Poll-Which deer tag in Wa is the best.

[trophyhunt]

I have a friend that has 14 deer points and I'm trying to figure out which one he should try for. I feel all the hunts listed above are great hunts, I just wonder because of the wolves and winter kills if one of them shine a bit more than the rest. I personally put in for the late desert. He is a really good bow hunter and I also love bow hunting but if I could pick one of those tags and wanted an 180+ deer, I would have to go with rifle. What do you guys think? I know these tags are no secret to anyone.

[adamR]

180 in lt Murray? Good luck!

[trophyhunt]

180 in lt Murray? Good luck!

That is where my friend and my dad hunt early and late archery, they have seen a couple monsters. I also know a guy who lives in the area that had is eye one one bigger than 180 during the late archery season a couple years ago, until the indians killed it. It was behind gold creek.

[thurman]

Can't really vote anything besides late desert after seeing links buck

[trophyhunt]

Can't really vote anything besides late desert after seeing links buck

:yeah:I figured that might sway a few votes towards the desert!

[bobcat]

I don't think there is a "best." It's just whichever one he can draw. If he really wants a late permit he needs to apply for one with better odds.

14 points is certainly not even close to giving a person a good chance of drawing a permit. I'd say all the permits you listed would be worth 14 points.

Since he knows LT Murray so well that just might be the one to go for. Although it would be the last one I'd normally recommend, since the deer population is so much lower there than it is up north in Chelan and Okanogan counties.

[jackelope]

I think a lot of it comes down to what type of hunting you like to do. The desert is very difficult to hunt and see deer in, especially bedded deer. I've only ever applied for one of the units you listed so I voted for that one. Does your buddy like to spend a lot of time glassing, hiking, road hunting, etc. that may narrow down the permit choices he makes. Good luck to him either way. With 14 points he's got more of a chance at a draw than I do.

[coachcw]

YTC !

[NWWA Hunter]

My dad in perrygin (one of the harder to draw tag)with that many points was somewhere around 1/15 to1/30 the last couple years. With 14 points you could still potentially never draw as someone with one point always has a chance. The question is more whether he wants to hunt or get lucky in the lotto. There are at least 20 units in the state with different seasons that could potentially produce 180+. Will they every year? No. But they could.  Most guys who draw one of the top 5 tags in the state will never even see a 180+ mule deer. You are better off starting to scout an easier draw unit during the season you are hoping to draw. Then you are more likely to draw and know the unit. I have drawn units before where I knew or had inside info and still didn't see the animal I wanted in season. 180 is a big number in this state. You should set your bar at 160 and hope to get lucky with larger.

[vandeman17]

I have 10 points so I am kind of in the middle which sucks because 10 points SHOULD be enough to draw a decent tag but I know the reality of it all. For me, I am ok with putting in for one of the so called "great" units and hoping I get drawn because I am confident in my general season spots and that they will produce. As for the original question, I would rather hunt an area and style of hunting I enjoy versus a place that just has a chance at a bruiser. It isn't all about the size of the buck but the experience as a whole. 

[jackelope]

I drew with 4 points, set a goal of 160, killed a 150 on day 3 of a late quality permit. It was the 1st buck we saw. Anybody can draw at any time.

[trophyhunt]

YTC !

I used to put in for that everyear, and drew it twice in 2003 and 2004. Back then I would have not wanted any different tag but now since the indians have put the smack down on the deer in there, I won't bother with it. I bet there are still some monsters but not even close to the numbers that there used to be in there.

[trophyhunt]

I don't think there is a "best." It's just whichever one he can draw. If he really wants a late permit he needs to apply for one with better odds.

14 points is certainly not even close to giving a person a good chance of drawing a permit. I'd say all the permits you listed would be worth 14 points.

Since he knows LT Murray so well that just might be the one to go for. Although it would be the last one I'd normally recommend, since the deer population is so much lower there than it is up north in Chelan and Okanogan counties.

Good points!!

[trophyhunt]

I think a lot of it comes down to what type of hunting you like to do. The desert is very difficult to hunt and see deer in, especially bedded deer. I've only ever applied for one of the units you listed so I voted for that one. Does your buddy like to spend a lot of time glassing, hiking, road hunting, etc. that may narrow down the permit choices he makes. Good luck to him either way. With 14 points he's got more of a chance at a draw than I do.

Some more good points, he will see these recommendations which I'm sure will help him decide.

[buglebuster]

none of the above for me

[trophyhunt]

I'm surprised no one has picked swakane? I thought it was a really good unit, figured it was more popular.

[skywalker253]

I drew an "any deer" permit in 2007, which covered several GMUs. Perrygin was one of them. I only hunted the last 2 days of the season, because I had a cow permit in the Toutle at the same time.  I shot my cow and headed over to the family resort for the last weekend. I got paired up with a local guy through the family, who had the same permit. We saw plenty of does, but only 2 bucks. He shot a little 3 x 3 and while he was gutting it out, the big boy came in within 25 yards. Stood broadside and just watched him. Unfortunately he tagged out on the little guy and I was over the next hill. I ended up shooting a doe on the last day, just before the season ended. Had I realized how good of a permit I drew; I would have put fourth way more effort.

[trophyhunt]

none of the above for me

I didn't list the westside tags for blacktail, and the other choice for me is a blacktail hunt.

[buglebuster]

none of the above for me

I didn't list the westside tags for blacktail, and the other choice for me is a blacktail hunt.

i def. would never waste my points on a blacktail lol, i dont even second look them while elk hunting. i would say do some more research and look at some of the units right on the methow 

[trophyhunt]

none of the above for me

I didn't list the westside tags for blacktail, and the other choice for me is a blacktail hunt.

i def. would never waste my points on a blacktail lol, i dont even second look them while elk hunting. i would say do some more research and look at some of the units right on the methow 

It's tough to get into blacktail hunting, they are very tough animals to kill when your looking for trophy size bucks. Mule deer are way easier to hunt then blackies in my opinoin. I would rather kill a 140 class blacktial then a 170 mule, now when you start getting up into the 180 mark that would be a tough choice.

[bobcat]

I would use my points on a blacktail hunt, but not 14 points.

5 or 6 points, sure.

As for Swakane, it's a great choice, especially as a second choice, as it has more permits than most others, and therefore it's an easier draw.

[trophyhunt]

I would use my points on a blacktail hunt, but not 14 points.

5 or 6 points, sure.

As for Swakane, it's a great choice, especially as a second choice, as it has more permits than most others, and therefore it's an easier draw.

I have 9 and it's getting tougher to put in for the blacktail tag I want because of the chance to draw a coveted muley tag.

[vandeman17]

I feel the same about the whitetail tags. I feel like I have darn near the same chance at getting a nice buck in general season as I do with a permit but for mulies it feels different for some reason.

[skywalker253]

I have 8 points. I putting in for Entiat and Desert Modern.
I got 17 points for Elk, but I am undecided what to put in for.

[et1702]

I'm surprised no one has picked swakane? I thought it was a really good unit, figured it was more popular.

Hey Jerry,

Swakane has some deer in it, but its open during general season too.  So, much more pressure (at least during archery). 

If you have nine points, I'd try for Entiat Late rifle or Late Archery.  As you know, I drew Late Archery last year and only had 4pts.  I also saw a couple different really nice bucks approaching 180", and lots of bucks in the 150 to 170" range.  My last day up there I was playing hide'n seek in the fog with a nice 170 to 180" buck.  Unfortunately the fog and the buck won, plus had to go back to work and missd the last four days of the season 

Also, while I was up there scouting before late archery (during late rifle), most of the rifle guys were being pretty picky.  One of them showed me some pictures of a 180 buck that they had just missed getting a shot at that morning (again, fog rolled in on them before he could take the shot).  But, they are in there!

Ed T.

[trophyhunt]

I'm surprised no one has picked swakane? I thought it was a really good unit, figured it was more popular.

Hey Jerry,

Swakane has some deer in it, but its open during general season too.  So, much more pressure (at least during archery). 

If you have nine points, I'd try for Entiat Late rifle or Late Archery.  As you know, I drew Late Archery last year and only had 4pts.  I also saw a couple different really nice bucks approaching 180", and lots of bucks in the 150 to 170" range.  My last day up there I was playing hide'n seek in the fog with a nice 170 to 180" buck.  Unfortunately the fog and the buck won, plus had to go back to work and missd the last four days of the season 

Also, while I was up there scouting before late archery (during late rifle), most of the rifle guys were being pretty picky.  One of them showed me some pictures of a 180 buck that they had just missed getting a shot at that morning (again, fog rolled in on them before he could take the shot).  But, they are in there!

Ed T.

Thanks Ed, good info.

[trophyhunt]

I have 8 points. I putting in for Entiat and Desert Modern.
I got 17 points for Elk, but I am undecided what to put in for.

We are the exact same, if you will have 9 when you put in for deer. I also have 17 for elk, I think the decision gets tougher to choose the more points you have. Too bad our success rates for drawing are still extremly low. Good luck on your elk draw for what ever you decide!

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Save your points and head to the TRIPOD BURN!!!!!

[huntnphool]

I have a friend that has 14 deer points and I'm trying to figure out which one he should try for. I feel all the hunts listed above are great hunts, I just wonder because of the wolves and winter kills if one of them shine a bit more than the rest. I personally put in for the late desert. He is a really good bow hunter and I also love bow hunting but if I could pick one of those tags and wanted an 180+ deer, I would have to go with rifle. What do you guys think? I know these tags are no secret to anyone.

If he has been hunting archery season for 14 years odds are he has not even seen a legit 180 class buck during the season, and would likely shoot the first 160 class buck he saw with a late rifle tag. Odds are, even with a late rifle tag in those units in your poll, he won't see a 180 class buck and had better put the hammer down on the first 170 he sees.

Of course there will be a couple legit 180's dropped around the state this year, and its always good to have a goal, but very few have the will to "go big or go home" and I would advise him to not pass a 170 class buck in this state.

[adamR]

180 in lt Murray? Good luck!

That is where my friend and my dad hunt early and late archery, they have seen a couple monsters. I also know a guy who lives in the area that had is eye one one bigger than 180 during the late archery season a couple years ago, until the indians killed it. It was behind gold creek.

I don't doubt that they have seen some monsters in LT.  You didn't ask about monsters you asked where you could shoot a 180 buck.  Personally if my goal was to kill a 180 buck I wouldn't waste my time in the LT Murray.  LT Murray would be a fun tag but there are much much better options when your goal is 180.

[skywalker253]

I have a friend that has 14 deer points and I'm trying to figure out which one he should try for. I feel all the hunts listed above are great hunts, I just wonder because of the wolves and winter kills if one of them shine a bit more than the rest. I personally put in for the late desert. He is a really good bow hunter and I also love bow hunting but if I could pick one of those tags and wanted an 180+ deer, I would have to go with rifle. What do you guys think? I know these tags are no secret to anyone.

If he has been hunting archery season for 14 years odds are he has not even seen a legit 180 class buck during the season, and would likely shoot the first 160 class buck he saw with a late rifle tag. Odds are, even with a late rifle tag in those units in your poll, he won't see a 180 class buck and had better put the hammer down on the first 170 he sees.

Of course there will be a couple legit 180's dropped around the state this year, and its always good to have a goal, but very few have the will to "go big or go home" and I would advise him to not pass a 170 class buck in this state.

Here we go again....
You the man bro!

[throttlejocky20]

All late mule deer hunts are decent hunts in fact any hunt around a rut is a good hunt. Me personally i focus on hunts that have migratory bucks. This is hard because you never know what the snow is going to do and where these bucks are going to hang. With some good boots and a liitle beast mode its bound to be an exiting hunt!

[HoofsandWings]

The best units are the ones that produce in all weather.
If you can predict the weather during the permit season, that is a big help.
Some units are really hot when there is early snow. Others require rain. Others cold.
And then some are not weather dependant.

[trophyelk6x6]

which ones require rain?

[skywalker253]

which ones require rain?

Anything on the Westside. The animals don't even know what good weather is. There is rain....then there is pouring rain....then there is pouring rain with the wind blowing it sideways....then there is SW WA rain. Anyone who lives here, knows what I am talking about. Most the animals are harvested then-LOL

[throttlejocky20]

which ones require rain?

Anything on the Westside. The animals don't even know what good weather is. There is rain....then there is pouring rain....then there is pouring rain with the wind blowing it sideways....then there is SW WA rain. Anyone who lives here, knows what I am talking about. Most the animals are harvested then-LOL

The crappier the weather the better the hunting!

[HoofsandWings]

What you are saying is the permit areas you are talking about are only good if there is bad weather.

[Karl Blanchard]

Colorado is a good tag if you want a 180" buck!   Seriously though I would def take the L.T. off your list!  A guy can't hardly find a 4pt out there let alone a 180"!  I spend a LOT of time out there and there isn't much for age class.

[JLS]

which ones require rain?

Anything on the Westside. The animals don't even know what good weather is. There is rain....then there is pouring rain....then there is pouring rain with the wind blowing it sideways....then there is SW WA rain. Anyone who lives here, knows what I am talking about. Most the animals are harvested then-LOL

Lived in Grays Harbor as a kid, I know exactly what you're talking about

[Karl Blanchard]

Colorado is a good tag if you want a 180" buck!   Seriously though I would def take the L.T. off your list!  A guy can't hardly find a 4pt out there let alone a 180"!  I spend a LOT of time out there and there isn't much for age class.

   never seen a 4 point out there  .
seriously  I know of a few 180" bucks still alive. 

   Well your idea of a 180 and my idea of a 180 must be different.  If I knew of a few 180 bucks still alive in a unit that was open for general season one of them would be dead and I would post pictures. Knowone was killing 180 bucks before when it was permit and there definetly isn't anyone killing them now.  The L.T. is my backyard and I spend a heck of a lot more time out there then most guys,  and thats not riding quads out there thats hiking the canyons, sage flats and breaks of the yakima calling coyotes.  We might also have a different definition of L.T. murray.  When I say L.T. I mean sagebrush from selah to eburg with the river to the east and Wenas road to the west for boundarys.

[buglebuster]

 

[buckfvr]

20-25 yrs ago, that was a favorite haunt of mine  ( Lt. Murray ), and I can assure you, there were some great looking bucks back then........but 180 class bucks were few and far between even then.  A guy could see some dandies if there was an early snow especially in and around Black Canyon, and again over at the old feed station off s. fork manastash creek. 

And yes, there were some fine bucks in the Yak river breaks as well......and the back side of the old wheat fields......when they were still growing winter wheat in there, and if you had permission to be in there, it was a great hunt. 

My input is nothing more than very fond memories......

SPeaking of fond memories....pheasant hunting in the Wenas almost all the way back into Selah was the finest you could immagine back in the early 70s'  All the way up the Wenas, where some of you guys no doubt live now....before there was anything but a few farms and loads of alfalfa and everyone let you hunt and you never ran into other hunters......looking back, seems like a dream.....and now I know it was a dream hunt long gone.

[Karl Blanchard]

20-25 yrs ago, that was a favorite haunt of mine  ( Lt. Murray ), and I can assure you, there were some great looking bucks back then........but 180 class bucks were few and far between even then.  A guy could see some dandies if there was an early snow especially in and around Black Canyon, and again over at the old feed station off s. fork manastash creek. 

And yes, there were some fine bucks in the Yak river breaks as well......and the back side of the old wheat fields......when they were still growing winter wheat in there, and if you had permission to be in there, it was a great hunt. 

My input is nothing more than very fond memories......

SPeaking of fond memories....pheasant hunting in the Wenas almost all the way back into Selah was the finest you could immagine back in the early 70s'  All the way up the Wenas, where some of you guys no doubt live now....before there was anything but a few farms and loads of alfalfa and everyone let you hunt and you never ran into other hunters......looking back, seems like a dream.....and now I know it was a dream hunt long gone.

  Oh how times have changed!  I'm not that old and most of the brush I used to beat for birds is all houses now.  I used to park at save on foods in selah and walk back to the river!  Try walking across that parking lot with a shotgun now!   Its scares me to think about what my kids will be able to hunt in the next ten years!

[skywalker253]

20-25 yrs ago, that was a favorite haunt of mine  ( Lt. Murray ), and I can assure you, there were some great looking bucks back then........but 180 class bucks were few and far between even then.  A guy could see some dandies if there was an early snow especially in and around Black Canyon, and again over at the old feed station off s. fork manastash creek. 

And yes, there were some fine bucks in the Yak river breaks as well......and the back side of the old wheat fields......when they were still growing winter wheat in there, and if you had permission to be in there, it was a great hunt. 

My input is nothing more than very fond memories......

SPeaking of fond memories....pheasant hunting in the Wenas almost all the way back into Selah was the finest you could immagine back in the early 70s'  All the way up the Wenas, where some of you guys no doubt live now....before there was anything but a few farms and loads of alfalfa and everyone let you hunt and you never ran into other hunters......looking back, seems like a dream.....and now I know it was a dream hunt long gone.

  Oh how times have changed!  I'm not that old and most of the brush I used to beat for birds is all houses now.  I used to park at save on foods in selah and walk back to the river!  Try walking across that parking lot with a shotgun now!   Its scares me to think about what my kids will be able to hunt in the next ten years!

IMO- Once an abundance of wolves are a known thing in each GMU, we are going to see some serious changes. I'm thinking the hunting will go down hill fast across Wa and the land owners will keep what little game they have left for their own families to harvest (less land of the public to hunt). Most the state will be by written permission or posted. The state land is going to have so many hunters on it, that the entire state will become draw only. I give it another 10 years; then it will be a draw only state and we will have a wolf season like ID, MT, etc.

[skywalker253]

Then we will have polls on here titled "Which deer tag is the WORST in Wa to Draw? All the units we talk about now, which have an abundance of game will be nearly forgotten. I can think of some once great areas in ID, which have been destoryed by wolves. Same thing will happen here...

[Broken Arrow]

Biggest deer i have seen in this state during the late hunt has been Desert Unit. Though to clarify have not hunted other areas and only tagged along as a spotter for the late AR Desert hunt. Some truly impressive animals, though not easy to get to and VERY hard to spot in big sage.

[JM]

Colorado is a good tag if you want a 180" buck!   Seriously though I would def take the L.T. off your list!  A guy can't hardly find a 4pt out there let alone a 180"!  I spend a LOT of time out there and there isn't much for age class.

   never seen a 4 point out there  .
seriously  I know of a few 180" bucks still alive. 

   Well your idea of a 180 and my idea of a 180 must be different.  If I knew of a few 180 bucks still alive in a unit that was open for general season one of them would be dead and I would post pictures. Knowone was killing 180 bucks before when it was permit and there definetly isn't anyone killing them now.  The L.T. is my backyard and I spend a heck of a lot more time out there then most guys,  and thats not riding quads out there thats hiking the canyons, sage flats and breaks of the yakima calling coyotes.  We might also have a different definition of L.T. murray.  When I say L.T. I mean sagebrush from selah to eburg with the river to the east and Wenas road to the west for boundarys.

I'm not trying to call you out, but I know of someones wife that shot a buck that scored around 180 in the LT a few years back. Then again that buck that one of you're coworkers killed  was over 190 wasn't it? I've hunted the unit that he shot it in my whole life and I've seen one buck of that caliber during elk season about 15 yrs ago. So I guess you never know? I will say that when I saw LT on this poll it made me laugh a little, so I voted for it.

[Karl Blanchard]

Colorado is a good tag if you want a 180" buck!   Seriously though I would def take the L.T. off your list!  A guy can't hardly find a 4pt out there let alone a 180"!  I spend a LOT of time out there and there isn't much for age class.

   never seen a 4 point out there  .
seriously  I know of a few 180" bucks still alive. 

   Well your idea of a 180 and my idea of a 180 must be different.  If I knew of a few 180 bucks still alive in a unit that was open for general season one of them would be dead and I would post pictures. Knowone was killing 180 bucks before when it was permit and there definetly isn't anyone killing them now.  The L.T. is my backyard and I spend a heck of a lot more time out there then most guys,  and thats not riding quads out there thats hiking the canyons, sage flats and breaks of the yakima calling coyotes.  We might also have a different definition of L.T. murray.  When I say L.T. I mean sagebrush from selah to eburg with the river to the east and Wenas road to the west for boundarys.

I'm not trying to call you out, but I know of someones wife that shot a buck that scored around 180 in the LT a few years back. Then again that buck that one of you're coworkers killed  was over 190 wasn't it? I've hunted the unit that he shot it in my whole life and I've seen one buck of that caliber during elk season about 15 yrs ago. So I guess you never know? I will say that when I saw LT on this poll it made me laugh a little, so I voted for it.

   Todds buck was not in the L.T. it was in cowiche.  Big difference.  There is even a difference between mud lake area and the L.T. Also that buck migrated in off the rez.  I never said there was no 180 bucks out there. There may be 1, possibly 2 but to say  that you personally know of multiple 180's?  If they are that abundant then some would be getting whacked.  The L.T. is MY backyard!  You stay on your side of the gap, we don't like your kind around here!

[coachcw]

I"ve seen two huge bucks on the mud lake side both ten plus years ago and no real studs in lt murry just nice and one stud in 336. my bet would be north.