FRUSTERATED - 1st year hunter

[PDR]

Okay guys, this is my first year hunting, I am a transplant from West Palm Beach, FL (needless to say not alot of hunting opportunities)

I love the PNW - met my wife here, avid fisherman and outdorsman and I have fell in LOVE with hunting... I don't have any friends that hunt ( well my brother who went a guided moose trip in Canada once) so I'm kind of learning as I go.

The only problem is... I can't find a friggin deer.  I took my brother to a spot I had been scouting before season - up by 49 degrees, and we are there not 10 minutes and he gets a nice 4x4 whitetail. I did everything but pull the trigger, so I thought I was doing something right... but sense then, NOTHING.

I have tried GMU 113, slate creek area, also the wolf creek, and pocohontas creek area. I've tried some acreage in Elk, (2 different spots - paper company land, and timber company land) and I've tried my brother in laws 40 acres in Chattaroy.

I have seen alot of does (in chattaroy) but I can't find a buck!

I am using a .270, I am wearing full camo (realtree) showering with the scent killer soap, then using the fall scent killer. I am being super quite, and not sure what I am doing wrong.  I have seen more bull moose (5) than bucks.

Can some PLEASE help me out. With the end of the season getting closer, I really want to harvest my first deer - for the experience, and for the Meat. I am sick of waking up at 4:00 am, being cold (snow is up there), wet -lots of rain today, and coming home defeated. Not to mention my boss is getting a little weary of me needing to leave early 3 times a week to get to the hunt spot before dark.

Please Please Please for the love of god give me some tips.  I normally start out the day by just sitting and waiting for daylight to roll in,then after an a couple hours, walk through the woods hoping I kick something up.

I have a HS truetalker, a deer can, rattle bag....should I be using this stuff, or leaving it for the Pros...

What the hell am I doing wrong? 


Signed ,

A super frusterated hunter   

Paul

reillypd@gmail.com

[Red Dawg]

welcome to the club. just keep hunting hard and it will work out. One thing is for sure if you are not hunting you will not get anything. I t will all come together when you least expect it. Keep up the hard work.

[Red Dawg]

dont be to stubborn about your spot. if no deer are showing up than keep looking in other spots. If you are seeing does right now just keep watching them for lonf periods of time and a buck will show up. sometimes they will be a couple hundred yards away or so but like I said just keep at it and it will all work out. You wont kill something every time.

[rasbo]

maybe the hunter orange is missing..hang in there thats why they call it hunting.it will work out.Good luck

[alchemyforge]

I bowhunt and as a friend tells me each time we go back to the truck empty handed- it's called "hunting" not "killing"  

When you look at the success %ages that are published, keep in mind that a lot of those guys spend one weekend in the bushes- and for some guys that means set up around noon on Saturday, hunt from 4 till close, then get up the next day around 9-10 then hunt till noon and pack up.  
The longer you're actually in the woods, the better your chances will be (or at least that's what I tell myself so I'll crawl out of bed at 5AM).  Even the guys on TV talk about how they spend 13 days in a stand and didn't see a shooter (they just don't time lapse all the time they spend out there).  I really think the guys who claim they've only been in the brush for 10 minutes and then a huge buck comes along are cheating.  They're either lying about how long they've been there, or they're using stock footage until they find something to shoot  

The fact that your brother got one is proof that they're there (and maybe next time bro can wait in the truck until you need to haul out the meat  ).  Keep at it and try to enjoy the scenery and weather.

[EastWaViking]

Yeah, you need orange during rifle seasonl.  Don't worry too much, the bucks are just starting to rut, next weekend should be great!  Not everybody gets a buck every year, so, don't get discuraged.  Just keep trying.

[rasbo]

I bowhunt and as a friend tells me each time we go back to the truck empty handed- it's called "hunting" not "killing"  

When you look at the success %ages that are published, keep in mind that a lot of those guys spend one weekend in the bushes- and for some guys that means set up around noon on Saturday, hunt from 4 till close, then get up the next day around 9-10 then hunt till noon and pack up.  
The longer you're actually in the woods, the better your chances will be (or at least that's what I tell myself so I'll crawl out of bed at 5AM).  Even the guys on TV talk about how they spend 13 days in a stand and didn't see a shooter (they just don't time lapse all the time they spend out there).  I really think the guys who claim they've only been in the brush for 10 minutes and then a huge buck comes along are cheating.  They're either lying about how long they've been there, or they're using stock footage until they find something to shoot  

The fact that your brother got one is proof that they're there (and maybe next time bro can wait in the truck until you need to haul out the meat  ).  Keep at it and try to enjoy the scenery and weather.

yeah that brother thing is a whole new topic

[PDR]

Yeah, you need orange during rifle seasonl.  Don't worry too much, the bucks are just starting to rut, next weekend should be great!  Not everybody gets a buck every year, so, don't get discuraged.  Just keep trying.

Sorry, I should have added orange vest with the list of equipment!  I'm wearing it every time.  I actually forgot it about halfway up today, so had to turn around and walk all the way back to the truck

[NORRISKI2]

Hey glad to have another hunter in the woods.  I have hunted the area in NE Washington several times (Colville / Ione area).  Remember what you are doing is not easy it is hunting and IMHO that area is not what it used to be.  The cats and many other factors have made the hunting more difficult.  My twin brother hunted in WA state for years without ever getting a shot at an animal and let me tell you he probably hunted harder, scouted more, and dedicated the time more than anyone I know.  I know it can be frustrating, but keep at it your hard work will pay off.  Your not doing anything wrong.  Hunt all day if you can and take notes of where you are seeing deer, pattern them if you can, sometimes at the strangest time a buck will present itself and then the rest is in your hands.  Some may disagree, but when it is not working for me I will try it all, hiking, pushing the brush, stand hunting, even road hunting when the hunting pressure is bumping them all over.  When I get a little frustrated I just think of being at work instead, which always has a rejuvenating affect. Good luck!!

 

[grizzlygibbs]

Dont get down, not everyone gets their deer their first year hunting.  I only did cause i had a doe tag, then i had a 4 year dry spell, as i didnt even hunt as much as i could due to school.   I would leave that can and rattle bag to the pro's although i dont whitetail hunt and dont know how effective it is, but you might be scaring em away, but to each his own.  Just be persistent and dont quit if you dont get one this year!  I hope you get one.  and stick to where you are seeing the deer, and maybe not jump from place to place so much.  Just my .02 but just cause you dont see deer there one day, doesnt mean they wont be there the next! 

[Skycruiser]

I am sick of waking up at 4:00 am, being cold (snow is up there), wet -lots of rain today, and coming home defeated.

Anyone who has hunted for any time has been there. Don't despair, it's all part of the learning process and will vaporize when you are successful. Keep in mind that the success rate in the 49 Degrees area (a good area, btw) is 28% for modern firearm hunters with a typical 18 days/kill. Here's the link. You can improve greatly on those averages with some perseverance and attention to detail.

The important thing is to KEEP DOING THE RIGHT THINGS RIGHT. Formulate a plan and follow it, as slowly and quietly as you can. Unsuccessful hunters get beat by being too cold, too hungry, too wet or just too tired.

Take off as many layers as possible when climbing and bring a dry T-shirt to change into when you get to the top. Carry socks, extra snacks and Gatorade. They can make a huge difference in your outlook.

As you get more experience, your plans will become better and better. Remember, you're always playing the odds. There is no sure bet, but your odds will increase with time.

Whitetail bucks are among the toughest critters to hunt in the world which is why success is so rewarding. As I posted elsewhere, the last four days of the season are the best. Hopefully, you'll have a chance to hunt during that time. Good Luck!

[boneaddict]

Hold still.  Everywhere you named is crawling with them.  They will start moving if they haven't already.  Its a bit early but I just saw the nice one one of our members got, so it has started.  Anyways.  Hold still and they will come to you.  Get on a travel path, ridgeline that you can see and wait.  If you want to grunt call, go ahead.  Might help, not neccesary.  Got a couple dink bones, take them along and rattle them a bit.  Wouldn't go hog wild in those areas as there are alot of guys listening to that too.  Watch for movement.  In this weather all you have to do is worry about keeping from being miserable and stay warm.

[boneaddict]

Just tinkle the bones.   They have better ears than you think.  DRIVES them nuts in the early season. 

[billythekidrock]

Welcome to the site and to hunting.

One thing to remember is that most people don't get a deer every year or even every couple years. Those that are successful every year, especially with multiple species, have honed their craft/hobby/lifestyle over many years, through many unanticipated obstacles.

Frustration is fine, but don't let it consume you.
Good luck.

[Colville]

I would add that those having repeated success have invested in an area. They have learned it well enough to have multiple spots and to have logged a lot of sightings by time of day, year, weather, pressure etc.

When you hunt those cuts you mentioned.. don't hunt the cut itselft for bucks. People have a poor bias for lots of visibility. It's better to have a 10 x 20 window on the right sign in the right place than 300 yards of cut no buck will ever step into. Unless rut kicks off early the bucks won't work the open. Does and maybe spikes and yearling forks might work that area, but the older bucks are going to work the fringes. Find the uphill cut edges as they come to a ridge line and hunt the sign above the cut working it's edge. They'll set up cruise lines off the cuts but in the cover along the areas does will feed and travel every day. Sit that ridge on decent buck sign and be patient. I shot a 3 1/2 year old last year at about 10 AM working just such a situation. But you could sit that same spot 2 or 3 days with little or nothing to show for it. As long as the sign is fresh keep it up, it'll pay.