Couple years into hunting still no success. Looking for tips(yeah another thread ;)

[KBC]

I've been hunting for a couple years and have not had any luck past some grouse. I have a week off starting the middle of next week and was thinking of heading up around Nahatlach since I haven't struck out there yet and it's close to home ha.

Am I out of line heading that way? Any advice on other places within similar distance to mission? I'm going up for the day this Saturday to scout a bit but am willing to change plans since its just me going.

Im getting a little desperate to have some success so my wife doesn't think I'm wasting so much time or money hahahaha.

Cheers!

[Fella]

Sounds like you're hunting blacktails. If you want to be successful with the ghosts you have to put in some work. Get into the timber in an area where you've seen sign and walk very very VERY slowly. Take a few slow steps, stop and glass, look PAST the brush for legs, a tail, part of a deers back etc. Blacktails are challenging to hunt.

[KBC]

Yeah I'm not so interested in road hunting. I can get in almost as far as most quads can go in my 4x4 but plan on hiking after that. I'm not picky about species but it does look like blacktails are more prevalent in that area. If anyone has any other ideas on where I should look id appreciate it. At this point I'm looking for meat.

[AgSilver]

Maybe into R3 somewhere where the WTs are still open.

I'm still new and haven't been many places, so my thoughts are mere musings.

[Ryo]

The seasons is just heating up, so don't give up. I'd focus on one or two small areas, and learn them inside out. I don't think it really matters where, if you're willing to invest the effort. There is lots of info on hunting the rut, but I actually really like hunting post-rut which gets less attention. The blacktail will 'herd up' a bit, spend more time feeding to prepare for winter, and will generally settle into a smaller area. After a cold cold night, you'll find the deer feeding later into the morning, hugging a sunny slope. Provided you've found a bit of fresh scat this season, and have a general idea of where deer are hanging out, start watching the weather and taking morning hikes. Definitely don't give up now!

[835]

Sun at your back, wind in your face, when you think you are going slow enough slow down, do not skyline yourself, use the natural cover as cover... don't just step out to look.... stick to treelines or timber never just walk through a clear cut...
get to the spot before day break be in location for day break.... drink beer, lots and lots of it......... sorry forget the last one... lol...

and above all try to hunt places where there are deer... Scout your location pre season.... no sense walking some where the deer aren't... and ya, its not a zoo they are not everywhere .....

that is the "nutshell version" oh..... get good binos! and glass the shit outa everywhere.....

[Bugle M In]

Sun at your back, wind in your face, when you think you are going slow enough slow down, do not skyline yourself, use the natural cover as cover... don't just step out to look.... stick to treelines or timber never just walk through a clear cut...
get to the spot before day break be in location for day break.... drink beer, lots and lots of it......... sorry forget the last one... lol...

and above all try to hunt places where there are deer... Scout your location pre season.... no sense walking some where the deer aren't... and ya, its not a zoo they are not everywhere .....

that is the "nutshell version" oh..... get good binos! and glass the shit outa everywhere.....

This ^^^
Plus, when the snow hits, is a great time to see what is going on.
When driving/scouting out new areas, be on the look out for areas/sections, that contain a lot of tracks,
"going in all directions", not just the odd B-Line tracks that you may see frequently.
The areas that have tracks going in multiple directions is what you look for.
From there, follow the above advice.
Don't get discouraged, I have a hunting partner, who, up to now, still hasn't had success.
He has had a few chances, but I think "buck fever" get's the best of him....thus the misses.
But everyone can go thru slumps.
I hunt an area in region 3 for the last 30 years for muley......
took me a long time to figure out the area...and I am still finding new areas, and still don't have it all figured out!
The last 2 seasons, I haven't had even a chance to consider shooting a 4 point, as I haven't seen one.
Last week, I saw little of anything!. but I told my 2 hunting partners with their quads to go higher up.
They went up, got on foot, and had 3 different 4 pointers to try and take....
Find those high traffic areas, and hopefully the snow sticks1, so that you can get a better grasp of the area, and what
is around.....not everyone has the time to scout pre-season, but I agree, if you can it helps early on in the season, but
some areas come November, may have had the game move on.
Best of luck, get out there this weekend....reg 3, or after this weekend, reg 5

[Wild one]

You can chase around the hopes of a honey hole for success or you can rely on knowledge. Fact of the matter is most hunters in BC are chasing the newest and greatest location often missing what is right under thier nose.

Spend time learning about the species you want to target beyond what just hunters tell you. Now open your mind and think beyond the common train of thought. Don't think about where other hunters go and think about what the species likes and needs. Than look at all the stupid places in BC and around your local area people don't hunt but can. These pockets see less pressure and have way better male vs female ratios.

Figure out the species and go where others don't and this does not always mean hiking miles upon miles. You won't find these locations for road hunting either

It may sound like a riddle but it's not

[whognu]

add this to that...........

the deer are where they are; not where you think they should be nor where you want them to be

wherever that might be

if you're driving to an area and see deer, may as well stop right there and start hunting

I see lots of hunters passing by great areas on their way to 'a good area'

snow makes this easy (er)

whognu

[KBC]

Thanks for the replies and the PM from Adriaticum(I tried to reply but your inbox is full) Im not giving up but after my last trip in October when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did and I ended up spending way more money on the trip because of it than planned I'm just trying to stay close to home and keep the fuel costs down. Hopefully I've paid enough dues to have a little success this year but either way it's still some nice time in the woods.

[Wild one]

One more for you think beyond a rifle bow & shotgun open up areas as well. Most hunters in BC only use a rifle so areas that you can't legally use one are ignored. Look at maps and regs you will see a ton of potential areas to scout just from this.

My self I have no issue giving up range for an increase in opertunity

Dont need 100's of miles of bush to hunt

[skibum]

the deer are where they are; not where you think they should be nor where you want them to be


I still haven't learned this -

[Jack Russell]

Don't give up, its all part of paying dues and learning. The gratification of being successful will be even sweeter with your perseverance! The experience you gain with failure will make you a better hunter in the long run! Trudge on (slowly, quietly, wind in your face!). Have fun, enjoy the little things that you see in the bush (even those damned squirrels that "bust" you, can be comical to watch).
JR.

[PressurePoint]

Depends where you are located and where you are hunting. I have success every year because I am located in a part of Bc where there is a plethora of game and limited hunters. Unfortunately hunting is a cost and but never a waste of time. Even when I go out and only come back soaking wet, tired and cold it's amazing. You have to find a place where the game is plentiful but people are not. This isn't easy if you live in the lmd or the island. I live in Prince George and I still drove 6 hrs away for moose. But I always get one and there is never any competition.

To many complain about never getting anything but they drive from Surrey to chilliwack and cruise logging roads making sure to stop and get an xl Tim Hortons on the way... some guys have luck but every so often even blind squirrel can get lucky and find a nut. If you want success consider hunting up Dease Lake... Fort Nelson.... or even Atlin. Also play your seasons and see what's opens and when. One spot I go has moose, elk, white tails and bear all during the same time. Max out ur chances by not being super game specific. My luck has always been that when I'm elk hunting I shoot a moose and if I go for moose... I see elk.

Sad part is at times hunting can be a rich mans sport. Not everyone has the ability to throw $700 towards fuel alone or can afford the time to drive for 20 hrs. This is further difficult when you might have a limited amount of holidays and can't just toss 14 days into the wind to go hunting. But if you cruise posts you will learn that a lot of people "go
hunting" but there are few people who are "hunters".....

[KBC]

Thanks for the encouragement. The money is my biggest issue right now which is why I'm trying to stay close to home. Gas has gotten stupid expensive...

[finngun]

835----Sun at your back, wind in your face,....////wind all right....sun at your back..hmm..movement with sun at the back is easy to see in deer eye.very easy..:eek:;)

[dustybeat]

Alot of people say there are no deer close to the valley but I have seen a ton of does in abbotsford and a 3 point buck the other day on sumas mtn, not that you can hunt there but it's always nice to see. I usually spend 2-3 afternoons up norrish creek during summer and fall because I go shooting up there. I have hit or nearly missed 7 does on the main fsr alone. Where there are does bucks will surely follow this time of year. As for gas expenses it's only 2 hrs to make it up to the coquilhala summit. From there you can hit reg 8 and 3.

[Wild one]

KBC what is your location

[KBC]

I'm in Mission

[Wild one]

I am in a good mood I will send you a PM in the morning. It will give you a new out look on where to look in the lower mainland. You will understand what I mean by people over look pockets of good hunting right under their nose lol. Odds are you wont meet many hunters or none at all lol. My advice don't pass on what I PM you.

you will still need to put in your dues and earn them.

before I get others asking or PMing me sorry KBC is getting my only random act of kindness lol

[dougan]

Thanks for the replies and the PM from Adriaticum(I tried to reply but your inbox is full) Im not giving up but after my last trip in October when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did and I ended up spending way more money on the trip because of it than planned I'm just trying to stay close to home and keep the fuel costs down. Hopefully I've paid enough dues to have a little success this year but either way it's still some nice time in the woods. oh but have you used up all the misses in your rifle yet? Figure I'm getting close now!

[scotty30-06]

Lol people outside of LML think that every single person down here hunts...I bet hunter per pop numbers are way high in the ok or alot of other parts of bc....thats being said....find the quiet pockets and you will see sign