Developing your favorite hunting spot: 101

[hannibal]

It was suggested, so I'll start.

What I've done, after being lucky enough to find a decent spot, is walk. I turn on my GPS, strap it to my day pack, and walk every dang foot path, deer trail, logging road in the area. I'm not only making a detailed map that I can download onto my computer, but I'm learning the area, the lay of the land. I mark all the creek crossing, major bedding areas, entrances to cut paths, etc. It may seem tedious at first, but I enjoy wandering around the woods. There is so much I've seen and figured out about the spot I hunt, because I'm on foot, not a bike or quad or truck, I can't wait until this september. I take note of the bucks I see, and how many fawns, predator kills, everything. I'm not even pushing a big area, maybe 5km by 5km for now, with some basic recon outside of that box. This takes time, and it'll be a couple of seasons before I know the land as well as I'd like but dang it, this method works good in heavy bush. I have no massive clear cuts or grassy hills, this is all bush whacking, crap most guys drive right past, but once you're in it, the advantage is split, the deer are closer so quick shots are normal, but they have just as hard a time finding me as I do them. After learning the land enough, I will then make a couple a "natural" ground blinds on heavy traffic paths, then I can start on stand, but then still hunt from stand to stand all day, because the deer don't leave the woods from 10-6.

[Wildman]

Good idea, I do much the same just without gps. I start out with a detailed map (I'm a forestry engineer/GIS guy so detailed maps are easy to come by, or I can just make them) then I do all the mapping by hand while I'm out in the field. I get to know the lay of the land just by being out in the bush working.

[todbartell]

Id like to have a better GPS that I could download onto my computer, to better learn my hunting area. Good post Hannibal

[Fisher-Dude]

It's easy. Ride around all day on the quad. Eventually you can get back to your truck. :mrgreen:

[one-shot-wonder]

It's easy. Ride around all day on the quad. Eventually you can get back to your truck. :mrgreen:

Yeh and have nothing to show for but an empty wallet.:cry:

I think what hannibal is doing is good preperation. I find that not enough guys are spending time looking at maps and studying the area they hunt before pounding. With a mental picture and knowledge of the area, you are lessening the advantage the game has over us by knowing their bedding and feeding areas.

[youngbuck]

Hannibal,

So what made you decide on that particular 5km x 5km parcel of land?
Here in is one of my quantdries when deciding to pick and learn a new hunting spot. Should I just go for the apline or go as far away from the main road as possible (re: ablility to get game out) or drive a road and record where I see the most game crossing and work up into that area?

Inquiring minds want/need to know...

[horshur]

Hannibal,

So what made you decide on that particular 5km x 5km parcel of land?
Here in is one of my quantdries when deciding to pick and learn a new hunting spot. Should I just go for the apline or go as far away from the main road as possible (re: ablility to get game out) or drive a road and record where I see the most game crossing and work up into that area?

Inquiring minds want/need to know...

If you hunt a dead place--you have learned somthing--but keep an open mind--things change.
If you like to hunt in November--it is easy to scout--December after season snow gives up alot- March and April are great cause generaly you can find the past seasons rutting sign. you can be sure a big buck rutted in there--as long as a hunter or cougar never got him. You can even find sheds--which say allot.
A guy has too trust the sign---you only have to see the buck once to kill him--you can hunt big deer by just what he left behind--Rubs and tracks. And so that's how I hunt--no need to see the animal just need to evaluate the evidence.
All of this must be put together as you learn cause no trip off the road should ever be a loss it will always provide somthin for the future.
Long time ago I spent a day counting sheep on Crater mnt with a local---it was November after season closed mulies were ruttin--that guy flat emmbarassed me--he had spent summers with the bio as a packer--he also had ziess binos--I will never forget what he showed us that day--mostly the big mulies cause the sheep were in bad shape after the dieoff--His suggestion was I look for pieces of the animal--sorta worked--what I needed to do was look relentlessly and eventually things got better for me.
Buddy of mine--terrible eye for game--rarely looks except when he's hoping to bag one--does not take the option of actually verifying when I spotted a deer--seeing for himself--struggles to shoot a deer where I seem to be tripping over them--It's a learned skill--time and practice will reap rewards. practice enough and they stick out like sore thumbs.

[hunter1947]

I just pick a mountain were no trails or roads are and head her up there.

[SHAKER]

Just lots of time in the jungle! Everything from going to your favorite fishing lake to look'n at them 3 pt. mulies during Cougar season. Stop and look around, get your eyes off the center of the road and watch your surroundings.

[Brambles]

The problem I'm finding with my GPS is that in timber it looses the signal.

Its a Garmin Etrex legend, I'm thinking of upgrading to another model if I can find one that has better timber signal strenght.

Any ideas

[Jelvis]

Take a machette or axe in with you and everytime you come across a well defined deer trail, follow it a ways and clear debris and logs off it to help deer use it more. Make a note of that particular spot and come back again and do it again til it's your place and the deers together. Deer remember land marks huge rocks, big old trees, a little dry pond and you should too.

[lapadat]

The only thing I do in addition to what is mentioned is overlay ALL your information onto a good quality TOPO or an Orthophoto. Every shed, rub, bedding area, feeding area is plotted and used as a reference to watch deer movement.

I also take very detailed notes during and after EVERY scouting trip in a journal for future use. This includes time/date/temperature/weather of all interesting animal sightings and thier activity.

lap

[youngbuck]

Lapadat,

So great...now I have this map sitting infront of me at home. What am I looking for?

[todbartell]

...deer :mrgreen:

[Mr. Dean]

Lapadat,

So great...now I have this map sitting infront of me at home. What am I looking for?

The 1st thing that I look for is potential feeding grounds.

[hunter1947]

The problem I'm finding with my GPS is that in timber it looses the signal.

Its a Garmin Etrex legend, I'm thinking of upgrading to another model if I can find one that has better timber signal strenght.

Any ideas I find an opening some were in the timber ,there are places wear there are open spots.:wink:

[pikey]

Brambles, I am in the market for a new GPS for hunting so have been doing some research on them. The new ones have a SIRF chipset in them that makes them a lot more sensitive and the reception is supposed to be a big leap

I never thought of using a GPS for mapping all the trails I'm a newb and have been staring at maps and bush too wondering how to put it all together as to what makes a great spot, food, water, protection...haven't quite gotten it into focus yet.

Here is a link to a review of a new GPS and how it compares to the previous model, it's not hunting related but good info nonetheless.

http://www.patrick-roeder.de/reviews/garmin_gpsmap_60CSx.htm

[Jelvis]

If you want to find a good spot like everyone else would, if you find antler drop offs (sheds) and winter breeding range, start from there and work up in elevation and use drainages like ravines and creeks. In October 15th and on bucks start coming down out of the high mountains.

[Mr. Dean]

Critters are for the most part like US. They'll take the path of least resistance unless startled.

[Jelvis]

Mr. Dean You are right on and I concur

[pikey]

So when you are standing on a logging road and trying to work out if there is deer in an area of bush what is yor checklist in your head that you go down?

Are you looking for draws, water sources, what takes priority for a good spot?

[steveo32]

Just look for tracks if there are none the deer are not using the area but they might move into there later in the fall for breeding reasons. Most areas will have some sorta water source and food source.

[Jelvis]

You're looking for deer sign, the more the better, deer $hit, trails, rubs on little evergreen trees, tracks, deer hair. Deer trails are best to find and follow up on altho they will peter out in a while they will be there again. Deer droppings old or new will be where the deer frequent. A deer dumps every 2 hours. Just make sure you have a compass and know how to use it. A good topo map, and water. Walk a back woods road and see where a deer trail crosses and go from there. Follow it in a ways and look around for a half hour then go on road again do the same thing over,

[pikey]

Hey thanks guys, every bit helps :)

[lapadat]

I fully agree with Hannibal. If the average hunter went for a 30 minute hike off the main road he/she would kill many many more deer.

After I compile all my little "finds", I start dissecting the information to come up with patterns.
Time, temp, slope, ELEVATION, food source nearby etc.

You will find similarites and then you should begin concentrating on those. The bucks in my particular area are late risers, which means I don't have to be up at the ass-crack of dawn to hump into a good hunting spot. When you find good rubs, fresh scat, and antlers all at a certain elevation, which I have, then you can say that those big boys were loving thier lady friends AND spending the winter in the exact same block of land.

Eventually you can go back to your journal and find a wealth of information that would otherwise be forgotten.

Take ALL available information from a good find - Elevation, slope, aspect, food/cover availability and write it all down.

Finds from the Chwk Valley.


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_098.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4480&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=847)
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Hunting_077.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=4303&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=847)

[mapguy]

all the big deer are in my back yard
allm i have to do is figure out how to get them to go where i can shoot

[Wildman]

all the big deer are in my back yard
allm i have to do is figure out how to get them to go where i can shoot

Trail of apples and a bow?

[hannibal]

I don't know how I picked 5km X 5km that's just how the area I'm in got set up by terrain and logging roads. Alot of guys drive right through/past this box without a second thought, and I decided "why drive for 1 1/2 hrs when I can be hunting in 20min?" Remember this is a good size area once you're in it and on the hoof, and I can easily expand my box to include more roads and bush as I please. Most areas that get logged have a network of roads, most of those roads get too over grown to drive down, but the critters still use them for easy forage and movement, no animal is going to push heavy bush unless it has too. I firmly believe that any area with alot of road hunters will have great critter activity if you get outta the truck and get into the bush. I'm lucky that this area has plenty of water, food and cover. The deer and bear and moose I'm hunting are resident, there's no summer high country or winter low country, just where they live and I know this because I'm out there all year. Yes I've started maintaining some of the trails so animals are more likely to use them, and I'm selfish, I never clear an opening to a trail off of a main road, I leave the natural heavy bush for about 5m because that'll keep the lazy hunters and quads from messing up "my" area. I haven't had any problems with my GPS and it's an older model Garmin, I just turn it on and strap it to the shoulder strap of my daypack. When I get home I download the tracks and waypoints to my topo software and make notes. Having that instant visual when you get home really helps me understand the lay of the land and plot ambush sites along natural corridors. I admit the bush hunting I'm doing isn't the most productive as far as killing goes, but man I've stalked up on whitetailed deer 20 feet from me, and the deer have that "where the hell did you come?" look on their faces. I am going to pick a couple of clear cuts though for predator hunting, but I'll do the same thing. Walk through a "flat" clear cut and you realize how much dang cover there is. My 2 bits part 2

[Gun Dog]

The GPS makes a huge difference exploring new areas. It makes it a lot easier to backtrack or, better yet, connect to other roads and do loops. When I'm hiking I have the GPS in my pack collecting a track log that I can plot back home. With Garmin's MapSource I can overlay the track log in Google Earth for a better visual (Hannegan Pass, Mt. Baker):
http://hilmar.smugmug.com/photos/87148470-M.jpg

Unfortunately the better parts of BC are low resolution.

[Jelvis]

I think 5k by 5k is, a large area, but Mine is 10k by 4k. Break down to six good hunting spots within that area, 5 times 5 equals 25 square k, break areas into 1.5 K square, get to know every rock log and land mark cause the deer do. It sounds to me that you know what your doing by your thread posts. I think you gotta winner! Keep on keeping on. Jelvis

[hunter1947]

My elk and deer hunting area is 50 square miles and after hunting it for 38 years ,i know every rock and every tree ,and every revine.

[BCrams]

I don't really have a favorite spot to hunt. I am always adapting and changing hunting areas. I have never killed a buck in the same area twice.

I'll pick an area by studying maps of the area I am interested in and identify the best spots by habitat that a big buck will likely call home and then I scout or hunt it. I can quickly tell if there's potential for a big buck to be around thats worth my time and effort.

If I decide there are no big bucks around to be hunted, I pull out and move to another area so I'm not wasting my time. If I know there's good potential of seeing / finding a big one - I will stick around and hunt hard....and sometimes it takes a couple hunting seasons but inevitably I'll score on a 'shooter'.

[Fisher-Dude]

I have never killed a buck in the same area twice.


Interesting. I dumped four 4 point mulies within about 100 yards of each other over 5 years in the late 80s - early 90s, and 3 of those were within 40 yards of one another.

My brother and I also have one small elk meadow in the EK, about a hectare in size, where we dumped several elk in a row over a number of years. I always like to explore new spots, but I have my favourites where I keep returning and have success. Familiarity with an area has enabled me to pattern the game, know where the game trails are, and where the rutting animals may approach from, especially the elk. Of course, sometimes I do get surprised when suddenly they are standing behind me. :wink:

[BCrams]

I suppose I can swallow my pride and get a quad ride into that meadow of yours for an elk.

[Fisher-Dude]

I suppose I can swallow my pride and get a quad ride into that meadow of yours for an elk.

Unfortunately, you have to walk from the truck. Uphill too! :mrgreen:

Hopefully it hasn't been skinned clean by the pine beetle harvesters. I'll let ya know, just put my 2 week holiday slip in today, and the boss signed it right away! :-D Yeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwww!

[dana]

I think the key for the newbies to find spots is just get out of the truck and go for a little hike. Tons of times, I'll find a new good area, by just pulling over at some good looking country and just start hiking up the mountain side. This is nothing to be afraid of. If the game is there, you'll see evidence. If it's not, it is not a waste of time. That is one spot you can just knock off the list of potential spots.
I recall there was a member on here last year that posted up how many kms he had drivin looking for deer last fall. Was quite amazing, and he had never seen a deer. That is where you need to stop, pull over, and try the boot leather out.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Hopefully it hasn't been skinned clean by the pine beetle harvesters. I'll let ya know, just put my 2 week holiday slip in today, and the boss signed it right away! :-D Yeeeeeeehawwwwwwwwww!

Sure, drive the boss nuts so he'll do anything to get rid of you for two weeks.
Same thing works on wives8).

SSS

[one-shot-wonder]

[quote=Fisher-Dude;167662]Unfortunately, you have to walk from the truck. Uphill too! :mrgreen:

Hopefully it hasn't been skinned clean by the pine beetle harvesters./quote]

Why so you can drive your quad right into the meadow, instead of hike? figures, and why are you shopping for new boots, other ones aren't even broken in I bet.

[locdog_99]

any1 got any pointer on place to hike to scout for deer around skagit valley?

[bruin]

That's some rough terrain I think. Me personally, I think I might try the next valley over in Chilliwack or Shunshine Valley. The alpine is more accessible and more logging. I don't really like buchwacking for deer but that's just me. are you a hiker??

[mapguy]

my experince has always been get out of the truck my bud and eye have seen people walking our spot daily most don't come back there not seeing nothing
the secret is deffinetly getting off the bloody road even if its just 100 yrds
it makes all the difference in the world .besides isn't road hunting illegal hehehehehe

[youngbuck]

everyone,

Thank you for the information.

On thing that happen to me last year that I found interesting (in retorspect). I was hunting doe mulies last year with one of my partners. He had the quad and I had his truck. We decided to split up and he went down one fork in the raod and I went down another. Unfortunately, the road I drove down ended about .5 km down the road. At the clearing at the end of the road was a fenceline. I figured I'd follow the fenceline (on foot) and see where it goes.

As I was walking the fenceline I notice spots where dear were jumping the fence. After about 3 km of walking I decide to jump the fence and follow some of the tracks. I came to a spot and a small voice in my mind said "This is a good spot". All of sudden I notice 3 does walking behind some small trees in the distance. They did not provide me witha good shot so I let them pass. while tracking them I looked to my right and 5 does were walk about 70 yards away from me. One of them afforded me it's vitals and she went down. Also, while dressing out....2 more does came within 50 yards

We had been driving around most of the clearcuts and road for 2 days prior without seeing anything.

Anyway, I guess the moral of the story is to get out of the truck and off the main road and into the bush. Also, listen to that inner voice (hunter's sixth sense). If it tells you this is a good area, then investigate further.

I still would like more clarification on what you are looking for on topo maps before you venture out nito the bush

[newhunterette]

I have my sweet little honey holes for fishing and hunting that I go to yearly - I frequently check them out when I can - I also am privy to a few other places because of people in our lives who are involved in fisheries and wildlife conservation but I do know that if i so much as breathe a whipser of some areas the hubby says is grounds for a firing squad - but I will take bribes hehehehehehe and have been known to talk in my sleep

Ali

[youngbuck]

Fooollllooooow the swwwayyying pointer.....
You are geeettttiiing sllleeeeeepppppppy...
sllleeeeeepppppppy...sllleeeeeepppppppy...
sllleeeeeepppppppy...sllleeeeeepppppppy...

You are at your favorite hunting spot....where are you?
DETAILS....DETAILS..:twisted:
DAMMMIT where are they?!!!???

ooops I mean

You are sllleeeeeepppppppy...sllleeeeeepppppppy...sllleeee eepppppppy:mrgreen:

tsk...tsk...teasing is not nice

[lapadat]

Bruin is very sadly misinformed. There are NO deer in the chwk valley worth going after....I would stay in the Skagit.

[Jelvis]

When you find a nice little area driving along, stop. Take a walk in. Walk about 100 metres in or so. If you see a buck rub, deer poop, tracks and trail. Make it your spot. Take an axe or machette and make a place for a deer to want to hang around. Then come back sometimes and do more. Til you got a clearing, and a shooting lane done. Natural clover, grass and bushes, bear berry, berry plants, water seep. Bingo - Bango, what ya, gonna do ee o? Caution don't make it too conspicuous, keep nearly as natural as possible, and, don't, make any tell tale trail in to the spot.