Area 2 Chilliwack river valley

[drok]

Good day every one, Just checking in to see if there has been any action for mulies in area 2 around Chilliwack river valley. New to hunting in Bc, from Manitoba originally and it seems much more challenging here. I have been taking my 11 y/o son out allot this year trying to get him more interested in out doors and hunting, and I know if we don't find something soon he is going to loose interest.
We have spent plenty of time in the bush both in area 2 and area 8 up by Princeton, seen a few does and the only bucks we seen just happened to be sitting on a guys lawn in town in Princeton. I feel like we have put on hundreds of Km,s in the bush already but maybe we are doing something wrong? Its tough as I really want my son to experience the harvest portion of the hunt, but just keep coming back empty handed.
Any tips suggestions or pointers for hunting in Bc would be very appreciated.

Have a great day and Good luck to everyone.

[ryanonthevedder]

If you want your streak of coming home empty handed to continue then Chwk Valley is a great start. Tough hunting and usually plenty of competition from other hunters. Look at some coastal blacktail threads and see the frustration of seasoned hunters who target them.

[drok]

Ok, that being said, any suggestions on where to go just for day trips, that have the best odds?

[fyffer]

it is best if you dont have a good spot for day trips is to do longer trips. usally farther you get from the city and hike off the roads and you will find deer.

[Ferenc]

Ok, that being said, any suggestions on where to go just for day trips, that have the best odds?

Boston Bar. : )

[Coachman]

Nowhere that accommodates a "day trip" from tbe lower mainland has good odds. There are hundreds of people with the same desire posting "I don't want your honey hole" asking where to go.

Blacktail (Chilliwack deer) are called ghosts for a good reason. I've been hunting for 25 years and only ever got one blacktail. That being said, my wife got one, her first deer, on a day trip last season.

There are lots of mulies around this year. Avoid the weekend. Avoid the road. Avoid the day trip.

It can happen, but you need to have done the scouting, have some luck, use Google Earth to find some remote spots.

We have 3 mulies in our families freezers this year. All came from literally, the TOP of the mountain. Go HIGH......

[caddisguy]

There's guys that shoot bucks in the Chilliwack valley every year. Like anywhere in the LML whether it be East Harrison, West Harrision, Stave or even Lillooet etc you will have to work for it though. Boots on the ground, hiking in the timber, looking for rubs, trails.

Thing is about Region 2, most guys just road hunt (or hunt within 100M of a road) particularly in valley bottoms. Given the amount of actual space (valley space far from the road, mountains, bluffs, bowls on either side) and despite the traffic on the road, these areas are severely under hunted.

I would highly recommend taking up blacktail hunting and if Chilliwack is the closest place to you, pick a mountain and start scouting. Those mountains are crawling with big bucks dying of old age that have never seen a human before. Read everything you can about blacktails, recognize you are challenging yourself with hunting one of most difficult animals to hunt in North America in some of the most difficult terrain, pick that mountain and giver. Figure out how the deer work in the area you choose. You might luck out, but in all likelihood after a couple years the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place. Success followed by consistent success. Then you can be a master hunter and take bucks every year (like some guys do) in a place many consider to be un-huntable.

You might decide to still-hunt (probably the most exciting way) or you might invest in a treestand... maybe a trailcam or two. If you can master an area in jungles of Region 2, it will be the gift that keeps on giving. You will also be the envy of most LML's who will think you are magic.

[takla1]

Look for cut blocks that are 4-6 yrs old with regrowth and get your hiking boots on.Follow the edges of the block up to the top looking for old scraps from previous yrs and obvious game trails entering the block.I like to get in position early at first light and create a blind and site tight in a good vantage point.
South faceing cutblocks warm at first light and will hold deer if not too pressured.Now would be the time to find that spot and be ready for the first week of Nov.
The BT bucks will usually stay nocturnal early on or keep to the bush when travelling so plan accordingly.They don't make mistakes till the ruts in full swing.
Watch wind direction when you setup. Oh..prey for snow early if your hunting the fraservalley 2-8 region

takla

[scotty30-06]

Yea region 2 is no joke.....tough hunt and gotta know some good spots.....but the best is to up high and off the roads....much better chances

[Looking_4_Jerky]

As for mule deer, even on your overnight trips:


There was a day when you could easily road-hunt a buck with a kid in October. Increasingly, that day is no more. That's not to say that it doesn't happen, but rather that the onslaught of ATVs and SxSs invading all areas anywhere near the coast makes deer behave in such a way that your odds aren't great. If you keep at it, you will eventually find a deer, but you have to wonder how much driving time and money that deer is worth by the time you finally connect?


Pick an area where you see does and get to know it. Get the boots on and look for sign. Focus where sign is most plentiful. Ideally, you'll want to invest in an area that has a forest type with decent visibility but is not a cut block. There are lots of great cuts, but Cut blocks grow back and then you'll have to start looking for another spot in no time. No problem if I live within 45 minutes of an area, I can go for occasional drives, maybe set out some trail cams, salt, hay, whatever. If you have to drive for 4 hrs to get there you aren't going to be able to scout it as much as you'd like, and once you locate an area that produces, you'll not want it to choke with veg in 5 years and leave you starting from scratch.

[jackthebear]

Some of the advice you've been given here is good. I've been hunting blacktails on Vancouver Island for 25 years and haven't connected with a monster yet! Some of the best knowledge I've gained though is from Karle Granlunds book "blacktail secrets". Get it! Read it, over and over, and get out as often as you can��

[gmachine19]

I've seen lots of deer near the upper river when I fish there. Although I haven't seen one this year though. The local hunters probably finally clued in :P