How do you hunt the GOS?

[joshbazz]

Well Sep 10 is less than a month away. 3rd hunting season for my 45 yr old bones (I work at a computer so feels more like 55). Haven’t bagged a big game yet, just hares, but man do I enjoy every minute out there! Probably hunt less than 2 weeks a year including spring - going to change that this year.

Tried hunting 4 pt mule over first 5 days last year, got really close, needed a couple more days. Have never seen a 6pt Elk in the wild. Tried moose and bear but too little time. Never saw a wt buck in the wild either.

My questions is: what do people generally hunt, and how? - not asking for spots!

Do people generally hunt 4pt mules right away, or wait for the rut in Nov? If hunting 4 pt mules right away, do you find more success in timber or glassing elevation?

Do people focus on 1 species or go for ‘attacks of opportunity’ with 4 pt mule, wt bucks, 6pt Elk or bear? I have a feeling Elk is more of a dedicated effort.

Super excited, hoping this is the the year I bag something big, and by big I mean anything over 100lbs, before dressing lol! I buy tags for everything, just in case, inc cougar.

I think I’m going to focus more on still hunting timber, had a little success walking up on a moose last year. Freaked me right the hell out! Felt like thunder and mild earthquake in the thick timber when it startled and ran.

Good luck to all, and I appreciate any thoughts that may help others and myself.

Cheers,

Josh

[Weatherby Fan]

If your going to hunt 4 pt Mule Deer early season, go into the Alpine for the opener, anywhere in the southern half of the province, your best chance at a four point for early season.

I tend to like hunting South and west facing alpine bowls/shoots and set up on the east side of them so when the sun comes up its at your back and your not glassing into it, pick a good vantage point and be there 1 hr before daylight, sit down and glass glass glass.

All this changes depending on weather conditions of course.

[Vortex hunter]

I get way way off the road even hide from people . grab my pack and bike and Hike and hike..Vortex

[Bubbacanuck]

We have a few similarities. This is my third hunting season and I am a 43 year old desk jockey as well :) My first year I think I put 30 days towards hunting, which was a lot and didn't make my wife the happiest. I went after everything, which makes it difficult to get anything. I've been lucky to have a couple awesome mentors take me under their wings, so I think I've been fairly successful. Year 1 I was able to harvest a blacktail in region 2, 4 ducks and some grouse. Chased Elk a lot in a 6pt only season and came really close but elk are a tough hunt and they require a lot of effort and skill in my opinion...especially a 6pt. I tried for Mule deer near Whipsaw area in October that year, saw 30+ does but the bucks are elusive at that time of year. Last year, I got a spring turkey and a fall turkey plus 7 grouse, a few ducks, my first goose and two blacktail deer. This year I was able to harvest my first bear in the spring and look forward to crushing my third fall season. I will be hunting geese Sept 5/6 & 12/13. Then I will be up in 7-28 for our shared moose LEH hunt where we can harvest two bulls! Fingers crossed. Then it will be time for ducks & geese until the Nov rut. I will be going to my honey hole for 2 blacktails (hopefully) at the beginning over Nov and then onto 5-1 for my whitetail anterless LEH. I will also have tags for another bear, cougar and Elk...just in case. I personally try to always have a .22 with me for grouse and hare when hunting big game but only if I am not actually in my hunting spot as I wouldn't want to spook the species I am targeting. Good luck to you!

[warnniklz]

I'll go opposite and look for pockets of timber in the middle of a busy area.

[Bugle M In]

Well, when i was in better times:

I would go do some sub alpine MD hunts for opening day, meaning hiking in a day or 2 beforehand.
Then off for Elk later in September (however, i think the bow season early on is better at times, but would interfere with the MD hunt)
Then, off for either a MD hunt in October or a Sheep hunt that "used to be open". (kind of a combo hunt at the time)
Then MD in Nov/Dec and from time to time a WT hunt depending where i was.

LEH tags change things up, but usually did a Goat hunt during elk hunt if time/tag permitting.

[BRrooster]

In the last few years, early Elk and Moose up north from me, (my son lives and works Forestry near MacKenzie BC). Mulie October and Wt and Moose in November , Wt in Dec bow season.
The most important thing is just to be out there.
B.

[jac]

Keep going back to the same spot for a few years. Learning new area every year can be good
but often is tough. Just stick with it

[albravo2]

Josh, it is pretty obvious from your post that you are an analytic thinker and I expect you are a fast learner. All you need is time in the field.

The biggest thing for me was finding sign. Rubs and scrapes for ungulates, scat for bears and ungulates. Once you find sign you increase your odds dramatically.

Also, hunt where the critters are. I'm talking deer in Region 5 or bears in Region 1. I saw more deer in a morning in Region 5 than I saw in years hunting Region 2. I've never hunted bears on the island but I've heard they are prolific.

[RyoTHC]

My season looks like this each year since I’ve started..

May- spring black bear
September Grouse/duck
October -White tail
November - Mule deer

this year alpine mule deer sept 1-10 and moose sept 10-30 replace the grouse and duck.

ive tried to hunt mulies in October and white tail in September and it was useless for me.. just like bear in April ;)

[twoSevenO]

If you're doing it all on your own, with no mentors to help you find some spots, then you're a bit all over the place.

I think you're doing yourself a disservice trying to go after all the animals for the entire season. Pick a species and learn how to hunt it.

And scout areas out. Put a camera, look for sheds, etc. I wasted too many hunting days scouting when I should have done that in the summer.

Now I NEVER go hunt a completely new area blind. Just not taking the chance during the precious hunting days that come around once a year.

[joshbazz]

Thanks for the responses, this is what I love about this site: help given generously when asked for! Much appreciated! Lots to think about.


If your going to hunt 4 pt Mule Deer early season, go into the Alpine for the opener, anywhere in the southern half of the province, your best chance at a four point for early season...
Great advice WF, I'm in Kelowna, I wonder where the closest Alpine area is... We were hunting about 1700-1800 meters (5500 ft) and found deer, just couldn't get eyes on the big elusive buck in the timber... Saw some 2 pts though... could they possibly grow a couple more this year if they survived? Will have to check maps for higher elevation spots...


I get way way off the road even hide from people . grab my pack and bike and Hike and hike..Vortex
I was thinking of going this route when going solo... gonna have to get a spotx or garmin first :)


We have a few similarities....
Hey Bubba, I totally want to get into geese and ducks, going to look into it, I have a 12G pump and lots of steel shot (pandemic buying...)


I'll go opposite and look for pockets of timber in the middle of a busy area.
Interesting, I can see the logic...


Well, when i was in better times: I would go do some sub alpine MD hunts for opening day...
Thanks for sharing Bugle, sounds like a good schedule!


...The most important thing is just to be out there...
Totally agree B!


Keep going back to the same spot for a few years. Learning new area every year can be good
but often is tough. Just stick with it
Hmmm, we know the area pretty good that we (bro-in-law and I) did last opening day last year, but it is a popular spot... Might be worth scouting the area and checking for sign...


Josh, it is pretty obvious from your post that you are an analytic thinker...
You got me pegged, Al, I can also obsess over gear, ballistics, tactics WAY TOO much... But yes, finding sign and identifying how fresh it is has taken me some time, especially scrapes, but starting to pick it out...


My season looks like this each year since I’ve started..May- spring black bear, September Grouse/duck, October -White tail, November - Mule deer...ive tried to hunt mulies in October and white tail in September and it was useless for me.. just like bear in April ;)
That's an awesome schedule, I'd love to go at least 1 for 4 there! I hear you about bear in April, went out like gangbusters full of piss n vinegar only to get into waste deep snow lol!

[joshbazz]

If you're doing it all on your own, with no mentors to help you find some spots, then you're a bit all over the place.

I think you're doing yourself a disservice trying to go after all the animals for the entire season. Pick a species and learn how to hunt it.

And scout areas out. Put a camera, look for sheds, etc. I wasted too many hunting days scouting when I should have done that in the summer.

Now I NEVER go hunt a completely new area blind. Just not taking the chance during the precious hunting days that come around once a year.
Good point. Yes, can get spastic out there trying to make something happen in limited time. I think cameras are the next investment...

[RyoTHC]

Thanks for the responses, this is what I love about this site: help given generously when asked for! Much appreciated! Lots to think about.


Great advice WF, I'm in Kelowna, I wonder where the closest Alpine area is... We were hunting about 1700-1800 meters (5500 ft) and found deer, just couldn't get eyes on the big elusive buck in the timber... Saw some 2 pts though... could they possibly grow a couple more this year if they survived? Will have to check maps for higher elevation spots...


I was thinking of going this route when going solo... gonna have to get a spotx or garmin first :)


Hey Bubba, I totally want to get into geese and ducks, going to look into it, I have a 12G pump and lots of steel shot (pandemic buying...)


Interesting, I can see the logic...


Thanks for sharing Bugle, sounds like a good schedule!


Totally agree B!


Hmmm, we know the area pretty good that we (bro-in-law and I) did last opening day last year, but it is a popular spot... Might be worth scouting the area and checking for sign...


You got me pegged, Al, I can also obsess over gear, ballistics, tactics WAY TOO much... But yes, finding sign and identifying how fresh it is has taken me some time, especially scrapes, but starting to pick it out...


That's an awesome schedule, I'd love to go at least 1 for 4 there! I hear you about bear in April, went out like gangbusters full of piss n vinegar only to get into waste deep snow lol!


you’re pretty local to us, I get back from my moose hunt in October, if you want to pop over my side of the mountain and hunt any white tail season, or any mule buck lemme know and we will make it happen.

I will disclose that we only started hunting in 2017 and are by no means experts, but we have found more success in that time than some people do in a decade so we are either stupidly lucky or doing something right.. I think we have filled all our tags each season minus one mulie last year for my hunting partner.

I personally hunt every single weekend of season and extend most of them to 3 day weekends, so whatever works for your schedule works for mine, I just ask that you pay your portion of the fuel and have a terrible sense of humour like me.

[338win mag]

I would go for a Whitetail Sept 10 until the any Mulie Buck opener in Oct. Personally, I like the meat of a Mule deer before the rut and the opportunity it offers, a 4 pt can be hard to locate sometimes, even for an experienced hunter.
Then go after Whitetails again for Nov/Dec.
As mentioned by others.....when you find a promising area stick with it, thats what I do and it is especially important if your using your legs to move around, getting familiar with the terrain is really important.

[joshbazz]

you’re pretty local to us, I get back from my moose hunt in October, if you want to pop over my side of the mountain and hunt any white tail season, or any mule buck lemme know and we will make it happen.

I will disclose that we only started hunting in 2017 and are by no means experts, but we have found more success in that time than some people do in a decade so we are either stupidly lucky or doing something right.. I think we have filled all our tags each season minus one mulie last year for my hunting partner.

I personally hunt every single weekend of season and extend most of them to 3 day weekends, so whatever works for your schedule works for mine, I just ask that you pay your portion of the fuel and have a terrible sense of humour like me.
Awesome man, thanks! I'll PM, that all sounds good!


I would go for a Whitetail Sept 10 until the any Mulie Buck opener in Oct. Personally, I like the meat of a Mule deer before the rut and the opportunity it offers, a 4 pt can be hard to locate sometimes, even for an experienced hunter.
Then go after Whitetails again for Nov/Dec.
As mentioned by others.....when you find a promising area stick with it, thats what I do and it is especially important if your using your legs to move around, getting familiar with the terrain is really important.
Solid advice... sounds like I need to scout or pound spots I know that hold game...

It's crazy how deer move or migrate. Sep 10 last year, we thought we were in deer haven, we hiked up before first light, and watched deer, mama's, babies, and two pointers feeding, chasing each other around. We bumped the buck when we tried to do the same thing the next morning on a full moon, and spooked deer everywhere at 5am, and heard the big buck snorting and running, braking branches just inside the treeline.

Anyways, we thought we are FOR SURE going to get one of the two pointers in less than a month during 'any buck' season. Came back, and poof, all the deer were gone.

[HarryToolips]

I have a busy schedule with family and on-call on a rotational basis for my job but I try and hammer 2 good meat deer for my family every season which I almost always do, then save my last deer tag for a good sized buck or a deer with my recurve, and usually I get a part day or two to hunt the spike fork season in November....I also try to have some time to hunt elk in sept and first part of October but last year that got screwed up with my truck axle breaking...

I'll tell you what Joshbazz I MIGHT need a partner for the opener on sept 10, out for 4-5 days, so PM me at the beginning of September if your interested, we'd leave on the 9th mid day or so...we'd be focused on elk primarily, but if we see a legal buck it's yours (lol unless it's a crankier and I spot it first)....cheers

[joshbazz]

I have a busy schedule with family and on-call on a rotational basis for my job but I try and hammer 2 good meat deer for my family every season which I almost always do, then save my last deer tag for a good sized buck or a deer with my recurve, and usually I get a part day or two to hunt the spike fork season in November....I also try to have some time to hunt elk in sept and first part of October but last year that got screwed up with my truck axle breaking...

I'll tell you what Joshbazz I MIGHT need a partner for the opener on sept 10, out for 4-5 days, so PM me at the beginning of September if your interested, we'd leave on the 9th mid day or so...we'd be focused on elk primarily, but if we see a legal buck it's yours (lol unless it's a crankier and I spot it first)....cheers
Awesome Harry, I'll pm you - and thanks for the tips last year, wish I could have taken more time to get on them more! Cheers!

[walks with deer]

get out and look around before season (now!!!)

[RyoTHC]

get out and look around before season (now!!!)


where he lives ? Better off to let the deer come to him lol

[joshbazz]

where he lives ? Better off to let the deer come to him lol

Haha, too true. Nothing better than getting skunked and driving home to see a 4 pt munching on the landscaping...

[Osprey87]

Best to pick 1 MU and learn it well if you have limited amount of time to get out. Just because your not seeing deer in a certain area in September doesnt mean they might not be moving through that area in a few weeks or October/november. I hunt 2 different mu's that hold some decent amount of deer on sept 10th but the major influx of deer move in late September and our gone by mid October.