Doe, Doe, Doe, Doe, Doe, BEAR, Doe, Doe, Doe, Bucks?

[Tim]

Hey there,

I've been hunting the kamloops area lately (lac le juene rd, lodgepol lake, and recently drove through inks lake.) This weekend I'm heading up lac de bois rd.

I havnt been seeing any bucks... one or two small guys (2 pointers) but thats about it. I saw a bear this morning but he took off pretty quick cuz I was still in the vehicle. But other than him I havnt seen anything shootable. I have been seeing lots and lots of doe though. at least 4-6 everytime I go out!

Do you think its still to warm and the big bucks are still hanging out pretty high?

one other question: I was hiking through a cut block and head some crashing in a valley off to my right. I, very quietly, made my way around the valley looking down trying to see anything but the deer just kept pouncing away before I could see him. two days this happened in the same spot. any suggestions? all the doe in the area I have been able to sneak up on, (I even got within 15 feet of one before it noticed me! :P ) so I assume its a buck? Its my first year hunting deer so any tips, advice, and points on what I may be doing wrong is welcome.

regards,

--Tim

[fowlweather]

take those 2 pointers!! nothing bad with a 2 point! hell my first dear had antlers about 1cm long, tasty!

[Tim]

It's not open season on mule 2 points yet! soon though haha! I have a little bit of pride that wants my first buck to be a biggy ;)

[Cyrus]

too warm and way too windy lately imo...looking forward to a 1000 pics of trees blowing on my trail cams. From what I've seen deer are only coming out right before dark....

[russm86]

Cyrus is correct. But also as we get closer to any buck season, and into october, you will notice fewer and fewer buck spottings for the most part too as bucks, especially bigger ones, turn shy and just hide and graze in areas away from any kind of road or foot traffic as they prepare to gain weight and fat to prepare for the rut and winter. During this time once they find an area with good food and water as close as possible they will hunker down and not move around a lot. Conserving there energy and stored fat for the rut and winter as they don't eat as much as often during rut, too preoccupied ;). The wildlife management biologist and COs know this and this is exactly why they make October any buck season as to reduce the carnage. I find bucks, even 4 points and large bucks much much easier to find in the first 2 or 3 weeks of september and after the first week or so of November and later. I have hunted areas around Kamloops for 15 years and have gotten very familiar with the deer around here and the specific areas I hunt, I know where the deer move from and through as the season progresses and even I find them harder to find in any buck season. Last year I think I saw all of one or 2 bucks in any size season yet the last day that I hunted in december I saw 15 bucks, in just the one day, 5 of which were very nice 4-points if not better. Again this year, in the first week of september, bow season, I only got out a few days, I still saw 6 nice bucks, one large antlered one that I was never able to catch up to or count points on. I settled for a nice 3-point with my bow. I'm not much of a trophy hunter, just more looking for at least one meat deer a year after that I may go for a trophy of some kind.

[TylerMc44]

head as high you can and your gonna have too glass. the big bucks are on there game rate now and if you do see one up close its probably gonna be on the full run. Thats why i say get high up and find some good glasssing points, and a stalk will be your best bet for a big muley this time of year. Goog hunting buddy

[LukaTisus]

Weather plays a huge factor, too. Best time to go out, IMO, is right after a big storm, I always see lots of game after a good, long storm. All this nice weather's making it too easy for them to just hang out all night feeding, so they don't have to show their faces so much during the day..

Mid afternoon is also a good time to go out, contrary to some beliefs. My Dad thinks early morning, and just-before-dark evenings are the only time you'd ever catch something out in the open, but several times so far in the past few years, I've bagged critters around lunchtime.

If you're hanging out in that cut-block, a good idea would be to glass every possible visible part of it before heading in there. Walk a few yards, stop, glass.. a little further, glass. Especially if there's a lot of shrubs growing in that cut, you might not be able to even see the buck, but if you're lucky will catch a glimpse of his antlers sticking up out of the growth. Takes a good eye, but it'll be trained in no time! :P

[Tim]

Hey guys

thanks for the tips guys here is hoping for next couple days.

[Cyrus]

think September is pretty much a write off...18 degrees and howling winds when I got up this morning in 100 Mile...stayed in bed!! Saw 7 deer (1 broke off 3 point) to my amazement last night in the blowing winds and 24 degrees weather. Only action on my cams are right at dark or in the middle of the night. Hope October has October weather....

[Tim]

I agree, the next couple days here are going to be rainy / sunny with little to no moon, so maybe we'll see some daytime activity.

[Coalsmoke]

I'm currently hunting 5-2 and am also a bit surprised at the lack of bucks. Saw a beauty 2 point, larger than some 4s I've seen, but other than that nothing but does and a bear. You're right about this weird weather though, not making the hunt any easier.

[showtimebc]

compared to last year, I've seen far fewer bucks this year. Its been crazy hot and extremly windy all september. Best chance at a big buck will be to get in the trash, move real slow, and keep your head up.

[kamloopskoward]

hello all,,, new to this forum, and new to the kamloops area. plan on hunting early oct for mulies north of kamloops lake. any info would be greatly appreciated, and can help out anyone who wants info on blacktail on vancouver island

[dog812]

great thread. some good info a few posts back.. I am also new to hunting , went about 5 times last year, got nothing, then drew LEH big horn , but got nothing again.. Still alot of fun though.. cant wait to get out this weekend.
When you say the bucks are up high due to weather... like what elevation if you had to guess? And why are they up there?