HELP!!! Tips for hunting in heavy timbered evergreen forests?

[BADbuckfever]

Hi all, I am trying to hunt a new area this year during archery season. I am planning a week long trip for this hunt the last week of August/1st week of Sept ending on labor day.

This forest is heavily timbered with various types of pine. The area's general peaks are around 8,000-10,000 ft. There is good water throughout the area, plus some natural meadows and a few clearings from old logging operations now suspended.

I have DeLormes 6.0 topo program and have looked at google earth satellite images of the area as well. The timber goes on forever and I'm wondering if I am getting into an area that will take forever to scout since it is so thick. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions with hunting this type of terrain?

 

[Graylight]

You could hunt a lifetime in country like that and still have a huge questionmark above your head... That much timber will be tough to figure out... Just my opinion but during that time of year, the bucks should be nearer to timberline than in the timber. Bucks are browsers in general, so look for flower, forb and shoot beds, open meadows and water nearby... The timber of heavily forrested areas won't have the feed capacity to concentrate game enough to count on seeing what you're after for the most part... Find a burn area or get above timber and I bet you'll have a better shot!

Hunting timber is frustrating at best, I usually only hunt timber if you are hunting elk or it is during the migration and I know that the game will be working specific, predominant ridges otherwise you could be pounding a lot of sand... Good luck!

 

[BADbuckfever]

Thanks Graylight, I am still waiting for a response from the Forest service about the recent burns and old logging areas here.

 

[RobinHood]

My first thought would be look for game trails then use some trail cams to see how active they are. If that works out, then you could look into a blind or treestand.

I dont hunt this type of terrain for the same reason Graylight stated. But it can be done. You just have to be a little more patient and use some of the available gadgets.

 

[Roboz]

Like everyone else says it is tough to do, it gets very frustrating at times.Like Graylight said, i would get above timberline. Maybe look for areas of oak brush that you can glass in to, i seem to find alot of bucks in the oak brush. They wont go into the timber a lot if they are still in velvet so find open areas that get some sun with good forage these could be small pockets in the timber. I have taken two bucks in the timber but both i just happened to walk up on and see them before they saw me then the stalk was on, both were later in the season like late september and neither had velvet. Just my .02

 

[sjsmallfield]

Trail cameras and climbing treestands were a big help last season in the heavy timber. Hope this helps. Good Luck!!!

 

[BADbuckfever]

The problem is; I dont think I'll be able to do any scouting trips before the hunt. That is mainly why I am asking for advice. I have only made one other day trip in there before about three years ago. That time it was later in the year around the end of October. I have gotten some good info from the Ca. DFG about Bear hunting there, but still havent heard back from the mule deer biologist.

Here's a couple of photos of the general area that I'm dealing with:

 

[Graylight]

Looks like High Sierras to me...D-3 thru D-7? Anyway... Very low deer numbers, especially in the timber. Give yourself a real shot at it and pack into the high granite basins above 11k ft... Get above timber and have a real shot at a 130-150 class buck. They are there, on public ground, I have seen them as of last year... If you work to get into that country, you will see them. Our base camp was an argious 11 miles back in from the trail head, took all day to get there but the bucks were there... Go on the opener in August before they shed the velvet and you'll be in business.

I worked rediculously hard to find areas to hunt in that country and you won't see a soul aside from a stray hiker but I assure you above timber... They are there!