How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?

[wilsongideon]

Just curious how far the majority people really can get into the wilderness areas to hunt. I know and see the horse packers getting in there along ways and have only been able to find a few spots of absolute solitude. Those areas believe it or not also seemed to be tough hunting or void of deer all together.

[7mag.]

It seems here in our state that most trailheads are at least a mile or two from the wilderness boundary, then they follow the bottom of the drainage before climbing up to the high basins. It ends up being 5 or more miles before you are in position to glass. At least, that's been my experience.

[MountainWalk]

I've hunted The Bros wilderness, Colonel Bob and The Buckhorn and never seen a REALLY big buck. So I've never killed one in a WA wilderness area. Nowadays, I mostly hunt on the farm or industrial timberland, 2-5 miles in.

[kentrek]

Anywhere from 3-15 miles in,just depends where there at

I wouldnt expect to see animals just cuz ya get along ways in,alot of time their few an far between in the big country,they are where ya find em

[PolarBear]

I think for a lot of guys it is less than 18"!   

[JimmyHoffa]

I haven't seen anything that makes me want to hike far in early in the season anymore.  So now I wait until later in the season, and I don't have to walk in as far.  But I had been going in about 8 miles to camp, then another 2 or 3 each day.  Now, I don't really bother with the backcountry (peninsula) or if I do it is much later in the season.  But I do want to do the Pasayten...the whole thing. 

[Houndhunter]

100 yards to bout 6-7 miles for deer, just depends where im at.

[fillthefreezer]

typically 3.5-8 miles, 3 being an area thats all off trail and takes almost all day to 8 being 3/4s trail with just the end off trail that takes about 6hr

[Huntbear]

I get em from the road.. that way I have no chance of spilling my beer in my truck....     

[TeacherMan]

When I lived in WA most my hunting took place within 1/4 mile of the rd, sometimes up to 2 miles off the rd. (I think most people don't really realize how far two miles in in the woods). With this being said when I move back to WA after living in AK I can see were I'm going to be going in 5 - 8 mi plus on my normal hunts now. I've gotten use to working a lot harder for my animals  I often tell my buddies down in WA if I worked half as hard for a deer in WA as I do for animals in AK I would have shot 170" deer every year.

[pd]

It seems here in our state that most trailheads are at least a mile or two from the wilderness boundary, then they follow the bottom of the drainage before climbing up to the high basins. It ends up being 5 or more miles before you are in position to glass. At least, that's been my experience.

I guess that I never realized this before, but you might be right.  The trails in the wilderness areas DO seem to follow the creekbeds for a few miles before they climb up to the ridges.  This forces a several mile hike just to get into position.  Good point.

[shootnrun]

This year's high hunt I hiked in about 2 miles and put in another 1-2 miles from there. I saw many deer, but an obnoxious amount of hunters, as they hiked up in the dark and day hunted it. Last year I went 6miles to set up camp, with an additional 2 or so miles of wandering and saw enough deer to fill my tag and wasn't interrupted by anyone.. Needless to say I won't be skimping on the hike next year.

I will say its true that many trails follow the basins before jetting vertical, but that distance sure seems to detur many hunters.

For regular season I go as far as necessary. 1-3 miles. I killed my second deer about 200yds from the road tho And Im considering trying the high country next general season for kicks.

[Jonathan_S]

Every time I try to go in deep (4-6 miles) I fail.

Last two bucks I shot, I had two days of supplies on my back and I shot them less than a mile from the truck.

Can't complain.  I don't have "Backcountry Status" yet though.

[huntnnw]

Ive hunted a few places right out of the tent in wilderness from the road as it was void of anyone hunting..there was far more pressure 5-10 mi in then right by the road

[Sitka_Blacktail]

Trailheads? I prefer game trails to man made trails.