This is a great place to hunt

[ForestWalker10]

Thats a great idea. speaking of which, I'm a new hunter haha

[twoSevenO]

I get that experienced hunters would be foolish to give away too much, and I think we can all agree come opening day there are way too many idiots running around, but it does make it tough for guys like me.. I developed an interest harvesting my own meat only a couple years ago.. I'm 47 and did not grow up hunting and have very few friends interested in it. I didn't have a Dad, Grampa or Uncle to show me the ropes as a youngster so I have spent a great deal of time researching on the internet and watching every hunting related show I can, I got all my gear dialed in, put my time in at the range and can shoot 1/2" groups. but there is no replacement for experience, when I'm out in the bush, typically region 8 as my folks have a place there, I'm in heaven.. absolutely love being out in nature, but I really feel in the dark when it comes to finding a buck.. Driving up and down the forestry roads searching the cut blocks doesn't really feel like hunting to me. It would be nice to get some honest and accurate advice from those who know what they are doing.

those who know what they are doing are doing more or less the same thing as you ..... just in a better area.

And finding that better area is what takes experience. Maybe the areas you are hunting this season were great 2 seasons ago and for some reason the animals moved out. An experienced hunter would realize this a lot faster and move out of there onto his other spots. A lot of people here will say "pick an area and hunt the sh** out of it". And, that does work very very well, for a lot of people. But sometimes .... an area is just dead for a while.

i'll never forget one post by Dana that really stuck with me on why he stopped seeing bucks in one of his alpine areas. Its as simple as the alpha buck leading his bachelor group up the mountain died ... and the one that took over simply picked a new spot. That's it.

If you're seeing a lot of does when you drive around, chances are the bucks are just doing a good job hiding and only coming out at night. Lots of bucks only show themselves after legal shooting hours. If you aren't, then maybe expand your area.

The point is, there could be so many reasons, but the worst thing to do is keep doing the same thing over and over with the same crappy results. Stop. Evaluate. Get a new game plan. Proceed.

I see it all the time when steelhead fishing .... someone who once caught a steelhead in some spot will be going back and spending half his saturday fishing off the same rock using the same set up, meanwhile paying no attention to the fact that the water level and clarity were completely different the day he was successful and that the spot he's fishing today sucks.

[sumonda]

those who know what they are doing are doing more or less the same thing as you ..... just in a better area.

And finding that better area is what takes experience. Maybe the areas you are hunting this season were great 2 seasons ago and for some reason the animals moved out. An experienced hunter would realize this a lot faster and move out of there onto his other spots. A lot of people here will say "pick an area and hunt the sh** out of it". And, that does work very very well, for a lot of people. But sometimes .... an area is just dead for a while.

i'll never forget one post by Dana that really stuck with me on why he stopped seeing bucks in one of his alpine areas. Its as simple as the alpha buck leading his bachelor group up the mountain died ... and the one that took over simply picked a new spot. That's it.

If you're seeing a lot of does when you drive around, chances are the bucks are just doing a good job hiding and only coming out at night. Lots of bucks only show themselves after legal shooting hours. If you aren't, then maybe expand your area.

The point is, there could be so many reasons, but the worst thing to do is keep doing the same thing over and over with the same crappy results. Stop. Evaluate. Get a new game plan. Proceed.

I see it all the time when steelhead fishing .... someone who once caught a steelhead in some spot will be going back and spending half his saturday fishing off the same rock using the same set up, meanwhile paying no attention to the fact that the water level and clarity were completely different the day he was successful and that the spot he's fishing today sucks.

I hunt 8-7 and 8-6.. yes I see a lot of does! which is why I started putting in for a doe tag.. anyway this fall I am going to get out of the truck, find someplace with a bit of elevation that offers a lot of area to glass and just sit and watch. what are your thoughts on using attractants to bring them in?

[twoSevenO]

I hunt 8-7 and 8-6.. yes I see a lot of does! which is why I started putting in for a doe tag.. anyway this fall I am going to get out of the truck, find someplace with a bit of elevation that offers a lot of area to glass and just sit and watch. what are your thoughts on using attractants to bring them in?

I dont have any experience with those things. I have no idea whether they work or not, i just don't use them.

If you're seeing does, the deer are obviously around. While the bucks don't necessarily hang around with the does until the rut, make sure to stay until dark to see if you spot the bucks coming out into the clearings. I like to stay past shooting light. As long as the light gathering capabilities of my spotter or binoculars will allow me to stay. Obviously you won't be able to shoot then, but you'll know if they're just waiting till dark to come out.

[sumonda]

I dont have any experience with those things. I have no idea whether they work or not, i just don't use them.

If you're seeing does, the deer are obviously around. While the bucks don't necessarily hang around with the does until the rut, make sure to stay until dark to see if you spot the bucks coming out into the clearings. I like to stay past shooting light. As long as the light gathering capabilities of my spotter or binoculars will allow me to stay. Obviously you won't be able to shoot then, but you'll know if they're just waiting till dark to come out.

First off. Thanks for the advice twoseven0, so if they are coming out after shooting light (which I suspect is the case) what should I be doing to get a shot sooner? this is why I was considering putting attractants just along the tree line.

[MichelD]

Interesting thread.

I am 64 and have been hunting on and off for 50 years now. And I still don't have a honey hole.

I've been turned on to a few real good spots by friends. Some have turned out well, others not so much, but I don't take private knowledge and make it public..

A few years ago a young friend (Buddy #1) who has a talent for making enormous amounts of hunting friends and gaining equally enormous amounts of hunting intel took me to a place where he bagged a nice four point. I went back the next year and got a two point nearby.


I was going to go again last year and asked ahead of time if I could take a friend and asked Buddy # 1 if he minded. He said he couldn't stop me but please no. Besides, he said, word had gotten out an the place had heavily hunted recently.

I had other friends go to the very same place and drive right by it, coming back and reporting that "there's no deer there." It's not even such a big secret. It's been popular for years, just seems to produce in cycles. It gets good, people shoot a lot of deer, people go back, there's no deer, hunting dies off, the population of bucks at a certain time of year increases again, hunting gets good, etc. etc.

Since I moved to Vancouver from the Island in 1986 I've been all over southwest BC and up to Williams Lake and the Chilcotin and like I said, I have never found a real honey hole. Too footloose I guess and spend too much time trying new spots.

There is one spot in region 5 I had a doe tag in years ago and in 2015 on my way home from an unsuccessful moose trip I thought I should have a look there, drove down a little ranch road and there was a little two-point. Well there you go. Maybe I have learned a little bit.

[sumonda]

To be honest, Im not asking for the location of anyone's "secret honey hole" just general advice, strategy tips that will help. "If you are seeing this - then try doing this" kinda thing. Cheers.

[twoSevenO]

First off. Thanks for the advice twoseven0, so if they are coming out after shooting light (which I suspect is the case) what should I be doing to get a shot sooner? this is why I was considering putting attractants just along the tree line.

Depends on the area they're coming out of. If they're bedding in somewhere you can walk in i'd go after them .... bumping them out of their beds and hoping to see them. If they're bedding in the thick christmas trees where you can't see past 50 feet its gonna be frustrating. You'll hear them run away but probably won't be able to get a look at them.

[VFX_man]

When someone asks where is a good place to hunt why do some of you have to respond on the post. A better idea might be to PM that person so that everyone does not see it. Also is the person you are responding to someone you would hunt with if not don't tell. Too many hunting areas are ruined by overpressure and when someone posts something pressure increases immensely. Instead of posting where to go offer to take the new Hunter out. Good hunting spots are rare don't post them.

It is a tough call, a detailed post to the group is tricky no matter how well intended.

Have been taken into areas that the person I was hunting with - asked that I go with him in the future - fair enough, I respect that and won't hunt on top of him. It's an area he has worked hard in and developed relationships with some of the land owners in the area and knows the "spots".

An interesting example: I watch both of the TV shows "Yukon Men" and "Mountain Men". Over the course of the season(s), you can witness the "intrusion" into the areas that these people frequent -- but to be expected with international viewers. These people are losing their livelihood due to "outsider" intrusion -- and it's painful to see. The group on "Yukon Men" are taking a big hit since they cut a new road to their remote Alaska village --- now anyone can easily get to it. Big changes, and sad to see the impact --- GRANTED THE PRODUCERS are playing up the situation . . . but it happens.

Guarantee if someone gave away an "awesome secret" spot, the next weekend there would be people there. Heck, I might even do it -- it's in our nature.

Cheers, VFX

[Taylor329]

My dad loves to use this line..
Person - "Where did you go hunting this weekend"
Dad - "Lake F@cky McDucky"