Keller Ferry deer hunting?

[vandeman17]

Anybody hunt near Keller Ferry? A guy I work with has 400 acres about a half mile or so up from Keller Ferry and he said I could hunt it next year if I wanted to. Just wondering what its like as I have never been there.

[boneaddict]

Depending on the parcel, it could be outstanding.  There are some really nice muleys and whitetails there and depending on the parcel, elk.

[PolarBear]

In the 40+ years that I have gone through there headed to Republic I have never seen very many deer between the ferry and Manilla Creek/Peter Dan road.  A friend and I have shot a couple of coyotes probably just barely on your friends land on the way to the ferry.

[vandeman17]

I plan to go check it out this spring and summer but he said there are muleys on it. I would love to find a little tract with some deer and see if I could seal the deal with my bow. Not looking for anything huge, just legal. 

[PolarBear]

With 400 acres you could probably find something nice towards the Western side of his land. If it is the chunk that I think it is.

[vandeman17]

He said it is about a half mile "up" from Keller Ferry so I don't really know exactly where it is. I don't know if they camp on it or what but I think 400 acres is big enough for me to hunt.

[mdbuck5x5]

I've camped a few times at Keller Ferry and have seen a few dandy muley bucks as you start heading down the hill to the campground. Should be pretty good.

[CAMPMEAT]

You know that's all tribal land north of the Keller Ferry and unless you're a tribal member...............bad idea.

[PolarBear]

Isn't some of the land to the NW of the ferry private/non tribal land?

[coyotecrazy]

I do think even if it is private land within the reservation you cannot hunt unless your a tribal member. Definitely check that out first.

[CAMPMEAT]

Isn't some of the land to the NW of the ferry private/non tribal land?

Not that I know of. I had lunch with a tribal cop last week and asked if I could hunt on the rez, any plce. No was the answer. No place at all he said.

[PolarBear]

Come on, you know that it is better not to ask when it comes to tribal land!  They don't ask us. 

[CAMPMEAT]

Come on, you know that it is better not to ask when it comes to tribal land!  They don't ask us. 

Oh heck, just do a drive-by....

[Elkstuffer]

Are you on the north or south side of the river? South side is huntable if your friend owns the property there. I've seen some real nice bucks south of the ferry. North side of the river is Colville Indian Rez and not huntable unless you are an enrolled member. However I've never seen a deer in multiple trips up to Republic once I get of the ferry on the north side. Go figure

[PolarBear]

Are you on the north or south side of the river? South side is huntable if your friend owns the property there. I've seen some real nice bucks south of the ferry. North side of the river is Colville Indian Rez and not huntable unless you are an enrolled member. However I've never seen a deer in multiple trips up to Republic once I get of the ferry on the north side. Go figure

I didn't think about the South side of the lake.  Yeah, no kidding, there are some really nice bucks on the flat and in those draws going up the Wilbur Grade!  I saw a monster whitie coming out of the draw behind the last farm on the right before you start really climbing.

[dscubame]

Great opportunity.  Your just off the river that I spend a lot of time on....  this could be an excellent opportunity for you!

[vandeman17]

So even though the family owns the land, I would not be able to hunt it? They are not tribal so I would think they couldn't own land on a reservation but I who the heck knows. I will talk to him and see if I can get a more accurate location of the parcel and do my research. Thank you for all the input fellas!

[boneaddict]

I assumed it was on this side of the river.  I hope for your sake it is.  The other side(manila creek) is pretty much hammered accept for a couple bear, and whitetails passing through, and an occasional elk further up the basin, but probably not near their land. 

[lokidog]

If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call.  We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago.  Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.

[vandeman17]

If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call.  We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago.  Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.

That isn't too bad of an idea 

[cem3434]

In the 40+ years that I have gone through there headed to Republic I have never seen very many deer between the ferry and Manilla Creek/Peter Dan road.  A friend and I have shot a couple of coyotes probably just barely on your friends land on the way to the ferry.

We hunt private land south of the ferry and it is not uncommon to see 50+ deer a day. There area lot of super two's and not a lot of legal bucks. The legal bucks are usually small 3 or 4 points, but I have seen some 160+ bucks come out of there as well. If you have access to the wheat fields, you shouldn't have a problem filling your tag with a small 3 or 4 point.

[boneaddict]

If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call.  We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago.  Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.

Buttloads of coyotes there too, not to mention an occasional wolf.

[bhawley76]

I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather

[vandeman17]

I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather

You mean people trespassing? Who would have thunk it? 

[Jonathan_S]

I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather

Anything South of the river is non-tribal, yeah, and you mean "Dreger" 

It's good hunting

[cem3434]

Dreger only owns the west side of the grade and then they own both sides once you get to the bottom of the grade.  Dean and Dale are very particular on who they give written permission to because they try to limit the amount of hunters.

The right side if the grade is owned by a couple of other local farming families.  I wouldn't try hunting either side of the grade without written permission because they really started cracking down on people this year.  It's a very good area to hunt, by it's hard to get permission unless you know the right people.

We usually take a couple of deer a year in either side if the grade between the 5 people in our hunting party. I must say that wheat feed muleys are the best eating deer I have ever eaten too!

[PolarBear]

Many years ago I killed a mulie buck in a coulee in the middle of a big wheat field outside of Almira. (had permission). It was without a doubt the best tasting mule deer buck that I have ever eaten!