need help finding a place to hunt

[WapitiFreak]

I'm new to hunting and this site and i have no friends that hunt. I've read some of the other posts so i know better than to ask for a good place to hunt (archery). I'm asking for help on how to find promising places (on public land) without wasting a bunch of gas. I'm willing to do the leg work and put my boots to the ground and scout for myself.i would just like someone to show me what good deer habitat looks like on a map. or google earth. also how to spot areas with tons of pressure i have no problem with the idea of back country hunting. if anyone lives near bellingham or Mt. Vernon i would really appreciate the guidance. I'm currently planning on bow hunting blacktail & black bear in the high country around Mt baker.

[h20hunter]

Go on up there to the mountain and get to scouting. What else is there? Id tell you to hit cpost right off the bat but that would be too easy really. Spend a solid day hiking and exploring. Get a map or two, take some grub, just get out there and you will start to figure it out.

[romaknows]

Get out and backpack into some of the spots you have in mind this summer , you will find bear, deer will be alot harder once the horns get hard and velvet free, so use the summer to locate some good bucks .you will have a good chance at getting a bear with archery gear if you can get in line with its feeding path and ambush it.Just be prepared for ALOT of work if you get one down.
     Good luck, and let us know if you find a hot spot.........

[JPhelps]

Call the biologists in the areas you are wanting to hunt.  They can usually point you in the right direction.

The gas money may be hard as you really have to go and check for yourself.  It sounds like you are willing to put in the work.  You may be surprised just how many "good" spots there are here in Washington.

Pressure is a tough one.  I have scouted spots multiple times during the summer and never seen anyone and came back during season to have quite a few hunters in the area.  In this state it is tough to tell if the traffic is hunters or hikers.

To be completely honest finding a good "honey hole" is something that usually takes a couple years to iron out (unless you are fortunate to find a good spot quicker).  I know its probably not what you want to hear but it is pretty rewarding knowing you did it all on your own in the end.

[BOWHUNTER45]

You will love to hunt that area....just find the steepest canyon you can find and head down hill ....holds alot of game ... especially deer & beer .... if you are lucky enough to get something you will love the pack back up ...  

[huntnphool]

Call the biologists in the areas you are wanting to hunt.  They can usually point you in the right direction.

 Good advice right there.

 You could also get the required software to read GPS data from the cell phone pics posted on this site.

[washelkhunter]

I would like to advise you but i dont know anything about the units in your vicinity. Good Luck.

[bobcat]

I would like to advise you but i dont know anything about the units in your vicinity. Good Luck.

    I know next to nothing about Region 4. Only thing I can suggest is look at the Go Hunt map on the WDFW site, and using the aerial photos, look for logged off areas. If it's nothing but timber the deer populations won't be very high. Also look close in to private farmlands and even houses, if you can find nearby land that is open to the public, it may be state land or a private timber company that allows hunting. Deer have to eat so that's what you need to look for first and foremost, is feeding areas.

[WapitiFreak]

so clearcuts are attractive to deer? and as far the pressure thing how far off the beaten path do you need to be to avoid your average hunter? also thank you all for your advice until know i might as well have thrown a map on bow target closed my eyes and shot.

[kentrek]

"so clearcuts are attractive to deer? and as far the pressure thing how far off the beaten path do you need to be to avoid your average hunter?"


good question,id say 3-6 miles on a road/trail and only 1-2 miles cross crountry. thats just a gues tho..maybe a good topic for a poll

[Curly]

You will love to hunt that area....just find the steepest canyon you can find and head down hill ....holds alot of game ... especially deer & beer .... if you are lucky enough to get something you will love the pack back up ...  

I see what is on Bowhunter45's mind.  

[bobcat]

Try starting out as close to home as possible. You might find little spots that are so close in to civilization that they get overlooked, people drive right on by on the way to better hunting grounds further out. If you can find an area that has a few deer, maybe not a lot, but that doesn't get any hunting pressure, and is within a 30 minute drive of your house, that might be better than a location that's a 2 hour drive where there may be more deer,but is also may get hunted hard from September 1st to December 31st. Look for the spots that aren't so obvious and learn them well.

[fish vacuum]

Keep a list of possible places in the back of your mind and swing by them when it's convenient during the season just to see how much pressure there is. Gated roads are easy to judge hunting pressure because you'll see rigs parked at the gate.
I've crossed places off my list by doing this. Stop by on the way back from hunting another spot, or if you're in the area for anything else.

[DoubleJ]

Try starting out as close to home as possible. You might find little spots that are so close in to civilization that they get overlooked, people drive right on by on the way to better hunting grounds further out. If you can find an area that has a few deer, maybe not a lot, but that doesn't get any hunting pressure, and is within a 30 minute drive of your house, that might be better than a location that's a 2 hour drive where there may be more deer,but is also may get hunted hard from September 1st to December 31st. Look for the spots that aren't so obvious and learn them well.

I shot my deer last year at a fire station.  Drove by and saw deer there on their 1 acre everyday for about 2 months and finally called the fire chief.  He said just don't shoot the water tanks and I was fine to hunt there.  Only part was it didn't really feel like hunting so much as waiting for the right deer to come by.

[jechicdr]

If you want blacktails, you're looking for cover in the vicinity of food (timber company is good).  Strict forest is tough to hunt because the concentration of deer is much less per unit of area.  Can look at WDFW harvest reports to find general areas and then start looking at maps.  Generally speaking, getting away from easy access is the best way to get good deer.  If you're looking at Mule deer, you look in the steepest, most inaccessible areas you can find or deserts.  White tails you can find all over the place in the east.  Private land is best.  Talk to the farmers.

[BOWHUNTER45]

O.K I will be more realistic now ... when the pressure hits I hit the timber ...most guys over here drive around wanting one in the road and unfortunately they bag many that way ..but now they have gated us off almost completely you will need to hike or ride a bike ...blacktail are everywhere and every little patch of timber most likely has some hanging around ....I like the most obvisious spots ... where every drives by thinking there is nothen there ...always seems to be my best move !!!!! we have alot of ground and you will not need to walk far to get away from anyone ! was that better 

[Curly]

was that better 

Not really.  I liked your first post better.  This one doesn't mention where to find BEER..........

[WapitiFreak]

you guys are awesome. i think i have it narrowed down to a few spots. i was originally looking for the densest forest i could find. 
ps if you see someone in a deep canyon hunting with a bottle opener its just me.

[3nails]

 I've killed a buck/bear or two around that area and live close to B'ham. PM me if you need someone to go over a map with.

[Moose22]

you guys are awesome. i think i have it narrowed down to a few spots. i was originally looking for the densest forest i could find. 
ps if you see someone in a deep canyon hunting with a bottle opener its just me.

I like your attitude. Never leave home without a bottle opener.