Looking for hunting mentor or advice

[bentwrench]

I dont know if this is a long shot or not, I'm a youngling, in my 30s i have no friends or family that hunt.
I dont know how hard it would be to make some pals in the community an find myself a hunter mentor that i could learn from.
Im fully certified with my core an pal, i have tags in hand, muley an black bear, im setup with what i think is nice starter bow a PSE stinger max, im confident with my shot placement up to an within 60 yards, i also have a 12g Winchester sxp black shadow, i thought might be good for close range black bears an upland game birds?
Next week im looking at adding to my gear an getting a tikka t3x 30-06.
I have a very capable vehicle an am knowledge in off roading an have always excelled at recovery, an do enjoy helping people out along the way.
im a mechanic by trade if anyone wants to know that about me.

besides looking at google maps an google earth an my subscriptions to brmb, i have not the slightest clue where to really start to get serious about feeding my family an friends an filling some freezers. ive never seen any animals in the cut blocks ive been at.

From my knowledge so far ive wondered around reg 2 an have come to the conclusion there is to many wanna be road hunters like my self right now just trying to wonder an see some game, an that there is also to many loud atv partiers in the woods in reg 2 on the weekends.
ive really only seen 4 bears all sow's with cubs in tow an 6 small doe mule deer, 1 bob cat, 1 raccoon ( i have no interest in harvesting the last 2) in the last 8 months.
Im very willing to hike an put in some miles on my boots, but i do not believe ive come across country yet that would even be worth the effort.

does anyone have advice for me. If i want to escape highly pressured areas how far should i go?

Anything helps honestly im here to learn. I use youtube a lot for info but i feel that only gets you so far, i have the theory down.

As for the game im interested in an would like to focus on, is black bear, i love the stuff! I DID have a friend in the past who hunted when i was young, he has since passed away. But would always feed us bear meat. So bear, grouse an deer are my main interests, im not looking for trophies but food!

i hope this isnt to long winded an useless, but hey nice to meet y'all any how.

[walks with deer]

Join a gun club volunteer make freinds.

[BULLNUTTS]

I dont know if this is a long shot or not, I'm a youngling, in my 30s i have no friends or family that hunt.
I dont know how hard it would be to make some pals in the community an find myself a hunter mentor that i could learn from.
Im fully certified with my core an pal, i have tags in hand, muley an black bear, im setup with what i think is nice starter bow a PSE stinger max, im confident with my shot placement up to an within 60 yards, i also have a 12g Winchester sxp black shadow, i thought might be good for close range black bears an upland game birds?
Next week im looking at adding to my gear an getting a tikka t3x 30-06.
I have a very capable vehicle an am knowledge in off roading an have always excelled at recovery, an do enjoy helping people out along the way.
im a mechanic by trade if anyone wants to know that about me.

besides looking at google maps an google earth an my subscriptions to brmb, i have not the slightest clue where to really start to get serious about feeding my family an friends an filling some freezers. ive never seen any animals in the cut blocks ive been at.

From my knowledge so far ive wondered around reg 2 an have come to the conclusion there is to many wanna be road hunters like my self right now just trying to wonder an see some game, an that there is also to many loud atv partiers in the woods in reg 2 on the weekends.
ive really only seen 4 bears all sow's with cubs in tow an 6 small doe mule deer, 1 bob cat, 1 raccoon ( i have no interest in harvesting the last 2) in the last 8 months.
Im very willing to hike an put in some miles on my boots, but i do not believe ive come across country yet that would even be worth the effort.

does anyone have advice for me. If i want to escape highly pressured areas how far should i go?

Anything helps honestly im here to learn. I use youtube a lot for info but i feel that only gets you so far, i have the theory down.

As for the game im interested in an would like to focus on, is black bear, i love the stuff! I DID have a friend in the past who hunted when i was young, he has since passed away. But would always feed us bear meat. So bear, grouse an deer are my main interests, im not looking for trophies but food!

i hope this isnt to long winded an useless, but hey nice to meet y'all any how.

Good for you. Personally I find it refreshing to hear of young lads as yourself brave enough to openly seek sage advice from the ''old boys'' ,that says alot in my books. Your message says you have located game. Your learning starts from there. I am willing to teach you some basics from there....sending pm

[Keta1969]

If you want less pressure get off the roads. Once you start walking watch for sign like trails, rubs, poop, beds etc. You will learn very little driving through an area especially with lots of pressure. Lots of times the animals are there just not near the roads. Good luck.

[TheObserver]

I wouldn't consider myself anywhere near being able to mentor someone yet, and your older than me.

But I will tell you something that I wish I would have started thinking more of and applying way earlier than I did. How important the wind is. Learn about what the thermals do in the mountains (youtube), and your area could have prevailing winds that negate the thermals.

Understand how these animals have incredible senses of smell, you can fool their eyes and ears. Not their nose. They don't only use their noses but a lot of the time actively use the thermals and wind to their advantage.

So hunt against the wind or at a cross wind and use it as an advantage for your set ups, your movement is very important too. They have poor eyesight as far as detail, but they are excellent at detecting and looking for movement. It would blow you away this year how close I got to Elk, Moose and lots of Deer using the wind and staying still or really slow movement. Deer within 20 yards loooking right at me but can't see me because I am still.

Also what I have found invaluable for scouting is learning the feed and behaviour of the animal, and the habitat that they need/suits them. Wish I would have focused on these things earlier.

And topographical land marks game uses, benches, draws, drainages, saddles and ridges/spurs etc... natural pinch points, bottom of rock bluffs

Get a wind indicator of your choice and use it lots, first and last light don't waste those times!

[Bpower]

These cut blocks you have been to...did you drive up to them or park a good distance away and quietly walk up to them while paying attention to the wind direction?

Did you carefully get yourself into a position while staying hidden that you could slowly glass the cut looking at all the dips and depressions, the tree line, into the tree line, around all the stumps, trees, slash piles and then scan it again. Were you looking for a whole animal to be standing out in the open?

Don't get focused on "filling a freezer". If that's your end goal it might be better to go buy a cow from an auction and arrange to get it killed and butchered. Learn to appreciate everything else associated with hunting.

When you find spots where you see animals try to take note of as many things as possible...what direction does the slope face, what's the type and age of the trees around, what's the vegetation like is there good natural cover for the animals, is there food and water around, what's the time of day, what's the time of year, what's the weather like, what's the moon phase like?


Animals will usually hang around in specific areas or pockets. Someone could tell you to go look around somewhere like Merritt...yes there are deer around there but just like everywhere else there will be dead zones and pockets that can be very productive. Put the time in finding where and why the animals are in an area.

[RyoTHC]

Reach out in a few months and if you’re willing to drive to 3-13 or 8-5 and spend a weekend, we will find you a bear.
Always a freezer full of bear pep here and lots more bears.

April bear hunting is an excuse to get away from your wife
may bear hunting is like shooting fish in a barrel
june it’s a sad affair to take that poor sows boyfriend away

everytme I ask the community for help, I always get more than expected so I’ll take this opportunity to pay it forward.

that being said, we rifle hunt exclusively, spot and stalk.
bear is way better tasting than mule deer so it’s a good place to start and you can take two.

I’ve made this offer before and it doesn’t always line up or work out but the times it has, it’s been a success.

edit- I love how walks with deer always cuts right to the chase always gives me a good laugh haha

[walks with deer]

Reach out in a few months and if you’re willing to drive to 3-13 or 8-5 and spend a weekend, we will find you a bear.
Always a freezer full of bear pep here and lots more bears.

April bear hunting is an excuse to get away from your wife
may bear hunting is like shooting fish in a barrel
june it’s a sad affair to take that poor sows boyfriend away

everytme I ask the community for help, I always get more than expected so I’ll take this opportunity to pay it forward.

that being said, we rifle hunt exclusively, spot and stalk.
bear is way better tasting than mule deer so it’s a good place to start and you can take two.

I’ve made this offer before and it doesn’t always line up or work out but the times it has, it’s been a success.

edit- I love how walks with deer always cuts right to the chase always gives me a good laugh haha

Yup blunt hahahah but still honest guy. And always ready to help.

[Cboyd]

Best advice I can give to you is look up blacktail hunter app it's made by the creator of how to hunt .com has tons of good advice he was a hunting guide for 30+ years.dont be afraid to hunt solo and walk the timber it pays off with persistence and hard work and hopefully meat in the freezer take it from me cause I am in the similar situation as you and have made a lot of progress because of that app.

[IslandWanderer]

If you ever want to take a bear or two on the island we can head out. I can show you how to cape it for either a rug or 1/2 life mount. Last time out we saw 3 we could of easily taken one afternoon. Took one, and cubed it for chilli, stew. Hide in the freezer still. I'll get another rug done.