rock creek

[stixnstones]

Just got home from rock creek tonight. Crazy drive from Princeton to hope. Snow was flying hard. Ran into the co between West Bridge and Christian Valley. Told me he was looking for a guy in a green ford who has shot 2 does with a rifle. Told him I never saw him. Call the co in Kelowna if you saw anything over the past few days in that area please. On a side note I ve been going up there for the archery season for along time. The lack of deer to say the least is ridiculous. Ever since they brought out this rifle doe season its getting worse every year. I remember seeing 20-30 deer in a morning hunt. Now the few I saw were running for there lives. I hope they think very serious about changes to this doe season! Make it leh or something. I also herd 2 different gun shots this morn. HMMMM bizarre.

[phoenix]

There's some things that are still open to shoot.
Kim

[Salty]

Saw way less WT on a trip to the Okanagan this year compared to a few years back. Things have changed since the doe season all right but IMO they're still there they've all just become much more skittish. Lots of sign but they seemed nocturnal in behaviour and well off the roads.

[Sofa King]

there's still tons of deer and does.
this year has been crazy for them being unseeable almost.
but they are still there, just staying deep until dark.
the increasing pressure every year is keeping them from being out in the open as much as they used to be.
I've almost seen no does when I'm actually trying to find them.
but they are still there.

[RiverOtter]

Just got home from rock creek tonight. Crazy drive from Princeton to hope. Snow was flying hard. Ran into the co between West Bridge and Christian Valley. Told me he was looking for a guy in a green ford who has shot 2 does with a rifle. Told him I never saw him. Call the co in Kelowna if you saw anything over the past few days in that area please. On a side note I ve been going up there for the archery season for along time. The lack of deer to say the least is ridiculous. Ever since they brought out this rifle doe season its getting worse every year. I remember seeing 20-30 deer in a morning hunt. Now the few I saw were running for there lives. I hope they think very serious about changes to this doe season! Make it leh or something. I also herd 2 different gun shots this morn. HMMMM bizarre.

Cow elk LEH is in full swing, had a buddy down CV this week end trying for his, hopefully it was his rifle you heard.

[GoatGuy]

There are a few good threads on the go. Best advice is to hit the timber or regen and sit.

I'm sure the folks road hunting won't do as well with the antlerless GOS or the guys hiking/still hunting. White-tails are a cryptic species and adapt extremely well to hunter pressure. The folks who sit will be rewarded with more and bigger bucks in the long-run.

Buddies from the coast were up last week, they all saw bucks and I think they all 'scored'. Local buddies were out, didn't see much til 25th and all hell broke loose; one guy had 5 bucks go through the same day. Another group of guys all got bucks. We've haven't changed our hunting and we're seeing the same amount of deer. From the 20th-30th we had a total of about 12 hours sitting between 4 hunters, all 4 harvested bucks and others were left to walk.

[270WIN]

I was out in that area during the rifle doe season this year. Are group seen deer ever morning. Most the deer seen were well sitting in the timber on well used game trails. I feel th deer are still there and like said earlier they have just changed there ways to adapt.

[EURO*D]

One of the biggest problems with the rock creek area is the hunting pressure. That pressure is mainly road hunters IMO. Anytime I am up that way its packed with trucks and suvs going up and down the same roads all day long. If you get yourself into an area 50-200 feet off the roads and it is a whole new game. If you put the time into scouting an area and do your homework it will pay out.

[GoatGuy]

I was out in that area during the rifle doe season this year. Are group seen deer ever morning. Most the deer seen were well sitting in the timber on well used game trails. I feel th deer are still there and like said earlier they have just changed there ways to adapt.


One of the biggest problems with the rock creek area is the hunting pressure. That pressure is mainly road hunters IMO. Anytime I am up that way its packed with trucks and suvs going up and down the same roads all day long. If you get yourself into an area 50-200 feet off the roads and it is a whole new game. If you put the time into scouting an area and do your homework it will pay out.

You guys "get it".

[EURO*D]

im not picking on anyone but I find there is a lot of bitching about lack of deer every year. honestly it just seems like hunters are getting lazier and are not willing to get into the tough areas or put in the time to scout an area before the season opens. I agree that the hunting pressure in some areas is getting crazy but 8/10 of those people arent going to the hard to hunt areas... just hitting the roads and hoping for something to stop in front of the truck. Just my opinion and what I have observed over the last few years.

[savagecanuck]

I have been hunting in that area for 30 yes.I got one of my biggest bucks in years on the 19th.3 other hunters from the lower mainland wondered how I got it done right under there noses.I had scouted the area earlier in the season and years gone buy.It finally paid off and was close to where I scored last year.

[one-shot-wonder]

I have been hunting in that area for 30 yes.I got one of my biggest bucks in years on the 19th.3 other hunters from the lower mainland wondered how I got it done right under there noses.I had scouted the area earlier in the season and years gone buy.It finally paid off and was close to where I scored last year.

Congrats on your biggest buck....with the antlerless season now having been implemented for a few years u are going to see one benefit is larger bucks. For those willing to put in time and sweat equity things will really pay off.

[blacklab]

I've hunted the same area of the West Kootenays for 27 years.
Saw a fair number of deer this year considering the weather conditions.
I got a decent buck and saw 3 others, all mature bucks.
What I didn't see this year or last were any small bucks.
Has anyone else noticed the same thing, and is this something to be concerned about?