Totally skunked, guides in Washington?

[Bogie85]

This is my first year hunting. I am beyond frustrated to say the least. I finally got lined up in what I thought was a good spot. Heard a buck grunt maybe 60 yards from me. And see the top of his antlers, staying quiet and just as he’s starting to step out more so i can see him. A guy in a diesel truck comes roaring up the mountain and he spooked.

Constantly dealing with people driving around and ruining my chances it seems. I am wondering if anyone would be willing to take me out for some compensation to learn? Hoping for someone with a fairly good success rate. I know you can’t expect anything, but I am just super frustrated. My tag is for western Washington. I also would t expect anyone to take me to their spot for obvious reasons. But I just haven’t had a good experience hunting so far and this is my last ditch effort before I just quit for the season and maybe revisit next year. Or I just stick to fishing something I actually know how to do lol.

Thanks everyone for all the help people have offered already. But it seems like road warriors ruin any chance of getting a decent buck. I have a ton to learn still and just want to go out with someone who knows what’s up.

[tritt007]

I'm sure you have heard this before , bear with me here ..... Western Washington is kind of a crap shoot if you don't know how to run it (and even if you do haha ) . And my best words of advice are keep with it and hunt further away from the road if you don't like road hunters . But seriously keep with it . The success rate is low here . Keep trying and stick to your guns , and get away from the tirds that don't know what a pair of hiking boots are and eventually you will be successful and it will be even more special in the long run . I'll always remember my first blacktail buck more than anything else I have shot anywhere else and anything I may kill in the future ! 

[Naches Sportsman]

The worst thing you can do is to call it quits while the deer season is still young. It took me 3 seasons to get my first deer. Keep after it.

[Scheindogg]

If it’s just a deer tag that you got not a special permit, it can be used Westside or east side 

[JakeLand]

Find areas that are gated =  no vehicles
Mountain bike = farther accessibility
Get in there year round and ride and hike so you know the area inside and out!
Trail cameras so you know what’s in there
And a big dose of some good luck and give it 100%

[Eric M]

It's easy to get discouraged. A truck isn't going to run that buck too far. You still have the late hunt. Every time I felt like saying screw it but went out anyway I would see or experience something that made me glad I went out. Maybe you wont kill anything this year. Try to enjoy the time spent in the woods. The more you are out there the luckier you'll be.

[EyeTooth]

It sounds like you have already found a bucky spot. Head back over there and get him or one of the others that are probably there around him! Haunt that spot. Trucks will come, and trucks will go, but those bucks live there. Good luck!

[Bogie85]

Thanks for the encouragement, I think the toughest part. Is not knowing if you are doing the right thing. Should I call, should I be quiet? Should I drive around like what seems to be everyone else looking for one buck in the clear cut? Should I pick a spot and sit in the edge of the trees. There are so many variables, and so many people seem to do it differently. It makes it difficult for a new hunter to grasp what's right and what's wrong. I have been out 6 times now and only seen 2 buck on two different days.

So I start to question if it's me, or if I just have terrible luck with this lol. I hear them coming, should I wait and hope they come into view? Or should I move out a bit more to get a view on a buck if I hear him? I just don't know, it's all very ambiguous to me. And I put too much pressure on myself to be successful so I think that makes it worse lol. I need to just reign it in and know that just like fishing you don't always come home with something.

[EyeTooth]

You're asking good questions. For not hunting for blacktails here before, 2 bucks for 6 days is very good. Try all of your ideas. See how they go, and remember to always play the wind. I know a guy who drives all over, getting out to glass at likely openings. He does very well! I have also known a couple of guys who have found bucky spots, just like you have, in close quarters, and have sat down wind, not moving a muscle, that have done very well too. It is hard to stay positive as the days go by, but if you can make your trip about having fun trying out your ideas, I think your hunting results will be even better.

[Eric M]

Thanks for the encouragement, I think the toughest part. Is not knowing if you are doing the right thing. Should I call, should I be quiet? Should I drive around like what seems to be everyone else looking for one buck in the clear cut? Should I pick a spot and sit in the edge of the trees. There are so many variables, and so many people seem to do it differently. It makes it difficult for a new hunter to grasp what's right and what's wrong. I have been out 6 times now and only seen 2 buck on two different days.

So I start to question if it's me, or if I just have terrible luck with this lol. I hear them coming, should I wait and hope they come into view? Or should I move out a bit more to get a view on a buck if I hear him? I just don't know, it's all very ambiguous to me. And I put too much pressure on myself to be successful so I think that makes it worse lol. I need to just reign it in and know that just like fishing you don't always come home with something.

Seeing 2 bucks in 6 days is 2 more than a lot of guys will see this year. It helps to have someone to learn from. I had to learn a lot on my own and now I laugh about some of the stuff I did and some of the things that happened to me. It sounds to me like you are putting yourself in good areas or area for opportunities. Take your time. Learn the area. Dont put that pressure on yourself that you have to harvest an animal. Keep getting out there. You can learn some good stuff on here without a doubt. I have. But you need to get out there and get wet and dirty. Whether or not you harvest one this year, get out in those areas you are hitting in the winter and look for sheds. Get out there in early summer and glass for the bucks when they're in velvet and more apt to be visible during the day. Read Boyd Iversons 2nd book. Have some fun!

[Bogie85]

All good advice . I am giving it one more go for general season tomorrow. Going to hit up my spots and see what happens. I think I just got frustrated, without knowing info and the ambiguity. But it’s only going to get better over time.

[addicted1]

First thing to know is success rate are ridiculously low for many different reasons. I always want to kill sonething when
I hunt, but just pray that I will see something new and learn something. But, you are doing fine if you saw 2 bucks already. Just be patient, with that you will out hunt 90% of people.

Also want to commend you on not just throwing bullets at the buck that did come in.

[DOUBLELUNG]

As a self-taught hunter I feel your pain.  Nothing wrong with seeing 0.33 bucks/day effort!  Persistence creates opportunity- keep at it. 

[snake]

keep at it. if you spend enough time in the woods it will happen. might take a few seasons, which is common.

[Billy74]

Keep it up.  I’m also a new/self learning hunter.  Remember that there are experienced hunters that spend a few season with no shots fired  don’t feel like you need to your first year.
  I totally get the frustration of not knowing if your lack of luck is because your doing something wrong or not.  Not knowing if what your doing is right or wrong because you’re teaching yourself.  Just keep at it and try not to judge success by punching a tag.  Pick a few things you might do differently next year.  Take an honest assessment then and you’ll see how much you’ve learned.   
 Not sure of your schedule but if you haven’t try and plan on a multiple day outing for hunting.  Being able to start with a plan A and switching it up when you see how you need to adjust.  Easier to get to plan B C & D if you have more than a couple days.  And if you can hunt the late season using what you learned in Oct.
 I added a game cam and more scouting this year and it really helped.  Also a big lesson was having an area you know that holds deer isn’t enough.  Know the area and pre establish a good way to access it in the dark and without disrupting the area with sound and scent. 


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[The Marquis]

I feel your pain.  Only buck I have seen all season was spooked by road hunters right as I was making the confirmation that it was a buck.  Great info to have though.  I'm just glad I know he's there.  Hunting is called hunting for a reason. 

[Spuddieselwwu]

1. Get more than a 1/4 mi off the road system
2. Scout and target a few good spots to hit before a season with glassing, walking slowly through the spots at various times of the day and weather/wind patterns and observe and take in the info
3. Learn all of the trails, land features and elevation changes around those areas
4. Learn how to get in and out of them undetected
5. Find alder patches near those locations
6. Understand what animals use those locations, look for poop, tracks, old or new rubs, heavily used game trails, etc.  Can also use game cam.
7. Glass. A lot. Look for movement, look for ears. They’re amazing at blending in. Probably going be of the most important things... glass.
8. Persistence. Don’t get discouraged. Blacktails are tough.
9. Luck.

Best of luck. Keep at it.

[cryder]

Ooooooh JEEEEEZE !!! Not another hunting episode ruined by a creep in a full blown headers train that looks like a truck !!! Jeeeeeeeze , did he have it camoed so u can't see him comeing ?  Just another reason I took up bow hunting , and since we're there , here's another little piece of get real for you missle launchers all dressed up like pumpkins , I sold my dirty thirty to purchase a Marauder , it's a full blown 25 caliber pellett rifle , already got one of those big ugly birds with it , just to show it doesn't take a Hubble to have success , rifle hunting in Washington does not make sense to me any more , anybody want to buy a really bright orange vest ?