Anyone doing deer scouting near Merritt and willing to mentor a new hunter?

[sockbot]

I'm a first generation hunter from Vancouver looking to go for deer for my second season this year. I have access to a room in Merritt so I'm planning to hunt there this year and would love to have someone local show me the ropes. I'm not looking for your secret spot or anything but more for someone to guide me with scouting principles and general hunting and shooting ettiquite.

If anyone is going out this long weekend I'd be grateful to tag along and I'll provide the beers at the end of the day.

[likemaple]

went to Merritt last season for black bears with no luck, but saw a lot deer along the way, many of those lands are private though, just search along the river and couple FSR in that area
interested in getting a black tail this fall, too, let me know if you want to go together.

[RyoTHC]

Be careful of all the reservation land in the area, Merritt is surrounded by numerous reserves. And as mentioned alot of the prime habitat is private property. To be successful in the area you need to catch the bucks early season before they leave the Alpine because once they do they are often spending all their time fattening up on private property.

[Wild one]

I don’t hunt Merritt but know people who do that are consistently successful. They are not relying on early season alpine or private land. Some are mule deer guys others hunt whitetail more so. All hunt public land but have invested effort into learning their spots.

I don’t hunt the area and don’t think any othe the guys I know would be up for taking out someone they don’t know. Most of them are tight lipped and anti social lol

Sorry I can’t be much help other then tell you the deer are there. Pick the species you have most interest in research the proffered habitat of that species and seek it out and scout.

If you can find a mentor to help you out it’s valuable but don’t let it hold you back from scouting. The best spots are usually the ones you find yourself. In my opinion rookies have an advantage in ways do to an open mind that can cause them to stumble on overlooked locations. Look for places others don’t go, don’t get caught up on large tracks of land, You don’t need FSR access everywhere, think small pockets, sightings are nice but at time good sign is all you need to find a good pocket and often it’s not about how far you hike

I wish you luck and advise mentor or not get out and explore

[RackStar]

Lots of great deer hunting ALL season for both WT N mulies.
Lots of crown land.
great place to start deer hunting, I took my first deer in Merritt a white tail.

[RackStar]

I don’t hunt Merritt but know people who do that are consistently successful. They are not relying on early season alpine or private land. Some are mule deer guys others hunt whitetail more so. All hunt public land but have invested effort into learning their spots.

I don’t hunt the area and don’t think any othe the guys I know would be up for taking out someone they don’t know. Most of them are tight lipped and anti social lol

Sorry I can’t be much help other then tell you the deer are there. Pick the species you have most interest in research the proffered habitat of that species and seek it out and scout.

If you can find a mentor to help you out it’s valuable but don’t let it hold you back from scouting. The best spots are usually the ones you find yourself. In my opinion rookies have an advantage in ways do to an open mind that can cause them to stumble on overlooked locations. Look for places others don’t go, don’t get caught up on large tracks of land, You don’t need FSR access everywhere, think small pockets, sightings are nice but at time good sign is all you need to find a good pocket and often it’s not about how far you hike

I wish you luck and advise mentor or not get out and explore

^^^^^^^^
this is great great advice

[Camp Cook]

If there is easy access with logging roads its been shot out by the stewards of the land one fellow I know that lives there told me of one of these poachers stopped and chatted with him had 5 does in the back of the truck and it was early morning ******* shot them during the night.

[butcher]

I’ll be scouting Merritt this weekend but down by the coldwater river. Lotsa cougars down there. Maybe some two-legged deer.

[RyoTHC]

I’ll be scouting Merritt this weekend but down by the coldwater river. Lotsa cougars down there. Maybe some two-legged deer.

Oh God, couldn't pay me to go to RRF.

[butcher]

Normally me either but a friend got me some tickets so I though I’d try a day or two. Scouting only. I have no tags and those things are waaaay out of season for me.