Gang Ranch/Churn Creek Mule deer (5-3)

[alkaliwolf]

Hello everyone. Looks like I am going to go to MU 5-3 for my first solo mule deer hunt, in the gang ranch/churn creek area.

I will be hunting solo, looking for a good place to make camp and be able to do some hunting on foot, learn about some access roads, or other advice people may have about looking for 4pt bucks in this area.

I have the iHunter app, and from what I've researched you are able to hunt within Churn Creek area. Gang ranch is private land and from what I've read there is good signage on where you aren't allowed to go or hunt/shoot.

My current "plan" is to get there, get outside the ranch boundary, and just try to find areas to walk and glass from there.

Aside from that, do you have any advice for me in terms of where to go/start? Feel free to send a pm or I'm open to having a quick chat on the phone. Some basic guidance would help me feel more confident heading up to this area on my own!

PS. I will have chains, shovel, saw, cold weather gear, emergency beacon/sat phone, etc

[Darksith]

good luck, that area is punched out pretty hard. Get as far back as you can

Do the ungulates (sheep deer) a favour and smoke every coyote you see. They are having a serious impact on these populations. Let us know if you see any sheep with lambs

[alkaliwolf]

good luck, that area is punched out pretty hard. Get as far back as you can

Do the ungulates (sheep deer) a favour and smoke every coyote you see. They are having a serious impact on these populations. Let us know if you see any sheep with lambs

Thanks - I know the area is popular. My hope is there won't be too many people around by now, and maybe some of the big bucks have come down after most of the hunting pressure has passed. Might just be me dreamin tho...

I will gladly smoke coyotes as I've had other mentors tell me about their impact on the deer, especially in that area. And I will follow up here if I happen to spot some sheep.

[warnniklz]

if you have i hunter, you'll see there's a huge chunk of crown on the west side of the fraser. Head out farwell, the tire tracks will be pounded out into prime areas.

[ghost]

might see you there good luck

[264mag]

Put some miles on your boots, you never know.

[alkaliwolf]

might see you there good luck

Cheers, I'm Jonny. I'll be out there solo, grey tacoma. Say hi - let me know if u need a hand while out there of course.

[alkaliwolf]

Put some miles on your boots, you never know.

Thats what I figure lol... I feel like its a beautiful place to go even though there is a lot of hunting pressure. The open country around there is awesome. I am actually traveling from region 2 and could go elsewhere. I was contemplating going to region 3... but something about the Churn Creek area is calling to me :mrgreen:

[alkaliwolf]

if you have i hunter, you'll see there's a huge chunk of crown on the west side of the fraser. Head out farwell, the tire tracks will be pounded out into prime areas.

Thanks! I'm traveling from region 2 actually and was gonna sneak in the meadow lake rd before 70 mile and head to the gang ranch bridge that way. I never considered accessing 5-3 from the farewell side, but thats a good idea too. I like the idea of getting into the open country

[ghost]

Cheers, I'm Jonny. I'll be out there solo, grey tacoma. Say hi - let me know if u need a hand while out there of course.

i have red yj Russell

[Ltbullken]

I think if you can get closer to the river, you'll see some great bucks. They'll be coming off the high country to the winter habitat.

[alkaliwolf]

I think if you can get closer to the river, you'll see some great bucks. They'll be coming off the high country to the winter habitat.

Thats what I was thinking too. I want to stay near the river, but judging from iHunter, its gonna be a bit tricky to navigate the private land to access the primo crown land on the river. I'm going to follow posted signs, but don't know ahead of time what it will be like. I'm hoping theres decent accessed permitted through the ranch to get to the crown land on the river, I've sent them an email but who knows if they will ever reply. I'm picturing a real nice pack out from down somewhere tough and beautiful on the mighty fraser... dream on eh ;)

[ghost]

Ranch is not going to help you out. It always seems to be a hard grind uphill with a buck for me. But I still keep going back

[Rob Chipman]

I just spent a week on the east side of the river, relatively close. F'ing cold at night. Saw bucks high as well as low (by "high" I mean probably 5500', and by "low" I mean sagebrush country). Tons of sign in the snow and tons of does.

[alkaliwolf]

I just spent a week on the east side of the river, relatively close. F'ing cold at night. Saw bucks high as well as low (by "high" I mean probably 5500', and by "low" I mean sagebrush country). Tons of sign in the snow and tons of does.

Thanks Rob. Did it break -30C at night while you were there? I have good gear and a heat source but im hoping it only gets to -20C at worst... a few miserable nights is very tolerable, but no denying that anywhere from -20 and below is pretty brutal.

I appreciate the info. I'm hoping to stay lower in the sagebrush, good to hear the does are around and sounds like its possible to see some bucks down by the river. Im either gonna go north until i get beyond the ranch into crown land and hike/camp down towards the fraser, or hunt Churn outside of ranch property near the river along empire... at least thats how the plan is shaping up