Scouting for Bucks - motivation

[Wacko]

I have been glassing an area my wife has a tag for this year. She said I have to find her a buck bigger than her current best. I have been looking.....

While the buck in the pic center isn't bad. The one I circled is much bigger. He never lets me get a good look at him. He almost never leaves his bed before dark. Even if the bachelors around him get up and leave. I "think" he's a monster 3x3. I'm no field judge but I'm guessing 26-28" wide, 28-30" tall. Looks like his front tines are over 20" by themselves. His body and antlers just dwarf the ones he is with. Good mass. The pic is me just holding my phone up to the binos. Kinda hard to tell but you should be able to pick out the thick fuzzies of his back forks. I, of course, had the luxury of seeing them move!

He always seems to lay IN a bush...not near one, not just outside. If it weren't for the younger bucks around him I would probably never have found him. I'm going to see if I can get a better look with a spotter. I've found his group a few times now.

I have been looking for a buck I saw last year but I haven't found him. He may not have made it. So right now this guy is #1 on the hit list for her.

 

[fatrascal]

Great story and i'm hooked and eager to hear the outcome. Would love to see spotting scope digiscoping pictures of him. Fatrascal.

 

[Rich M]

Very nice!

He sounds older and wise. Good luck getting him.

 

[Wacko]

Been out a few more times. Have seen some new bucks. Nothing too remarkable yet. Except one freakishly large forkhorn. Pretty cool buck.

Have been seeing them on the south, southeast slopes. Looks like they have been hitting the mountain mahogany already. Seems early to me as it isn't even flowering yet.

It has been really hot lately so they have not been getting up until just before last light. I may try and get out a few mornings to see if they are more active while it is still cooler from the night.

Thought I might post "the bar" I am trying to beat. I have never put a tape on anything until I read Robby Dennings book. So I taped his bases.....just over 6 1/2" around....so not a bad buck according to "the book". Not as massive as some, but the best we've seen on the hoof during season!

 

[Wacko]

Went out again to a slightly different area. Saw quite a few bucks....some not bad!! 3rd rifle is a long way off though......The first group is about a mile out....the second group of three is well over a mile....

 

[69Switchbacks]

Very nice!!! What elevation are you finding them based on morning and evening time if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[Wacko]

Very nice!!! What elevation are you finding them based on morning and evening time if you don’t mind me asking?

These groups are between 8100' and 8500' elevation. I haven't been able to make a morning session so these are all evenings.

Good Hunting!

 

[69Switchbacks]

These groups are between 8100' and 8500' elevation. I haven't been able to make a morning session so these are all evenings.

Good Hunting!

Interesting. I figured they’d be higher this early in the season. Thanks!

 

[Moosemaster96]

That's pretty cool is scouting common in US? Where I live in region 3 BC we just wait till the rut drive up a road or two look a few bucks over then drive to the biggest one and load him in truck then drive higher up the mountain to the willow and load a moose in with him . Seems like better off to spend more money on gas actually hunting or on a pack train. But idk that's just how I've been doing it with 100% success for 20 years

 

[Tmac]

That's pretty cool is scouting common in US? Where I live in region 3 BC we just wait till the rut drive up a road or two look a few bucks over then drive to the biggest one and load him in truck then drive higher up the mountain to the willow and load a moose in with him . Seems like better off to spend more money on gas actually hunting or on a pack train. But idk that's just how I've been doing it with 100% success for 20 years

Pretty nice deal you have going there to have those deer and moose so well trained all you have to do is load them up. Are they broke to lead by chance or do you just herd them into the truck? Lol.

 

[CorbLand]

You are doing better than I have been. Seeing more little guys and does than I thought I would so I take that as a win. Best buck I have turned up was a small 4 point and one decent 3 point.

 

[Moosemaster96]

Pretty nice deal you have going there to have those deer and moose so well trained all you have to do is load them up. Are they broke to lead by chance or do you just herd them into the truck? Lol.

Lol no Ive just always said it like that cause my gramps did. Obviously shoot them preferably within winch distance of the road but I have had to pack aways during the scamdemic there where to many citidiots thinking they where hunters on every road. But I was honestly asking because I don't know anyone who scouts we just go where our dad showed us and his dad showed him and so on

Pretty nice deal you have going there to have those deer and moose so well trained all you have to do is load them up. Are they broke to lead by chance or do you just herd them into the truck? Lol.

 

[Tmac]

Lol no Ive just always said it like that cause my gramps did. Obviously shoot them preferably within winch distance of the road but I have had to pack aways during the scamdemic there where to many citidiots thinking they where hunters on every road. But I was honestly asking because I don't know anyone who scouts we just go where our dad showed us and his dad showed him and so on

Love it. We have a few hunts, for cow elk mostly, that are similar. Usually use elk for a freezer filler type hunt. Odds are the main difference in scouting vs not is the availability of game and mostly tags.

There are quite a few hunts I’ll scout for, for varying reasons. Usually to find or verify a concentration of game for a newer hunter or a meat hunt. Want to insure high probability of success in these cases.

I’ll also scout for a tough to draw tag I may draw, often a unique species hunt like sheep/Shiras moose. If my goal is to harvest a mature animal, aka horn hunt usually for deer or pronghorn, I almost always scout.

To hunt consistently for the type of game I prefer, usually have to try for 5-6 tags to draw 2-3. Often means a new locale I’ve not hunted, which usually means a scouting trip or go in cold and hope not to waste too much hunting time. Now a scouting trip could be the 2-4 days before a season followed immediately by the hunt. There are places I‘ve hunted for years I do not scout. So it varies for me.

 

[Moosemaster96]

Love it. We have a few hunts, for cow elk mostly, that are similar. Usually use elk for a freezer filler type hunt. Odds are the main difference in scouting vs not is the availability of game and mostly tags.

There are quite a few hunts I’ll scout for, for varying reasons. Usually to find or verify a concentration of game for a newer hunter or a meat hunt. Want to insure high probability of success in these cases.

I’ll also scout for a tough to draw tag I may draw, often a unique species hunt like sheep/Shiras moose. If my goal is to harvest a mature animal, aka horn hunt usually for deer or pronghorn, I almost always scout.

To hunt consistently for the type of game I prefer, usually have to try for 5-6 tags to draw 2-3. Often means a new locale I’ve not hunted, which usually means a scouting trip or go in cold and hope not to waste too much hunting time. Now a scouting trip could be the 2-4 days before a season followed immediately by the hunt. There are places I‘ve hunted for years I do not scout. So it varies for me.

Ok thanks this makes sense last year I figured I would go shoot an elk in the Kootenay's how hard can it be well I couldn't find the elk wasted $1000 in gas and got frustrated. So ur basically just checking if new to you areas are even worth it for what your hunting.

 

[Wacko]

That's pretty cool is scouting common in US? Where I live in region 3 BC we just wait till the rut drive up a road or two look a few bucks over then drive to the biggest one and load him in truck then drive higher up the mountain to the willow and load a moose in with him . Seems like better off to spend more money on gas actually hunting or on a pack train. But idk that's just how I've been doing it with 100% success for 20 years

Game is a bit harder for me to come by than just driving a road. I've only killed one cow elk in reach of the winch...that's because she ran towards the road!

I like to see what a representative buck looks like in the area. Then I can pick out the older, more mature, hopefully bigger ones. I also find that my eyes get better at finding game the more I "practice" finding them when scouting. It has helped me find game easier during season.

I also find it quite fun and relaxing.

 

[Tmac]

Ok thanks this makes sense last year I figured I would go shoot an elk in the Kootenay's how hard can it be well I couldn't find the elk wasted $1000 in gas and got frustrated. So ur basically just checking if new to you areas are even worth it for what your hunting.

Generally I do some basic checking to make sure the new area holds what I am looking for. That can be done online/phone etc. Then I apply for the tag. If I draw the tag I’ll usually scout to locate several good places or animals to hunt.

 

[Moosemaster96]

Game is a bit harder for me to come by than just driving a road. I've only killed one cow elk in reach of the winch...that's because she ran towards the road!

I like to see what a representative buck looks like in the area. Then I can pick out the older, more mature, hopefully bigger ones. I also find that my eyes get better at finding game the more I "practice" finding them when scouting. It has helped me find game easier during season.

I also find it quite fun and relaxing.

 

[S.Clancy]

Here's some motivation....from our neighbors yard.

 

[Moosemaster96]

Thanks wacko and tmac I learned something valuable going to give it try next year for an elk I've never shot one in my life Ive been fortunate enough to have shot 18 moose and 57 mule deer 9 whitetail and 2 black bears but the elk heard in region 3 and 8 where I live and know is only 1500 animals with a 6 point or better law it's all open season over the counter tags here though but if I go east to region 4 it's considered the elk meca in BC so gotta try scouting maybe learn something new

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Clancy - I couldn’t live there. I just couldn’t stand to have that next to me. The temptations would be too great to throw a lasso around its neck - pen it up - trailer it to the area that I had a tag in lol


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