A wannabe hunter looking for some advice

[dirthead]

Hello All. I've been reading posts and viewing pictures on monster muleys.com for a few months now and I have finally decided to join and post a few questions.
I guess I will start out by giving a little background. I've always wanted to hunt since i was a young kid. I remember begging my dad to take me hunting and I can still remember when he finally gave in and let me take hunters education its almost like he did it so i would stop bugging him. He shares a few stories when he was younger about hunting but I still to this day dont know why he would not take me? I finally got my license to hunt and begged him to take me hunting and he finally gave in. I was around 14 at the time and all i remember is hiking up near redfish lake and did not see anything. I'm not even sure i knew what it was i was supose to shoot at whether it be antlered or not all I knew was i was going hunting. Anyhow over the last several years I have purchased tags to hunt but never gotten anything.
last year I finally met a friend who has hunted before and he took me to a few spots where he has shot deer before and also elk. We did not see anything but Elk the 4 times we went out looking for deer. I finally decided that if I was going to get a deer I mind as well save my money and get an outfitter to help me hunt. The wife was not too excited about that idea so it hasnt happened. I did know that there were Elk in the area we were deer hunting so i decided to buy an open rifle tag for that area. We were hiking into the area the day before elk season opend for that area and it was the last day of deer season. I finally saw a little 2 point buck jump out in front of me, so i shot him. I was pretty excited because it was a buck and i had finally shot my first deer. At age 28 I had finally shot my first buck. My wife makes fun of me because the rack is something you would see mounted to a jack rabbit in a truck stop with the name jackalope under it. they are pretty tiny. Anyhow I continued to hunt the next 3 days looking for an Elk and on the 3rd day I finally saw a spike sittin with some cows on a hill side. I backtracked and went back around the hill he was on and stalked up to him until i was about 50yds from him and I was able to fill my Elk tag. I was totally excited last year knowing that I had finally hunted someting.
Well that was 2003 and now 2004 is here and I have yet to find a deer again. Ive been pretty depressed because my friend who i hunted with moved to nevada. I've been up to the mountains 4 times this season looking for anything with antlers and so far all I've seen Is some Elk. I'm starting to get depressed thinking that I prob wont get a deer this year.
I've been hunting in Unit 39 and from all the hunters i've seen i'm starting to think that everyone in idaho is hunting this unit too. I have talked to several hunters when i see them around town but no one wants to talk much about where they are hunting because its like a big secret. I can understand them not wanting to give away a super good spot but all i want is to find a decent deer, Would love to find a trophy but i understand that will come with time and experience.
I dont know if this is appropriate or not but I would appriciate any suggestions or feedback from anywone who knows idaho and wouldnt mind sharing some insite with me on deer hunting. I've read alot of articles and the only thing i can think of is I'm just not looking in the right places.
I'm not looking to tag along with someone elses hunting party being annoying or anything like that but I would love to talk with any of you who have experience and dont mind sharing it with me, All my friends growing up had their fathers to help them hunt and be a mentor to them but I never have had anything like that so any help would greatly be appriciated.

 

[Wyomingben]

Dirthead,

Most good hunters learn to be good hunters from information passed down from generation to generation. However some people that want to hunt simply didn't have a hunting family. There has been much writen on big game hunting I would suggest reading some books on it.

This is a good elk book

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/DEHS?

This is a good Mule Deer book

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/1585740985?

Hope this helps,
Wyomingben

 

[huntsonora]

Actually, I would get one of the books by Mike Eastman. I would not buy anything written by Walt Prothero. First, I have thumbed through the book he wrote about Mule Deer and was extremely unimpressed. He then comes out with a B-S article about Sonora in a Sports Afield last year. I would not waste my money on anything written my him.

Maybe somebody will post information on Eastmans book.

Drum

 

[Wyomingben]

Mike Eastman Books

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/1560371358?

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/965770400?

Very Good Books, Thanks Drum

Wyomingben

 

[kingfish]

Read anything written by Jack O'conner, Elmer Keith, Larry D Jones and Dwight Schue. Jim Zumbo is another good read.

 

[Wyomingben]

Zumbo is a good one

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/88317250x?

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/wyomingben/Items/962402532?

 

[rost495]

Dirthead

I was in your same exact shoes when I was a kid. Only thing dad ever did was shoot doves and quail. Since I was about 8 I wanted to shoot and hunt. I learned it all on my own and mostly by reading and hard knocks. Since those early years I was lucky enough to get dad to shoot a couple of whitetail and a couple were even bucks. And got him a few fall turkeys and one spring 11 inch gobbler. I wished he could still hunt..... But I digress.

I'm still in your shoes totally on Muleys and Elk.

First take my advice with a grain of salt. But I'm going to read all I can. It worked well last year in Alaska. And DVD/VHS info. Not filmed entertaining hunts, but how to info. First I'd read all the survival stuff I could get and then go in the summer with a tarp and some stuff and spend the nites out. Just so if you get in a bind during a hunt you will survive, be safe and mostly not panic. For me I can get pinned in a few miles from the vehicle or camp with rain and fog, and I'll sleep it out overnite with a survival tarp and rain gear etc..... and never worry about it.

Then I'm reading as much more as I can for my next Alaska trip for moose. I'll be doing the same for muleys and elk. You have to know all you can to MAKE your own LUCK.

You need to know what they typically do during your season times in your state or area. Rut, pre rut, etc.... in bachelor groups or not. Find out how moon phases and temps and weather, especially barometric pressure, affects them. Find out what they eat. How they get water. Etc.... Find out if you just wait for deer to show up OR keep moving till you find them.

As a whitetail hunter I hunted elk by finding a good place and waiting for elk that were not there. Learned later you move as much as you have to (miles and miles and miles) till you find them, then settle with them very quickly and carefully and sleep with them if I have to, before they may be spooked again(thats why its nice to be comfortable enough with yourself to sleep out without a tent etc..) I hunted elk one afternoon and were in them thick years ago. Next morning we drove back in and saw all these tracks across the road. I left my truck with my buddy and tracked them for appx 11 miles till I found them grazing at dark! I learned a lot.

But I'm still really in low stages of muleys and elk. I know all about spotting, wind, thermals etc.... I can stalk quietly BUT I still need to learn what they eat, how to recognize good areas and what to do with them when I find them and how long do I wait deer out? Waited out a 170 class muley a few weeks ago in bad rain etc.... only to never see him in 4 days and find out later he was spooked out by another elk hunter....

But with anything I've ever done, I read as much as I can. Try to average out what I've read because you never know whats garbage and whats not. And how things may have changed. IE though Elmer Keith did it this way a century ago, it may not work that way any more(wait for a good muley to stop and look back at you after you've jumped him...)

And of course I tried to find the best shooter I could IE a national champion that helped me get to the top in competitive shooting. Thats what would help the best, but is also one of the hardest things to find. Though as I always offer, do you need help packing that deer, elk etc.... out may get you some help in the end. Frankly I'd rather help someone else pack their game out so that someone might pay me back if I ever get lucky enough to shoot an elk at all.

Finally shoot a lot and learn to shoot well. Get away from the 100 yard line. Get a good gun, the best scope, great accurate ammo. Learn to shoot 300-400 yards. Shoot it a lot. You may not need it but if you do it enough you'll be surprised how easy and quick you can pop a 150-200 yard shot off after all that long range stuff. I shoot a ton at 600. 300 seems like such a chip shot and I can make that 600 yard shot if I have to. It may boil down to one shot and you need the capability to make it count, and the mentality to not let it worry you. Subconscious mind can allow you to hunt till the end, never give up and make a super shot. It can also make you quit hunting after a hard day, give up early, and blow easy shots.

Enough rambling but I know exactly where you come from. Best of luck! Wished I was close enough to Idaho to learn with ya!

Jeff

 

[dakotakid]

Ben,

Not to get off topic here, but in the past few days you have hawked your wares all across these boards, are you supporting the site in any way? I dont see you listed as a site sponser.

Mike

 

[dirthead]

Ummm No? I'm not sure what you mean? If you dont mind me asking what do you mean listed as a site sponsor? Do i need to buy something or pay a fee?

 

[dakotakid]

dirthead,

My question was aimed at Wyomingben, not you. Sorry, I didnt know your name was Ben also.

Mike

 

[fatrooster]

Welcome to monster muleys dirthead. I just got back to Nevada from hunting Idaho with a general tag in the Anderson Ranch area. (mule deer) You could have tagged along with me and my two buddies. Maybe next year. If you wanna talk, send me an email. fatrooster.

 

[Wyomingben]

Dakota,

I feel it is more of a benefit for the board. When someone is looking for something spacific, and I could offer it to them at a discount under retail, it's benefing both of us. I only post my links to someone asking for something, I'm not trying offer something to someone that is not asking.

I am looking to buy some pack horses, if anyone has some for sale please let me know.

Wyomingben

 

[dakotakid]

Ben,

Its no real skin off my nose either way, I have bought products from you before on ebay and have no grief with you.

But you might want to read this;


http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/rules.html
Mike

 

[Wyomingben]

Mike,


I don't feel as I am advertising in means of "attracting public attention". I am repling to members requests for information. There are more effecient ways of advertising, where my time would be better spent. When I'm on this board, as you will see if read all of my post, I am not working. I am talking hunting with other hunters.

Wyomingben

 

[BrianID]

Welcome to MM dirthead.
I'm also from Idaho and would be happy to share some info with you. I'm from the other side of the state so I doubt that I know very much about places that you would hunt. Considering that you filled both your deer and elk tag last year you are doing something right. One thing that I have found is that the more time I spend hunting the "lucker" I get. Also hunting isn't just about filling your tag.

If you aren't seeing any fresh tracks or droppings in the area you have been hunting this year I would certainly recommend trying a different spot. If you go out hunting before the season closes find a place with fresh sign (snow will make this easier) and try to find out where the deer are during shooting light. Most of the deer that I see are spotted the first hour or two of light and the last hour before dark. Some deer become nocturnal during deer season (especially bigger bucks) so just because you aren't seeing them doesn't mean that they aren't there.

You probably already know about most of these things on the list below but one or two of them might help you out in the future.

Put in for controlled hunts this next May

Study the harvest data put out by the F&G. Here's a link.
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/hunt/species.cfm#biggame

Buy some maps of the areas that your interested in. (I like to start with the USGS BLM edition 1:100,000 scale maps and buy smaller scale maps for specific areas) Getting a buck in a spot that you found is much more rewarding than getting one in a place that someone else showed you.

Spend some time scouting next summer to learn the area that you will be hunting.

Like rost495 said practice your shooting before next season. Coyotes, rock chucks and ground squirrels are good things to practice on after you get comfortable with your gun at the range.

Ask specific questions. Most guys aren't going to tell you the exact spot they hunt but many will share other things that will make you a good hunter.

Good luck

 

[NDMuley]

wyomingben i have pack horses for sale. where do you live?you might find some close to your area let me know where you live maybe i can help. we raise reg quarter horses.good luck.

 

[ridgetop]

I have been in your shoes, and have had to learn a lot from other hunters advice, this website, books, and relatively limited amounts of time in the field on hunts and scouting.

As far as mule deer books, I have literally read almost everything available, and in my opinion, the best overall book is a newer one by Sam Curtis called:
The Complete Guide to Mule Deer Hunting : Tactics and Strategies for Success.
If I could only have one mule deer book, that would be it. Im sure everyone from the novice to the seasoned veteran could learn something new from the book. Lots of very sound info in there.

 

[muleybull]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-26-04 AT 09:39AM (MST)[p]Full moon poking out this weekend, its gonna make it a little harder to find deer. They probably wont come out into the open at night so theres little chance you'll catch them there in the mornings. If you can get to a spot where you can see into some thicker areas that may be your best bet. Sit tight for a while and use binos, you may be able to finally catch something moving. Stay patient, just because you dont see anything right away doesnt mean they are not there.

Congrats on your first deer and elk last year, like they say, the trophy is in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[Wyomingben]

NDMuley,

Laramie, Wyoming (SE Wyoming)

WB

 

[udderdelite]

Dakotakid

Why do you bag on wyomingben for trying to help this kid out on hunting info, but yet you will give free advertizing to "huntsonora" on hunting mexico, and I dont see him as a site sponsor either. Are you a big daddy disciple or just that hypocritical? Not to get off the subject.

 

[alsatian]

Dirthead:

Stick with it. You have received a lot of good advice from other posters. I went on my first big game hunt at the age of 46 in 2002. You are very young and have many years of big game hunting in front of you. Talk to other hunters. Ask them to tell you about their hunts -- maybe not WHERE they hunt, but how they hunt, their technique.

One thing I have read, and one of the guys who responded said this too, is that the first thing to do is hunt where there is game. If you have this taken care of, the rest is just a matter of refining your technique.

If you aren't seeing deer, this doesn't mean they aren't seeing you. Many people hunt deer early in the day (from first shooting light to maybe two hours after sunrise) and again late in the day (from two hours before sundown to the end of shooting light) by sitting absolutely still at an ambush point and waiting for the deer moving from food areas to bedding areas (morning) or from bedding areas to food areas (evening). If you don't sit still, the deer are going to see you before you see them, in which case they will never show themselves to you. Conceal yourself in shadow. Use a background -- a tree, bushes -- to breakup your sillouette. Deer have very sensitive noses, so don't expect them to come from a direction where they would undoubtedly smell you before you could see them. These are things you can read in books.

Good luck. You have lots of time to improve and to learn this stuff. Try to make friends with other hunters. Consider getting your wife interested in hunting and she can be a hunting companion for you.