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Author Topic: Paterson buck deer  (Read 6841 times)

Offline trytough

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Paterson buck deer
« on: June 28, 2016, 08:06:30 AM »
I drew the muzzle loader tag November 19th-27th.  This is a new hunt so I know no one has hunted it for deer but was just curious if people have been down in the Umatilla wildlife refuge during that time frame or if someone has a good idea on what to expect for deer quality.  thanks in advance.

Dan

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2016, 08:19:28 AM »
I'd imagine duck hunters would be your biggest obstacle.   They are also beneficial because they move some of the big ones out of the deep.   Rut is usually wrapping up down there, but you'll still catch the tail end.

Offline Gringo31

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2016, 08:22:42 AM »
It's not a new hunt, just new dates for that hunt.  Quality can be good to very good, not a real big unit but the dates for that hunt are very much in your favor.....
We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.
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Offline JJB11B

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2016, 08:32:09 AM »
there are some fantastic bucks in that unit. we see them a lot when fishing and just driving around to look at deer
"Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever."
Shane Falco

Offline trytough

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2016, 11:33:33 AM »
awesome, thanks for the info!  I am a little worried about how small the area is and they give out 5 tags with one week to hunt it but i will get after it for the whole week if I need to.

Offline Bill W

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2016, 11:58:00 AM »
back when I duck hunted down there I saw the biggest buck ever in WA state.   It stood just inside the Paterson perimiter.

Offline Gobble Gobble

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2016, 01:37:43 PM »
My wife & I as a group drew Archery Buck tag for Oct.1 at Paterson. So we plan to kill the only 2 bucks on the refuge. I like the later dates as most years the Archery tag season has been in the hot parts of September. I've drawn Archery Antlerless 3 times for Whitcomb & been successful. Paterson is a good unit with lots of tall sagebrush and tree/brush cover. The only thing I don't like is all the BIG spiders. I never hunted the area around the refuge last year but was told the near by crop fields were not planted so the deer were no where to be found. I Pray they have them planted this year as the deer like to move from the refuge to the fields. There is a big Forkey that I have seen that I wish someone would eliminate from the gene pool, If I see him I'll leave him for you  :chuckle:. My buddy arrowed a nice 150+ buck just off the refuge.
God Bless,
Scott

Offline trytough

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2016, 02:57:30 PM »
Gobble ill let you have the Forkey since you've got a little history with him! :chuckle:  Ya hopefully those field will be planted, typically they only take one year off at a time with the crop rotation.  Good luck to you and your wife.  I typically hunt archery but got a wild hair and put in for muzzleloader this year.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2016, 05:07:28 PM »
I'm guessing you'll have more fun in 18 than you will in Patterson. 

Offline trytough

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2016, 06:43:59 PM »
Yea I think so Boneaddict!  That country is awesome!!  I also drew an Idaho unit 5 elk tag for any elk and I can hunt the full archery and riffle season!  It's gonna be a busy fall!

Offline Gobble Gobble

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2016, 10:30:33 PM »
If Paterson unit deer population is anything like Whitcomb (and its not from what I have seen) the doe to buck ratio is 15-20 to 1. Muzzy will be tough Archery will be even tougher.

trytough best wishes on the Idaho elk.
God Bless,
Scott

Offline trytough

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2016, 05:15:06 PM »
Gobble Gobble how'd the second weekend treat you guys?  I tried private messaging you but you mailbox is full.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2016, 09:05:36 AM »
Updates on your hunts?  Or have I missed them

Offline trytough

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2016, 06:09:09 AM »
My brother and I doubled down on cows Tuesday morning in Idaho, which was awesome.  We had 4 people in our camp for elk and we're all tagged out by Tuesday.  We leave for mulies in Idaho 18 on Sunday.

Offline Gobble Gobble

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Re: Paterson buck deer
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2016, 11:33:01 PM »
For those waiting for an update. We scouted on 23 Sept & saw 23 deer and a monster porcupine. About 10 were bucks the rest does with fawns a couple really nice 4x4 and a 5x5 bucks I wish I could have shot then.

We scouted the evening of 30 Sept and I only saw a doe that my wife jumped. We split up and my son and I never did see anything just heard one running through the brush that we spooked. My wife and daughter sat under some sage and had a buck walk to less than 20 yards before spotting them and trotting off.

Saturday 1 Nov. we all got out there mid day (it's 1 1/2 drive from Zillah, not getting a 6 & 8 year old up for a morning hunt) we walked an area we hadn't been to yet & only spooked a deer but never saw it and found what was left of a fawn the coyotes had killed. On our way to where we're going to set up for the evening (where we had seen all the bucks together a week earlier) we spotted a group of 4 does and 4 fawn, farther down the road we spotted 7 yearling bucks (5 spike, a 1x2 and a small 2x2. I could have put a quick stock as they were already in bow range but chose to let them live as I was after meat and they were small. The does and bucks were walking away from cover headed East for the corn fields on the plateau above the refuge. Seeing the deer was promising but not the direction they were headed. As I was getting the last of my gear from the trunk to make the walk in to my night ambush spot, a truck drove by us and past where I was headed. I got into position and a few minutes later I hear shotgun blast from down the road where the truck had gone, heard several more over the next half hour. I forgot 1 Nov. was also upland game opener & he was shooting quail and bob white. We never did see any deer that night.

I went alone for an evening hunt Sunday and spotted 2 does and a fawn where I had set up the night before and saw nothing but continued on to where I had planned to set up for the evening. I heard more gunshots from the area I had heard them the night before. My guess it was the same hunter. Only saw a doe and fawn from a good distance away along with another deer carcass.

I had school and work all week so I couldn't make it back out till Saturday. I went alone and was there at about shooting light and as I was walking into where I had set up the Saturday before and spotted a doe and 2 fawn feeding in the open. I used the trees for cover and moved to with in 90 yards before deciding to let them be and make my way into the trees. They were feeding my direction and I didn't want to spook them should there be other deer unseen in the trees. I walked into the trees to see what I could find. Since it had rained the night before the walk through the tall grass was quiet. I found a long spider stick (the evil arachnids are everywhere and you must keep your head on a swivel looking or you will get a face full of orb weaver web) I made my way in through the tree line into the tall grass and rose hips. I spotted a bush moving and found some cover. I could hear deer walking all around me in the brush. A cock pheasant flushed some 50 yards away and sounded off. It scared the deer and one sounded like a freight train as it crashed through the timber going away from me. I ranged the brush I saw moving 18.5 yards and heard movement the other side of the hedge from me. I peeked over and saw nothing it was behind another hedge of rose hips a few yards beyond. As I turn back to the moving bush at a half crouch a fawn popped out and we locked eyes. After what seemed like a few minutes mom popped out and saw me as well half crouched. She looked at me funny for a bit then bolted taking the fawn and another deer the other side of the bushes with her.

I listened for a bit hearing nothing so I continued on in the opposite direction. I heard several more deer walking and jumped a couple more but never did get eyes on them as the area was a maze of tall grass, lots of rose hips, russian olive and the occasional overgrown blackberry. I eventually found my way back out and though the timber into the open field for a rest and some food. The same truck I saw the previous Saturday and probably heard the night before drove by and once again the shotgun sounded off. Not wanting to go in his direction after I was finished eating I went back into the trees only to run into a swampy area almost getting my feet wet. It sounded like he either had good luck and got his 10 birds or he was a bad shot.

It was getting to be mid day so I made my way back to the car and drove to a shaded area for a nap. After a refreshing hour nap I drove around to see if I could spot something on the move to no avail. I walked a promising looking area and found an old but nice tree a buck had scraped up. I ran into another area with standing water and not wanting to press on and get my feet wet I left. I went back to the area I was that morning and decided I would go in upwind and set up in the direction I had heard everything running after the pheasant flushed. Well on my way into the timber I jumped the doe and 2 fawn I had seen in the meadow that morning. I backed out and went in another way. I found a good area with good visibility and waited. After a while I could hear deer on the move some within 30 yards. I must have been stinky (I broke my scent away spray bottle earlier in the day) because I heard several deer catch wind of me blow air a few times then run away. Not sure if any saw me, I know I never saw them. 3 coyotes sounded off in the distance and 2 more in 2 other locations sounded off as well. After a while I didn't hear anything but what I guess was a mouse moving in the under grass. I got bored so I pulled out my calls and tried a doe in estrus and a buck grunt for a bit.. nothing. I decided I didn't want to be trying to make my way back out through the maze of thorny rose hip bushes and spider webs so with an hour of shooting light left I made my way out back into the open field. I spotted a doe and 2 small fawns feeding a few hundred yards away in the open field. I decided to drive down the road a ways to where my wife and daughter had the buck walk up on them the week before. I got into the area and spotted a deer a ways off. with light fading fast I moved closer with almost no cover. I couldn't see any antlers in the dim light so didn't try to be stealthy. It spotted me and ran off in the direction I had just come from. and out of sight. I saw 13 deer that day and heard more than half as many.

I wasn't able to go back Sunday and Monday I had school and work. In 5 visits at least 55 deer were spotted with about 17 -20 being bucks. I never did see another buck after opening day and the bird hunter(s) showed up. There was someone bird hunting every visit I was there during the tag season. I know it was the same hunter at least 2 of the times. Either the bucks were staying in the thick cover or they have left the refuge for the corn circles on the plateau above the refuge. Its sad to have used 5 points and the only bucks I saw during the tag season were yearlings but that hunting... right?. I have some good memories and I learned a lot about the refuge for next time I get drawn there.

I liked the tag dates being later than the usual September when it's really hot however, I didn't like the fact I had to compete with bird hunters scaring the bucks away. With a muzzle loader tag there I'm sure they become wise to what a gun shot means. There are lots of new fawns so the herd is growing and a high number of bucks for the area. At Whitcomb refuge I have been drawn 3 times for antlerless and seen easily 150+ does and fawns but only 4 bucks have I ever seen there. So to see 17 bucks all of which were in groups of 2 or more it was promising.

For those who have drawn a buck Muzzy tag and waiting for an update the potential is there. I just don't know if they will be around with bird hunters out shooting. Once the corn is cut it may force them back onto the refuge if they did in fact leave the refuge. There are lots of quail and bob whites to be had and the occasional cock pheasant. So many places to set up it's just a matter of where will they be today.
God Bless,
Scott

 


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