Western Hunts -- getting to the spot

[YosemiteSam]

I've had a few challenges getting in position for some of my hunts.  Here's the gist:

Morning and evening thermals are heading downhill.  Camping locations (where there's water) are all downhill.  Seems like it would be easy with the wind in my face.  But navigating off-trail in the dark is no cake walk.  Often, I'll get in a quarter mile or so and have to stop to wait for daylight or risk getting lost or just making too much noise.  Same goes for evenings.  I'll bug out with just enough daylight to KNOW that I can make it back near the main trails by dark.  But as I get further in, I have to get out sooner.

If I head in midday, the wind is at my back & heading right toward the bedded deer.  I see fresh sign but never any deer.  I'm guessing they disappear long before I get up there.

So for you back country hunters, how do you get yourself into position early if your position is a mile or so off-trail and you're starting downhill?

[bucknut]

I try to scout the area first to find water close to the elevation I'm hunting or carry water with me. If not and I have to travel with the wind at my back I don't go directly to where I think the game may be. I will go up a side draw  and then hunt a cross wind to where I think the game will be and work the wind accordingly as I get onto game. This is a lot easier on elk that bugle than deer of course. I would also recommend glassing more from a vantage point early and late to locate your game. You need to be familiar with your area. Get maps of the area and learn to use a compass or GPS. You can't be worried about getting lost. If you don't take off before daylight and stay til dark you are really cutting out the prime kill times of the day and greatly reducing your chances at success.

Just my opinion.

John

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

Follow ridges, and practice. That's the general gist of what I do. Basically pick which ridge I want to go up to get into position by daylight and go for it. Turning off the headlamp actually can really help with navigation in the dark. Your eyes are better at sucking in the star and moon light than you'd think.

The more time you spend navigating at night, the more comfortable you get with it.

Of course, you could solve this problem real easily with a GPS app on your smartphone (if you have one, anyways).

[YosemiteSam]

I should clarify.  It's not really an issue of getting lost to the point that I can't make it back eventually.  Map/Compass skills are fair but I'm less than a mile from the nearest road and less than 10 miles down the watershed to the nearest town.  I've never really learned how to use a GPS.  I'll use my phone to see about where I am at times & to mark locations.  But navigating to/from those locations quietly in the dark under a canopy of trees is a lot different to me than doing that with daylight to let me see nearby landmarks, interesting trees, etc.

Trumpkin, walking ridges is my preferred method of travel when I'm not hunting.  But walking up along a ridgeline with the downhill breeze seems like it would just push my scent downhill.  I'm thinking you probably have some idea on the deer's entry/exit points to know if you're going to risk putting your scent in the wrong place?

[Roadkill]

Some may not realize that some of western archery seasons are in August so any movement brings on the sweat. 100 degrees is not uncommon  Those thermals are very hard to overcome if one has a fixed path to bedding areas.   Our deer also do not bed like some white tails.   They may be on the opposite canyon wall, just the route you chose not to scent cone where you thought they were. Feel your pain. Busted a herd of elk going up a supposedly empty canyon trying to get above them in the next canyon. Hard to get in position unless you camp there=a thought to be considered

My son strips down and leaves his cammo tied on his pack until he is up high and cooled down

[Roadkill]

Some may not realize that some of western archery seasons are in August so any movement brings on the sweat. 100 degrees is not uncommon  Those thermals are very hard to overcome if one has a fixed path to bedding areas.   Our deer also do not bed like some white tails.   They may be on the opposite canyon wall, just the route you chose not to scent cone where you thought they were. Feel your pain. Busted a herd of elk going up a supposedly empty canyon trying to get above them in the next canyon. Hard to get in position unless you camp there=a thought to be considered

My son strips down and leaves his cammo tied on his pack until he is up high and cooled down

[Roadkill]

Some may not realize that some of western archery seasons are in August so any movement brings on the sweat. 100 degrees is not uncommon  Those thermals are very hard to overcome if one has a fixed path to bedding areas.   Our deer also do not bed like some white tails.   They may be on the opposite canyon wall, just the route you chose not to scent cone where you thought they were. Feel your pain. Busted a herd of elk going up a supposedly empty canyon trying to get above them in the next canyon. Hard to get in position unless you camp there=a thought to be considered

My son strips down and leaves his cammo tied on his pack until he is up high and cooled down

[Orion]

Have you considered bivouacing higher up a day or two at a time?  Water is the only requirement, and there are lots of seeps in most Mountains.

[ChuckC]

I think you need to learn your area and cme up with a plan.  Either get started real early or stage at a chosen point till the thermals start to turn.   I like to get in to the lower portions of my particular favorite spot, sit and stand hunt till about 9, then boogie up to near top of the ridge.  When thermals are rising i still hunt a trail near the top.

[Cory Mattson]

We would sleep out up high every other night - base camp big meal midday. This is rough but doable and extremely productive.

I would rather hunt morning OR evening done well than try that back and forth routine.

GPS: These things changed my life and I would not hunt without them. And I would not allow anyone to hunt with us unless they had one and knew how to use it. Makes night time navigation EASY.

I am old school and good with map & compass but map& compass won't get you there NOW - In the Dark - when you need to go. Scouting, Daytime, Open high desert bowls no problem.

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[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by Orion:
Have you considered bivouacing higher up a day or two at a time?  Water is the only requirement, and there are lots of seeps in most Mountains.

I've been thinking about it for the last 2 seasons.  Water is always the limiting factor.  Best case scenario, I can camp up high for the night but I'd still have to be back near water by afternoon the next day.

Thankfully, in the Sierras, it's rarely over 80 in August.  But high altitude can suck the water out of me pretty fast, too.  

A few years ago, during the rifle season, I attempted a similar strategy lower in the foothills -- bivy up on a ridge & glass the hillside at dawn.  I took almost a gallon with me, which adds a lot to a pack in 90+ temps.  But I was out of water by 9 a.m. the next day & had to head back early.  My scent was blowing downhill the whole morning anyway.

Sounds like there are three major things I can do: (1) get to know those ridges better.  Once I'm up there, starlight & moonlight are my best friends & can help me get to where I'm going.  But in order to get there, I'm probably going to need (2) reflective tape or some other trail markers to guide me under the canopy in the dark.  I can probably find a ledge somewhere near a small spring that's at least closer to the ridge tops for camping purposes.

Thanks for the ideas!

[wingnut]

Spike camp for 2-3 days at a wack.  Stay out all day and catch a nap in the shade when the elk bed down.  There should be water up there but if not pack it in with you.  A 10l dromedary works well.

Mike