What's up SCH!
I am a new hunter - I've been hog hunting 2 times on public land over the past year- and pulled my first deer tag ever in D14. I've never been deer hunting before and I'm looking for any advice you all might be willing to share.
So far, I've been using Google Earth to find high alpine meadows and areas that might have some water later in the season. I've also talked to the local rangers about recently burned areas and how to access them. I went out hiking in the San Gorgonio Wilderness area this month but didn't see a single deer; just a mountain lion prowling along the edge of Dollar Lake (yikes). I plan on doing one or two more scouting trips before archery season opens but I would really appreciate any advice that could help me narrow down the types of terrain or specific areas I should focus on scouting. Right now, I'm looking at an area about 5 miles in from the nearest drivable road that sustained a pretty serious fire in recent years. This particular area features lots of north-facing hillsides, a creek, and some high terrain to glass from. I realize this is a pretty significant distance to carry a deer if I am lucky enough to shoot one, but I don't mind a little discomfort if it means a successful hunt.
Are there any community members that hunt this area? I'd appreciate any knowledge you'd be willing to share with me. Thanks!
I am a new hunter - I've been hog hunting 2 times on public land over the past year- and pulled my first deer tag ever in D14. I've never been deer hunting before and I'm looking for any advice you all might be willing to share.
So far, I've been using Google Earth to find high alpine meadows and areas that might have some water later in the season. I've also talked to the local rangers about recently burned areas and how to access them. I went out hiking in the San Gorgonio Wilderness area this month but didn't see a single deer; just a mountain lion prowling along the edge of Dollar Lake (yikes). I plan on doing one or two more scouting trips before archery season opens but I would really appreciate any advice that could help me narrow down the types of terrain or specific areas I should focus on scouting. Right now, I'm looking at an area about 5 miles in from the nearest drivable road that sustained a pretty serious fire in recent years. This particular area features lots of north-facing hillsides, a creek, and some high terrain to glass from. I realize this is a pretty significant distance to carry a deer if I am lucky enough to shoot one, but I don't mind a little discomfort if it means a successful hunt.
Are there any community members that hunt this area? I'd appreciate any knowledge you'd be willing to share with me. Thanks!