An introduction, questions, and because I know you like pictures...

[tralam]

Hi. My name's Travis. I've been snooping around here off and on for a while and finally thought I'd start speaking up, but I'll try to keep this somewhat short. I started deer hunting with my dad back in the mid 90's. We never really pulled much out except for the memories and good times. I had to take a few years off for school but started hunting again back in '06. My old man hasn't really gotten back into the swing of it despite my trying to talk him into coming, but he's getting there. Finally in '08 I dropped my first animal. He was a young little guy but I sure was proud of him.

Being alone, it was a pretty steep learning curve getting him cleaned out and back to camp, but I did pretty well. I even managed to butcher him myself, which was quite an undertaking. But I get a lot of pride out of getting things done myself.

A year later I got my second deer, and I was just as proud as the year before. He's not a huge animal, but at the time I couldn't believe I could be so lucky. He was the first animal I saw that year, aside from the does off the road.


He was a monster in my book. My Dad actually showed up just in time to help me drag him out, so I was glad to be able to share that moment with him. By the way, you're welcome for my contribution in taking those gene's out of the pool, those guys must have been brothers.

I've been learning a lot out there on my own. I take pride in doing what I can to be a respectful and ethical sportsman, and I enjoy learning something new every year. Taking these animals the past couple of years as really been making me want to try new things. Hunt different game, different areas, different seasons, etc. I see a lot of people on this board traveling all over the state looking for deer, but when the season comes around, I can't bring myself to go anywhere but the same old spot my dad and I camped at for years. Something about that spot is like going home. Some years it seems like getting "our spot" is more important than getting a deer. I've tried hunting different areas before, and I didn't have nearly as much fun. Though I'll attribute that mostly to lack of scouting and knowledge of the area. I was curious how many people have a spot like that, one they go to year after year no matter if there's game around or not, and how many people just head out to wherever they think the deer may be?

I've never been much of a back country hunter. I've never hunted more than a couple miles from a road, though I'm no slouch. I don't mind pounding the dirt to do what I need to do, and I enjoy hiking, but I get a bit nervous about taking an animal down and not being able to get it out in time, although with two butchered animals under my belt, I feel a lot better about being able to bone one out. One of my goals the past year or two has been to get more into packing myself out somewhere away from everything. Getting an animal wouldn't be important, but I think hiking out and setting up a bivy wherever I may be would be a fun trip. The problem is I've never even been backpacking, so I don't have a heck of a lot of experience, but I've slowly been gathering some gear to help me realize this goal, and doing a lot of research on the subject, so I'm open to any tips you may have.

I guess my second question is how far most of you guys, on average, travel on foot to find the deer? I've never considered myself a "road hunter", but I'm curious what the common perception of a road hunter is around here. How far in do you think you should be before you're really hunting?

I'm getting pretty amped up for next week, and my Dad seems to be taking the steps to come along this year, so we'll see you guys out there.

[turkey slayer]

Great intro and welcome to the site

[Mudball]

Those are some great pic's congratulations on both animals. I am in the same boat as you as far as the hiking thing goes I try to stay with in a mile or so of roads in new areas when I'm alone, more for the safety I think. A friend and myself are planning a 6 to 8 mile hike in high buck for blacktail next year if time and funding allow. I have already started running and working out to prepair so I hope it works out. But as far as getting animals goes I really consider them a great bonus to a fun trip. Some call it hiking with a rifle. I have also  bow hunted for a number of years with good success, but with 2 young kids rifle hunting is less time consuming for me but I hope to get back into it as my kids gets older.

A favorite spot YES I have only hunted one area for elk in this state for 15 years packing a gun, 28 yrs. total before I started packing. I have taken 2 bulls (1 spike second year,1 2x2 when I had a branch bull tag in 07). Huge numbers of elk NO not in our area any more ( season is to early for as low as we hunt)Lot's of great time with Lot's of friends and family YES. Like I said getting an animal is just the bonus. As much as I love the meat, and I do, I won't starve with out it. But have started thinking about changing to west side and a new area to make my odds better for the harvest.

What ever you decide to do Good luck with it and have fun doing it because if you don't it's not worth doing I don't think.

[carpsniperg2]

welcome to the the site! nice intro and pics thanks for posting

[JackOfAllTrades]

I have four different areas that I like to hunt, one though stands out as that is the spot my boys like to hunt with me. They know the lay of the land and that makes them and I more comfortable. There are deer there every year but they have yet to connect. They both have deer from other areas though.

As for leaving the road, I've read reports that 90% of hunters don't venture even one mile from their truck. And that doesn't mean they're one mile from the road.

I think that you'll find that most on this site are willing to go quite a bit farther than that for their intended quary..

-Steve

[Glockster]

I have a "home area" that i started hunting with my dad in 1984.  I got my first deer there and we took elk, turkey, grouse, and even ducks from that country for over 20yrs.  When my dad died in '01 we scattered his ashes near our favorite elk camp.  That's how much this area meant to us.  IN those years we have driven every road and I know every bit of those woods.  It was home.

Then along came the permanent 3pt restriction and exotic hair lice and the deer herd plummeted over 50% down.  I love that country but I also need to have at least a decent chance of seeing game to feel like I'm really hunting.  I love the experience of hunting and don't need to get a deer every year, but I and my wife also love to eat venison.  So i've turned into a vagabond hunter because the first rule is you have to hunt where the deer are.  So spent a couple of years in Chelan, one in the Desert unit for a permit hunt, now joining the Methow brigade this year, etc.  But I really do miss the connection with my family's traditional hunting grounds....these other hunts just don't feel the same.

You seem to be in an area with deer....getting two in a row is about as good as it gets in WA....i'd stick with it until the gold pans out before considering a move.  I do admire your wanting to constantly learn and expand your hunting skills.  There is such a learning curve with each new area that if you bounce around you never get the advantage of knowing a place intimately and really never develop a connection to the land.

[Machias]

Welcome abaord and thanks for the intro and photos!   

[BlackRidge]

Welcome aboard Tralam, nice intro!!!

[saylean]

Good intro and welcome man! Nice bucks!

My answers to your questions..

1. I do have typical stomping grounds...which I hit up, regardless of weather, etc. I just like to go to them, be it for bear, deer, etc. I even has some nice flat areas I hit up, when my feet are killing me from hiking all over the dang place.

2. My brothers call me the "Road Warrior", although, I really dont drive and hunt (I do tend to have luck with what I do however)...I just like to walk old crappy logging roads that are grown up...mainly cause I hunt the west side for bear and it can be very tough walking in the clear cuts, reprod, etc....however in eastern wa, where I go for deer mostly, I like to walk out and about...ususally about 1 to 3 miles in. I know my limits and I dont want to overstep them to often.

I think if you know your limits and keep within them, yet push yourself when you know the time is right, you will find success, despite pulling the trigger or not. As I get to know areas more and more, I get further and further in.

[boneaddict]

WELCOME!   Great introduction

[tralam]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys. Mudball I know what you mean by hiking with a rifle. I don't know how many times I've hiked somewhere just to check out the view.

I'll be shooting for the hat trick this year, we'll see if the gold's still there.