Unit 121 small bucks

[baldopepper]

Spent last weekend at my cabin in 121 and my nephew and his friend had been hunting around there for 4 days.  They saw several legal bucks (could'nt seem to get a shot on any of them) plenty of does and fawns, but no small bucks.  I've been noticing the same thing all summer, quite a few 3-4 points (both whitetails and mulies) but have been seeing no spikes or two points.  Seems kind of odd to me.  Anyone else in that area noticing the same thing?  Any possible explanations?  Herd in the general area looks good-lots of does with twin fawns. 

[Jonathan_S]

I had an mirror experience in GMU 117 for four days. 3x3 and 4x4 galore, only saw one forked whitey.

I'd already tagged a 2x3 though in GMU 105 and was elk hunting at the time.

[coachcw]

late fawns the year before so they grew to 3'ss on there first set .

[CedarPants]

Seems to be a mix of spikes, 2's, and 4's by my place.  All young deer as well.  Big boys playing it cool and staying hidden, for now

[whtbuck]

spent 5 day up there myself.DNR guys told us Blue tongue was showing some signs.there was a small doe dead with it off the Marble valley basin rd

[PA BEN]

We tried to get a buddy's daughter a buck before the doe season and they were all spikes and forken horns.

[baldopepper]

I might add that one "locals" opinion is that poachers are hard at work in the area and the smaller bucks are easier to see and get at than the larger bucks.  Could be some truth to that as the deer in our area (Hunters/Cedonia) are very, very skitish.  Stop the truck for a second to glass them and they are gone.  Been that way all summer, not just during the hunt. 

[Chappyk16]

same with our GMU in eastern.  Saw 1 small buck, and 1x 2 by 2.  the rest were 3 by 4 or 4 by 4. there were 9 taken the first day, and 4 taken sunday

[Jonathan_S]

I might add that one "locals" opinion is that poachers are hard at work in the area and the smaller bucks are easier to see and get at than the larger bucks.  Could be some truth to that as the deer in our area (Hunters/Cedonia) are very, very skitish.  Stop the truck for a second to glass them and they are gone.  Been that way all summer, not just during the hunt.

I have relatives with property in the Hunters/Fruitland area and I've spent time there throughout the summer and fall.  It's poached pretty heavily for sure and I have seen jacklighters.  There are a lot of spooky people up there who shoot a lot of animals.  I found deer carcasses stripped of meat in July.

I guess all those dope smokers up there get the munchies for venison

[buck man]

Lived in that country for 10 years 92-2002. We killed some awesome bucks then. During that time many of the big ranches divide up and sold their ranches into 20 acre parcels. 500$ down and 250$ a month. Brought in a lot of trash. The hunting has never been the same.
I flew over that country in a small plane last fall and counted 23 trailers or school buses, all on the ground I used to hunt. Really sad.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

 

[CedarPants]

I watched a draw in 121 Friday afternoon and shot a spike, 2 point, and 3 point with my finger

[BOWHUNTER45]

I might add that one "locals" opinion is that poachers are hard at work in the area and the smaller bucks are easier to see and get at than the larger bucks.  Could be some truth to that as the deer in our area (Hunters/Cedonia) are very, very skitish.  Stop the truck for a second to glass them and they are gone.  Been that way all summer, not just during the hunt.

I have relatives with property in the Hunters/Fruitland area and I've spent time there throughout the summer and fall.  It's poached pretty heavily for sure and I have seen jacklighters.  There are a lot of spooky people up there who shoot a lot of animals.  I found deer carcasses stripped of meat in July.

I guess all those dope smokers up there get the munchies for venison

I do not know why ? Maybe because it HAD some of the biggest whitetail that this state has to offer...I have friends that live on Fruitland Valley R.d and he tells me he hears shots all the time in the middle of the night ..Sounds like a good spot to set up Mr.Mechanical 

[br8kitoff]

heard that it was the colville tribes time to shoot 4 deer per family member this year.....didn't see as many deer as usual...might be the cause.....and i'm not trying to bash, just what I heard.

[YellowDog]

I watched a draw in 121 Friday afternoon and shot a spike, 2 point, and 3 point with my finger

Damn, thats some good shootin'.   

[huntnnw]

Local poaching is rampant in parts...Area I hunted years ago in 105 was void of homes now there are quite a few and now the deer are gone

[dscubame]

I have spent 20 years in the area.  Huntnnw is correct and I have come to learn from his posts he spends good time in the general area also. 

I have never once seen or heard of it being a tribal issue at all.  I can say for a fact I have witnessed first hand the locals poaching.  And talking with many of the landowners that I do frequently tribal has never even came up rather a good deal of locals that are habitual poachers to put food on the table.  It is a feed the family deal not a thrill kill.  Poaching is poaching however this is the type of poaching I know goes on around Colville and to some extent but to as great up north in the Republic area.