Please Help me

[itsy bitsy xj]

So I'm brand new to hunting, I had some friends I was supposed to go with this year but there no longer available. Heres my delama...

I'm a single dad of a teenage girl. we live in burnaby and I MUST be here to get here up in the mornings for school. (she's not a morning person)She's out the door by 8 am I don't need to be here when she comes home from school. I work weekends atleast until Jan next year. I really want to try and get a mule deer is there anywhere I am going to be able to get out and bag one and get back to Burnaby by about 6pm? Any one interested in joining me? I have a two wheel drive pick up or 4wd jeep and small trailer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Mr. Dean]

That's a pretty tall order.....

I used to go up the Coq and have been successful, but I also stomped the hills all summer long too.
Several years ago I quit because the area just got to busy with other enthusiasts. Weekday, weekend,,,,, it didn't seem to matter.

Why not just get out there (pick a mountain) and see where it leads you?
In all honesty, I get WAY more outta the 'hunt', than I do outta the prize..... And I'm not kidding.


Sure, it's nice to eat fine eats but the experience/adventure that gets you there is one HELL OF A RIDE! :mrgreen:

[Mr. Dean]

Oh.
That area was Carolyn Mines, S/E of the hwy.
And I found deer as soon as you got off pavement to as far as the road network took me. But it's tough hunting.


I found both Mulies and Blacktails in there and here's a pic of an animal I dragged out.
FYI; It's actually both sides of the same deer.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1024_4_Mr_Dean_web.JPG

[itsy bitsy xj]

I was out twice last week with no luck, once in Chilliwack river valley and once north of Mission

[Tikka270]

Chilliwack river valley isn't an easy place to hunt. You have to put your boots on and get as far away from the roads as you can.

[Taurusguy]

those places are hard to hunt (chilliwack and mission) .. unless you do a TON of bush wacking. You got a great chance at a bear tho around chilliwack lake! I have been in that area 5 times since last year and 5 for 5 i have seen a bear. I had no bear tag though as I was looking for deer.

[Mr. Dean]

I was out twice last week with no luck, once in Chilliwack river valley and once north of Mission

And I can't tell ya HOW MANY times I've gone out, because I've lost count, and didn't come home with anything...
I can't right it of as "no luck" because each time, I learned and I grew - And had a grand time doing it. :mrgreen:


Pick one area and visit it as much as possible, paying attention to "track traps"; It won't take too long before you get an idea of what is happening, when and where.

And don't forget a gun! B
ecause one day, it WILL come in handy.


I used to see not only deer sign in that earlier mentioned area, but cougar, bear, bob's, yotes and the odd moose too - The whole day was a wonderful experiance.
And I, like you, couldn't get out there for 1st light and HAD to be home by 4:30 PM. No if's, but's, or maybe's AND no one to show me ANY ropes either.

[Ruffed]

I haven't hunted much in region 2 as the guy who taught me liked to go to region 3 where it's drier and easier walking but it's 3 hours out and 3 hours back so you need a couple of days. Not meaning to pry and I don't know your family dynamics and tell me to buzz off but what is your daughter going to do when she becomes an adult. Sounds like some tough love is in order maybe in conjuction with the teacher's/principal's knowledge. Again, don't know the situation and tell me to get lost but that's a tough way for both of you to live. Please don't take this the wrong way, just trying to help. Otherwise, is there someone else that could step in for a couple of days so you can get away and have a proper getaway.

Ruffed

[Mulehahn]

If it were me I would wait a little while and go up the Skagit when the rut is on. Region 2 gets pretty busy, but I find the Skagit has a few more roads that you can get down. It is not an easy hunt, but I have seen more deer there then Chilliwack (in legal hunting areas) during the season and it is not much further. That being said, you will still have about a 2 hour drive to get hunting leaving from New West at that time of the day. But as everyone says, just get out. You may get lucky, and find a buck right away, or you go home empty. It is never a wasted trip. You will always see something.

[huntingmom]

If it were me I would wait a little while and go up the Skagit when the rut is on. Region 2 gets pretty busy, but I find the Skagit has a few more roads that you can get down. It is not an easy hunt, but I have seen more deer there then Chilliwack (in legal hunting areas) during the season and it is not much further. That being said, you will still have about a 2 hour drive to get hunting leaving from New West at that time of the day. But as everyone says, just get out. You may get lucky, and find a buck right away, or you go home empty. It is never a wasted trip. You will always see something.

I don't intend to derail this thread...but where is this Skagit located?? Is that Chilliwack area??

[Taurusguy]

Skagit valley road is in between hope and Chilliwack. Look up Ross Lake and you will see the road that goes to it.

[Taurusguy]

BTW ... 4/5th of Ross lake is in the USA.. the canadian portion is kinda lame and small but you will see a ranger cabin on the left hand side of the road as you begin to drive by Ross lake with an American flag on it.

[J-Man]

Goes right to the border, saw a big cougar up there just before the lake crossing that bridge last year at the end of November.

[itsy bitsy xj]

I haven't hunted much in region 2 as the guy who taught me liked to go to region 3 where it's drier and easier walking but it's 3 hours out and 3 hours back so you need a couple of days. Not meaning to pry and I don't know your family dynamics and tell me to buzz off but what is your daughter going to do when she becomes an adult. Sounds like some tough love is in order maybe in conjuction with the teacher's/principal's knowledge. Again, don't know the situation and tell me to get lost but that's a tough way for both of you to live. Please don't take this the wrong way, just trying to help. Otherwise, is there someone else that could step in for a couple of days so you can get away and have a proper getaway.

Ruffed
Yep it would be nice if she could get herself up in the morning but like her mother that doesn't happen. Thats part of the reason she lives with me. There is alot to it that makes it hard to explain but I'm slowly getting her there.

[Mulehahn]

As Taurus Guy said, to get to the Skagit you take the Silver/Skagit Road exit just west of hope. Its a good gravel road that runs about 40 km until you reach the park and Ross Lake. All along it are logging roads that you can go down. Just watch for trucks. The one good thing about the area (if you have good tires) is that it is one of the first places to get snow in the area so you can dramatically narrow your search by looking for tracks. The only caution I have is there are alot of cougars in the area. Never seen any while hunting, but have see one, or part of one as it slinks into the bushes off the trail, about half of the time I go fishing up there. All that being said, nothing worth knowing is taught in the class room. Get your daughter up really early and take her with you!

[burger]

So I'm brand new to hunting, I had some friends I was supposed to go with this year but there no longer available. Heres my delama...

I'm a single dad of a teenage girl. we live in burnaby and I MUST be here to get here up in the mornings for school. (she's not a morning person)She's out the door by 8 am I don't need to be here when she comes home from school. I work weekends atleast until Jan next year. I really want to try and get a mule deer is there anywhere I am going to be able to get out and bag one and get back to Burnaby by about 6pm? Any one interested in joining me? I have a two wheel drive pick up or 4wd jeep and small trailer.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Or talk to your daughter and explain the situation and see if she will commit to getting herself up once.

[Mr. Dean]

Or talk to your daughter and explain the situation and see if she will commit to getting herself up once.

Rationalize w/ a teenaged girl?????
Might as well sit on the front porch and go, "deer deer deer deeeeer", and expect one to show up. :wink: :wink:

[burger]

Rationalize w/ a teenaged girl?????
Might as well sit on the front porch and go, "deer deer deer deeeeer", and expect one to show up. :wink: :wink:

Hey I didn't say it would work!! Just thought it was better than saying your screwed take up sewing!! HAHA

[Big Lew]

I fully agree with "Mr. Dean" about it being the 'outing and experience' rather than the actual bagging an animal. Just getting out is a great stress releaser. As for the Skagit and Boston Bar areas, both good choices once the rut starts in November, the more realistic time it takes to arrive or leave the actual hunting area from Burnaby would be closer to 3 hours.

[squamishhunter]

Try squamish area, not far from burnaby really.

[HunterOgi]

princeton has got it all!

[proguide66]

Try squamish area, not far from burnaby really.

Good call. If I were 'stranded' in the city I would be VERY tempted to try between horseshoe Bay and Squam...do some homework as there is a HAMMER buck or two routinely smoked on the highway every Nov.( cant just 'give it' to ya , you have to do some groundwork ...easy actually with this hint)
Theres another hint , if you are lacking experience and time , better your odds and WAIT until Nov 10 'ish' and on to the end , this time of year will GREATLY increase your chances as Oct is typically the most difficult month for even most experienced guys to find antler !
Do what %75 of local hunters DONT do , pick a shit eatin 'hill' ,leave the vehicle and climb the bugger.........then do it again and again.....

[Mr. Dean]

Do what %75 of local hunters DONT do , pick a shit eatin 'hill' ,leave the vehicle and climb the bugger.........then do it again and again.....

Now the one thing to remember is that once it's bagged-n-tagged, you'll still need time for getting it out.
And it WILL take longer than you think.

I actually envy you - As I said earlier, I was a spitting image of you and wore them same shoes...
When it all connects (and it will), the emotions that fill ya are going to be near intolerable.

Have something near to hang on to. :lol:

[itsy bitsy xj]

I didn't mention that I have spent many many hours in the back woods in my Jeep alot of which has been up the west side of Harrison Lake. I haven't seen much wild life, but thats not a surprise when you have 4-12 4wds making a ton of noise. So I totally understand about the enjoyment of just being out in the bush. As for taking my daughter not going to happen, she needs to be at school everyday and would not enjoy seeing animal being shot and gutted

[The Dude]

Damn, Bud, how old is she? I feel for you. I have a new son, and a girl on the way, and those kids are gonna be my pack mules.
That's the only reason to HAVE kids, so they can carry Dad's Elk when he gets old. Damn, why else have sex in the first place?
Can you send her to her mom for the weekend? She doesn't go to school 24/7.
Damn, I feel so bad I'm tempted to lend you my trailer, lol.

[itsy bitsy xj]

Hey Dude,

She's 13 with all the attitude that comes with being a 13 year old girl! She might have been ok with coming hunting if I would have started when she was younger. No she isn't at school 24/7 but as I said in my first post I work EVERY Weekend. Sending her to see her mom isn't an option at this time and my parents are out in Langley so getting her to school (which is a huge deal to me) wouldn't work.

[The Dude]

Tell her no Facebook until she goes hunting with you. Call it daddy/daughter day, and the school will understand :D

[junkyard_g]

silverhope creek/skagitvalley road, ruby creek, and american creek all by hope. lots of pressure. more game in the last few weeks of the season as the snow starts to bring them down. took me 6 tries to bag one buck, but its doable. regular road hunting is pretty unproductive due to pressure, best bet is to find some reasonably fresh tracks and hunt the hell out of that one spot.

[Taurusguy]

My 14 YO Daughter loves hunting. She tells me she was born in the wrong time era and wishes things were horse and buggy again. She just got her full licence this year and is DIEING to go out again as she helped me bag a 4 point earlier in the season.

[fudge]

Maybe take up Ducks as there are lots of places close to go... and go after the buck when she is older

[BowRiver]

thanks for the advice proguide66! -

I am in a similar situation myself - I just got into hunting, travel for work, need/want to spend time at home with my wife and new baby daughter ... and find it really tough to get time to get out from East Van. I will start doing my groundwork to find the places you hint at here.

[itsy bitsy xj]

My 14 YO Daughter loves hunting. She tells me she was born in the wrong time era and wishes things were horse and buggy again. She just got her full licence this year and is DIEING to go out again as she helped me bag a 4 point earlier in the season.

Your a lucky man

[proguide66]

thanks for the advice proguide66! -

I am in a similar situation myself - I just got into hunting, travel for work, need/want to spend time at home with my wife and new baby daughter ... and find it really tough to get time to get out from East Van. I will start doing my groundwork to find the places you hint at here.
Atta boy ! If I lived near those spots I guarrantee I'd pull a couple big buggers outa that stretch each fall !

[BowRiver]

I'd be happy with a small bugger ... !

[squamishhunter]

Well if anyone wants to hunt squamish area and needs a partner, let me know. I'm available weekends and have some spots in mind.

[Taurusguy]

Your a lucky man Thanks! ... I have to agree ... Her motivation was when my dad (her papa) told he he didnt think she could do it. She HAd to prove him wrong. Same with her martial arts ... Papa told her that she wouldnt last 6 months ... Well .. its been over a year now and she is pretty much 1/2 way to blackbelt in Sun Hang Do and loves it ... she figures one day she might get a chance to break a deers neck instead of shoot it.. sarcasticly of course lol. I figure .. whatever motivates her .. all the better for her and my self! :)

[itsy bitsy xj]

Thanks for all the help and info guys