I want my first deer!

[Jeremy S]

I have been going hunting with my father for 17 years on the eastside near Okanagon. The year before my first trip when I was 7 years old was when he took his last deer, and before that it seemed like he would take one just about every other year. I hiked with him (unarmed) from 8-11 years old so he could teach me the roads, trails, and how to be extra quiet while deep in the brush. I had my liscense in pocket and my Remington in my hands by age 12. I have been doing the same routine since with failure to harvest an animal. We see lots of does but the bucks just seem to be out of reach and never offer a shot. We don't have any scouting time because we both work alot and live on the westside. We drive over late the night before opening day, go out early the next morning and still hunt on through the weekend. The terrain is a mix of clearcuts, heavily wooded areas, and grassy fields. Deer sign is almost always present. I know the animals are there an I realize that luck probably plays a fair ammount in my chance due to being in the woods for such a small amount of time. My father is a hardcore still hunter and has never hunted from a stand. I am starting to think that a stand might be a better option for my situatution. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want my first deer!

[elkaholic_74]

Are you hunting for whitetails or mule deer? Either way if you are seeing does then the bucks arent far away. Its going to be tough if you never get any scouting time. Have you thought about hunting the westside where you may have time to scout? Just an idea...good luck!

[Jeremy S]

The area where I hunt has whitetails and mulies. I am really trying to figure out if a stand would be a better idea for my situation then walking through the woods. Also, I plan to do some hunting on the westside this year so that should help my odds.

[300wsm]

If you alway do what you always did, you will alway have what you always had.  Mix it up a little and try different things, for whitetale a stand may be the way to go. 

[Curly]

So, you're saying that you only hunt opening weekend every year?  You guys just might have to take some time off of work if you really want to connect. 

If you look at the harvest statistics  the average days/kill is close to 22 days for okanogan.........so the 4 days combined that you guys are hunting is really not even close to getting you near the average number of days needed for a kill.  If you scouted over there a few times before the season, you would have a much better chance of connecting on opening weekend.

Anyway, I don't think it would hurt if you tried hunting from a stand and let your dad do the still hunt thing.  What do you have to lose?  If a guy has enough patience, stand hunting is hard to beat......especially opening weekend; there should be enough guys out there pushing deer around that if you hunting from a stand, you should have a good chance of having a buck run or sneak by you.

One thing you might try is setting up a stand and have your dad still hunt toward you.  He may spook some bucks and they may go toward you.  Just do it carefully so that you guys aren't shooting toward each other.

[D-man]

Are you hunting for whitetails or mule deer? Either way if you are seeing does then the bucks arent far away. Its going to be tough if you never get any scouting time. Have you thought about hunting the westside where you may have time to scout? Just an idea...good luck!

I second that, I used to think if I ever wanted a deer I had to go over to the east-side for opening weekend, but the five years i did that i never once filled my tag. I am also from the west-side and i have been doing some research and there are places to go for nice black-tail.  You just have to put in the work and scout, even little scouting trips if you can get work off early on Friday make a big difference.  Not to mention what a time saver and gas saver it is to only drive an hour from your house etc. instead of clear across the state.

[Jeremy S]

Thanks all for the advice. I think I'll be pruchasing a tree stand this weekend!

[JBabcock]

For years all I ever saw was does. Then I figured out the reason I was seeing does, is because that's what I was hunting. Usually the bucks don't hang out with the does, at least not till they get close to the rut. You might see smaller bucks running with them, but those aren't legal on the eastside.

Change it up. And hunt smaller. What I mean by that is look for tighter areas where bucks tend to hang out. They aren't usually out in the open like does are. Look for areas that they will be using as crossing lanes to sit and watch. And that's another thing. Sit. And stay there. My success ratio went way up once I learned to sit still and let my eyes hunt, rather than walking around spooking them.

[Ellensburg]

For years all I ever saw was does. Then I figured out the reason I was seeing does, is because that's what I was hunting. Usually the bucks don't hang out with the does, at least not till they get close to the rut. You might see smaller bucks running with them, but those aren't legal on the eastside.

Change it up. And hunt smaller. What I mean by that is look for tighter areas where bucks tend to hang out. They aren't usually out in the open like does are. Look for areas that they will be using as crossing lanes to sit and watch. And that's another thing. Sit. And stay there. My success ratio went way up once I learned to sit still and let my eyes hunt, rather than walking around spooking them.

u just gave sum awesome advice

[Jeremy S]

I have never used a stand so I am wondering if it will be ok if I leave it up on public land? The terrain I hunt is pretty hilly so I am thinking about finding a good vantage point on a hill for my first try at sitting to see how I like it before I go buy a stand.

[JBabcock]

As you look at the area your describing, look at it closely. Try and decide where you would cross if you were trying to avoid detection. Often the areas a mature buck will cross from one side to the other are points where the timber comes up on one side of the hill and joins the other.

You have to look for those areas, and if there is a trail there, watch it. Get back aways so you won't spook a buck as he comes through, but close enough to get a shot off.

[JBabcock]

I've also never used a tree stand. Not saying they won't work, just never used one. If you leave it in the woods, then come back out and see somebody else sitting in it, you might be hard pressed to get them out of it!

[jonnyz94]

Exactly!  What do you say? Hey A-hole your in my stand! Could get ugly. Theft and the for-mentioned problem has kept me from buying and trying even though i really think this would be a great option for my hunting success.

[h2ofwl4]

I have lived on the eastside since I moved to the state 6 year ago and have harvested my mulies mid-week.  I go out open day, just to say i did, but realize that midweek is the way to go.  With kids hunting now, the opening weekend, and a few mornings/afternoons during school are it.  I do a fair amount of scouting as well and limit myself to a 45 mile radius of home.  Everyone else heads for the the Blues.  NOT ME.

with gas prices up and an uncertain economy, I would hang near home. get some quality scouting in and hunt midweek.  best of luck and let us know how you do.

[Pugetsound]

For years all I ever saw was does. Then I figured out the reason I was seeing does, is because that's what I was hunting. Usually the bucks don't hang out with the does, at least not till they get close to the rut. You might see smaller bucks running with them, but those aren't legal on the eastside.

Change it up. And hunt smaller. What I mean by that is look for tighter areas where bucks tend to hang out. They aren't usually out in the open like does are. Look for areas that they will be using as crossing lanes to sit and watch. And that's another thing. Sit. And stay there. My success ratio went way up once I learned to sit still and let my eyes hunt, rather than walking around spooking them.

u just gave sum awesome advice

You probably said more in that statement, than most mag's do in several years worth of articles.