Frustrated and Discouraged

[Stéphane]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but the elusive first deer kill isn't getting any closer.
I bowhunt, but that is far from being the problem yet. I don't seem to be able to see them anymore. This is the 4th time in a row I don't see squat. Even worst, today I couldn't even see fresh tracks. This is a spot where I saw a 3X3 and several does.

What's makes it even more frustrating is:
1. The fact that the rut should be on.
2. I checked the game calendar, it should have been a hay day yesterday.
3. Then I read that storms are a no-no. My friend, who is a much better hunter that I'll ever be, told me that on Sumas Mt, the uglier the weather, the better it is. Conflicting ideas here, and I don't know what to believe anymore.

What do I do?
I drove, I walked, and I waited. I saw deer in every one of those scenarios, but I saw a buck while driving. So, because he was running up hill, I thought I should walk that part instead of driving. Still no luck.

I'm becoming discouraged because I never even had chance to stalk, let alone take a shot. Am I in the wrong spot? If I wanted to do a waiting game, where would I put my blind cover, or tree stand? With no fresh tracks, I wonder if they moved somewhere else.

I'm off on Monday, so if you were me, what would you do? Sumas Mt is 15 minutes from my house and there are deer there, but I'm willing to try something different.

[finngun]

step--I bowhunt, but that is far from being the problem yet.//// maybe not but your odds are better with rifle ....think about w-t 200yards..

[tinhorse]

If you're bow hunting find a trail that you know they use consistently, set up sit and wait. unless the deer are not spooky or you have nice quiet ground to get close it is pretty difficult walking up to 20 - 30 yards pulling back and letting fly. Just my opinion. I hunt with both a rifle and bow and have been successful with both but by far the bow is much more difficult and way more variables come into play.

[Ddog]

IF your still hunting on sumas, good luck,, i love that mountain but you can have it, i ve seen some very decent bucks there but i never did get to harvest one.
there is a bow season coming up in region 8 as well as region 4, it is an either sex season. Your best bet would be to try one of those regions. Region 8 in the rock creek was and still is a great spot for WT does. It real isn't that far of a drive from the LM and your success rate will be higher than it has been.

[Allen50]

it happens to us all one time or other, you cant shoot a deer ever time you go out, and you might not even see one, i know many hunters that went after moose this year and only one came back with a moose, leh did not even help hunters, one or two got mule deer but they were small ones, so dont be discouraged, it will happen you just have to be in the right spot at the right time, so far i have been out two half days and not seen any thing one little doe, i see more deer when im off to work in the morrning, and there in town, no hunting areas, where there all livening now,,lol lol ,, so just hunt your time will come and it might be a big one,, good luck,,

[Stéphane]

IF your still hunting on sumas, good luck,, i love that mountain but you can have it, i ve seen some very decent bucks there but i never did get to harvest one.
there is a bow season coming up in region 8 as well as region 4, it is an either sex season. Your best bet would be to try one of those regions. Region 8 in the rock creek was and still is a great spot for WT does. It real isn't that far of a drive from the LM and your success rate will be higher than it has been.

Thanks Ddog, I still remember your post last year about seeing many deer up your tree stand before the "devastation of the Spitfire". I was planning on going that way too (Rock Creek). Of course, I'll be going blind because I don't know the region. Maybe I'll try to go for a 3-day trip. I still have a personal day I can use, so I could leave on a Thursday, stay in a B&B or some place cheap and give it a shot.

[greybark]

Hey Stephan , Pn me re Rock Ck , Don`t wait too long as I am keeping an eye on the snow conditions there and they are a calling .
Ken - 604 824 1493
Cheers

[vortex hunter]

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but the elusive first deer kill isn't getting any closer.
I bowhunt, but that is far from being the problem yet. I don't seem to be able to see them anymore. This is the 4th time in a row I don't see squat. Even worst, today I couldn't even see fresh tracks. This is a spot where I saw a 3X3 and several does.

What's makes it even more frustrating is:
1. The fact that the rut should be on.
2. I checked the game calendar, it should have been a hay day yesterday.
3. Then I read that storms are a no-no. My friend, who is a much better hunter that I'll ever be, told me that on Sumas Mt, the uglier the weather, the better it is. Conflicting ideas here, and I don't know what to believe anymore.

What do I do?
I drove, I walked, and I waited. I saw deer in every one of those scenarios, but I saw a buck while driving. So, because he was running up hill, I thought I should walk that part instead of driving. Still no luck.

I'm becoming discouraged because I never even had chance to stalk, let alone take a shot. Am I in the wrong spot? If I wanted to do a waiting game, where would I put my blind cover, or tree stand? With no fresh tracks, I wonder if they moved somewhere else.

I'm off on Monday, so if you were me, what would you do? Sumas Mt is 15 minutes from my house and there are deer there, but I'm willing to try something different.

I hear Yeah I have been looking for a deer this Rut and only seen a buck bolt into the bushes ..I just want a meat buck to put extra food on the table....Vortex

[ROEBUCK]

Hi stephane
bow hunting is tough ,took me 2 seasons before i took a deer and that was with many years deer hunting experiance.
If you are adament you want to make your first kill, with a bow you will have to be very very patiant !
why not shoot 1 with a rifle first to take the pressure off,
then you can be patient and enjoy your bowhunting.

[quadrakid]

I,ve taken about twenty bucks with the bow and yet have not got one yet this year. Seeing bucks but the stars have to align get a good shot.Bowhunting can be tough,stick with it and you will be successful. Good luck,we all need a bit of luck.

[jetboat jim]

I went about 10 days of hunting since my first deer and seen squat....till last tuesday I seen a monster 4x5 blactail with 3 does tried for a few hours to get into a good shooting range but he would always turn....will go back for him
the last few days I hunted 5 days in a row ....even found a hoof print with dew claws in one of my footsteps....but seen squat

today I seen 4 bucks and 7 does , one of the bucks was a 3x2, i will be back there tomorrow to go after him or a big brother.

just dont give up.....I had many people tell me I would NEVER tak an animal in my fist year with a bow....I got 2.

[brian]

You can look on the bright side, you're 15 minutes from a hunting spot where you have seen animals and its bow only so you don't need to compete with the rifle crowd. If I were you I'd go back and try something new and get to know more of the deer grounds.

[knightcc]

I love to bowhunt as well but I see the value in rifle hunting. The other night ((wednesday) I was sitting in a fencerow of an overgrown pasture near a thick grown in gully where I know from scouting big bucks hang out. I was tired of sitting and decided to try and jump a big guy out of his bed. I stalked the downwind side of the gully and I saw two does pop out and look behind them. Sure enough, this big guy came out of the brush. I was able to get a shot off and take him while he was on a slow run. Enjoy whatever time you get out hunting. The more I try to enjoy my hunts, the more relaxed I get. The more relaxed I get, the more patient I am and that is when things seem to click for me.

Hopefully the picture shows up here: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/webUpload?uname=knightcc

Good Luck

The seek and chase phase of the rut is definitely on right now in my opinion.

[steepNdeep]

I'd say that 90% of bowhunters kill their deer from tree stands. I've killed a few deer from the ground with my bow- 2 mulies & a whitey. Blacktail are bush dwellers like whiteys. Find a good trail between a bedding & feeding area & set one up... You could try calling a bit as well. A simple doe bleat periodically never hurts. I've had many deer walk under me in a tree. Good luck.

[new hunter]

The best advice I got was to get off the road and hunt the bush that is behind the cut blocks .
I saw a lot more sign when I started doing that , and even got lucky about a week ago .
The buck that I got was about fifty yards back from the tree line , and when I was packing him out I ran into a guy who was hunting the road and claimed he had seen the same deer but lost it .
I've run into several does this season , mostly at bow range , and always back in the tree line , not in the open and not from the road .

[Ddog]

Hey Stephan , Pn me re Rock Ck , Don`t wait too long as I am keeping an eye on the snow conditions there and they are a calling .
Ken - 604 824 1493
Cheers
WOW,,very generous Ken!
DID you read this one Stephan? this is something you may want to do as i know of no other who may have as much information about Rock Creek, trust me, give Ken a call! chances are you won't regret it!
cheers...D

[igojuone]

Sometimes no matter how much prep work you do luck will still play a big part. I've been out 90% of the weekends this year and although I got a small WT earlier, Friday I went with a buddy of mine who's stood me up on a dozen day hunts this year and within 1 hours he pops a 3x5 WT. Go figure, I've been beating this spot all season and I only passed on one buck early on because I want my first bow kill to be bigger then a spike or fork buck.

[bosca]

Its all part of hunting. Persistence will eventually pay off. Sometimes its about more pre season scouting. Its a bit late in the game to start exploring new country. I,m not familiar with the terrain you are hunting but are you able to glass the are from a distance? If so a good set of binoculars and a good hour right around sun set might give you a good idea of where you should spend your time in the morning....just a thought. Good luck!

[jonz]

Many guys hunt years before they get their first animal. It's probably about 10 times more challenging with a bow as well. Good luck.

[fuzzy]

Heck, this is my third season hunting, and i have yet to pull the trigger on anything. I now have some nice gear to make me more comfortable when i am out there but other than being able to enjoy myself in the outdoors with friends and family i have come up empty. I learn somehting new every time i go out and that in itself is rewarding enough for me....... for now:)

fuzzy

[J_T]

WOW,,very generous Ken!
DID you read this one Stephan? this is something you may want to do as i know of no other who may have as much information about Rock Creek, trust me, give Ken a call! chances are you won't regret it!
cheers...DYup. That's a fact. Ken has always been on the mission of introducing others to hunting and bowhunting. He has given up his stand repeatedly for my boys in the Christian.

[Stéphane]

WOW,,very generous Ken!
DID you read this one Stephan? this is something you may want to do as i know of no other who may have as much information about Rock Creek, trust me, give Ken a call! chances are you won't regret it!
cheers...D



Yup. That's a fact. Ken has always been on the mission of introducing others to hunting and bowhunting. He has given up his stand repeatedly for my boys in the Christian.

I know, and I feel very privileged to be offered this kind of help. I PMed him and I'll try to call him today after I'm done working. I remember Ken coaching Big Boar when he got his trad. bow. Mind you, Dave a much more proficient hunter than I'll ever be. Thanks Ken!!!!!


The best advice I got was to get off the road and hunt the bush that is behind the cut blocks .
I saw a lot more sign when I started doing that , and even got lucky about a week ago .
The buck that I got was about fifty yards back from the tree line , and when I was packing him out I ran into a guy who was hunting the road and claimed he had seen the same deer but lost it .
I've run into several does this season , mostly at bow range , and always back in the tree line , not in the open and not from the road .

For now, I think it will be my plan. I have to take advantage of the close by hunting ground, even if it's not the best. I already feel better than yesterday. It is a learning curve and I need to at the very least find where the deer went. Wayne Meyers suggested the bucks might have brought the does somewhere else, so tomorrow, I plan on finding where they went. I don't mind hiking, so I'll be going on a "hike" and hope for the best.


As for the riffle suggestion, I have no intention in going that route. Archery brought me into hunting and I don't think I'm willing to get my PAL, buy a riffle and deal with the noise related to practicing. Nothing against it, but just not my gig. And as I mentioned earlier, so long as I don't see animals, no matter what kind of weapon I have, I still don't see them.

[J_T]

Yup, for Some archery/bowhunting does provide a unique and desirable experience. Good on ya for sticking with it.