One day/weekend hunt strategy

[Northwestsamurai]

Hey friends, I rarely have time to do 3/4/5 day+ hunts. Due to work and family my hunts are usually just one day dawn to dusk or a weekend max. For those of you who can relate what is your most effective strategy for one day or weekend hunts? And I mean strategies that put meat in the freezer!

For context I’m usually hunting blacktails in western WA or muleys western/central WA because of drive time. Always public land. Appreciate the shared knowledge 

[leonpeon2]

Bow hunter or rifle?

Find a unit that you can hunt any deer ( usually bow)

Road hunting would probably be your best bet. Other than getting out and hiking a half day and see nothing.

[wreckerman5288]

I have always found that no matter what the species, hunting ground you are familiar with very much ups your chance of success, particularly on short hunts.

[Northwestsamurai]

Sorry clarification: Rifle hunting. To the above post- sounds like scouting beforehand is a big key

[yorketransport]

I'd suggest just finding a spot close to home and focusing on that. I'll take a spot with lower concentrations of animals but is right down the road from my house over a spot with more animals that's an hour away; it makes my limited hunting time more productive. I spend most of my time hunting a 400 acre chunk of land a couple miles from my house. It's close enough that I can run out there and get a couple hours of hunting in and then get home to get some work done.

I've been out to this small chunk often enough that I know how many deer are there, and I have a very good idea where and when they move. It's to the point now that I've never been to that spot and not seen deer. I may not always have a shot opportunity and I might not always see one of the bucks, but I always see something.

[skidynastar33]

Nothing replaces time spent in the woods. So I would recommend making the most of your day. Be where you want to be at first light. Then be in the woods all day till dark.
Forget road hunting if you want to be successful, anyone can be lucky but your better off learning an area and how deer use it. Will make you more successful in the long run.
Finding a good place close to home would be good, then you can add a couple days of scouting in.

[Stein]

One word - doe.

I’ve met tons of “meat” hunters that pass on legal does and are more than willing to share info.  Same is true of spikes and sometimes forkies.

Hunt an area with a high number of deer, doe legal general tags and plenty of public accessible options.

Hunt morning, day and evening.  Hustle back to the truck and scout after legal hours but still enough light to see.  Then hunt am on Sun and set up where you saw deer Sat late scouting for the pm hunt.


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[Northwestsamurai]

Good stuff. Doe's aren't legal in my area but any buck is and I'd gladly take one regardless of size!

[DOUBLELUNG]

I love hunting new country.  But, my most consistent success has been with little pieces of good habitat near home/work, as well-described by Mr. Yorke.