Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Kumacub on October 30, 2023, 02:13:22 PM

Title: New Hunter here needing advice
Post by: Kumacub on October 30, 2023, 02:13:22 PM: Good Afternoon all.

I was recently introduced to big game hunting this year. I have struggled all of this season to even find a buck. My last ditch effort will be in GMU 124 North of Mt Spokane. I am just hoping to hopefully fill my tag But other than that this season has been a big learning experience where I am doing more wrong than right. I don't have a mentor or anything family/friends to take me hunting. I am hoping to get some advice for this season and for next year.

Modern firearm, living near Everett WA hunting public land. Any advice is appreciated.
Title: Re: New Hunter here needing advice
Post by: Bearhunter308 on October 30, 2023, 02:53:29 PM: I'm not an expert by any means, but I can give you my 2 cents. I primarily hunt public land in Lewis County, and mainly bow hunt for deer, but was able to help my son fill his rifle deer tag on Saturday.
There's two types of public land I look for: One is state land that's open for driving in. The other is tree farms which are open to the public (walking-in) such as Port Blakely and Sierra Pacific.
If I'm walking through the woods, I'm walking super slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible, and looking to see the deer before they run. Often it's a deer's face you'll see peeking through the ferns- not a whole deer showing.
With clear-cuts you want to scan as much as possible with binoculars. Deer blend in well, so don't assume a clear-cut is empty just at first glance. Look with the binos, and sometimes you'll spot a deer you didn't see just looking without them.
With this cold weather at night and sunny days, I think they're wanting to warm up in the sun longer. Saturday morning my son and I got out late (9:30) but since it had been cold the night before we caught a spike out in a clearing standing in the sun.
Also as we get into the rut, antler rattling and deer vocalizations will have a better chance of bringing in a buck.
Hope this helps, and hope you're able to see some deer! Keep us posted!
Title: Re: New Hunter here needing advice
Post by: pickardjw on October 30, 2023, 03:05:46 PM: October is tough for whitetail / muley. They tend to hole up waiting for the rut to start and don't show themselves in the daytime much.

Look up "still hunting" on youtube and give late whitetail in that unit a shot with that technique.

I'll PM you some content that helped me get through the learning curve when I started 5 years ago without a big game mentor.
Title: Re: New Hunter here needing advice
Post by: Bearhunter308 on October 30, 2023, 03:11:57 PM: Couple other bits of advice: don't wear scented deodorant, cologne, or anything that's going to smell unnatural. Scent eliminator sprays can help, and I usually also buy deer urine and spray my hat with it as a cover scent. Just make sure it's a dedicated hunting hat ;)
A wind checker is also a valuable tool- it's just a little squeeze bottle full of powder that you can spray in the air to check wind direction. You can also use baking powder.