Young guy looking for advice

[Shea_G]

Hey guys, this is my 3rd season hunting and I've probably went out maybe 10 times total the last two years and have never seen anything large and got one duck. I was hoping someone could give me a tip or two and where (rough location) I can go out and time of year to have a better chance of seeing something. I picked up a black bear and muley tag. I live in the lower mainland and would like to plan a few trips for this season, hopefully within a 2-3 hour drive. I also have quads set up if that makes any difference. And I'd love to get in alot of duck hunting if possible but I've never had any luck down at mud Bay and don't really know of anywhere else. Thanks in advance for any tips.

[mikeman20]

here's a map showing mule deer habitat, there's probably one just like it for white tail

https://www.google.ca/url?q=http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/muledeer.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjX0IPG94LPAhVII5QKHQdICAQQFggLMAA&usg=AFQjCNF_UuJEDkhvBJupRipbValGKPv8HA

[Leaseman]

Head up the Coq, lots of roads off it, or take the Hope Princeton and head past east gate.....

[adriaticum]

The further north you go, the more chances of finding something you have.
- Yoda

[Fella]

Where have you been hunting up till now? What time of day are you looking? Are you driving around or hiking? Have you been pre-scouting your spots?

[Wentrot]

10 trips out is just a drop in the bucket. Keep hiking around and you will start seeing em

[mrtires24]

I am new myself, if there is one thing I can tell you, is that you haven't gone out enough. (10 in 2 years)
I am 3 months into my first year and I have gone scouting 5 times and going out for my first eve trip today :)

You have to go out in the off season and find areas of interest. For better luck most people say you gotta drive out of the lower mainland. I live there too and have some trips planned up north and east, but I have been scouting up chihalis. Good area to learn... but mules are like ghost. Except in the back roads of Maple ridge ( where I live)

lots of fresh bear crap out chihalis....I have no desire for them though.

[mcmullmar]

It took me 3 seasons before we got a buck

[Fella]

I am new myself, if there is one thing I can tell you, is that you haven't gone out enough. (10 in 2 years)
I am 3 months into my first year and I have gone scouting 5 times and going out for my first eve trip today :)

You have to go out in the off season and find areas of interest. For better luck most people say you gotta drive out of the lower mainland. I live there too and have some trips planned up north and east, but I have been scouting up chihalis. Good area to learn... but mules are like ghost. Except in the back roads of Maple ridge ( where I live)

lots of fresh bear crap out chihalis....I have no desire for them though.
Just FYI the deer that live on the coast, including Chehalis area are Blacktail deer, and if you want a challenge, read as much as you can about them and have a go at hunting them. I've become obsessed with them since moving to the island.

[shuswapbear]

Here is the link for pdf on whitetail in bc

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/whttail.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwij4_GdqoPPAhUG4WMKHaOUAMYQFggwMAQ&usg=AFQjCNE-XkWCIbH-fKXLmIvGuQBlqWG5YQ

[Darksith]

don't get married on a long weekend...or at all possibly...

Sorry wrong question

get away...its pretty hard to spend 2 or 3 days hunting north of merrit and not see any animals. Go right now, or late october for the best times to really see deer moving around. Think about food for them, be there at first light...I'd take ya out and show you a couple spots for deer if you were in my neighborhood. As for ducks, Im still looking too! good luck

[Whonnock Boy]

Nothing beats time out in the bush for gaining knowledge and experience. Lots of roads off of the Coquihalla and the connector. Just know that deer are not behind every rock and tree. There are spots within spots that they like to frequent. Drive around, look for tracks on cut banks (trails), get out, go for little hikes into cut blocks and work the edges. You don't have to go far off the road. Animals love to hang out just where they cannot see the cars. Do this in any areas that look promising. Once you find these places, be there for first and last light. And whatever you do, be aware of the wind. And lastly, it's 4 point season. They're a little tougher to find. Be sure of count, if not, let it walk. With all that said, have fun, and enjoy your time out in the wilderness. There is much more to it than this, but you'll learn. Give it time. All else fails, take note for when any buck opens up, then go find them again.

[albravo2]

Tons of deer up Kamloops direction. Easy terrain too. Pick an FSR and some crown land and start getting to know a big area. I don't recommend Blacktail deer until you have a few more hunts under your belt.

For ducks, Ladner marsh is awesome. Need a boat or kayak or standup paddleboard though. If you use a standup paddleboard, take a pic of yourself in camo, towing a spread of decoys with a shotgun over your shoulder. That would be epic.

[Seeadler]

Look at the map in this link, go where they are plentiful.

http://env.gov.bc.ca/wld/.../muledeer.pdf

Hopefully you can go for more than 2 days at a time, it is very easy to get skunked on any given weekend.

[quadrakid]

Hunt the rut and get out and hike. Learn how to cut up a deer into smaller pieces and put it in a pack,that will open up all sorts of ground that other guys won,t hunt. Good luck and keep at er,you will get your chances soon! Be ready.

[RayHill]

Is it still busy in FSJ or Dawson Creek, or has it dried up?

[boxhitch]

go for little hikes into cut blocks and work the edges.All good points here......and slow down. Use your optics more and if you break a sweat while searching you are going too hard.

[mrtires24]

are you going out looking for deer and other animas? or are you going out looking for signs of deer and other animals?

I think you might be getting ahead of yourself.
Where have you gone, and what have you seen?

[dog812]

My advice would be get out more as well. Use the summer camping trips as scouting missions.
When you are out, get in the bush, the further your away from your quad and truck the more chances you'll have.
Bears, last light. The last hour of shooting light will be your best chance. In my experience anyway.
Thirdly make hunting friends, I only had one guy to go with my first year, and just kept meeting people and going out with them. Share the meat. Now even if I don't get something I'll always have meat in the freezer.
And lastly if you live in the lower mainland 2-3 hours is where 90% of the population well be hunting. You'll have to plan longer trips, further away to dramatically improve your odds.
Good luck.

Not that I don't really like this site, but i feel like people on here will purposely guide you in the wrong direction to preserve their own interests. So me n some buddies started another forum geared more towards meeting up with other hunters and hunting together... If your interested p.m. Me

[Seeadler]

Summer scouting trips will only do any good if you hunt the early season, Muleys have summer and winter ranges.

Hunt in November, find a group of does, then check on them at the crack of dawn the next day (yes, hike in the dark), there will likely be a buck with them, maybe even several.

If you get out of sight of the road you will leave most guys behind.

[Shea_G]

Thank you all for the advice given. Very much appreciated.