Skookumchuck continues decline

[sagerat]

I'd be all for the 2 point min. also. I wish they would do that in most of the blacktail range. How about 3 point min?

[257 Wby Mag]

I didn't mention it cause I figured I would have got thrown under the bus. Anymore I don't shoot anything but 3 or 4 points, spikes and forks for geezers and youths, I'd go for that.

[PolarBear]

I'm the same way, I wont shoot a blackie unless it is 3pt or better.  I would also like to see the point restrictions raised to 2 or 3 pt in certain units.  Coming from someone who lives at the foot of Vail, I think a lot of the problem in the Shookumchuck is due to overharvest of immature bucks & does and the exploding number of predators.  I shoot anywhere from 20-40 coyotes a year in the Skook and am not even making a dent in the population.  I have seen fawn mortality rates rise dramatically over the past few years.  I have one of my pastures planted in several types of clover for the deer to munch on and we are only seeing 3-5 fawns a season instead of the 8-10 that we use to.  Also, check out the pics, and talk to Chauncey (Buzz) at the Vail check station and see how many 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old bucks and does are coming through and the condition that they are in.  It makes me sick to see what so called "hunters" are doing to these critters.  We saw one spike (less than 1 1/2" tall) that was shot 7 times with a .7mm mag, mostly in the ass and guts.     There was about 10 lbs of meat left on the poor little guy.  I have said for years to the guys at the the check atation that they need to put a 3 pt+ restriction on Vail, eliminate doe permits and make it a limited access draw area .  It has great potential to be a trophy machine again if just managed right.

[Dman]

 I agree, I've harvested one nice 3x4 in Vail and passed on a 4" spike. I saw just last season a guy shoot at a spike nine times with a rest!?!

[singleshot12]

The problem with not harvesting 2 points is there are alot of mature 2 points that will always be 2 points.If most of the 3's and 4's are taken guess which ones are left to do the breeding.That's how certain areas end up only producing mature 2 points.I think after a few decades this happens.

[257 Wby Mag]

Right on Polarbear, I live on the south side of Vail on the North Fork. I make it a point to bait coyotes everey year, smoke 15-20 a year as well. I took a guy from work bowhunting in there the first Sunday of archery, 45 deer, only one buck, a spike. There were also VERY few fawns. Of course the longtails don't help either, the nieghber had 2 sitting in the edge of his yard last year, killed one. When I logged in Vail about 12 years ago it always amazed me how many spikes got smoked on the opener. Vail does have great potential to be a trophy area, sad to say we will never see it though. With the cost of feul,tags,etc, its a pretty lame excuse for these older hunters to kill spikes for the meat. Just my 2 cents

[Red Leg]

Anyone know what the harvest statistics where last season for the
Shookumchuck, as well as other areas. How many spikes, 2pt, 3pt etc.? I only see the total harvest on the wdfw site.

[Dman]

 They generally don't show the age class, though if you sift through articles of the "Olympian" online, you may find a Vail article on what was checked in at the check station last year. I hunted it and I did see a nice 4pt. shot on the hill next to me, but other than that all spikes and two points.

[bearmanric]

Lot's of doe tag's and lot's of cougar. i use to call alot around the dam. lot's of cougar 's there. Rick

[280ackley]

bearmanric you are right about the cougar's, I saw four there today.  Yes FOUR!!!  It looked like a female with three grown kittens.  They were almost as big as her. 

What is everyones experience with the season and deer population this year?  I have seen some nice bucks posted on this site, congrats to you.

[cipryan]

I was also up near the dam and found a big kitty had ran everything out of there.

Need to harvest the doe numbers a little and raise the pt minimum.  I think that would help.  But with all the predators it would probably be a crapshoot to the does.

[LongTatLaw]

I called in 2 different 2x2 bucks this morning in the fog. One looked like he would easily go over 200 pounds. They came in mad and lonely! So, there are at least 2 2x2 bucks in skookumchuck!

Not what I was looking for but neat to have them sneak in bristled up and looking for a fight!!

had some cows mewing and one bugle too!

so, the skook is still worth hunting to me!

[billythekidrock]

Not what I was looking for but neat to have them sneak in bristled up and looking for a fight!!

What were ya looking for?

[Antlershed]

had some cows mewing and one bugle too!

A cow bugled? jk 

I got my 2-point up at vail this year. Saw some spikes that barely made the legal requirements to be a buck cruising around in the back of trucks. Saw one spike on top of a Yukon at 9am and they were still driving aorund with it on top at 7pm. That was the day it was 65-70*. Why don't some people care for their game?

I would love to see it go to 2-point minimum, and wouldn't be heartbroken if they upped it to 3-point min.

[billythekidrock]

Saw one spike on top of a Yukon at 9am and they were still driving aorund with it on top at 7pm. That was the day it was 65-70*. Why don't some people care for their game?

Some people don't get it.