anyone Hunting D8 deer?

[shropy1]

I am new to eastmans and was wondering if anyone here hunts deer in California zone D8. I live in the heart of this zone but have always hunted in zone b6 with great success. I am newly married and due to that I will be sticking close to home this year. can anyone point me in the right direction? I am open to hiking and using stock.

 

[Arrowhead Hunter]

I wish I could help out however I am also looking for some help
On the zone. It will be my first hunt in d8 as well. I'll be hitting
The Sherman pass area just because the location of our
Property in Kennedy meadows. Hopefully it's not too crowded
For archery opener. I heard rifle is crazy with hunters so I'll
Avoid that scene. My plan is too look at the map and hike in
The direction that has no road access near by and look for water.
Best of luck. Maybe see u out there!!

 

[Live2Hunt]

I have hunted this zone since I was old enough to legally hunt. The Deer herd is suffering bad. There are some big bucks in this zone, some on public land and a good number on the private property in the foothills. If you can get permission to hunt somewhere in the foothills you will be doing good, most landowners do not allow access.Keep in mind that this zone has 8,000 tags with very low probability of hunter success, if I remember right the hunter success rate is around 8%. Basically any public land that you can access with a vehicle is not really worth hunting, this zone has a very high number of road hunters and opening weekend of season will be very busy. High country is usually good if you hit it at the right time.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

Well not sure how you guys did that last couple years, but I will be hunting d8 for first time third year for general season rifle. Gonna get deep and high hopefully 10-15 miles from roads and trails heads and give it all I got for a few days. Hopefully we get some cool weather. Good luck to the rest of you fellas!

Adam

 

[Never in Doubt]

I hunt D6 and D5. I'll usually find bucks once I get several miles off the road in good deer terrain. It just takes time and effort. If you go to the high country, go early in the season. The openers aren't as crowded once you're 3-4+ miles in.

 

[JMSZ]

You'll be seeing people pretty regularly along the roads. I live just east of the zone and I get an over the counter tag for it every year.

A lot of road hunters in the area. I've been out to the Sherman Pass area and the Greenhorn Mtns, Sherman Pass area had more people.

Having stock, there is an old corral just east of Sherman Pass, a trail that heads down to the Kern runs through there, so you could ride in through there. There is an undeveloped campsite (no water, so bring what you need), half a dozen or so, there are usually a few guys camped there when I've been there.

You can catch the trail and head WNW, takes you down towards the river. It's been 3 years since I've been there, though, but I'll be heading out there this year for about a week before G38 opens.

You can also head up the west side of the Kern, towards Jerky Meadow. The fire(s) may have pushed some of the deer up that way.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

You'll be seeing people pretty regularly along the roads. I live just east of the zone and I get an over the counter tag for it every year.

A lot of road hunters in the area. I've been out to the Sherman Pass area and the Greenhorn Mtns, Sherman Pass area had more people.

Having stock, there is an old corral just east of Sherman Pass, a trail that heads down to the Kern runs through there, so you could ride in through there. There is an undeveloped campsite (no water, so bring what you need), half a dozen or so, there are usually a few guys camped there when I've been there.

You can catch the trail and head WNW, takes you down towards the river. It's been 3 years since I've been there, though, but I'll be heading out there this year for about a week before G38 opens.

You can also head up the west side of the Kern, towards Jerky Meadow. The fire(s) may have pushed some of the deer up that way.

Yeah I will be staying far away from roads. I will be backpack hunting for 5 days and not by Sherman pass road even though many guys have success in that area. I was going to hunt d7 as I had an area scouted out, but went to buy a tag yesterday and they were not available. So that made my decision easy as I had a d8 tag originally once I wasn't selected for x zone. They say d8 herd is down but there are deer just got to be willing to work to find them. I will say if I get one the pack out will be brutal, but very rewarding.

 

[easymoney]

Yeah I will be staying far away from roads. I will be backpack hunting for 5 days and not by Sherman pass road even though many guys have success in that area. I was going to hunt d7 as I had an area scouted out, but went to buy a tag yesterday and they were not available. So that made my decision easy as I had a d8 tag originally once I wasn't selected for x zone. They say d8 herd is down but there are deer just got to be willing to work to find them. I will say if I get one the pack out will be brutal, but very rewarding.

What live2hunt says...
The zone has too many tags and too many roads. I have had my best success in the wilderness areas, because it cuts out most of the hunters.
We horsepacked out of Balch Park a few years ago. It would have been ideal, except the packer lied when he said no omne had been in the area he was taking us. BS, we even had to help load the last clients gear on the mules when we got dropped off. There were spent shells and cigeret butts everywhere...
Buy a bear tag if you go, as there are loads of them. We saw a huge one just outside our camp.
Good luck...

 

[bigshot]

I'll be out there this year, I couldnt get the opening weekend off from work, but I'll be there on the 25th till the 30th. I was a licensed guide in this zone when I had hounds, so I'm very familiar with the area. I'll be camping with a group of four buddies along the kern river north of Kernville and hunting the surrounding mountains. Its amazing how many hunters I see drive by bucks that are standing along the roads. During the early season the deer are scattered through-out the zone. My advise is to look for sign and glass. Bucks like to feed in the big open meadows during the night and early morning. You can catch them bedded down by still hunting the woods surrounding the meadows. Hunt very slow when doing this. I only take a couple steps and stop look and listen for several seconds before I go another few steps. I hunt high and low and find bucks in both areas. I'll be driving a white Toyota tundra with a camper shell, you guys are welcome to stop by and camp or talk hunting. I took a first time hunter last season and he missed two big bucks opening weekend (3x3 and 4x4). We were still hunting in meadows not far from the roads. If you see tracks, you will see deer. Good luck everyone

 

[bigshot]

My buddy shot this 5x3, buck in Zone D-8, last year.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

My buddy shot this 5x3, buck in Zone D-8, last year.

View attachment 17281

Thanks for sharing your experience the nice pic of the buck from D8. I'll be hitting the opener hard for 5 days.

 

[bigshot]

anyone see or get anything? I only saw small bucks and lots of does. Headed back in a couple weeks

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I hunted the D8 opener in the wilderness and jumped a buck while to my afternoon spot. Good size body but couldn't tell how big rack was. Next day got busted by a couple deer snorting at me. Never got a look at that deer. I did have a bear encounter at 50 yds but it took off about as soon as it saw me. I'll be going this weekend to give it another try at a Bucky buck. Weather should be cooler so hopefully that helps.