looking for 8 Year old first deer - headed to 124 now, any help out there??

[Basinguy]

Hi,
I know this is kind of late notice but we are getting a little desperate to fill my son Jagger's first deer tag. He got drawn for hunt 1307 in the GMU 163 for anterless from nov. 1-12. We are going to stay up there in the dayton area this weekend and are looking for any advice. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

[CackleBird98]

Should be easy enough.  You got OnX?  There's some ground at the bottom of the Hartsock grade that's like a reserve thing you can hunt, should be able to find a deer on it.  Post pics if you get one!

[Basinguy]

yeah I got onx... it's a huge help and I can't believe I waited until this year to get it.
I have hunted early and late archery up there and wow, I couldn't believe the difference it was from early season to late season.
what do you guys think I should do: drive around glassing tree lines, set up a ground blind on the side of a tree line and just hope that something pops out, or walk tree lines and push the deer out hopeing that one will stop at 100 yards and allow us to get set up with our shooting sticks for a shot?

[CackleBird98]

I've been on a handful of doe hunts, #1 thing is don't overthink it.  Drive around and glass the public land til you find deer

[Rainier10]

I've been on a handful of doe hunts, #1 thing is don't overthink it.  Drive around and glass the public land til you find deer

X1,000

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

50/50 shot.

[Basinguy]

went out yesterday evening and covered some ground. I learned that if we walk the draws, we probably won't get a shot. 8 years old is too young to take a shot standing up and shooting at a moving target or one that stands there for a second or two before running again. Sooo... I think this is going to be harder than I originally thought it would be.
I like the ground blind idea but dang that public land has been picked through pretty good.
Those rolling hills are gonna be a challenge to sneak up on them...

[Basinguy]

if anybody was wondering... We didn't get it done. He dropped one and it tumbled into the trees. I thought he hit it hard so I went in after it and it ran off. He is hooked. Learned a lot and hiked a ton, I was proud of the boys. I wish I would have packed my shotgun because both of them have turkey tags and we were in those things everyday, with the occasional pheasant and quail too.
 

[7mmfan]

Thats a bummer on a hit deer running off. Hopefully it didn't rattle him to much, that can be a tough one on kids. Hopefully he just rattled her cage and she's good to go. Glad you guys got after it and he was bale to see animals and enjoy his time in the woods.

[Basinguy]

He's fine with what happened, he really wanted his own deer in the freezer. I think I might take him to 124 on Sunday. I have never hunted that area... looks like paper company and knocking on doors???

[7mmfan]

He's fine with what happened, he really wanted his own deer in the freezer. I think I might take him to 124 on Sunday. I have never hunted that area... looks like paper company and knocking on doors???

Couldn't tell you. I have no experience over there. My guess would be that you're right though.

[Basinguy]

went up to 124, got one more opportunity, but didn't happen. There were numerous times were we found ourselves climbing on all fours trying to get to the top of a mountain (fun but scary for the little guys). Drove around in the middle of the day and didn't see much. I don't know if I would hunt it again unless I had some private to hunt on. I thought we would have seen more deer, but still fun getting out and doing some intense hiking