Hunting Hot Spots Discovered By Accident

[Umpqua Hunter]

What is the best hunting spot you have discovered totally by accident? Our story happened just this past fall.

With everyone jumping in the preference point game it is getting harder and harder to draw quality tags so my buddy and I took a month off work this fall and did an exploratory trip to SE Oregon looking for a place we could bowhunt giant mule deer each year with an OTC tag. We knew it was going to be a long shot with the fires this past summer, but with the great genetics in that area, we had to give it a try. Of course everyone is looking for that gem, but the way we found it was truly amazing. After 14 days of dry camping, we had accumulated several large bags of trash that we needed to dispose of. We ran down to Sage Flat and asked the guy at the only gas station there where we could dispose of the trash. He sent us to the landfill about 5 miles away on the way back to our camp spot. As we unloaded our trash, the winds were heavy and my hat blew off. As I chased my hat into the sage, I came across a massive set of deer tracks. With the nearby alfalfa fields, we were uncertain there would be much public land, but with our GPS we determined that there was a few square miles of public land behind the landfill. As we tracked that buck, we were about 1 1/2 miles in and that track literally turned into a deer highway. In a few more minutes we discovered the reason, a hidden draw and a large seep. We set several trail cams in the area and left them alone and headed back to the other area we had been camping. We were so excited we could only let the cams "soak" for a couple days before we had to get back and check them out. There were no fewer then a half dozen smoker bucks hitting that seep, but always right after dark. We built a sage blind up against a near by rock bluff. My buddy sat facing one trail, and I faced a different trail. On the third evening, a great buck finally came in just before dark. My buddy had the best angle and took the shot. His buck scored later scored 207 3/8, his personal best. There were at least two other bucks in the same class that we got on our trail cams. We can't wait to hit it again next year.

Have you guys ever discovered a hunting hot spot totally on accident?

[Drhorsepower]

Great topic umpquahunter! Here in nv, two seasons ago, I was chukar hunting outside of a small town in east of me. This was the first hunting trip for my friends young pointer, the first covey of birds we got into, lets just say the dog was a tad bit gunshy! He took off over the hill away from the truck but towards this power sub station down in the flats. I was watching this dog running away from through my pocket binos when he went through a wash in the flat. I counted 15 bucks bolting out of the wash with around 40 does. It was one of those moments when you couldn't believe what was happening seeing the size of these bucks. There were a few 3x3s and smaller deer but atleast 9 of them were big mature bucks, the biggest non typical I have ever seen! I'm guessing 230 or above. He had double drop tines that hung down a good 10". The best typical in the bunch was pushing 200 as well. He had the most mass I've ever seen on hoof. We saw an old truck parked at the sub station, the old rancher grabbed the dog, we made the mile or so walk over there and on the way we couldn't believe how much deer sign was in this flat! My buddy found a shed of a beautiful typical, i think it was the big ones we saw from last year. This being in early January, I was thinking just a wintering range and the bucks don't live there year around but according to the old man, he keeps tabs on them and finds them within a mile or so of this sub station all the time. When we got to the old rancher, he saw the shed and said,"you found a little guys shed huh"? I explained I didn't think that was a little shed, he said," I understand son, this area, that there is a small shed." In my mind I was calling bs. We started talking about deer hunting, he pulled out a few photos he kept in his truck and lets just say, the bucks we saw were merely an example of what was in this little valley. The good part is this spot is less than 2 hours from home, bad part is you need on average 2 points to draw this zone. I have been putting in ever since so maybe next year will be my year!

[Umpqua Hunter]

Great topic umpquahunter! Here in nv, two seasons ago, I was chukar hunting outside of a small town in east of me. This was the first hunting trip for my friends young pointer, the first covey of birds we got into, lets just say the dog was a tad bit gunshy! He took off over the hill away from the truck but towards this power sub station down in the flats. I was watching this dog running away from through my pocket binos when he went through a wash in the flat. I counted 15 bucks bolting out of the wash with around 40 does. It was one of those moments when you couldn't believe what was happening seeing the size of these bucks. There were a few 3x3s and smaller deer but atleast 9 of them were big mature bucks, the biggest non typical I have ever seen! I'm guessing 230 or above. He had double drop tines that hung down a good 10". The best typical in the bunch was pushing 200 as well. He had the most mass I've ever seen on hoof. We saw an old truck parked at the sub station, the old rancher grabbed the dog, we made the mile or so walk over there and on the way we couldn't believe how much deer sign was in this flat! My buddy found a shed of a beautiful typical, i think it was the big ones we saw from last year. This being in early January, I was thinking just a wintering range and the bucks don't live there year around but according to the old man, he keeps tabs on them and finds them within a mile or so of this sub station all the time. When we got to the old rancher, he saw the shed and said,"you found a little guys shed huh"? I explained I didn't think that was a little shed, he said," I understand son, this area, that there is a small shed." In my mind I was calling bs. We started talking about deer hunting, he pulled out a few photos he kept in his truck and lets just say, the bucks we saw were merely an example of what was in this little valley. The good part is this spot is less than 2 hours from home, bad part is you need on average 2 points to draw this zone. I have been putting in ever since so maybe next year will be my year!

Yes DR but let's keep that little spot our secret. I appreciate you sharing with me when you were up at our house last summer. I plan to burn my 20 non-resident points on that unit this fall if we get the right amount of moisture this winter. I just wish I could share my points with you and we both get the tag, that would be killer!

I am just wondering if I should go for the rifle tag, or the archery tag. I am sure I could draw either one, but when I called the rancher, he said if I am good with a bow, he'd said it would be an amazing hunt since those bucks are super easy to pattern in the archery season. I bow hunt on OTC tags, but I have never burned that many point on a bow hunt, so that is a bit concerning. From your scouting what do you think rifle (late in the season) or archery? I am hoping to get 2 or 3 scouting trips in over the summer and if the antler growth is off, I could always return my tag and get my points back and draw it the following year.

[Drhorsepower]

That's a good point UH, I guess if I was you, do you want a buck covered in velvet o your wall or the hard, black horns that the rancher and I told you about? Keeping tabs on them this season, I don't think you would have an issue getting close to them with a bow. I have their pattern figured out, I know exactly what time they water and where! We will set up a ground blind on the water hole if you want. I also found their summer bedding area in that wash and a vantage point to look down in at the right angle( I saw just the tips of the typicals horns) on multiple occasions in the same bed, We would have to sneak up to the edge of the wash playing the wind. let me know what you want to do. I am hoping to have a tag right along side of you. Oh and btw, You can share bonus points! we just have to put in as a party. BUDDY!!! BUDDY OL' PAL!

[Umpqua Hunter]

That's a good point UH, I guess if I was you, do you want a buck covered in velvet o your wall or the hard, black horns that the rancher and I told you about? Keeping tabs on them this season, I don't think you would have an issue getting close to them with a bow. I have their pattern figured out, I know exactly what time they water and where! We will set up a ground blind on the water hole if you want. I also found their summer bedding area in that wash and a vantage point to look down in at the right angle( I saw just the tips of the typicals horns) on multiple occasions in the same bed, We would have to sneak up to the edge of the wash playing the wind. let me know what you want to do. I am hoping to have a tag right along side of you. Oh and btw, You can share bonus points! we just have to put in as a party. BUDDY!!! BUDDY OL' PAL!

I thought residents and non-residents couldn't apply together??!?? Hmmmmm....well you did say if I applied with you you'd foot the bill for my NR license if applying together caused me not to draw and you sa you'd also cover my NR deer tag if I did draw. Does that offer still apply?

I am pretty certain I want to hunt the rifle season and I know you were definitely thinking bow season. the more I think about it, we would probably have date conflicts with the Oregon archery season, and I've already committed to my buddy to go back to SE Oregon.

[Drhorsepower]

I thought residents and non-residents couldn't apply together??!?? Hmmmmm....well you did say if I applied with you you'd foot the bill for my NR license if applying together caused me not to draw and you sa you'd also cover my NR deer tag if I did draw. Does that offer still apply?
.

Heck yeah! Small price to pay for points like yours! We can put in late rifle, early rifle and archery if you want. Up to you big man! When are you going to invite me to your Oregon honey hole?

[Ikeepitcold]

Ok I have read the previous posts and feel compelled to add to this since there has been some real TRUE stories of areas found by accident for some MONSTER mule deer! I was not sure if I should add my story because I was going to keep this to myself and for my family to continue to find these huge bucks but I feel I want to be involved with this post. Before I start I want to thank UH and DR for being the first to tell their story's and giving me the nuge to tell mine. Thank you guys!

About 5 years ago I was coyote hunting with a buddy North of Reno by a big desert lake. We were calling close to an area we call Hells Kitchen when I thought I saw a dog crossing a ridge line going away from our calls. I quickly took a shot at the dog, when I thought about what I had seen in my scope I truly thought it was a Mt Lion! I talked it over with my partner and decided that we should go look at the area I shot at the animal to see if I had connected and because I thought it might have been a cat we should go look. It was about a 500 yard shot so it took us awhile to hike up to the top of this steep ridge. When we got there we didnt locate any sign of a hit. We then sat down to catch our breath and started to look around with binos and saw what looked like an oasis! We figured we where this high on the ridge we should continue for about another 500 yards and look over the ridge and look into this lush area and see what was around. At least make another stand and pull a dog out of this spot. When we got to where we could look down into this amazingly green, oasis I about shit myself when I saw it! Down by this spring there was a bachelor group of bucks that made my stomach come up into my throat! These bucks were huge!!!! The smallest was a 160" with the biggest in the low 200s! With 8 bucks all laying with in about a 100 yard circle looking in different directions I knew we had found the holy grail of honey holes!!!! All I could say to my buddy was " Mary Mother of God what have we found"? My buddy didn't say a friggin word! I think he was so dumbfounded at what we where looking at he didn't even hear me. We watched these bucks for hours and of corse we where dog hunting and didn't bring a camera and I've been hunting in this area for quite some time and knew we would have cell phone coverage we left the phones at the truck so I was unable to get pics. I was so consumed with how all theses huge bucks would be in this spot together I continued to return this the area while trying to draw the tag and see if the bucks continued to hang out there or if it was some crazy fluke but time and time again they where there. Last year I finally got a pic of one of the bucks that was tucked up under the brush. He was still in velvet and was a Absulute freak! I had been there a few times and it seemed like each time I had camera issues almost like I was cursed to show anyone pics of these bucks. This is the only pic I have been able to get so far and I plan on taking multiple cameras this next trip so I can finally prove to you guys on this forum that I'm not full of shit!!! I pray to the tag GODS please for love of god give me this tag this year so I can show Nv that there are some MEGA MONSTER bucks to be taken close to home.

[Umpqua Hunter]

IKIC....that rocks! Have you had any more trips up there?

[Ikeepitcold]

IKIC....that rocks! Have you had any more trips up there?

I will be going there soon. I will report back around the second week of Jan.

[Drhorsepower]

Well it's a waiting game now boys! Uh and myself applied for that unit! Hope to shed hunt up there this weekend as it isn't too far from my house!

Thanks uh for applying as a party! Looking forward to a quality hunt with you.