantage points in late September turned in the same results or lack of results I should say.
I have received a lot of advice allready but most of it is based on the archery season or the rifle season. I am getting conflicting advice on what elevation/areas to find the deer in late September. Some are telling me to hunt high on the upper plateau and the other opinion is to hunt the mid elevation juniper country.
One common theme is the deer move off the top once they shed their velvet and that the first hard freeze will move the deer off the top.
I guess my best game plan is to scout the Mid elevation country south off of the plateau and also the Hatch bench area and be prepared to hunt wherever I need to to find the deer.
Thanks in advance for any advice