We had a week long Region 8 October hunt and I have some questions.....frustrated

[ekul246]

So a group of us went up for a week and were based out of one members cabin in Penticton.

We arrived to a September 29th snowfall of 18" in the morning. Making access to our desired area impossible. Elevation of approximately 1600m. We checked out couple other roads and saw a couple wolves who took off as soon as they saw us(!).
We headed back to a different area where we have also had success and have seen some game in the past. Elevation of 1500m. There was also snow there. This area we had a total of 6 moose sightings. By Wednesday, October 2nd, the snow was mostly gone in the lower area and we had seen 1 mule deer doe, 2-4 whitetail and fawns (could be the same doe and fawn) and possible whitetail buck sighting but it was gone as soon as we showed up even though it was a long ways from us and the previous does had let us drive up much closer before taking off. We walked, hiked, sat for hours at first and last light in a couple draws, one which shortly after we settled in produced a bull moose in the exact way we thought that deer would come in and follow. It never knew we were there since the wind was perfect. Came to within 45 yards, fed around us and continued on before the other half of our group spooked it off.

We did head into our first location to try and get to it again. Turns out, since it has been a couple years since we were in there, that we had the wrong cut marked on our maps. We found the access a little farther north but not the right cut. There was still 8-10" of snow but we got in. Didn't see anything. Saw some tracks and walked into draws but saw nothing.
We saw no rabbits, 5 grouse, 2 wolves, 1 bear, 1 coyote, some bobcat and lynx tracks, had 6 moose sightings, some whitetail does and fawns and two mule deer does, one of which was very low in the timber on our way in one morning an hour after sunrise. The variety of animals that we saw suprised us all and we are pleased to have seen something everyday.....but none of what we wanted to see.....bucks.

We thought at the start of our hunt that with a new moon at the beginning of our hunt, in the last few days of the 4pt MD season and the start of the any buck MD season, with our elevation and everything, that we would have at least seen a buck, either whitetail or mule deer.

But NOPE! At the end of the hunt, all we had to show was a couple grouse.

I am wanting to know what you guys think. Was our timing off? Did the snow play a factor? Would they have begun to move out, as a local said when we spoke to him out there, because of the first snow? Everywhere we were, there were prints of some kind, some old and some new.
We hunted from first light to last light everyday except one where we packed it in early to rest for the evening.

3 of us have hunted together a bunch of times since the fall of 2012 and never bagged anything. We don't have a learned hunter to teach us or anything and even though it is enjoyable to be out there in the wild and breathe the fresh air and de-stress, we also want to be successful. Previously, the 4th member of our group and I have had some success in this area. First, on the first day of our first hunt, second, on the second day of our second hunt. So we thought that going for a week, with 4 guys, that we would get something.

I know, I know.....its called HUNTING.....not KILLING......
We are just feeling frustrated that we take the time and money away from our families to do this and never have anything to show for it. We don't have any older, long time hunters to take us and have had to learn everything ourselves. The sign seemed to show that we were in good areas but not a single buck showed his face. We would have been happy to have seen spikes with their mamas......at least it would have been a buck. And the 4pt we saw after dark in town and the spike we saw in town don't count.

Just feeling frustrated......

[RyoTHC]

Snow plays a huge factor. The deer don’t know that it was only temporary, I noticed from my cameras that spots that held dozens of does prior to the snow hasn’t had anything on it since !

the deer have headed for greener pastures. I don’t think it’s the wrong place or wrong time just unfortunate to get such a heavy snow so early in the season to push animals to places people aren’t used to hunting them late September or early October.

I have since found the deer shain about 20km away at a lower elevation.

[Ron.C]

Ive had my share of hunts like this and blamed many on the weather, moon, hunting pressure........ Now if I go for a week or more and by midway I am not seeing game, I change things up. Try a new area, try a different technique. This is hard for me as I am a creature of habit and have a hell of a time changing gears in an area or using a technique that has worked well in the past.

One of my favourite things to do when on the mainland deer hunting is to find good ground, get in before sunup and sit all day. Hard to do for allot of people but if you are confident in your spot, can be a super wsy to go. I think allot of hunters would be surprised at how many "nocturnal" deer show up mid day

[jshansen]

Do you guys live in the area and get the chance to scout it fairly often through the year? My only advice is look for the does wait for the rut, that's you're best chance. Also it's great, and safer, hunting with pals but honestly I've been hunting for 4 years and I hunt with my hunting partner almost everytime and both of us have shot 4 Blacktail bucks (which are notoriously very difficult) in the last 4 years, but never together we're always alone. Being alone you don't worry about others scent spooking game, because it will, you can focus on how much noise you are making, focus on the thermals, wind, listening, going slow, and what your scent is doing. I love hunting with my hunting partner but I know I hunt far better alone. But like anything it's much sweeter when you've suffered a bit before you have success. That's the beauty of the hunt. At this point I'd rather hike a handful of mountains to bag a 2 point then shoot a 4 point off the road I didn't work for

[srupp]

Hmmm snow WILL change things. .big time..18 inches will get does/ fawns moving. .takes over 24 inches to get big bucks moving...
same place same time..2 back to back years will produce different results. ..
You do not know what happened the 2 weeks before you were there..humans..preditors. .wood harvest...etc
Srupp

[Aaron600]

Hmmm snow WILL change things. .big time..18 inches will get does/ fawns moving. .takes over 24 inches to get big bucks moving...
same place same time..2 back to back years will produce different results. ..
You do not know what happened the 2 weeks before you were there..humans..preditors. .wood harvest...etc
Srupp

Will bucks/doe head back up a mountain/area after the snow has melted?

[lovemywinchester]

We are just feeling frustrated that we take the time and money away from our families to do this and never have anything to show for it.



That's a tough one for sure. The wife will wonder if you are just hanging around the strip bar for a few days when you have no results. I have one buddy that always brings a fish home when we fish just so she won't give him a hard time.

Princeton area has been logged to a moonscape in so many areas down there and there are so many hunters doing laps that the deer pops are way down. Deer numbers are WAY down in 3,8.

[tigrr]

The "WE" part could have been why you didn't see much. I have sat 100 yards away from 2 city guys who didn't stop talking/whispering long enough for any animal to wander out near them. I could hear them with my ears. Most animals hearing is way better than my hearing. Wind direction is another thing. How loud you were going into the hunt area.
How many animals are in the area is a factor. In 5 years I know of only 2 4x4 mule deer shot around me. A few spike bucks shot during any buck season, just not many during the 4x4 time period. My travels have put 400kms on my atv. I mainly hunt alone now.

[GEF]

Two feet of snow ,7000 feet ,counted over 60 deer, bucks and does in 3 hours.They don't leave the alpine in early snow .They hang around in the sub alpine timber and romp in the snow on the south slopes.Don't tell anyone but the mature bucks only come down for the rut and return to the sub alpine timber after to avoid predators ,human and canine.
https://i.imgur.com/WYejG0P.jpg?1

[monasheemountainman]

So a group of us went up for a week and were based out of one members cabin in Penticton.

We arrived to a September 29th snowfall of 18" in the morning. Making access to our desired area impossible. Elevation of approximately 1600m. We checked out couple other roads and saw a couple wolves who took off as soon as they saw us(!).
We headed back to a different area where we have also had success and have seen some game in the past. Elevation of 1500m. There was also snow there. This area we had a total of 6 moose sightings. By Wednesday, October 2nd, the snow was mostly gone in the lower area and we had seen 1 mule deer doe, 2-4 whitetail and fawns (could be the same doe and fawn) and possible whitetail buck sighting but it was gone as soon as we showed up even though it was a long ways from us and the previous does had let us drive up much closer before taking off. We walked, hiked, sat for hours at first and last light in a couple draws, one which shortly after we settled in produced a bull moose in the exact way we thought that deer would come in and follow. It never knew we were there since the wind was perfect. Came to within 45 yards, fed around us and continued on before the other half of our group spooked it off.

We did head into our first location to try and get to it again. Turns out, since it has been a couple years since we were in there, that we had the wrong cut marked on our maps. We found the access a little farther north but not the right cut. There was still 8-10" of snow but we got in. Didn't see anything. Saw some tracks and walked into draws but saw nothing.
We saw no rabbits, 5 grouse, 2 wolves, 1 bear, 1 coyote, some bobcat and lynx tracks, had 6 moose sightings, some whitetail does and fawns and two mule deer does, one of which was very low in the timber on our way in one morning an hour after sunrise. The variety of animals that we saw suprised us all and we are pleased to have seen something everyday.....but none of what we wanted to see.....bucks.

We thought at the start of our hunt that with a new moon at the beginning of our hunt, in the last few days of the 4pt MD season and the start of the any buck MD season, with our elevation and everything, that we would have at least seen a buck, either whitetail or mule deer.

But NOPE! At the end of the hunt, all we had to show was a couple grouse.

I am wanting to know what you guys think. Was our timing off? Did the snow play a factor? Would they have begun to move out, as a local said when we spoke to him out there, because of the first snow? Everywhere we were, there were prints of some kind, some old and some new.
We hunted from first light to last light everyday except one where we packed it in early to rest for the evening.

3 of us have hunted together a bunch of times since the fall of 2012 and never bagged anything. We don't have a learned hunter to teach us or anything and even though it is enjoyable to be out there in the wild and breathe the fresh air and de-stress, we also want to be successful. Previously, the 4th member of our group and I have had some success in this area. First, on the first day of our first hunt, second, on the second day of our second hunt. So we thought that going for a week, with 4 guys, that we would get something.

I know, I know.....its called HUNTING.....not KILLING......
We are just feeling frustrated that we take the time and money away from our families to do this and never have anything to show for it. We don't have any older, long time hunters to take us and have had to learn everything ourselves. The sign seemed to show that we were in good areas but not a single buck showed his face. We would have been happy to have seen spikes with their mamas......at least it would have been a buck. And the 4pt we saw after dark in town and the spike we saw in town don't count.

Just feeling frustrated......


Say it time and time again this is true.... yes its frustrating but it takes time, skill, and luck! keep at it or quit we have all been there! I wish you guys the best of luck!

[quadrakid]

Three ways to up your chances of success. Hunt the rut,Hunt the rut, Hunt the rut,

[jshansen]

Three ways to up your chances of success. Hunt the rut,Hunt the rut, Hunt the rut,


Bingo bingo bingo

[brian]

I used to hunt with a group of guys and we did not have much success. But I really look back fondly on those times. In fact I am thinking of putting together a trip again so I can go out there and hunt with them and not be successful just to relive some of those old days. If I want to bring home the meat I will hunt 10 minutes from my home. So I say, yeah don’t sweat it that you came home empty handed. You just had a week out in the bush hunting hard with people you love. Doesn’t get much better in life. I mean I feel for you guys and I know that frustration so well. Hunting is a tough road and it’s made tougher by hearing about other people’s successes that seem so easy for them. Thing is hunting is easy when it all goes right. But when it goes wrong it is a grind!!! Experience and knowledge will come with plenty of hours out in the bush. Yeah you guys did not come home with meat, but that doesn’t mean the trip had no value. So what when wrong with your hunt??? Who could say. Learn more, get out more and enjoy every minute of it... even the very very very sucky bits.

[J_T]

Ive had my share of hunts like this and blamed many on the weather, moon, hunting pressure........ Now if I go for a week or more and by midway I am not seeing game, I change things up. Try a new area, try a different technique. ......
Yep, I went through that as well. As you say, I decided to change my technique. Picked up a recurve, which forced me to hunt very differently. And within a short period of time, the success started to come. Haven't used a rifle since.

[Wild one]

we all fail but if you try to adjust and learn from it will make you a better hunter in the long run

[dino]

Two feet of snow ,7000 feet ,counted over 60 deer, bucks and does in 3 hours.They don't leave the alpine in early snow .They hang around in the sub alpine timber and romp in the snow on the south slopes.Don't tell anyone but the mature bucks only come down for the rut and return to the sub alpine timber after to avoid predators ,human and canine.
https://i.imgur.com/WYejG0P.jpg?1

Not region 3 deer. Your talking region 8 where the deer can migrate down to wintering area in a matter of hours. This is a piece of the puzzle you left out.also deer dont need snow to push them down there are other factors.

[boxhitch]

For many, its an issue of not seeing because they are not looking and glassing effectively. It takes time to properly pick apart a tree line or a cut block to identify everything.

Many hunters just look for a deer, instead of looking for a tail, or a back, or a tine, or an ear. Driving into a cut and spotting a bedded buck up at the top 300 or even 100 yards away takes effort
with good glassing technique and maybe even a cheap spotting scope on a tripod

GEF spotted 60 deer in the snow maybe, think of what that looks like without snow, not so easy.

[Aaron600]

Not region 3 deer. Your talking region 8 where the deer can migrate down to wintering area in a matter of hours. This is a piece of the puzzle you left out.also deer dont need snow to push them down there are other factors.

Will bucks ever head back up to high country after heading down to wintering grounds if the snow melts?

[GEF]

Not region 3 deer. Your talking region 8 where the deer can migrate down to wintering area in a matter of hours. This is a piece of the puzzle you left out.also deer dont need snow to push them down there are other factors.
I hunt region 3 the same way!Deer can come and go from the alpine or subalpine as they please .Point is snow doesn't push them down.
Yes you have to look harder with out snow but that is where good optic's and patience come in .Spend the whole day with a spotter and binos ,grid the area .

[Sangstercraft]

I am sure this is NOT the answer you're looking for.. but I've been in your shoes many times. I now call myself a "hiker with a rifle". First and foremost my goal is to enjoy myself in the woods. If I go hunting, don't see anything, and return happy from the weekend -- it's a success.

If you've seen all those animals, I'm thinking you're doing TONS right, and it's just a matter of following the above advice to tweak things.

[ekul246]

Thanks for all the input. It's encouraging. Spending extra time glassing is something we need to add. We're not as patient as we should be when checking out cuts.

All this info is very insightful

[Wild one]

Separate, get in the bush, slow right down, hunt with both ears and eyes lastly pay attention to sign

There is many ways to hunt that can be effective beyond glassing open areas. It is rare for me to shoot an animal out of a cut

[gutpile]

You want results, spend big money and go way up north ! Where there is game !

[dino]

Will bucks ever head back up to high country after heading down to wintering grounds if the snow melts?

If the deer are down to their wintering area in region 8 then the hunting season is over already because that usually doesnt happen till late december. Other areas where deer have a long ways to wintering grounds can be there in oct and will usually stay there. They may head up but the summer apline is just to far. You just need to find your style of hunting and try to improve on it. A member here mentioned something about glassing clearcuts, if thats his style and it works for him thats great. You need to find your own style and learn how to improve it.

[Big Lew]

Like 'dino' says, it depends on the area you're hunting. As an example, deer well north of Kamloops lake
traditionally start a true migration heading to either the north Thompson River Valley or the north shore
area of Kamloops Lake, not going back until next spring. I've seen this phenomenon many times...all the
deer tracks made recently and all heading in the same direction. I've been successful a couple of times
by racing well down in elevation and getting ahead of them. Usually they're all gone though because
they travel day and night without stopping very long.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Two feet of snow ,7000 feet ,counted over 60 deer, bucks and does in 3 hours.They don't leave the alpine in early snow .They hang around in the sub alpine timber and romp in the snow on the south slopes.Don't tell anyone but the mature bucks only come down for the rut and return to the sub alpine timber after to avoid predators ,human and canine.
https://i.imgur.com/WYejG0P.jpg?1
Nice Buck Gary ! :smile: RJ