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...