how you pick your hunting spots

[bchunter181]

i am trying to find new hunting spots i live up in 100 mile house and there is so many places i dont know where to star wondering how some of you determine a good spot from a bad one.lots of tracks,poop,rubs?

[sarg]

look for good sign and a spot that feels right to you, i like to hunt the big fir forests or the populus patches around meadows but that just me,

[junkyard_g]

go on hbc, ask for lats and longs, problem solved lol. I actually find quite a few while working. if you got any buddies that are loggers ask them for some general areas, then focus on pinch points to feed areas or water. for mulies i generally just chase the fir and see where that takes me.

[coach]

Did you check out the areas I pm'd you about last fall?

[kyleklassen]

i look for gut piles....you know it's a good spot you were just a couple minutes too late.

[one-shot-wonder]

Depends what you are after in regards to type of species, type of hunt/outdoor experience, etc.
Spending time in the field is a great way to identify if you should spend more time in a particular area or move on.

Following the masses and hitting popular spots can work if your in to that sort of thing. If your not and you enjoy exploring and hitting quiet spots there are many areas to start in any direction from where you are located adn hit the back country, it doesnt matter the season you just have to rememebr they might not be in that area come hunting season. Put in the time and effort, it will pay off by way of knowledge and likely a full freezer!

[Allen50]

dont look in my spot, we go there ever year and took to nice buck from it this year,, so stay clear of it ok,, thanks,,

[coach]

Learn every inch of a small area and expand your horizon from there. Right now is a good time to be scouting for next season. There's some very good mule deer country very close to where you live.

[bowhunterbruce]

one word................scout.

[91Jason91]

one word................scout.

good word =p

[scoutlt1]

one word................scout.

The best advice right there....

[bruin]

Looking for meat bucks or old bucks?

[bosca]

What are you hunting for?

[hunter1947]

I head out in the earl late summer months and look scout for animals in slashes and timber ,I set up trail cams on a runway when I find one ,I look for last years rubs I look for fresh tracks scats water in the area vegetation if I find all then they will be there come opening season for rifle the rubs tell me from last years that the elk or deer will be there sometime in the late fall months ,I also look for areas on google earth then go check the area out and see whats in the area..

[5 spike]

I scout areas locate the deer and stay on them that simple.

[fearnodeer]

I head out in the earl late summer months and look scout for animals in slashes and timber ,I set up trail cams on a runway when I find one ,I look for last years rubs I look for fresh tracks scats water in the area vegetation if I find all then they will be there come opening season for rifle the rubs tell me from last years that the elk or deer will be there sometime in the late fall months ,I also look for areas on google earth then go check the area out and see whats in the area..

I believe what Hunter1947 is saying he does is scout, my advise get to know some good old boys like Hunter1947 and they will give you lots of good advise.

[willyqbc]

just my opinion........it's better to be really familiar with a few select areas than to know just a little about a lot of areas.

quality, not quantity

Chris

[Ruger4]

one word................scout.

BHB , a man of few words ...........................not !! ;)

[bchunter181]

Ya sorry I am huntin deer and yes I will be getting out to do some scouting early summer but I have done that before and it seems when hunting season comes all the deer are gone it has been 7 straight years without getting a deer and it getting frustrating thought maybe I was doing sOmething wrong

[coach]

BHB , a man of few words ...........................not !! ;)

Ha ha ha! Good one, Ruger4..:-D

[coach]

BChunter181 - are you living in 100 Mile now? Your profile says Abbotsford. Can you tell us a bit more about how you like to hunt? Do you like to find a vantage point and sit, hike ridges, drive roads? Are you seeing does during the season? Mule deer are very rarely alone. When you spot one, don't assume it's the only one. The areas I've pointed you toward have resident deer throughout the hunting season and migratory deer later in the fall. There's a good moose population there too. Make sure you put in for LEH.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Ya sorry I am huntin deer and yes I will be getting out to do some scouting early summer but I have done that before and it seems when hunting season comes all the deer are gone it has been 7 straight years without getting a deer and it getting frustrating thought maybe I was doing sOmething wrong

You are doing something wrong if you have being out hunting and have not got a deer in seven years - there not that rare yet ! - pm me and i will help you out in this area . Jim

[Wild one]

Bio reports on areas and animals I am interested in

Scouting

Talking with other hunters

And when all else fails point my finger at the map and just go

In the end time in the area is the best because an area may look poor at first but when you dig a little deeper it can become a great spot

[rifleman]

I live on Vancouver Island so scouting for mule deer doesn't work for me. I get on google earth & search good looking areas with south facing slopes that have good cover, feed & escape terrain. When I get there that's when the scouting starts.

[proguide66]

I just follow Gatehouse and Gilmore around.

[Calamity]

I start with locations that have access to prime feeding and watering areas as well as licks and also locations that look to have very little or no signs of hunting traffic.

From there I scout for sign - game trails, rubs, scrapes to get an idea of which animals are using the area and how they are traveling through it - plus obviously whatever wildlife you see in that area.

I also am pretty fussy about accessibility. I don't have a packhorse string, so if I'm successful, I want to be sure I'm not going to kill myself packing out meat from some Godforsaken chunk of real estate (blow downs, deep muskeg, etc.).

Funny thing is that some spots will look promising but also just not feel right. Maybe it's just me, but that gut feeling plays a roll in choosing hunting spots as well.

[835]

BCH 181,
7 Years and struck out?
How do you hunt? dont take this the wrong way but at that rate it has to be something YOU are doing. Part of it may be location, Part of it may be style or HOW you are hunting, or maybe over 7 years you've only hunted 10 days.

Dont get me wrong but get your fingers typing about what you been doin and where you been doin it, cuz 7 years and nothin? thats BAD!

[fireguy]

I just follow Gatehouse and Gilmore around.

That's funny, I just put a gps tracker in Marks backpack, that works to, then you won't have to follow them everywhere, give it a try.

[TheProvider]

scout and I don't mean just a cple weeks before the season. I scout year round, with hiking, trail cams, while shed hunting when actually hunting

[CanuckShooter]

BCH 181,
7 Years and struck out?
How do you hunt? dont take this the wrong way but at that rate it has to be something YOU are doing. Part of it may be location, Part of it may be style or HOW you are hunting, or maybe over 7 years you've only hunted 10 days.

Dont get me wrong but get your fingers typing about what you been doin and where you been doin it, cuz 7 years and nothin? thats BAD!


Thats worse than bad, that's pathetic. If it's not BS perhaps he should consider another sport, like ping pong, where he can have some success?

[bchunter181]

Well I go huntin probably every weekend or every other weekend during hunting season and make some 3-5 day hunts in the bush I road hunt,hike for hour, sit in a ground blind I have tried it all nothing works.as for switching sports **** that shit and I love being out there hunting I will never stop as far as not getting deer that's why I am asking for help if I wanted to quit I wouldn't have posted a question on here.

[835]

Hey, BC
You really need to change your spots, Or something. Scouting is a huge part of hunting, find tracks,rubs, trails and crap. I just have a super hard time thinking that you have put in the time you say and not shot something. I am not bagging on you, just trying to figure out what you are doing wrong.

I hunt with a guy who hunted as a kid but then stopped and now he has gotten back into it.
We were moose hunting early one morning, in the bush sitting down well before light waiting for the sun to rise and then we would proceed to start calling.
As it got lighter out we were staring at this "Bush" 300yds away. It hadnt moved for about 30 minutes. We then realised it was a cow Moose. Dave looks at me and in a "just talking to me" voice says "Hey thats a cow moose" And i replyed with "yea and she just heard you say that".

I hunt with a guy now who is an absolute rookie, he just got his CORE in october.
Its all i can do to have the guy walk beside me instead of route marching past me like he is out for a days hike.

I suspect these may be your problems, You need to be slow and quiet. When you think you are being slow and quite Shut up and slow down.
Again not trying to bad mouth ya, just yer record sucks. Dont give up!

[CanuckShooter]

Yea, but how is he at ping pong???

[coach]

Ignore the guys giving you a hard time - it's all in fun. How about answering some of the questions? Are you seeing does when you hunt? RU finding rubs, bedding areas, deer shit? Are you hunting at first light, last light? Do you change your tactics throughout the day?

PS - are you any good at ping pong?

[CanuckShooter]

If he can't do ping pong, he should stay away from golf....just sayin' ;-)

[coach]

If he can't do ping pong, he should stay away from golf....just sayin' ;-)

Definitely - although some of the best bucks in the Okanagan live on golf courses..

[coach]

Here's a video from November 2010. It's not great entertainment, but it demonstrates how does will very often give up the location of other deer around them. In this case, it was just a spike buck that appeared - but it could just as easily been a bigger guy.

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg633/coach1000/th_20101110211848.jpg (http://s1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg633/coach1000/?action=view&current=20101110211848.mp4)

[coach]

Of course, you could always try hunting for easier quarry - like sheep:

http://i1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg633/coach1000/th_20101111024147.jpg (http://s1247.photobucket.com/albums/gg633/coach1000/?action=view&current=20101111024147.mp4)

[Rodd]

Don't give up! Try treating the Deer as if they are hunting YOU! And They have Guns! Would you sit out in the open if that was the case? Or walk through an open meadow? Not likely... It's a tactic that was passed onto me, and seems to work. Be as elusive as possible while you are in the woods... And get outta the truck as often as possible.... I mean crawl if you have to, so your not seen, you may feel ridiculous in your actions sometimes, but its worth it.

[Brian011]

I've been hunting that area my whole life, there are lots of deer in every direction. Even if you don't see much it doesn't mean they aren't there. Be patient, look on google earth and look for funnels between opens that have timber where the animals will travel through. Sometimes it's knowin an area and sometimes it's luck. Just keep at it.
Which areas have you been hunting around?

[limit time]

go on hbc, ask for lats and longs, problem solved lol. I actually find quite a few while working. if you got any buddies that are loggers ask them for some general areas, then focus on pinch points to feed areas or water. for mulies i generally just chase the fir and see where that takes me.

Since you put it that way...N 51 32.606' X W 121 18.066'
and N 51 32.492' X W 121 17.520'.

[bchunter181]

Ignore the guys giving you a hard time - it's all in fun. How about answering some of the questions? Are you seeing does when you hunt? RU finding rubs, bedding areas, deer shit? Are you hunting at first light, last light? Do you change your tactics throughout the day?

PS - are you any good at ping pong?

i always see does for the most part,not tons of rubs but i do see them,lots of bedding areas and deer shit i usely sit and wait at first light and usely find a meadow or cut block to sit at for the evening.one thing i never quite now what to do is in the mornings i use my call about 75% of the time is this a bad ting should i just shut up with the call and sit there quite?

[bchunter181]

i usely always see does during open buck and then see spikers during 4 point season go figure.so they are there just need to find the right ones

[bchunter181]

Which areas have you been hunting around?


areas i hunt knife creek road,loon lake,big bar road,some roads out horse lake.

[jtred]

During the summer I hike a lot with the family and this sort of does double duty as scouting. I just try and take note of what I see where and how the area feels or how to go about hunting it. Likewise in the winter we do a lot of snowshoeing and crosscountry skiing, again watching for sign trails etc. Plus I do a lot of research on google earth and other mapping tools studying the structure. I tend to still hunt in the more open big timber, alpine or old trails so I'm always on the lookout for areas I like the look of. If there is lots of sign there will most likely be lots of animals, keeping in mind of course seasonal variations due to elevation or feed.

[300H&H]

i am trying to find new hunting spots i live up in 100 mile house and there is so many places i dont know where to star wondering how some of you determine a good spot from a bad one.lots of tracks,poop,rubs?

I follow Dana !

[coach]

areas i hunt knife creek road,loon lake,big bar road,some roads out horse lake.

You're driving past a lot of deer and burning a lot of gas to get to those places.

[bchunter181]

yes i suppose i am going scouting this weekend to the spot you told me to go.

[bosca]

You're driving past a lot of deer and burning a lot of gas to get to those places.

Hunter 181 one thing that most of us folks here may have taken for granted is that knowing where to hunt is not some matter of fact thing that you acquire over a few months or even a few years for that matter. A lot of us have had the benefit of growing up hunting with someone that passed on there years of experience to us without even having to ask for it. Subtle things like recognizing lush healthy deer habitat or identical but overgrazed and over used habitat are things you pick up almost unconsciously in the course of trial and error....You just have to keep picking peoples brains and keep learning as much as possible. There is lots of great advice coming to you here but its up to you to keep at it.

One thing that I think is key to finding your spots is learning to really 'see' all of your surrounding... Don't just look around....methodically pick apart the landscape around you and you will be amazed at how much you actually have been missing. As you begin to see more and more you will instinctively know where to spend your time. A lot of the areas that you have mentioned that you hunt should hold plenty of bucks you just haven't seen them yet....But you will!

[Morel]

Well I go huntin probably every weekend or every other weekend during hunting season and make some 3-5 day hunts in the bush I road hunt,hike for hour, sit in a ground blind I have tried it all nothing works.as for switching sports **** that shit and I love being out there hunting I will never stop as far as not getting deer that's why I am asking for help if I wanted to quit I wouldn't have posted a question on here.

This was my first year hunting and I managed to get some grouse and decided to try deer hunting after stumbling across a buck (unfortunately without a tag in hand). I went out with a buddy and learned a great deal from him. The biggest thing was to slow way, way down if you are still hunting - take 3-4 steps, stop, look around (forwards, backwards), look again and take it all in. Take a few more steps, stop, look, look again. If you are following tracks, remember to look up (the tracks are where the deer was). I had to remind myself to look up on a couple of occasions and believe it or not, that is what it took to see an animal! People are fairly good at recognizing patterns, try fixing in your mind what an outline of a deer should look like, an antler, a nose poking out behind a tree. Think about looking for these little patterns.

The other times I saw deer (only does) while still hunting, they seemed to just materialize out of the trees. The first one I saw while still hunting took me quite a few seconds to actually believe it was a deer - it was totally still, was slightly hidden by brush and dam nearly invisible. At first I barely made out an outline! The deer was just out of its bedding spot so likely heard me but fortunately I did not scare it off. If I had been moving quickly and not stopping every few steps to look, the deer would have been gone or I would have just walked right by.

Hope this helps.

[hunter1947]

If I was you I would try to head out with some experienced hunters this fall this will help you big time ,the other thing to do is head out July ,Aug scouting different areas every time you have a chance you will have a big advantage over other hunters and know whats in the areas if you do this ....

[5 spike]

If I was you I would try to head out with some experienced hunters this fall will help you big time ,the other thing to do is head out July ,Aug every time you have a chance this will help you big time when it comes to the opening of hunting season ,also head out during the months of July and Aug to scout out different areas this will help you big time comes hunting season....

x2 scout and locate the deer before hunting season, if you do this you are going to have a great season.

[835]

i always see does for the most part,not tons of rubs but i do see them,lots of bedding areas and deer shit i usely sit and wait at first light and usely find a meadow or cut block to sit at for the evening.one thing i never quite now what to do is in the mornings i use my call about 75% of the time is this a bad ting should i just shut up with the call and sit there quite?

Shut up and sit there quiet. Make no noise at all. Calling deer is a tallent.
In the mornings I like to get to a spot to sit before light. Then sit there well into light. Then Still hunt tree lines or imber. Wind in your face and sun at your back.

[835]

Hunter 181 one thing that most of us folks here may have taken for granted is that knowing where to hunt is not some matter of fact thing that you acquire over a few months or even a few years for that matter. A lot of us have had the benefit of growing up hunting with someone that passed on there years of experience to us without even having to ask for it. Subtle things like recognizing lush healthy deer habitat or identical but overgrazed and over used habitat are things you pick up almost unconsciously in the course of trial and error....You just have to keep picking peoples brains and keep learning as much as possible. There is lots of great advice coming to you here but its up to you to keep at it.

I am very sure this is correct, alot of us have been brought up with it. And that is a hell of a better start. BUT there is also a bunch of guys that did it them selves

One thing that I think is key to finding your spots is learning to really 'see' all of your surrounding... Don't just look around....methodically pick apart the landscape around you and you will be amazed at how much you actually have been missing. As you begin to see more and more you will instinctively know where to spend your time. A lot of the areas that you have mentioned that you hunt should hold plenty of bucks you just haven't seen them yet....But you
will!
This is definatly a by product of growing up with it, as well as navagation in the bush. I assess the country every step of the way, and the surrounding country. Every step i take is planned for the next one to both remain quiet and keep me in cover as well as going where i think is best


Lots of guys pick hunting up. It's great fun, gets you out and feeds you. Are you a member of the local Fish and Game Club? If not you should be and go to the meetings. You very well could meet a guy there that will take you out. I have friends that i am mentoring, one of them is 40 and just this year decided to start hunting, I fed him too much good food! You need someone to point stuff out to you as it happens.

Move slow, Keep quiet, keep covered and keep the wind in your face. YOU ARE THE STEALTH BOMBER!