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Author Topic: Help for youth hunt - 121  (Read 2465 times)

Offline wafisherman

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Help for youth hunt - 121
« on: September 08, 2017, 11:51:28 AM »
I've been taking one of my boys hunting for a few years now.  He's the only one of my 3 biological boys who likes to hunt (I have 8 kids total - 5 adopted from foster care).  I really want to keep that alive for him.  Last year was his first time hunting with his own tag after passing hunter's ed.  Got a couple grouse and he was pretty excited about that.

After 30 years focused on fishing, I got into hunting a just few years ago myself, so obviously lots left to learn.

We have been hitting north central WA for mule deer, but the last few seasons have been dead up there for us - since the fires and warm modern openers.  So I've been looking into other options, even though I really love it there and have been working it hard for several years and know it better than anywhere else.

I now have the opportunity to hunt private land in the 121 Huckleberry unit.  My friend has land there, combined family \ friend land in a mix of forest and field that comes to about 200 acres.  Has a couple small creeks.  Off Orin Rice road.
My friend (or his family members who own the adjacent land) isn't a hunter and only recently started spending time up there, but says they have lots of turkey on the land.  They've also seen moose (rare) and a decent amount of whitetail deer.  No mule deer that he has seen. Some signs of bear and cougar.  No sign or grouse.

I'm pretty excited, but won't be able to get up there to scout ahead of time this year.  My summer scouting was in the Okanogan with the family before I knew about this opportunity.

Anyway, I'm rambling on, so getting to the point.  My boy is now a freshman in HS and on the football team.  I think I'll be able to pull him away Thursday night, scout a bit Friday, and let him do the any deer youth hunt on Saturday and Sunday - but got to get him back to school and football by Tuesday or I'll get into trouble!!  If he tags out, I'll see if I can get into a buck as well.  Then turkey.

I would love some tips for hunting the private land in that area.  Strategies for whitetail in that area during that time of year (modern opener).  Next year we may switch to archery as we both love shooting the bow.

My fear is that we pull a rookie move and spook all the deer off the property on day 1 and we'll be done.  Really want to avoid that of course.  I plan to scout on Friday by walking normal trafficked (people) areas around the farm land and roads in the woods, looking for well used game trails and other sign.  Find good vantage points for hiding and glassing the edges.  Doing my best to determine their movements - morning, mid-day, evening.  Opening morning we'll get setup well before first light in a pre-determined spot and hunker down with what we think is the best vantage point downwind of the active trails.

So here is my ask:
1) general tips to help make this a success for him?  This will be our first time in whitetail country.
2) Backup plans for the area if we scare off all the game?  Anyone have land that they would let a youth harvest a deer on?  May have my dad, a Viet Nam vet who has never shot a deer, hunting with us as well if I he's up for it. Public land options?

Thanks!!!

Offline Buckmark

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Re: Help for youth hunt - 121
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2017, 12:26:11 PM »
Apples
Bag of deer feed
Pop up blind
Game cam (optional)
Find a good looking spot and dump the apples and a pile of feed down, set up cam if you brought one.
Set up pop up blind where it is the least obtrusive and downwind if possible.

Sit in said stand about 2hrs before dark and about 1.5hrs before light in the morning
« Last Edit: September 08, 2017, 03:38:31 PM by Buckmark »
To hunt and butcher an animal is to recognize that meat is not some abstract form of protein that springs into existence tightly wrapped in cellophane and styrofoam.

Offline wafisherman

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Re: Help for youth hunt - 121
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2017, 12:43:47 PM »
Thanks!  So the apples and feed will attract them or at least give them a spot to stop in your line of sight?  Setting that up the day before good enough?  I'm trying to ask the land owner to set up a station a few weeks in advance - not sure if they will be able to though.  No game cams - but will be considering it for next year if we think it is likely we'll be back in the coming years.

I have 3 more kids who will be old enough to hunt with me in the coming years - so love that we might have this option for them.  Personally, I like hunting big land and putting boots on the ground in the back country when I can.  But this is great for the kids and my dad, and I love having meat in the freezer :)


Offline Henrydog

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Re: Help for youth hunt - 121
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2017, 12:53:54 PM »
I have family off of Orin Rice and know the area well.  Do as Buckmark says

Offline wafisherman

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Re: Help for youth hunt - 121
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2017, 01:31:34 PM »
I have family off of Orin Rice and know the area well.  Do as Buckmark says

 :tup:

Offline bowhunterforever

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Re: Help for youth hunt - 121
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2017, 03:04:45 PM »
Apples
Bag of deer feed
Pop up blind
Game cam (optional)
Find a good looking spot and dump the apples and a pile of feed down, set up cam if your brought one.
Set up pop up blind where it is the least obtrusive and down wind if possible.

Sit in said stand about 2hrs before dark and about 1.5hrs before light in the morning
:yeah: Sweet cob and apples.
You sure you know how to skin griz pilgram

 


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