3-19 Savona area

[Dorarem]

As mule deer rut is coming and big bucks going to be around on open areas. Thinking to go hunt around Savona. Pat lake area. Has anyone done that area ? It’s just like treeless hills.
Do you guys think it will be good area? Or better get into bush ?

[Red_Mist]

Well you have about 3 more weeks before the rut is on in that area. I have seen deer just beded down in that open grass land but I think you will have more success in the timber. Find the does during the rut and bucks will be following. Where they are tends to depend on snowfall as well, higher elevation till they are pushed down.

[Liveforthehunt]

3 weeks may be a bit late ... id say with the activity I have seen in the past 2 days here that peak will happen in 10 days from now :p lots of pre rut activity happening including a 6x5 wondering aimlessly with his tongue hang ing

[Weatherby Fan]

Hunt from Nov 10-20 and you should have the rut covered !

[604redneck]

You are asking for advice on an internet forum. Take everything with a grain of salt. go hunt and have fun

[Scance]

3-18.. I was surprised when I sighted a mature buck following doe's in the timber last weekend, I was up in the snow and followed them to find two separate doe estuers spots in the snow and not just little pee spots, I could smell it as I was tracking them, when I stoped to take a pic a 2pt was staring at me through the trees. Also noted the deer are eating tons of lichen off the blow down trees and not feeding much in the blocks right now.

[Bugle M In]

This is about the time that things start rolling.
To say when the actual "peak time" is, is hard to pin point.
I can tell you this, that this is the time where you start to see some lucky hunters with those big bucks in the pics.
If I could, I would be out there every day possible now.
If you are out there as much as possible, you run a good chance of hitting the special day when you know the
"rut is on"....you will just know.
Good luck out there

[BigfishCanada]

The farmers fields there are loaded with trophies, the trick to that area is knowing private land

[Dorarem]

Haven’t seen private land signs out there

[finngun]

I have been hunting savana area starting early 90...that time deers running all over,,not so last 10years,,,lots of logging,,heavy hunting pressure...bears,wolfs......fn,road hunting pic up trucks running all over,many guns at the back of it......etc. i stop my hunting there..im sure still deer there,,but way less than past...feel sad about it..

[Bugle M In]

I have been hunting savana area starting early 90...that time deers running all over,,not so last 10years,,,lots of logging,,heavy hunting pressure...bears,wolfs......fn,road hunting pic up trucks running all over,many guns at the back of it......etc. i stop my hunting there..im sure still deer there,,but way less than past...feel sad about it..

Biggest problem with that whole area was after they closed R5 from the 10th-20th of Nov.
Way more guys in there because of that, and then yes, the landscape has changed drastically up on the plateau
do to that "fairly liberal clear cut logging up there", which definitely made a few changes to the deer movement
patterns from years ago, and wolves that didn't exist to my knowledge back then.
Deer are there, but as Nov 10th comes, its quite the gong show at times, and not just on the roads, lots of guys trying to hike in, yet still run into people doing the same.

[bighornbob]

Haven’t seen private land signs out there

Private land does not need to be posted.

BHB

[twoSevenO]

Private land does not need to be posted.

BHB

so if there's no fence and no sign banning hunting/trespassing they're ok with me being there? :D
otherwise how would people know? I feel like the onus is on the landowners for this one.

[bighornbob]

so if there's no fence and no sign banning hunting/trespassing they're ok with me being there? :D
otherwise how would people know? I feel like the onus is on the landowners for this one.


Actually the regs say the onus is on the hunter to know where he is hunting.

BHB

[twoSevenO]

Actually the regs say the onus is on the hunter to know where he is hunting.

BHB

interesting. i'll have to re-read some regs it seems. Thanks!

[todbartell]

I believe its ok to be on private land unless it's fenced, posted as private, or cultivated.

[Bugle M In]

I believe its ok to be on private land unless it's fenced, posted as private, or cultivated.

Really???
I always thought it need to be posted, but some previous comments had me thinking otherwise.

[TexasWalker]

Haven’t seen private land signs out there

Look harder.
It's also fenced.
All of the private ranch land there is no hunting/no trespassing.
There are orange and black signs all along the fences.

[twoSevenO]

Look harder.
It's also fenced.
All of the private ranch land there is no hunting/no trespassing.
There are orange and black signs all along the fences.

Are you talking about the same area as OP inquired about (Pat lake)? isn't the private land there just on either side of that area? West along the Tunkwa lake road and east over by the highway?

Just curious if I missed or hiked through some private land in there im not aware of (been a few years since I was last there)

[bigredchev]

This year seemed to be a strange year in that area. Whatever you find this year I'm sure will not be the case for the future.

[Big Lew]

There's always been a notable wolf presence in that whole area between Kamloops Lake
and Merritt. I heard and saw many during the early 60's. Most of the rutting and wintering
areas are on private posted ranches south of Savona. My family and I used to hunt such a
specific area, but that rancher passed on and it's now posted. It's the same old story...too
many hunters leaving a mess, gates open, and shooting amongst his cattle or toward his
buildings so I don't blame his family one bit.