X10

hernandeztonyb7

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
131
Wanted to hunt a different area in California and was thinking about X10 anyone have any experience in this unit. I’ve heard it’s hard hunting but I’m a sucker for a suffer fest...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mtneyez

FNG
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
6
I hunted it three times twice x10 and once G38 - zero deer taken - did pass on forkies. There is a discussion on Rokslide about G38/x10, which is basically what most of the online advice is and I found to be true (I hunted during severe drought years), which is = Stay on the western side of the unit - I did not. They are not going to migrate back unless there is an early winter with consistent storms. Go up high. I have hunted the border between D8 and X10 (western side) and have found some good sized deer (tried to catch up to a nice 4x4 and 3x3 last year).
Now there are exceptions, I did some summer scouting near Olancha peak and saw a nice 3x3. A few years after I hunted X10, I was quail hunting off the 395 near where we would head up for deer hunting - ran into a guy who , with his father, claimed they shot two deer (4x4s) on the desert side up at about 7000 ft. Later, while quailing', my buddy's son found two sheds - one 4 point and one 3 point. Take a bear tag. Be mindful of cats.
 
OP
hernandeztonyb7

hernandeztonyb7

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
131
I hunted it three times twice x10 and once G38 - zero deer taken - did pass on forkies. There is a discussion on Rokslide about G38/x10, which is basically what most of the online advice is and I found to be true (I hunted during severe drought years), which is = Stay on the western side of the unit - I did not. They are not going to migrate back unless there is an early winter with consistent storms. Go up high. I have hunted the border between D8 and X10 (western side) and have found some good sized deer (tried to catch up to a nice 4x4 and 3x3 last year).
Now there are exceptions, I did some summer scouting near Olancha peak and saw a nice 3x3. A few years after I hunted X10, I was quail hunting off the 395 near where we would head up for deer hunting - ran into a guy who , with his father, claimed they shot two deer (4x4s) on the desert side up at about 7000 ft. Later, while quailing', my buddy's son found two sheds - one 4 point and one 3 point. Take a bear tag. Be mindful of cats.

Thanks for the info! Definitely going to get up high and off the trail as much as possible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2018
Messages
17
Location
California
Found this 4X3 in X10. Definitely a hard hunt. It's been pretty hot and dry the past two years on opening weekend, with a lot of guys car camping and staying within a short distance of their camps. if you can pack in it might be better; thats how I found this deer. Didn't get drawn for x10 this year, so good luck. If anyone has experience with D7 I'd love to pick your brain.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0318 2.JPG
    IMG_0318 2.JPG
    724.7 KB · Views: 138
  • IMG_0317 2.JPG
    IMG_0317 2.JPG
    306.3 KB · Views: 135
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
35
Found this 4X3 in X10. Definitely a hard hunt. It's been pretty hot and dry the past two years on opening weekend, with a lot of guys car camping and staying within a short distance of their camps. if you can pack in it might be better; thats how I found this deer. Didn't get drawn for x10 this year, so good luck. If anyone has experience with D7 I'd love to pick your brain.
Great buck! I’ve googled “X10 bucks” a couple times in the past and didn’t find any photos or stories, very cool to see someone who’s had success.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2018
Messages
93
Found this 4X3 in X10. Definitely a hard hunt. It's been pretty hot and dry the past two years on opening weekend, with a lot of guys car camping and staying within a short distance of their camps. if you can pack in it might be better; thats how I found this deer. Didn't get drawn for x10 this year, so good luck. If anyone has experience with D7 I'd love to pick your brain.
I hunt D7. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
 

HankNM

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 23, 2020
Messages
120
Location
Near Pie Town,NM
Hunted it twice.Filled one tag. Tough hunt. And that was in olden days...LOL.
Had a cabin in D7. Used to be excellent. Hunted it 13 times & only ate 2 tags. Last time 2008.
 

eroksolfe

FNG
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
48
Anyone with D8 experience? I’ve ridden the single track up there but hunting it for the first time this year. Mainly just looking for pointers/tactics on scouting up there.
 

eroksolfe

FNG
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
48
Without sharing spots, any recommendations for scouting methods? I’ve read the mulies will still tend to be high in sept-Oct. would you say this accurate?
 
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
35
Without sharing spots, any recommendations for scouting methods? I’ve read the mulies will still tend to be high in sept-Oct. would you say this accurate?
It’s fun putting up trail cameras, but last year I think I focused too much on cameras and not enough on how I would hunt the area. I needed to spend more time looking for glassing spots and spots that I could sit and wait for deer to pass by. I got so excited about going to check cameras that I didn’t explore enough of the surrounding terrain.
 

zorkieo

FNG
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
20
I would say always hunt with glassing in mind. Look for spots on google earth that you can sit and cover a lot of ground from.
 

eroksolfe

FNG
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
48
When using Google Earth are there some things to look for to make sure the point will actually be good for glassing? My guess is that though a place might look good for glassing online it may not be that much of a lookout point as it seems.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
35
When using Google Earth are there some things to look for to make sure the point will actually be good for glassing? My guess is that though a place might look good for glassing online it may not be that much of a lookout point as it seems.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Since Google Earth shows the shape of the terrain pretty well, if a place looks good online it will look good in person most of time. When driving or hiking an area you might notice additional areas that you overlooked on google earth.
 

eroksolfe

FNG
Joined
Jul 8, 2019
Messages
48
Any input on finding water to drink? I’m looking at getting backcountry but it’s sometimes hard to tell if there is going to be water accessible for us once we get back there. Not sure I trust the little blue lines on the GPS maps are actually year round.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BFR

WKR
Joined
Jan 5, 2020
Messages
411
Location
Montana
Anyone with D8 experience? I’ve ridden the single track up there but hunting it for the first time this year. Mainly just looking for pointers/tactics on scouting up there.

Grew up in D8, haven’t been there for about 15 years. Hunted from Hwy 178 all the way to the Sequoia Park boundary in the wilderness are mostly west of Hwy 155. Packing into the wilderness was always pretty weather dependent trying to catch the deer migrating out of the park. South of Johnsondale has resident deer but is also covered with roads. I rarely went to the east side of 155 because I always filled my tag during archery season with the first legal buck I found.
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2018
Messages
17
Location
California
Any input on finding water to drink? I’m looking at getting backcountry but it’s sometimes hard to tell if there is going to be water accessible for us once we get back there. Not sure I trust the little blue lines on the GPS maps are actually year round.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'd use OnX as it will show where springs are potentially located. It's not always perfect, but will give you an idea of where to go. When you scout the area you should pay attention to the vegetation and you'll start to see plants that grow where there is an abundant source of water. If it's the first time in, be over prepared with how much you pack in. I'm not an exceptionally seasoned hunter, but these are the things that I've done/noticed over the past few years...
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2018
Messages
17
Location
California
Since Google Earth shows the shape of the terrain pretty well, if a place looks good online it will look good in person most of time. When driving or hiking an area you might notice additional areas that you overlooked on google earth.

I hunt D7. Feel free to shoot me a PM.
Justin,

Been meaning to send you a PM for a while but haven't been able to since I'm still locked out of that capability until I hit a certain number of posts. Any way you can PM me? Would really love some input on D7. Went up to an area last weekend to scout and may need to readjust my focus based upon how hard it was to get in/out and how little evidence of deer that I saw in the area.
 
Top