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Where Do You Go?

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Where Do You Go?

Postby Swede » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 1]

Where do you go to get away from other hunters? I read there are hunters who go miles back into the wilderness or into some deep canyon only to find that other hunters have had the same idea. I am not going to hunt solo that far out and will not pack one that far or out of some terrible hole either. It is strange that some of the areas where I Never see another hunter are right next to a park or campground. There are over 100 vehicles with tourists piling out that are near where I have been hunting. I can hear them, their dogs and motorcycles or ATVs running around. Still in the morning and late afternoon the elk come by for water when they are in my neighborhood.
Hunting in a wilderness five miles back plus your daily hunt distance is fun if you have help with you. But I would not advise trying it solo. If you can't practically hunt far out from your truck, I would advise you to consider looking over spots you have been driving right past. Hey, you just might see me in my tree-stand. :D
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby 7mmfan » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 2]

A couple of my favorite deer hunting spots are very close to roads, houses, access points, etc... I've killed numerous blacktail within sight of peoples homes and main roads. I have not had that success with elk, but I expect, like you have noted Swede, that if they're comfortable where they're at, there's no reason they won't stay there. The sound of people isn't really what bothers those elk, that are accustomed to them being there. As long as they aren't physically disrupted in their safe zone, they will likely just continue on as normal.

I like to think that I've been ahead of the curve when it comes to this for most of my hunting career. I vividly remember my first hunting trip with my Dad when I was kid. We did a long weekend over to the Winthrop area here in WA. We camped at a NF campground and hunted various areas that Dad usually hunted. With no deer sightings, I asked Dad if anyone ever hunted the ground right behind the campground. It was thick creek bottom that transitioned into a benchy hillside with ponderosa and fir. I didn't know if it was good deer country, but I had watched as guys drove right by every day. We crossed the creek and slowly started up the hillside. As we crested the 2nd defined bench on the hillside, we jumped a nice buck. No shots fired, and no other deer seen, but that deer awoke a lot of stuff inside me. We could look down and see the campground, no more than 400 yards away.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Swede » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 3]

That sound like Beaver Creek to me.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby 7mmfan » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 4]

Not Beaver Creek, the other direction from Winthrop :) That Beaver Creek area sure is nice though.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Jhg » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 5]

Lets just say that if you think like other hunters you will be hunting with other hunters.

A secret seep, right smack dab in the middle of a well known hunt spot, but (before the fire) unknown by those trodding the beaten path and who will continue to do what everyone else does.

Swede, this place was custom made for a tree stand. I have had 4 bull elk encounters right here and the 2021 bull came from over the saddle behind where this photo was taken. In ten years I never saw another hunter anywhere near this seep though to be fair some years I chose not to hunt there.

58AF0049-642B-4336-95BD-98203B09F696.jpeg
58AF0049-642B-4336-95BD-98203B09F696.jpeg (189.44 KiB) Viewed 1611 times
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Swede » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 6]

Jhg wrote:to be fair


"To be fair", that looks like an excellent place to ambush a bull. Any tree stand hunter would enjoy shooting one there if the pack out is not extreme. The burn is probably not a problem if other hunters are not traipsing through frequently. You might need a ladder stand as climbing snags is too dangerous.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby saddlesore » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 7]

I hunt about 3 miles from my camp.Further than most foot hunters, but not as far as horse hunters or those that like to hike and hunt further in
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Jhg » 02 02, 2022 •  [Post 8]

Before the fire, this spot drew no attention. It is below a subtle saddle that gets used a lot by animals but there is no "trail" per say. Below it is another, very obvious seep that because the terrain above it seems unfavorable, draws the attention away from the hunters who would otherwise be climbing higher to check things out.
And that fits my criteria on where to hunt to avoid hunters. I will find the physical land form magnets drawing attention and focus on the negative spaces nearby that draw no attention. Its those places you find the gems.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Lefty » 02 03, 2022 •  [Post 9]

Too many hunters are lazy. Elevation up or down from the trailhead is often a good start
Crossing big waters, in hip boots or a boat. Foot travel acros open ground too

OnX gave away my little secretes locations of public lands few knew about . So much posted and gated land is public,,. Know before you go.


Borders of all sorts of places, Private clubs, , refuges, city property, state boundaries, heck even country boundaries

Public hunting acreage was purchased next to an elite club. It took two years for the state to mark the boundaries, We hunted adjacent to a $500 a day/gun club. We even had easier access


Last week I "found" a sweet little 120 acre field. Posted "No trespassing " around the private ground. however the best 40 acres for goose hunting is BLM ground. So a walk in field from another direction 8-)

One of my favorite goose hunting locations was between two huge private goose clubs. The landowner gave me 7 acres that wasn't leased in between the two clubs and encouraged me to hunt "My private property"

Sometimes those tiny public lands with limited acreage. Not sure why but I ran across a big rancher, a guide leased his ground. and there was 20 acre public land thicket that a 30" buck spent his time in. Gained an easy permission.
I just checked IDFG map site,,, The state bought a bunch more of the surrounding property and built a bridge across the waterway . Hmm looks like a great field for geese too
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby Billy Goat » 02 04, 2022 •  [Post 10]

many logging roads will parallel a creek. that road will always be above the creek.

the other side of that creek will see far less hunters because we dont like hiking DOWN, crossing a creek, then back UP to truck level, just to start the hunt at the same elevation we were at with the truck.

so, while it takes some effort, I see creeks like that as an opportunity rather than a showstopper.

all that said..... creeks can be tough to cross safely, so having a specific safe crossing spot identified the day before is a good thing.
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby MAVinWA » 02 04, 2022 •  [Post 11]

As a non-resident hunting Oregon few years back. Did what the locals did, park at locked gate, hiked back into the woods. Locals were using mountain bikes with trailers pulled behind. I hiked in average 3-5 miles daily one way.

5 days of that got tiring quick, being on foot/boots only. With 3 days left, hunted 1/4 mile from locked logging road gate.
Everyone else parked, hurried, geared up and took off well before daylight, while I sat in my truck observing and swallowing a couple Advil with my cup of coffee.
2 hours later, dropped a 5x5 bull from LW treestand 15' up, 35-yard shot. Bull ran to clear cut's edge, collapsed in a heap.

Being solo, ez pack-out.... if there is such a thing!
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Re: Where Do You Go?

Postby >>>---WW----> » 02 05, 2022 •  [Post 12]

wELKome to the forum MAV ! :)
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