Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Backcountry Hunting => Topic started by: wilsongideon on December 18, 2012, 10:32:27 PM

Title: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: wilsongideon on December 18, 2012, 10:32:27 PM: Just curious how far the majority people really can get into the wilderness areas to hunt. I know and see the horse packers getting in there along ways and have only been able to find a few spots of absolute solitude. Those areas believe it or not also seemed to be tough hunting or void of deer all together.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: 7mag. on December 18, 2012, 11:58:07 PM: It seems here in our state that most trailheads are at least a mile or two from the wilderness boundary, then they follow the bottom of the drainage before climbing up to the high basins. It ends up being 5 or more miles before you are in position to glass. At least, that's been my experience.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: MountainWalk on December 19, 2012, 12:03:05 AM: I've hunted The Bros wilderness, Colonel Bob and The Buckhorn and never seen a REALLY big buck. So I've never killed one in a WA wilderness area. Nowadays, I mostly hunt on the farm or industrial timberland, 2-5 miles in.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: kentrek on December 19, 2012, 12:11:16 AM: Anywhere from 3-15 miles in,just depends where there at

I wouldnt expect to see animals just cuz ya get along ways in,alot of time their few an far between in the big country,they are where ya find em
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: PolarBear on December 19, 2012, 12:23:24 AM: I think for a lot of guys it is less than 18"! :chuckle:
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: JimmyHoffa on December 19, 2012, 12:25:56 AM: I haven't seen anything that makes me want to hike far in early in the season anymore. So now I wait until later in the season, and I don't have to walk in as far. But I had been going in about 8 miles to camp, then another 2 or 3 each day. Now, I don't really bother with the backcountry (peninsula) or if I do it is much later in the season. But I do want to do the Pasayten...the whole thing. :)
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Houndhunter on December 19, 2012, 02:12:41 AM: 100 yards to bout 6-7 miles for deer, just depends where im at.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: fillthefreezer on December 19, 2012, 09:49:03 AM: typically 3.5-8 miles, 3 being an area thats all off trail and takes almost all day to 8 being 3/4s trail with just the end off trail that takes about 6hr
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Huntbear on December 19, 2012, 10:01:43 AM: I get em from the road.. that way I have no chance of spilling my beer in my truck.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :hello: :hello:
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: TeacherMan on December 19, 2012, 10:10:28 AM: When I lived in WA most my hunting took place within 1/4 mile of the rd, sometimes up to 2 miles off the rd. (I think most people don't really realize how far two miles in in the woods). With this being said when I move back to WA after living in AK I can see were I'm going to be going in 5 - 8 mi plus on my normal hunts now. I've gotten use to working a lot harder for my animals :chuckle: I often tell my buddies down in WA if I worked half as hard for a deer in WA as I do for animals in AK I would have shot 170" deer every year.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: pd on December 19, 2012, 10:21:47 AM: Quote from: 7mag. on December 18, 2012, 11:58:07 PM
It seems here in our state that most trailheads are at least a mile or two from the wilderness boundary, then they follow the bottom of the drainage before climbing up to the high basins. It ends up being 5 or more miles before you are in position to glass. At least, that's been my experience.

I guess that I never realized this before, but you might be right. The trails in the wilderness areas DO seem to follow the creekbeds for a few miles before they climb up to the ridges. This forces a several mile hike just to get into position. Good point.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: shootnrun on December 19, 2012, 04:17:12 PM: This year's high hunt I hiked in about 2 miles and put in another 1-2 miles from there. I saw many deer, but an obnoxious amount of hunters, as they hiked up in the dark and day hunted it. Last year I went 6miles to set up camp, with an additional 2 or so miles of wandering and saw enough deer to fill my tag and wasn't interrupted by anyone.. Needless to say I won't be skimping on the hike next year.

I will say its true that many trails follow the basins before jetting vertical, but that distance sure seems to detur many hunters.

For regular season I go as far as necessary. 1-3 miles. I killed my second deer about 200yds from the road tho :dunno: And Im considering trying the high country next general season for kicks.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Jonathan_S on December 19, 2012, 04:22:33 PM: Every time I try to go in deep (4-6 miles) I fail.

Last two bucks I shot, I had two days of supplies on my back and I shot them less than a mile from the truck.

Can't complain. I don't have "Backcountry Status" yet though.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: huntnnw on December 19, 2012, 11:35:59 PM: Ive hunted a few places right out of the tent in wilderness from the road as it was void of anyone hunting..there was far more pressure 5-10 mi in then right by the road :chuckle:
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on December 20, 2012, 12:01:45 AM: Trailheads? I prefer game trails to man made trails.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: splitshot on January 07, 2013, 06:51:20 PM: i cant think of an early high deer hunt area that is any closer than i mile from the road. kind of a buffer zone i guess. i usually walk these in the dark. have heard some shooting in the buffer zone, i suppose someone did not want to pack a deer so far or they did not know the area, or both. mike w
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: RifleRidge on January 07, 2013, 07:03:09 PM: :hello:, Excellent Question!.... :tup:

Our Tree Stands are in at 3 miles.. We pack all of our goods in way early in the season and walk to our area daily in Archery season.

We like to get off the beaten path...

Deer are not far off the traveled road really.... Deer like to watch the road...

We like to get away from other Hunters..

So we go a few miles in on foot.... Chances of seeing something on the way in are VERY good and has proven to be very successful...

:cue:
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Watimberghost on January 12, 2013, 11:42:49 AM: We camp around 5 miles in. From there we travel up to 3-4 miles further, or back the way we came. The deer dictate that.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on January 15, 2013, 11:29:52 AM: What's a road? :chuckle:

Hunt camp with the boys is a 29' camp trailer. Our migration hunting site is a couple miles in the trail from camp.

High hunt... I was 14 miles in this year. Last year, only 7 or so. I could be anywhere from a mile or three from the trail at any time though.

-Steve
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: DoubleJ on January 15, 2013, 11:31:38 AM: A wise man told me on the way to camp last year, "I hunt where the deer are. If they're in the woods, I hunt in the woods. If they're on the road, I road hunt". Seems like sound logic to me.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 15, 2013, 11:33:13 AM: I find it is easier to get good steady footing if one hunts from the road.
Title: Re: How far off road do you typically go for a deer hunt?
Post by: headshot5 on January 15, 2013, 11:50:49 AM: To quote Dr. Emmett Brown "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads".

Seriously there is generally a road with-in 2-3 miles of where I deer hunt, depending on where I am at.