Too soon to plan for Nov. 2017? Newbie needing some muley advice

[bweese]

My brother will be joining me for the third week of Nov 2017--from Iowa on a permit to accompany--for muleys. We're whitetail guys from Ontario originally, and I'm not super knowledgeable about muleys.
Long story short, I've found a few areas that have produced the last few years--I got a nice 3x3 in October this year (see below)--but the few 4x4s I've seen harvested in those areas have all been very small, barely legal 4x4s. Still really nice deer, obviously, but I figured with my brother coming up for his 40th birthday, we'd make a week of it and try a new area.
I'm wondering where we should go.
We have one problem, which also precludes us from hunting the few areas I do know, which is I don't have 4wd. Only an AWD SUV with chains. It gets tough going even in October. November would be impossible and crazy cross-ditched FSR are out of the question, unfortunately.
We're more than prepared to hike and we're in pretty good shape. We're probably not up for spike camping it, though.
I was thinking about Churn Creek. Set up at the calving barn, and then just start walking away from the roads and trails every morning. Doable? If so, should we hike towards the Fraser, or west towards Black Dome? Or should we camp below Black Dome?
I've also been eyeing a spot in 4-4, but getting there might be tough in mid-November without 4WD. Is it good muley hunting in 4-4 in November? If it's dynamite, I could maybe rent a 4WD for the week.
Thoughts?
Any and all advice about how I should be planning this monumental (for us, anyway) easy-drive-start-hiking hunt are welcome. A 10 hour drive from Vancouver is probably all I can consider.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6125&stc=1

[Jeff77]

Hey ..my advice would be stick it out in that same area ..the big ones are there .. just gotta keep looking ... unless you have scouting time before hand I would stay where you no .....
That's just my 2 cents
Nice buck by the way
Remember .. the big boys love the highest elevation around and off the beaten path ..

[Jeff77]

If you don't mind me asking
.what reg is your area now ...

[bweese]

That's good advice, to stick it out in the areas I know. I can't get too carried away with hunting new territory. The whole week would be scouting. I usually hunt in Region 3.

[Jeff77]

In your area .just expand your go to spots
. What I mean is try the next mnt over ..use Google earth .. find some decent cuts with good virgin timber in behind.. you will never find monster bone when there's no decent amount of timber around... That's where Google earth comes in ....

[jacksondog]

You mention Muley hunting the 3rd week of November and then you mention 4-4, FYI there is no mule deer season after the 10th of November in Region 4.

[tinhorse]

And region 5 is shut down the 10th to 20th. So 3rd week is good there if the first is a Monday.... Some of the biggest deer taken in recent years have been reg. 3 bucks. Like others said, stick to areas close to home and get to know them well. They will be there or close by.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Your experience in only seeing little basket 4x4s is already far better than many people end up doing. To be totally honest, I think if you are seeing 3s and small 4s in an area you already know and you know you can get around with your current rig, I'd stick with it. As others have said, there is no late MD season in R4. After Nov 10, your choice is 3 or 5, and as Tinhorse has already mentioned, R5 has the 10 day rut closure.

The other thing is that although you may get the odd year when conditions are such that you could get around on some roads with a low-clearance AWD, at that time of year you should expect snow and/or mud. You may be limited to hiking from main haul roads and paved roads in either place.

I'm not saying your spot doesn't exist, but just that without doing some pre-scouting, the odds may not be favorable, whereas in the spot you already know, that pre scouting isn't as much of a factor.

good luck!