Are there just not any deer in Western Wa?

[jason4429]

I saw this one two days ago. I saw plenty of mature bucks this year. I believe cougars are very hard on deer populations in certain areas. We definitely need to harvest as many as possible.

[SWHUNTER]

Here's a west side buck from this year that a friend of mine took.

[npaull]

I believe cougars are very hard on deer populations in certain areas. We definitely need to harvest as many as possible.

Yeah, I agree... Like in the Route 2 corridor. Used to be way more deer up there; I'm pretty sure cougars have been keeping them down.

I'm not an anti-predator psycho like some, but I definitely think there should be hound hunts for cougar.

[fordpowerforever]

some blacktails dont show themselves during the day period....my dad is a moultrie camera dealer and has 11 camera on 300 acres and the footage doesnt lie, those are the ones that become spook and shoot if you want to see them, its weird how some areas seem to be very nocturnal natured deer and so seem to be very day active...not sure if predators have an effect on that or not.

unless you can get trail cam pictures coving ground is the best way to find core areas. Then it is bump and shot.

there is more factors in play then people are thinking about....
Ive been hunting blacktails exclusively for the last 18 years in gmus 601,602,603,607,612 and 615.
We use to log everything right into the creek draws, no rmz area for them to hide in and no place to sneak out as easy, we also use to slash burn our units which got rid of all the brush so the units were much easier to see into and the feed was much much better sooner. I know the cats have definately hurt the population and locked gates have slowed people down a lot. I hunt behind locked gates mostly. covering up to 15 miles a day on foot on logging roads, you can spend all day in the timber and brush holes looking for an elusive blacktail but thats not my cup of tea. I like to cover ground, i do alot of glassing better dont spend hours in the same spot. I average 6-12 deer a day usually at least a buck or two. The bucks out here arent as big as the more inland bucks. Most of my deer have been shot under 100 yards. I have a saying that goes well with blacktails, "you cant find them if you aint looking." In my opinion you cant pattern blacktails, especially in brushy country where its hard to see them. I say cover ground and keep your head on a swivel. Blacktails are spook and shoot not so much spot and stalk.

[splitshot]

  lets make a deal.  westsiders hunt the west side and eastsiders hunt the east side.  no exceptions.  and close all the passes for 4 months in the fall.  but us east guys can come over and catch salmon and crab.  lol.   just want to rattle a few cages before Christmas.  merry Christmas.    mike w

[The scout]

 :yeah:makes me wish I still have a tag

[deltaops]

I bet if anyone still was holding an archery tag they could go outside in this fresh snow and walk down a deer by the end of the day here in Western WA....

Makes me wish I would have never sold my Bow a few years back! 

Next year will be different for sure. Getting back in to Archery. 

[D-Rock425]

I bet if anyone still was holding an archery tag they could go outside in this fresh snow and walk down a deer by the end of the day here in Western WA....

problem is I'm stuck at work

[h20hunter]

Haven't scanned the whole thread but Ripper shot a dink this year....a search should come up with his thread....actually he has managed two dinks two years in a row.   

[D-Rock425]

Yeah dinks

[MountainWalk]

No shortages here in 624.

[netcoyote]

ALL OF US. Seriously, Everyone needs to dedicate more time to predator hunting in the off season. I never really have done the predator thing, but after this season I'm doing it. I'm sick of struggling to find a deer, even whilst practicing disciplined BT tactics. Summer is even more depressing not seeing the tons of deer feeding on the side of country roads like I remember in the 90's. Easier said than done to kill cats I know, but we're all capable of dusting a yote here and there. IT'S GO TIME.

This quote caught my attention. Yesterday I was out doing some scouting in 654 which had some light dusting of snow. Saw a few tracks but overwhelming number of coyote tracks. I started thinking more about why it seemed that there seemed to be so little game in the area. I have been in there in the summer and have heard packs of 'yotes howling even in the daytime. Never have done any coyote hunting up till now but I think I made up my mind as of yesterday to make this a  priority.

So question: Have any of you guys focused on trying to reduce yotes in an area and then seen results in more game? I know it's hard to see immediate results but just wondered if anyone has tried this. Maybe I need to start a separate thread for this.

[snowpack]

there is more factors in play then people are thinking about....
Ive been hunting blacktails exclusively for the last 18 years in gmus 601,602,603,607,612 and 615.
We use to log everything right into the creek draws, no rmz area for them to hide in and no place to sneak out as easy, we also use to slash burn our units which got rid of all the brush so the units were much easier to see into and the feed was much much better sooner. I know the cats have definately hurt the population and locked gates have slowed people down a lot. I hunt behind locked gates mostly. covering up to 15 miles a day on foot on logging roads, you can spend all day in the timber and brush holes looking for an elusive blacktail but thats not my cup of tea. I like to cover ground, i do alot of glassing better dont spend hours in the same spot. I average 6-12 deer a day usually at least a buck or two. The bucks out here arent as big as the more inland bucks. Most of my deer have been shot under 100 yards. I have a saying that goes well with blacktails, "you cant find them if you aint looking." In my opinion you cant pattern blacktails, especially in brushy country where its hard to see them. I say cover ground and keep your head on a swivel. Blacktails are spook and shoot not so much spot and stalk.

For 601, 602, part of 603, 607, 612 and 615 the bios, WDFW and tribe, say they think there is a big decline in blacktails, they think hair loss did a lot of it.  Made the deer too vulnerable to the predators.  When I check the tribe regs for those units it says in bold caps--to not shoot does.

[MountainWalk]

I do feel your pain though. My first couple of years in w wa were prrtty fruitless. But now I've caught on and now I'm five bucks for fie years, all  three point or better. I mostly hunt smaller out of the way spots most hunters pass by. I mostly got away from the idea that I need to be able to watch an glass hundreds of yards. Good luck.

[fordpowerforever]

there is more factors in play then people are thinking about....
Ive been hunting blacktails exclusively for the last 18 years in gmus 601,602,603,607,612 and 615.
We use to log everything right into the creek draws, no rmz area for them to hide in and no place to sneak out as easy, we also use to slash burn our units which got rid of all the brush so the units were much easier to see into and the feed was much much better sooner. I know the cats have definately hurt the population and locked gates have slowed people down a lot. I hunt behind locked gates mostly. covering up to 15 miles a day on foot on logging roads, you can spend all day in the timber and brush holes looking for an elusive blacktail but thats not my cup of tea. I like to cover ground, i do alot of glassing better dont spend hours in the same spot. I average 6-12 deer a day usually at least a buck or two. The bucks out here arent as big as the more inland bucks. Most of my deer have been shot under 100 yards. I have a saying that goes well with blacktails, "you cant find them if you aint looking." In my opinion you cant pattern blacktails, especially in brushy country where its hard to see them. I say cover ground and keep your head on a swivel. Blacktails are spook and shoot not so much spot and stalk.

For 601, 602, part of 603, 607, 612 and 615 the bios, WDFW and tribe, say they think there is a big decline in blacktails, they think hair loss did a lot of it.  Made the deer too vulnerable to the predators.  When I check the tribe regs for those units it says in bold caps--to not shoot does.

i didnt think hair loss was that bad here, seen very few with it in my time, the tribe isnt very hard on the deer around here anyways, most dont waste time with a doe, if they want meet there is plenty of cows for them...