Tough Weekend of Hunting

[Three_Oh_Eight]

Me and my buddies hunted the last four days in the Satsop and a couple days in the Wynoochie and Skokomish GMUs.  First day in the Satsop, saw 6 does, 1 probable buck and 1 confirmed spike.  The next day, saw 4 does and no bucks.  DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER DEER THE REST OF THE DAYS.

We walked behind locked gates in the lower areas that are normally productive....nothing.  Went up high up toward Cushman were bucks have been killed by my group in the past....NOTHING.  We even spent a day running the roads looking for moving deer when it started to rain and saw NOTHING. 

Does didn't seemed to be spooked at all when we saw them.  It didn't seem like they were being pushed at all and we haven't found very many rubs or anything. 

How have the rest of you guys been doing on the west side?  A couple years ago, something similar happened and we ended up killing our deer deep in timber and it seemed like the rut was later.  I wonder if this year is similar?

[jennyfell55]

I've been out a couple times with exactly the same result. No rubs... TONS of sign but no deer. Frustrating to say the least . I hope my luck changes soon!

[grousetracker]

i have seen 6 deer all season, 3 where small bucks, 2spikes and a crab claw 2pt i have seen 3 times in the same spot. this season seems off as far as the rut, no action. think last 4 days

[PolarBear]

Took my daughter into Vail yesterday and this evening.  We got into a ton of grouse, got up high into the snow, had 4 different road systems all to ourselves, hiked timber, glassed remote clear cuts and didn't see a single deer.  Our friend has been hitting it all weekend and had seen nothing but does and fawns.  I talked to my friend at the check station yesterday and they had only checked out only a couple of decent bucks.  Very few people were seeing deer.  I did find out that Weyco employees have been hunting the piss out of Vail this week, during the week.  When we drove in on Saturday, we were one of the first in and the first to get past the upper Deschutes and we ran into 3 trucks about 20 miles in coming out!  Kinda funny that the unit has been closed for a year, had great weather this week and the deer are holed up.  Usually they haul at leas 30-50 bucks out of there on opening day.   

[bwhntr350]

More of the same here. Hunted Hancock last weekend and seen zero deer. This Saturday I saw 4 does, a lone bull and a herd of elk. Moved to Riffe Lake in the afternoon and seen 4 more does.

 Today, the wife and I seen 5 does (Hancock), a herd of elk, a grouse, and a big bear at 600 yards, which I have a tag for but much too far away. It was moving closer to us but got swallowed up by the brush to never be seen again.

 Have not seen one single tree tore up, either:(

[AKBowman]

Finally found a small fir tree that was beat up today. Sounds like some deer are rutting but not where i have been hunting. I can usually tell just byh checking the trails and looking for buck tracks, typically they heat up this week until the 31st so I am still hopeful. I bought the modern tag this yr b/c I am sick and tired of missing the rut waiting until late archery the last 4 years. I now have 4 days and 22 hrs in tree stands this yr and have seen zero deer. Last late archery season I hunted 15 days and finally got a shot but blew it. Should be getting better and better every day until the end of regular modern...starting to think I should have bought the archery tag but theres still a lot of time to hunt with one more week plus late modern.

[deerhunter_98520]

I hunted minot peak in my honey hole and ive seen 28 deer in the last 2 days...21 does and 7 spikes...hoping the rut starts kickin in by next  weekend....on the plus side one of the spikes was trying to tear up a tree 

[firefighter4607]

I couldn't agree more. This season I have seen 3 legal bucks. I usally see that many opening morning before lunch. I know one thing is for sure, I will be hunting coyotes for the next couple months. I saw 5 of those fawn eating suckers.

[fish vacuum]

Today was my 5th day out. I've seen somewhere around 15 does, no bucks, no rubs. I'm not even seeing much track. With the snow level down a bit I thought things might change today, but no. The snow level dropping is the best thing that can happen for my area. The local population isn't big and when the snow comes down, so do the bucks. I've seen this before and it'll be nothing, nothing, nothing, then the place is tore up overnight. The does I've seen haven't been spooky at all.

[Bob Williams]

I just spent four nights and five days in the Methow valley and saw two two points and probably ten doe. We havd seven to nine hunters in camp and nobody saw or shot a shooter buck. Kinda pathetic  actually. Three point or better areas you would think would be full of spikes and two points  but not the case. That makes an even six years without seeing a legal shooter buck. Money well spent. :-( nice management  system.

[MADMAX]

same here 8 guys
no shots
and lots of hiking

[2_Savages]

All sounds too familiar. 4 long days of dawn to dusk and we glassed one doe and jumped a Buck. Nice legal buck but no opportunity for a ethical shot once we determined he was indeed legal. That sums up deer season!

We call it hiking with our rifles 

[bullcanyon]

Been in the Eatonville side of Hancock 4 days so far this season.  Seen one legal buck and he was heading for the timber.  Yesterday we seen one doe and some elk.  Know a few guys that were also in there that haven't seen a buck yet this season.  Gave up on that and hiked in behind a gate close to home.  Didn't see a single deer or fresh track.  I've been saying it for years.  The f&g needs to do something drastic.  Our deer herds in this area are struggling.  I wouldn't flinch if they eliminated late buck for all weapons for a few years.  Maybe a point restriction and no doe tags.  We need to get rid of a few more cats as well.  Really sucks taking my kids out and maybe seeing a doe all day.  When I was his age we would see 30+ deer a day. 

[MADMAX]

Very sad
I hunt the Methow for mulies and see tons of deer on the valley floor on private ground but hardly any in the woods, maybe WDFW should eliminate some doe tags for anything up that way except on  the valley floor using shotgun or archery.
I think it would help.
Not much deer on migration when you can stay all year and eat alfalfa

[kramman]

308 i'm with ya spent all day yesterday hiking the satsop unit where i've seen deer in the past, nothing but 4 grouse. I watched the cuts early and late still hunted the timber mid-day, got pelleted with hail nothing . Saw one fir tree rubbed fresh.Frustrating to say the least. I also have today off but decided to just go home wet and tired.Oh well better then workin.

On a side note its been awhile since i've hunted during the regular season for modern firearm, wow what a zoo!