Don't want honey holes just some assistance.

[13thplumber]

So I have been hunting for 5 years now and still have yet to pull the trigger. Don't get me wrong just being in the woods is a success to me. I have had a few close chances and one unsuccessful LEH moose draw. I learned quick I need to get off the 4 wheeler as it seen the most game well on foot.
So the question is I am thinking of Clinton this year with two of my buddies who are also green and unsuccessful. I'm just curios if anybody know how the deer are in Clinton. Good areas to camp we will be in a wall tent. And thinking of the end of oct this year for 6 days.
Any advise would be great.
Thanks for looking

[plumberjustin]

Head a little further east towards the Bonaparte, plenty of critters in the area.

[ruger#1]

End of Oct is good. They will be migrating through that area. Smart deer in that area. They like to hide their head behind trees and bushes. There are also whitetail in the area. Havefun and do a lot of walking and spotting. I like hunting some clear cuts. Dark deer turds.they are eating lichen. And hanging around logged off areas. Green tires. They are feeding on alfalfa. Yellow. Plan grass out in the woods.

[13thplumber]

Thanks for the info guys. Where abouts in the Bonaparte area is a good place to camp. Any ideas what the temp is like that time of year? Thx again.

[tim3500]

Time to get the map out and go for a drive !

[albravo2]

Agree with tim, a drive in August or Sept will be a huge help. I suggest scouting four or five places to camp because the area will fill up as hunting season gets going.

I have been through the area from clinton to lillooet, west of 99, and saw lots of critters. Lots of private land too, so take your time scouting.

Good luck. If you hit the end of october without any blood on your hands, come back and ask again and I bet you hear of a few more places to try. People on the site just want to know you've put your own effort in and walked a few miles before they really help out.

If you think it is hard to get deer hunting info, try posting a question on the waterfowl page;-)

[bc_buckshot]

Map+time+boots+glassing+ alittle luck= deer in the freezer... Dont care how many years you have hunted, how many trophy you have all on the wall, nothing is gonna happen until you use all those things. Pound hard and do some work and it will taste good on your plate

[Wick]

I have hunted all around the Clinton area and both sides of Loon Lake for a long time. Agree with Ruger that the deer in this area are tough to hunt. Once the season starts there is a lot of hunting pressure there. There are lots of muleys around but they are skittish and dont present much more to you than their ass as they bounce off into thicker brush. It can be done though. Last year I was surprised by the number of deer in the area in early Oct. Go for a drive at dusk near any of the ranches and they will be coming out to feed on the ranchlands fields - private land there though so you cannot shoot them there.

I have as many unsuccessful hunts as successful ones, but 5 years is too long to wait to get your bullets wet. Get er done this year plumber.

[wideopenthrottle]

I have gotten a few out of that area...it was one of the first area's I ever hunted for big game here in bc...it has been 2 seasons since I was there but I will tell you the farms on the north side of loon lake will have hundreds yes hundreds of deer in them....a doe is a gimme there (it is where I put in for leh muley doe every year) but the local bucks are very hard to hunt...it seems like they all have tiny antlers that barely go past their ears even the last 4x4 we got there the ears pretty well covered the points...the snow will bring in the bigger bucks down to the area (I got the biggest rack I own there late season in 2 feet of snow but it is only a 3x4)... we used to see the odd moose there too but no sign of them in the usual areas the last 2 times we were there

[TravisC]

Go a little furthere east from loon lake to bonapart lake and Egan lake area. Google earth it and go do some scouting. Find a short dead end road to a small clearing or a big turnaround perferably with some trees for wind blocking for your tent. Nothing like hanging out at lunch time at camp on the edge of a clearing and have deer and moose walk right by. Theres a good amount of deer and moose back in there. I know of some huge bucks taken out of the bonapart area.

[Wick]

Still see moose track on both sides of Loon Lake. They are few and far between though, so I havent hunted moose up there in years. There are far more productive moose areas.

[Backcountry Hunter]

Google earth is your friend and lots of scouting. Get out there, drive around, and get those boots on. An old Hunter said to me one time him and his hunting partner spent 15 years figuring out where not to go. Good luck

[russm]

Seen one long distance moose on the south side of loon lake, lots of does around there but the bucks seem to know they're safe in the alfalfa fields, a few seasons back my dad and his friend both got spikes from up there, I might head up there for a weekend but I'm not planning my main trip up there this season.