Looking for opinions on Okanogan Co mule deer

[sakoshooter]

My partner and I spent a week bowhunting mule deer in units 215 & 218. We both filled our tags with nice fat muley does but it wasn't easy as we saw very few deer. I was holding out for a nice  buck based on past experience in the area but decided to take a mature doe after only seeing a 2pt all week.
The areas we hunted have held lots of deer for many years now with last year being a little slow. This year was terrible in my opinion. Very little sign at all. Most of the does we saw were fawnless also. Other hunters we talked to including a couple local hunters we know were also not seeing much compared to past years.
I've got my thoughts but I'd like to hear yours................especially if you hunted the same areas.

[boneaddict]

I am slightly embarrassed that I don't know what GMUs those are, at least 215.  Sinlahekin???   That has been my observation as well.   Several winterkills, several seasons of wolves working the critters, too many late permits and doe permits.   Not knocking you taking does, but trying to figure out why they have so many antelrless permits.  Trying to rebuild a herd you don't kill the does.   Trying to get a buck to doe ratio NORMALIZED, you probably shouldn't kill all the does to equal the few bucks.   ITS PISS POOR up there, and believe it or not Alta and Gardener are WORSE!

[sakoshooter]

215 - Sinlahekin and 218 - Chewuch.

There has been plenty of cougar sign......tracks and kills. Wolves??? Thought we heard some the first nite. Didn't sound like any coyotes I've ever heard. Wasn't aware of any winter kill the last few years but that doesn't mean it didn't happen.
All I know is that it's sad to hike/hunt the miles we did for a week and not see much sign at all much less any deer.

[highmuley]

I hunt 204 (Okanogan). The mule deer numbers have been piss poor the last couple of years too. The white tail have been nearly extinct for nearly 10 years. Dunno if I should hunt the NE anymore. I've hunted the same grounds for 24 years now. Its hard to give up but, I may. Sux

[ghosthunter]

ITS PISS POOR up there, and believe it or not Alta and Gardener are WORSE!

 

[spin05]

I am slightly embarrassed that I don't know what GMUs those are, at least 215.  Sinlahekin???   That has been my observation as well.   Several winterkills, several seasons of wolves working the critters, too many late permits and doe permits.   Not knocking you taking does, but trying to figure out why they have so many antelrless permits.  Trying to rebuild a herd you don't kill the does.   Trying to get a buck to doe ratio NORMALIZED, you probably shouldn't kill all the does to equal the few bucks.   ITS PISS POOR up there, and believe it or not Alta and Gardener are WORSE!

How could that be??The game dept says this: Post-season survey results of 29 bucks per 100 does (highest observed in over 10 years) in conjunction with a mild winter and good summer forage conditions are making for excellent opportunity in the 2012 season.

You are not saying there full of **** are you??? LOL

[winshooter88]

The same WDFW biologist that says the herds are doing great is the same one that says that there are only two wolves in the Methow. 

[grundy53]

It's getting pretty bad up there...

[CAMPMEAT]

I saw nearly 50-60 muleys (does) Saturday near my house.

[Sneaky]

I was youth eligible when it first opened for any deer youth. We were seeing 20-30 does and small bucks a day on national forest we had never been to before. The next year we saw less, then it went permit only and we saw way less, and ever since then it seems like I can't find a deer on public ground.

I was able to harvest my first 3 deer because of those youth hunts which was totally awesome, but it makes you wonder sometimes when you have back to back to back herd thinning.. They did the same thing in the NE with whitetails and in the Naneum with muleys

[ghosthunter]

I have said it before. I have hunted Alta and gardner over 22 years evey year, in a tent. And the last five have been in the dumpster. You see deer up there in the valley floor but you can't hunt there, unless you know someone. I have been looking for a new place for 2 years. Trouble is the whole county sucks.
Wolves?
Control burns?
Too Many hunters,too many years?
Season to early?
Weather?
doe permits?
Take your pick.
With doe tag maybe. But for three points or better, hard work.
 

[WaltAlpine]

My son shot a four point in the Gardner on day two of the modern season at 8:00 AM. I know one person's experience is nothing to base a total observation on, but I thought I'd give the information anyway.

[ghosthunter]

I listed control burns for this reason. Where we were hunting on NF they came through and thinned, than they came through and burned it. We had one honey of a spot where one of us killed a buck every year. It was so good we only allowed the youth and disabled hunters to hunt it first than the other guys could. Once it was burned the magic was gone.
So I think burns are good but some places will not be good again in your life time, if ever.

[ghosthunter]

Oh there are some deer , but look at he harvest reports. For those units in modern season.

[CavemantheHunter]

I've experienced the same thing the last few years in Chiliwist, Pearrygin, and Alta. Every year for the last three, I've seen less and less deer. This summer when I went scouting over there, I saw about 1/10 of the deer I used to see and those I did see were in the city limits and very few had fawns...

[shanevg]

We have been seeing less and less over there as well.  I archery hunted all weekend over there and some of our great spots had nary a track let alone a deer.  We still do OK during modern season but we are seeing maybe 25% of the numbers we used to see just 3 or 4 years ago.  I think the Tripod Fire really hurt things as well as it took away so much terrain that the deer used to frequent. Eventually that fire will grow some good feed again but it hasn't happened yet. 

[jess]

wolves are running the deer and they are having misscarages.. Then the bears and yotes if they do drop the fawn are all over it.. The predator population is way to high!!! The deer population around republic is going down too.. Its sad! And we have had fairly easy winters so its not winter kill! 

[boneaddict]

My son shot a four point in the Gardner on day two of the modern season at 8:00 AM. I know one person's experience is nothing to base a total observation on, but I thought I'd give the information anyway.

All observations are welcomed.    I have killed a buck and most of them fairly decent every year for the last 30 years, BUT I certainly have also observed we are at an all time low in that time frame of deer in the Methow Valley.   This MAY BE the first year I don't tag out.   I have had one oppurtunity to tag and I didn't take it this year on a 145 buck.   I usuaully have MANY of those oppurtunities.   

As for seeing 40-60 deer.   Still possible in several fields, but I add you used to see 100-200 in some of those fields.  I also see NONE where I used to see 40-50.   Winterrange,   counted 9 deer this last year in the prime lookout pack zone on a hillside where I used to count 300-400 deer.   Go figure.  Maybe they moved to other ranges.  Where?

[highmuley]

I listed control burns for this reason. Where we were hunting on NF they came through and thinned, than they came through and burned it. We had one honey of a spot where one of us killed a buck every year. It was so good we only allowed the youth and disabled hunters to hunt it first than the other guys could. Once it was burned the magic was gone.
So I think burns are good but some places will not be good again in your life time, if ever.

Same chit happened to the white tail in my area. They thinned and burned....now no white tail. We used to see 5+ point whiteys all the time. Lucky to see a spike now. The muleys haved moved down (before pressure starts) but their scarce now too. Grrrr.....I hate luvin huntin! Its like a bad marriage you can't get out of!