Staying motivated?

[KRasmussen]

I have been waiting for the opener of mulie season like a fat kid waits for candy. It has been a long wait but it has finally come. The actual opener was Sept 27 in my area but due to work I was not able to hit the mountains until this past weekend.
I packed up and headed out on Saturday morning headed for the local mountains in search of the elusive CA mule deer.
The area I would be hunting usually sees a moderate amount of pressure and due to the lack of rain/snow fall in CA over the past few years I also knew it would be dry. I didn't realize just how dry. Normal water holes and streams are like the desert but at 6000'.
I set up camp, had a quick bite to eat and took off for the afternoon hunt. I drove to a spot about a mile from camp and hiked in almost a mile. The ground is so dry every step made my presence know to everyone. The pine needles are about 6-8 inches thick and sound like walking on bubble wrap. I made it to a high spot and starting glassing. All I could see were trees and more trees. It was really thick, so thick you can't see the ground in most spots.
I hunted 4 days, leaving camp before sunrise and getting back at or well after dark. Did I also mention not only was it dry but HOT. At 6000' was in the low 90's!
In 4 days of hunting I saw a total of 1 doe and a fawn, no other hunters in the field.
How does a guy stay motivated to keep going in those conditions? I am about to give up.

 

[deer_shooter]

.....Because fortune can turn in seconds. One more mile, 1000' higher, the next ridge over, tommorrow, all things that can tip things the other way. Keep hard at it and regardless of outcome you will feel better than if you pack it in. What's the old saying? A bad day hunting is better than a great day anywhere else!
I had a similar hunt a couple years ago. I took a 50 mile drive to the nearest town had a steak and a beer. It was a nice break. Went back to camp and got after it for two more days before I had to leave. Didn't see a thing but that's how it goes sometimes.

 

[Bambistew]

I've been in the exact same situation... Hot, dry, crispy and no deer. Change up location and areas you're focusing on. The deer are probably somewhere a bit more green.

Have you found much sign?

As far as staying motivated... The way i look at it, taking an animal is a small part of the hunt, the rest is a learning opportunity. I've pulled out rabbits on the last day many times. If you put yourself in the best place you think you can find game, from there it's just lucking into a critter. That luck could happen on day one or 10.

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[Outdoor Junkie]

If it were me and it was that hot and dry, I would find what ever water holes you can find. If there literally is no water there, the deer won't be there either. They need to drink sooner or later. If you find the water, you should find greener vegetation close by. Sit and wait.... They have to drink in eat.... especially in 90 degree temps!

I have been waiting for the opener of mulie season like a fat kid waits for candy. It has been a long wait but it has finally come. The actual opener was Sept 27 in my area but due to work I was not able to hit the mountains until this past weekend.
I packed up and headed out on Saturday morning headed for the local mountains in search of the elusive CA mule deer.
The area I would be hunting usually sees a moderate amount of pressure and due to the lack of rain/snow fall in CA over the past few years I also knew it would be dry. I didn't realize just how dry. Normal water holes and streams are like the desert but at 6000'.
I set up camp, had a quick bite to eat and took off for the afternoon hunt. I drove to a spot about a mile from camp and hiked in almost a mile. The ground is so dry every step made my presence know to everyone. The pine needles are about 6-8 inches thick and sound like walking on bubble wrap. I made it to a high spot and starting glassing. All I could see were trees and more trees. It was really thick, so thick you can't see the ground in most spots.
I hunted 4 days, leaving camp before sunrise and getting back at or well after dark. Did I also mention not only was it dry but HOT. At 6000' was in the low 90's!
In 4 days of hunting I saw a total of 1 doe and a fawn, no other hunters in the field.
How does a guy stay motivated to keep going in those conditions? I am about to give up.

 

[KRasmussen]

There was sign all over the place, new, old you name it. It was really hard being quiet in the current dry conditions. The area I was hunting did not lend itself to getting high and glassing. It tops out at about 6000' is heavily forested all the way to the top and very steep.

I did find a few small water holes and a creek or two. Not any sign around them which I found interesting. I figured they were watering elsewhere. The main river, Kern River, was down a very steep canyon which does not bode well. It is almost a 90 degree slope for a good majority of the area I was in. We have been so dry that normal water ways are dry.

I am going to start looking at lower elevations later this week and see whats there. I got so discouraged yesterday I packed up camp and came home 2 days early.

 

[quarterhorse]

Focus on the solitude, scenery and the fact that you are not at work. Enjoy the the entire hunt and stay at it. Success takes on many forms.

 

[TheShootist.41]

You are not alone in how you feel. All hunters have gone through it. You are only human. I use the same method as Deer Shooter. I am fortunate that the place I go to relax is used by lots of other hunters and talking to others about how they are coping etc really helps lift the spirit. Best of luck to you for the rest your seasons.

 

[LuckyMike]

I would be studying the terrain to find a spot with mostly North East exposure where there's a possibility of a bit more retained moisture. I know that might be difficult to find on the western side of the Sierras in the vicinity of the lower Kern River and Greenhorn country where it sounds like you've been trying. I had good luck in that country many years ago.

 

[nmelktrout]

No matter how difficult a hunt can be, always remember that it only takes a couple of seconds of luck to turn it completely around. It's tough when the conditions are awful and you can't find game. You just have to remember to hunt with confidence at all times and be willing to be able to put in enough time to get that short window of opportunity. Reminds me of a desert mule deer hunt Bmack and I were on in New Mexico a couple years back. Horrible drought and we had not seen a single deer in 4.5 days of hard hunting and glassing. On the 5th day I located a remote tank that held some water and found 2 deer. One of which was a towering and ancient forked horn buck that now sits in my home. Pure luck that I even saw a deer on that hunt - but I managed to stay focused and confident that I would eventually get an opportunity and when I did, my focus and confidence helped me kill that deer. I just returned from a physically brutal 10 day elk hunt with nothing but memories and sore legs to show for it. Could have thrown in the towel, but my focus, confidence and constantly reminding myself how fortunate I was to be in the mountain having fun kept me going and enjoying each day. No matter what, always remember to have fun on your hunts. It isn't just about the kill.

Also, it sounds like you need to find a water source. An easy way to look for water in the desert is to locate cattle. They won't ever be far from water or good feed. In hot dry conditions I have typically found the deer within 1-2 miles of the cattle and water, typically in a side draw or canyon.
Best of luck and keep us posted,
Cody

 

[Gr8bawana]

If you found no sign a the water holes then they are watering someplace else. You just need to find it
and keep after it.
Last month my brother and I hunted for his AZ elk and never saw or heard and elk for 5 days, we finally
sighted the first elk on day 9 and he finally filled the tag.