Planning on hunting Deer and Elk this season

[Baseacegoku]

Already started scouting in a couple of places along the coastal range. I don't expect anyone to give away their hunting spots or anything like that. I am just really looking forward to my first hunting season and wanted to share with somebody as my wife doesn't really share my hunting passion.

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[Joe13]

Hunting partners are hard to find.


If you find a good one, hang onto them and don't let go.

A good hunter can teach you more in a day then 40 hours of online research imo.



If things work out I'll be out for my 3rd season this year - it'd have been my 4th except for the knee thing.



Best of Luck!!!

 

[jsparks747]

Already started scouting in a couple of places along the coastal range. I don't expect anyone to give away their hunting spots or anything like that. I am just really looking forward to my first hunting season and wanted to share with somebody as my wife doesn't really share my hunting passion.

What type of hunting? Rifle I assume?

 

[Baseacegoku]

Hunting partners are hard to find.


If you find a good one, hang onto them and don't let go.

A good hunter can teach you more in a day then 40 hours of online research imo.



If things work out I'll be out for my 3rd season this year - it'd have been my 4th except for the knee thing.



Best of Luck!!!

I am learning all of this on my own right now. No one in my family really hunts and those that do live back east.

 

[Baseacegoku]

What type of hunting? Rifle I assume?

Yep rifle. I would like to do archery in the future though.

 

[Joe13]

I am learning all of this on my own right now. No one in my family really hunts and those that do live back east.

Those are my exact circumstances.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Hunting talk? .... Oh yeah!
Best of luck to all who go out.
Now do I do Muzzle loader or bow ....Glad I have awhile to decide...
Andy

 

[Baseacegoku]

View attachment 341022 View attachment 341021 Hunting talk? .... Oh yeah!
Best of luck to all who go out.
Now do I do Muzzle loader or bow ....Glad I have awhile to decide...
Andy

muzzleloader is also something I would like to do in the future. But right now I just want to take my first deer and elk.

 

[Baseacegoku]

Those are my exact circumstances.

Its not a great situation is it?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well the more you go out and hunt ... the more you learn.
Even if you come home empty handed at the end of the day.

My best advise is to get fit and really learn your rifle.
Like a part of your soul or body learn it.
Carry it hiking and camping , learn to hit with it in bad weather , when you are cold and wet or hot and tired.
Shoot often and shoot of the bench.

Learn all you can about Deer and Elk ... Not to get too new age touchy feelly ... but if you really know the critter you are hunting , you are a better hunter.
And lastly always give thanks for the animal you killed ... He deserves your respect.
Andy

 

[Joe13]

Its not a great situation is it?

Not really.

However, the more work you do on your own and knowledge you gain, the more you will find some really great people start to open up about spots and offers of help if not to join.

Those things didn't start happening until my second year asking.

To defend the great hunters, they probably see dozens of these requests every year and have most likely had a bad experience with a noobie.

It's good your staring out early.

Don't set your heart on bagging anything unless you get help or access to private land, but do it for the experience and enjoy the outdoors

There's also small game...

Squirrel and grouse are plentiful and will give you some practice skinning and gutting out the meat so bring something withyou for that would be my best advice.

 

[Joe13]

Oh, and watch lots of videos on YouTube on how to properly skin and gut efficiently.

Especially if you are even the slightest. It squeamish about the process - it will help desensitize you.

(I'll admit I had to get over that hurdle - the wife banned me from those videos while she or my vegetarian daughter were in the house lol)

 

[Mister Bisley]

Those are my exact circumstances.

Ditto.

 

[Baseacegoku]

Oh, and watch lots of videos on YouTube on how to properly skin and gut efficiently.

Especially if you are even the slightest. It squeamish about the process - it will help desensitize you.

(I'll admit I had to get over that hurdle - the wife banned me from those videos while she or my vegetarian daughter were in the house lol)

been watching Meat Eater on Netflix recently. It is making me really want to skin my own deer. He even does a whole episode on how to butcher your own deer from field dressed to freezer. Great series.

 

[jsparks747]

I would agree with both @AndyinEverson and @Joe13. Watch YouTube videos on how to properly gut, skin (or cape), and quarter an animal. One thing I do and would recommend is go on the ODFW Hunting Access map (I will link below) and choose a few spots using the game feature (allows you to put in what animals you are targeting and see the public spots with those animals on them. When you have chosen a few, go to one each weekend to scope it out and maybe do some rabbit or coyote hunting to help you get a feel for it. Then make the choice with more knowledge of the location. Also, talking with hunters is a good thing and asking questions is a must on things you are wondering about. Good Luck!!!

 

[jsparks747]

been watching Meat Eater on Netflix recently. It is making me really want to skin my own deer. He even does a whole episode on how to butcher your own deer from field dressed to freezer. Great series.

Love Meat Eater. Read his books too if you haven't.

 

[11Charlie]

@Joe13 Hey I'm in for hunting this year. I haven't been hunting in probably 10 years and really want to get back out there. My son was born on opening weekend so that really put a damper on hunting.

 

[Baseacegoku]

Love Meat Eater. Read his books too if you haven't.

Well I guess I will have to buy them then. I have been hearing good things about his books.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Nothing beats hands on experience ... If your buddy gets a critter ask if you can skin him.
( The critter that is ... not your buddy )
I'm all for books , I have a library at home with more titles than I can count...
But hands on experience coupled with book learning is the way to go.
Andy

 

[DirectDrive]

Already started scouting in a couple of places along the coastal range. I don't expect anyone to give away their hunting spots or anything like that. I am just really looking forward to my first hunting season and wanted to share with somebody as my wife doesn't really share my hunting passion.

I would encourage you to scout this summer over on the East Side in a unit that you would be tag-eligible for.
Make a camping trip out of it. See what you think.

Do this before you throw in for a tag on the Wet Side.