X5A

Forester · Sep 10, 2015

my dad and i got drawn for x5a with 9 points and cant wait to get up there and do some hunting after waiting so long. i did some driving around the zone this past weekend to get a lay of the land. i usually hunt d6 so this is going to be a big change for me. i was wondering if anyone had the tag recently and had any pointers on how to go about hunting the zone. any areas that you would spend more time in? any areas that aren't worth checking out? were you seeing deer in the more open country or with more cover? any info would be appreciated. thanks in advance

NECALI · Sep 10, 2015

I haven't been around up that way much lately, but good or bad, depending how you look at it the bucks could be anywhere in that zone. I've been all over that zone in past years and they are really where you find them. I've spent time in areas that look like there should be deer everywhere and not seen a thing. I've also been to areas that don't look any different that most of that high desert sage country and seen bucks. I think your best bet is to just get out there and start hunting. I wouldn' spend to much time in an area that doesn't have any sign of deer, but would move until I at least see some sign. Doesn't have to be allot. Some of those bucks hang out in areas that don't hold many deer. Don't worry about water to much. They travel quite a ways for water up there but some always have. Hope you have a great hunt.

bullskin · Sep 10, 2015

Get away from the roads. Be prepared to hike in several miles, if possible, and just leave the ATV at home if you have one. You cannot get to the "good" places on an ATV without ruining them--that is why they are good to start with. There will be some deer everywhere, and no great concentrations anywhere. You are not looking for a large number of deer, but just one or two really good ones that you can be happy with. A 24+ inch buck will be very good, and one of that size with four points on a side will be tough to come by. You can expect to find them during rifle season just about where you find them today. The bucks do tend to separate themselves from the does and the fawn--seek out open country where they rely upon their eyesight and noses to keep them safe. Later, when pushed, they will find small pockets in the same country in which to lie low. Bring a packframe and good boots. Spare tires and fuel also a must. Good luck. Keep us posted!

Forester · Sep 11, 2015

thanks for the feedback guys. i definitely plan to cover a lot of territory on foot. my main goal will be to locate a quality buck for my dad since he probably won't be able to hunt the zone again. i am familiar with packing out animals so i will be prepared for that. can't wait to get up there and start hunting. anybody have any photos of past success?

Forester · Sep 29, 2015

Just getting a few more things together so I will be ready to head out at the end of the week. Can't wait to get up there and start hunting. I think the plan will be to hit Schaffer mountian pretty hard the first few days and see if we can make something happen there.

264mag · Sep 29, 2015

Check out area east of Eagle lake from Bailey creek south to Fredonyer Peak.

Forester · Oct 1, 2015

Thanks for the advise 264. Maybe we will start at the top of the zone and work our way down instead of going the other direction.

264mag · Oct 1, 2015

Good luck, lot's of lions.

sageadvice · Oct 1, 2015

I wouldn't depend on Schaffer Mtn. to provide a buck for you unless you got one scouted out. Last i had the tag, i hunted that mountain opening morning, top to bottom, 360 all the way around and saw 2 dink bucks, a few does, and about a hundred chucker. I hunted it 3 days straight and because so, missed out on some pretty good bucks taken elsewhere in the zone. This year could be different but if i had to do it again, i'd skip schaffer, at least hunting it from the top i would..

Horse lake north up past coon camp, Hanson or Hansen Rd, the one going north but neither are bad hunts, several miles of rocks, wrapping back west teeing to the road to Fredonia from grasshopper valley, find the water. It's a rough road could be hard on tires. Lots of places to park and take a hike. There's only a couple other crappy roads in that whole area, lots of dandy country for a big ol muley buck to call home.

That year i started off on Schaffer, i was talking to a couple cowboys the last weekend who were taking a nice water break at a pond, had been pushing a 100 head or so back from summering on Grasshopper Valley grass. They told me that they seen a nice three point in the area, figured he was the son of another way bigger buck, the two running together with about 10 does. They said the big one got shot by some city guys Sunday of opening weekend.

I asked where they saw the big 3 point? They said right up there on that ridge both pointing bent fingers like they was looking down gun barrels! I went up there and found a group of deer with a nice three point, last weekend and i had stayed hunted every day of the season, i gave him a ride home in a happy camper truck but would have liked to seen the "Way Bigger Buck" first.

I'm sure them Cowboys still live and work cattle in that country. If they point you toward a buck or give some advice, don't discount their words!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

DMCHUNTER · Oct 1, 2015

Good Luck. I will be across the street in x5b with my wife trying to get her best ca deer.

Forester · Oct 2, 2015

Thanks for the info Joey, sounds like you ran into those cowboys just in time. We will definitely be checking out that area above horse lake.

DMCHUNTER- feel free to scare a couple of nice bucks across the highway for us. Hope your wife bags a monster/ I will be keeping an eye out for the success story.

BMosh · Oct 2, 2015

Check Snow Storm Mountain. Personally haven't been up there in years, but used to be one of my old man's favorite spots. Nasty road going up.

Forester · Oct 11, 2015

Been covering a lot of territory from the backside of Fredonyer out to pine cone reservoir. My dad got a three pointer on Thursday, dropped him on the dead run. Heard a guy out of Susanville got a small fork on the front side of Fredonyer and saw pictures of a nice 25 inch 4x3. Seeing a lot of does everyday but only a couple of bucks. Defiantly nothing to write home about. Now that I'm flying solo I think the plan is to check out snowstorm mountain and hope the bucks are hanging out down there. Start at the top and work down? South side or north side?

sageadvice · Oct 11, 2015

The last i hunted Snowstorm, i came in from the south, Karlo, and parked at a little pond, mostly dried up, at the end of a little road above some very broken up but good looking flats. Once parked, i had a tough time deciding to hunt those flats, high brush and lava looking stuff, or go on up snowstorm. I'd say hit them both.

Anyway, i walked up within a couple hundred yards of the peek then cut across working slowly West and peeked over into several mountain long draws that all held deer. I found no shooters there but a guy sure could.

Also, there is more badlands, great cover, water, and feed, just north of snowstorm all the way out to the hiway. This is a major sleeper area that always, in the past, has held at least one Monster buck. Park and hunt down in there, it looks almost flat from the main rd but it's rough going once in there and like i said, Huge Monster bucks have lived in there before, no reason there's not one in there now.

Good Luck!! Pictures?

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

NECALI · Oct 23, 2015

Well, how'd it go?

Forester · Oct 27, 2015

Sorry for the late follow up story but I've been swamped at work after taking time off for the trip. After my dad left I headed into town to get a room and a much needed shower. The next morning I was heading for snowstorm mountain in the dark. I found the road up that I was looking for and started driving up the mountain at first light. Got to the top of a ridge, parked and got out to see what the road looked like going down the other side. After I concluded that it looked exactly like every other terrible road in the zone I started walking back to the truck. On my way back I look over to my left and about fifty yards off the road there is the biggest buck I have seen the whole time (decent tall 3x2) and he is just standing there staring at me. Slowly make my way to the truck, take out the gun, put bullets in the gun, put the gun on the deer and decide that I would rather hunt the rest of the week then shoot a deer I could get back home. Hiked all over hell and back the next few days and didn't see anything better than that. Saw a good amount of deer pretty much throughout the zone but very few bucks and nothing impressive. With the amount of hiking we did and time we spent in the field I expected a lot more. I don't doubt there are some big boys out there but I don't think the zone is worth the points it takes to draw it. In the end I had a great time exploring some amazing territory and hunting with my dad. I also want to thank everyone for their advise. Here is a picture of the deer my dad got the day before he had to leave...like I said nothing to write home about.

sageadvice · Oct 28, 2015

Forester, your findings are similar to mine. It is a tough hunt but my favorite zone to hunt because it's close by and i too love the country. Hunting it 3 times for the full season each time, going back a ways, i've passed a couple nice 22-23" type bucks but not taken what i went for, what i call a big buck.

One of my good friends took a Dandy 30" 185 class 4x4 opening weekend, first time in the unit. It happens.

Rain or snow can help. One weekend in the middle of the season, it stormed and i saw 3-4 times the deer that weekend than i had in any other couple of days. Groups of deer seemed to pop up out of the sage like mushrooms, places i hadn't seen them before, and show off their beautiful selves.

I agree with you, that draw is not really worth the wait when compared to some other easier to draw units. It is a tough hunt when going DIY! Everybody stop putting in for 5a, Then, maybe i can draw it again and give that SOB of a unit one more try. lol

Are there any other reports on 5a or 5b? Thanks!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

SNAPPER · Oct 28, 2015

5A was tuff for me this year as well, I scouted 6 days and hunted 5, great time, great country ended up seeing 22-23 different bucks, just nothing mature. Lots of young bucks, I only saw one other rig the whole time I hunted. I did see a lot more does and yearlings, more than I've ever seen before, just not bucks. I had a fun hunt and saw plenty of deer, 32 one day, just did't get a chance at a mature buck. Joey its all yours I just needed to give it one last go to get outta my points.

sageadvice · Oct 28, 2015

Thanks for the hunt report and well wishes snapper. I sent you a PM.

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"