Newbie Trip Report: Nothing but sore and lessons learned

thatsjet

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 1, 2019
Messages
294
Location
Beaver-tron, Oregon
This year was my first time hunting anything... my target was mule deer. I'm 48 years old and after years of trying to find someone to take me hunting I finally planned a hunt on my own, put in for a tag, drew a long shot, and went hunting!

I drew Oregon Unit 61 - Imnaha Buck tag. My plan was to backpack it, and haul out any catch on my own. I got OnX, scoured Google Earth, and felt (what I thought) was familiar with the area. I had glassing spots planned and ready to go. I activated my InReach explorer a week in advance, made sure my contacts were getting messages, did a final pack up and headed out at 4am the day before the opener.

I arrived at BigSheep trailhead (~6300ft) around noon Friday and started up the mountain. It took me a few hours to make the 5 mile trip to the top (~7800ft), I spent the evening glassing and looking for any sign. I had seen quite a bit of sign on the hillsides below, but absolutely zero up here and nothing moved on any hill for miles from then until dark. I picked out a couple of trees on a nearby flat spot and hung my hammock to bed down. It got COLD that night... down about 28° but I was reasonably comfortable in my 32° bag. But... I was whooped. I had only enough appetite for a bowl of potato soup and crashed quickly.

Next morning up early and on the mountain before dawn to set up and glass. I had chosen this spot because it gave me access to several nearby canyons. I spent the day hitting a few nearby spots to look across into each canyon from above and glass, glass, glass trying to catch even a hint of movement. Nothing. Nowhere.

Around noon I decided perhaps a new strategy would be in order. I felt like the weather was changing and perhaps deer were heading for lower elevations. I sent a request for weather report to the InReach satellite and got back... "overnight low 14°, snow accumulating 3-6 inches overnight".... UGH! I knew I wasn't really geared for that. I decided to head back down the the truck and perhaps catch a nearby valley that I'd heard might be productive from a friend.

Back down the five miles, with my 46lbs of gear weighing on me hard given the hiking I'd been doing. I got to the truck, put my gear in the back and sat down in the driver's seat to ponder my options. As the snow started falling my body all at once felt the soreness that I'd accumulated over the past 48 hours. I started driving down the trailhead toward the main road that would take me right to the next canyon, or left... headed home.

I went left.

Postscript: Lessons learned
- Always have both a topo map, as well as trail maps when they're available. Trails are better than bushwhacking. You'll make less noise, travel more ground, and be less tired.
- Scout it at least once. Going in cold means you'll spend lots of time just getting familiar, and you'll make mistakes you could have avoided with a little scouting.
- Pace yourself. Have more than one option and don't be afraid to change strategy EARLY
- Camping at the truck is probably fine in most cases. You don't have to be Bear Grylls and carry every speck of gear with you. Get close in the truck, have a good place to stay warm at night, then cover lots of ground with your pack in light mode.
- You can't over train for a backpacking trip. I ran 2-3 miles 3 days a week with a 25lb vest. I still got my ass kicked carring 46lbs up 2500ft elevation in five miles.
 
Wow! I commend you for actually attempting to do such a hard hunt for your first hunt. I am new to hunting as well. I started with small game and just finished my first turkey hunt in AZ (got skunked too). I hear persistence is the only way to get better. I really hope you try another hunt again. I sure will be going after turkey again and hopefully deer in the near future!
Good luck and keep it up!
 
Props to you for going at it solo and learning on your own.

Good lessons learned list. Bullet number 3 is key. Always have a back-up to your back-up plan, and always be prepared for the worst weather so you don't have to go home early. An extra day or two before the season starts to get the lay of the land is very helpful vs. a full on scouting trip if you don't have time. The animals move locations a lot depending on time of year, so a scout a couple days early is far better than one in the summer, IMO. Early October is a tough time to hunt mule deer in the mountains. It might take a week to find the deer living on a hillside.

Personally when hunting deer, I like to be mobile, or have a way to change areas after a few days of hunting. I like to look at as many "good" deer spots as I can. Backpacking can certainly be productive, but you're committed to one spot, too. I'd rather have options to hike in 2-3 miles from a road and be based out of a pickup or a roadside base camp than live out of a backpack, unless I knew the area well, and knew that there is a good chance to find a good buck in a given spot.
 
First off, congrats on doing what you did solo. That's not an easy thing to do both physically or mentally. Second, don't let this get you down. You went and learned a ton. Next time will be different because of what you learned. Keep at it and eventually it will all come together. It might not ever be easy, but it's not supposed to be. You did well in my book and that will serve you well in future hunts.
 
Props to you for going at it solo and learning on your own.

Good lessons learned list. Bullet number 3 is key. Always have a back-up to your back-up plan, and always be prepared for the worst weather so you don't have to go home early. An extra day or two before the season starts to get the lay of the land is very helpful vs. a full on scouting trip if you don't have time. The animals move locations a lot depending on time of year, so a scout a couple days early is far better than one in the summer, IMO. Early October is a tough time to hunt mule deer in the mountains. It might take a week to find the deer living on a hillside.

Personally when hunting deer, I like to be mobile, or have a way to change areas after a few days of hunting. I like to look at as many "good" deer spots as I can. Backpacking can certainly be productive, but you're committed to one spot, too. I'd rather have options to hike in 2-3 miles from a road and be based out of a pickup or a roadside base camp than live out of a backpack, unless I knew the area well, and knew that there is a good chance to find a good buck in a given spot.
A lot of good advice there.
I glassed a lot of square miles of perfect, likely undisturbed deer habitat this year where I've historically seen many bucks during the season. Didn't see a single animal before finding a bunch of bucks on generally less desirable terrain a couple drainages away. You just have to trust the process and grind it out sometimes.
 
Sorry to hear your hunt didn't work out the way you wanted. I know you did a ton of legwork and were a frequent contributor on here this past year. Stick with it and you'll get there. And maybe consider expanding your range of states/game for next year. Antelope in Wyoming? Elk in Colorado or Montana? It's like anything--the more chances you give yourself to be successful, the more likely you will be. And of course, I echo everyone on here that you WERE successful this year--you got out there, you gave it a go, you did everything except connect with an animal--in other words, you had like a 95% complete hunt. That's success.
 
A backpack hunt in that country is a tall order for a first hunt—it’s badass that you did it. The knowledge gained from this will serve you in the future, and success will be even sweeter. This year it started to sink in for me how critical being really mobile on a mule deer hunt can be. Not being too attached to where the deer “should be” instead of continuing to search new places for where they actually are. Thanks for posting a recap.
 
A backpack hunt in that country is a tall order for a first hunt—it’s badass that you did it. The knowledge gained from this will serve you in the future, and success will be even sweeter. This year it started to sink in for me how critical being really mobile on a mule deer hunt can be. Not being too attached to where the deer “should be” instead of continuing to search new places for where they actually are. Thanks for posting a recap.
Thanks man. My "success" this year was due in part to this forum. I went beyond dreaming when I found the forum and got such amazing help/insights from the users here. After telling the story of my hunt to a friend at my church this past Sunday, he invited me to go hunt elk in another month during general season along the coast range at some places he knows. So I'll get another chance at meat then, plus more experience.

I'm officially hooked.
 
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Don't overlook small game. Not sure how many squirrel are in OR but they are fun to hunt, can be hunted as a day hunt if you live close enough, and are tasty. Shotgun or .22 works depending on local law.
 
You can always get familiar with altitude and gear just camping. Go enjoy the outdoors tag or not. You can learn a lot by just being out.
 
For your first hunt ever, it sounds like you did your homework and put forth the effort. That's some tough country to hunt and I'm glad you enjoyed your experience even though it was a bit humbling. We've all been humbled more than we care to admit, but if you stick with it, the opportunites will come. I wish you the best hunting elk along the OR coast.
 
Awesome attitude and effort! Your hard work and dedication WILL pay off soon!! Thank you for the honest original post......there's a lot of knowledge and a lot to learn within it.
 
Great on you for nutting up and going big. Most wont do what you did solo, let alone with a partner. When I started deer hunting, I spent 6 trips to CO before I killed a deer....thats right 6 trips, avg 5 days hunting.........so 30 days of hunting and about 8000 miles driven to and from CO. That was the early 90s when CO was OTC for deer- once I killed my first- in CA------the success just started rolling because of what I had learned......

Keep at it even if its just day trips, you will find them with persistence. Sounds like you did everything right, but sometimes it just takes grinding out the days.....to the very end.

Good luck
 
Man it sounds like and gave it heck and I'm glad you're hooked! Experiences can be life changing. My only advice I would give would be to never turn right! Lol you never know what's around the other corner. Congrats and good luck on the elk
 
When I started deer hunting, I spent 6 trips to CO before I killed a deer....thats right 6 trips, avg 5 days hunting.........so 30 days of hunting and about 8000 miles driven to and from CO. That was the early 90s when CO was OTC for deer- once I killed my first- in CA------the success just started rolling because of what I had learned......
This is what I'm gunning for. I'll keep going, learn something every time, and eventually it will pay off. I'm going to get out and look for squirrels between now and Elk season just to get some walks in the woods and maybe make a little squirrel gumbo if I'm lucky.

Really appreciate everyone's encouragement. I know I'll eventually get success, but being reminded that it takes time is really helpful. You guys rock.
 
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