Eyeing Washington

[hatchet338]

Alright Fellas, I'm looking at employment in Dayton WA. I would be moving from MT so my biggest concern is hunting. I've spent sometime on your fish and game website but I would like to hear from some hunters on how the elk and deer hunting is around that area. Also I'm a hound enthusiast and like to run coons and lions when I can. Anybody out there that can give me some advice? Much appreciated.

[boneaddict]

Dayton is a pretty good place to live in regards to wildlife.  Right now it has a declining elk population compliments of the game department banning bear and cougar hound hunting and the re introduction of a wolf pack.  That should answer you r hound question.  Very limited oppurtunities in the state for that because of the ban.  It is however known for two 400 inch bulls right now,or a couple of the largest bulls seen in this state.   Pictures of both should be on here right now.  They live within about 2 miles of town.  Deer is so so.  Both large whitetails in the ag land and muleys in the mountains.   There are some true monsters around because of a no hunting zone in one of the watersheds.  You'll probably want to trade in your hounds for bird dogs as its excellent upland bird hunting.  There are also pics on here somewhere of a truly beautiful muledeer rack from there this last year.  I'll see if I can find the thread for you, or the pics.

[boneaddict]

P.S.   Franklin county which happens to be next door, or fairly close also turned out several state record book contenders for archery this last year or two, along with another gigantic bull.  He was light beamed but obviously had the inches. Pics of the buck are also on here someplace.  Maybe do a search on Franklin county.

[Ridgerunner]

Dayten would be a good place to live, lots of hunting and outdoor opportunity, plus OR and ID aren't that far away.

[jackelope]

I think dayton would be a fine place to live if you have a job lined up and are concerned about hunting. there are lots of deer and other critters, 2 big elk , good fishing, camping, hiking, etc. the only problem i would presume is if you wanted to do something else, like go shopping, you'd have quite a drive on your  hands.
not sure if you care, but the wife might if there is a wife involved.

[hatchet338]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm still trying to figure out all your state regs, and I've only just started the interview process. Just had to make sure that I could hunt before I went any farther on the process. The remoteness looks good to me. I grew up in the central part of Montana, kinda like being a ways from anyone. Still trying to find some places for coon hunting that aren't too far off. Bird dogs could work I guess, but I'd rather run hounds.

[bobcat]

I think Dayon would be a great place to live, if you're into hunting. Mule deer or whitetail hunting is good, bird hunting the best in the state, elk just about as good as anywhere, and the best part is you're close to both Oregon and Idaho, so you could hunt either (or both) of those states every year too, if you had the time and money. If I lived in Dayton I think I'd be heading east just a couple hours into Idaho every year to hunt elk, as they have much more liberal seasons than we have here.

[Coasthunterjay]

Well i hunt the walla walla area (about 45 min from dayton) every year since i was 15 (i know it like the back of my hand) and i have fished the tucanon river almost every year since i was 12 (great trout), its a river that runs along dayton( ok i know dayton really well to). As far as i can tell you dayton is really quiet and small so your small town living wont be much different than in Montanna and well hunting and fishing, hum....how do i say this? your not going to have a problem. great Elk hunting, Huge whitetails and Plenty mule deer. They stock the area with an over abundance of pheasants. lots of quail and well good fishing. you are within a 10 minute drive if you live down town dayton from being in the heart of the woods. And well youll be less than an hour from the heart of my mountains. Man that area is great. oh and i have seen both those big Bull Elk. FREAKING HUGE. to bad they practically live down town. And drawing a tag there is like....well its hard. hey man good luck and i wish the best.......PM me some time if you move and ill show you around. there are some great properties up there.

AJ

[boneaddict]

Bobcat says it...you can hound in Idaho as well.  Lots of good hunting in the clearwater.  Not too many moons away.  Wolves are getting bad there too though. 

The govenors tag ought to take care of that one big elk this year.  If not, he should hire the guys in the powder blue shirts.
Sorry...inside joke from another site.

[jackelope]

i talked to a houndsman over out of pomeroy this past fall and he will not take his dogs to ID any more due to the population of wolves. a couple of his buddy's dogs had some issues with wolves he told me...
i'd live in that area in a heartbeat if i could just talk myself into it.

[WAcoueshunter]

There are a ridiculous number of deer down there, both muleys and whitetail.  I haven't hunted the mountains much, but have spent a lot of time in the wheat country out there.  Not difficult to see triple digit numbers of deer without getting out of the truck.  Problem is, nearly all the wheat/grass areas are private, but you'll meet the farmers if you live there. 

I can remember one of my first trips down there in '97 or '98.  Was in Pullman for the weekend and drove down to Dayton on my way home to scout for deer, which opened the following weekend.  Pulled over at one point when I saw a flock of turkeys.  Got out of the truck, and within my 360 degree view had muleys above me, whitetails and turkeys below, a pheasant and a covey of quail in the field next to me.  Saw 150+ deer in three hours of driving around.  That place just crawls with critters.   I haven't seen many big deer come out of there, but there are sure a lot of them.

[hatchet338]

WOW, thanks for all the feedback guys, I really appreciate it. Yeah I've heard about those damn wolves eating hounds ...what a great idea that was, too bad we can't feed em with the activists that think we need em. So far Dayton sounds like a place that could work for me. Hopefully I will be taking a trip out to look it over mid-end of Sept.

[Machias]

Hound hunting--

Idaho only has 70 non-resident hound hunting permits per year, very hard draw to get.  But if you get one you have the whole state to run and can run bear, bobcat, lions and coons almost the whole year.  Yes wolves have killed a few hounds, but a heck of alot more hounds have died from cars, lions and bears.  Every time you unsnap the lead you may loose that dog, it's the nature of the business.  The wolves have added a tad bit more danger, but to give up hound hunting, not hardly.  You can avoid some areas with the wolves and hunt areas they are not in.

Oregon, you can buy a non-resident hound hunters bobcat tag over the counter for $188 and run the Roberts all winter long, as well as coon. 

Washington, honestly for hunting big game your going to be sorely disappointed coming from MT, but as far as hounds go you can run coon and put in for the hound hunting lion permit each year and probably draw every three or four years, that is if they keep the current pilot program going.

[MichaelJ]

Man I'm jealous, I would love to live in Daytona or Walla Walla... great muleys in the blues if you know what to look for, awesome whitetails in the farm lands, great birds, huge elk, good people, nice towns, good schools in Walla Walla, and some big bears in the Blues as well... I'm jealous!

Michael

[popeshawnpaul]

Yeah, Dayton is great for Washington...but it's no Montana...

First thing you need to do when you come to Washington is sell all your rifles and buy a bow and arrow, that is, if you like to see game.  Hounds?  No, we don't believe that is humane here, so we outlawed that...    We do think it is ok to use hounds once a bear almost tears off someone's arm (read newspaper today).  Before I get off topic too much, there are some great things about Dayton/Walla Walla.  If you like wine, Walla Walla is a mecca right now.  Pheasants and birds abound once you get permission from some landowners.  There are lots of deer...it's just hard to find any with size.  There are great populations of turkeys in the Blues.  Don't get too excited though, it's not Montana...

[Coasthunterjay]

Making me feel bad like i need to go to montanna or something . I have spent as much time in that area of the woods as much as i could since i was 12 and i love it. When you move take some time to drive up and down some roads and just get a taste of what you want to do for yourself. have fun.

The Dayton and Walla Walla area is my happy place ...................

[popeshawnpaul]

Sorry, I was just in a negative mood Coasthunterjay.  I love the area.  Been hunting it since 1993.  Hunted and went to college at WSU & UofI.  I have family in Walla Walla and am friends with about 5 winemakers there.  (Dunham, Waters, etc.)  Know the prosectuor for Dayton real well.  (I think she's in Dayton now...?  what's the name of that county...)  I hunt on my friends 5k wheat ranch at Lions Ferry.  So...I'm there a lot.  I love the area and it's great.  I sometimes get negative about WA hunting though.  WA turned me into a bowhunter.

I just mean...going from Montana to Dayton is like going from Pyramid or Widmer to Coors Light.  Not that Coors Light isn't bad.  It's good for what it is.  It's isn't stinky like Old English 800 or something, but there is better...  er, you know what I mean.

[jackelope]

WA turned me into a bowhunter.

thats not a bad thing IMO.

[Coasthunterjay]

I just mean...going from Montana to Dayton is like going from Pyramid or Widmer to Coors Light. 

AAHHHHHHHHHHH, there all great selections after a good long day of beating the trails.....................speaking of which PWI sounds real good right now :chuckle:To the fridge, I am off...........................