Kitsap/Mason

[Natas5150]

With MF season just around the corner I was wondering how many will be hunting either of these areas . Reason I ask is I will be and I am curious to see if both GMU's will be pumpkin patches. I am not asking for anyones fav spot just want to know what i should expect as far as popularity.

[ReformedVeg]

I will, with my dad.  Never hunted there before, so I'm in the same boat as you.  We're heading out Sunday 10/19 and have all week, so I'm hopeful that mid-week pressure is light.  I've heard mixed stories about the crowds, but it beats staying home.

[sirmissalot]

I imagine it will be worse than years previous with so much of the surrounding areas permit access. Find gated roads and walk in if you can.

[fastcrazyhurt]

good luck.. I grew up in dewatto area and still live there.. I quit hunting it due to population.. I drive an hour from there to hunt. way to many hunters spooking game and do what they call HUNTING. which is more like being loud and spooking everything.. expect to find 3 to 5 trucks at every gate and if you want a chance get into the worse stuff possible because all the other hunters will scare the animals deep in the thick.

[hillbillyhunting]

I imagine it will be worse than years previous with so much of the surrounding areas permit access. Find gated roads and walk in if you can.

   It has been really bad the past couple of years.  There has been 2, 3, 4... cars at gates where you have to walk-in.  Now with all of the permit area it will be MUCH worse!!!!     I need a new job or gas prices to drop if I am going to be able to keep hunting as much as I would like. 

[BiggLuke]

Yup. Like these guys said.... if it's an easy spot to get to (i.e. gated road or pull out) then there will be a couple of trucks if not more in each spot.

The easier it is to get to... the more "Pumpkins" you see.
You'll be surprised at how many hunters you see man quite a few more than Muzzle season. But you can still get lucky. Use the yardbirds to push the deer to you, and wait.

Or just do like we do, and drive 5 hours away from all these road walking, gate blocking, flushing dogs that call them selfs hunters....    lol   

No... seriously though, if you just get 100 yards off the roads then you will see way less orange.

[outdrsguy]

Hey fastcrazyhunt- Just have to love Dewatto

I remember shooting a nice Dewatto 2 point in the 80's with most of his coat in a nice white color in a deep canyon that other hunters pushed him into.

[jjaba]

Depending where you sit. Last year my son and I went out and every clearing we walked to had orange.  The best part was when we set up on a clearing with no orange....two people came by and set up next to us.... good luck.

[huntingbaldguy]

I have a story about last year.  My buddy and i hunted down SW with a friend that wanted to help us out.  I got a deer opening day near dark a decent spike.  Lucky, to say the least.  My buddy did not get one, so in an effort to help him while he worked his 9-5 job, i went and scouted a few areas since i work graveyard.  Found a very promising spot mid week, and was even fortunate enough to see a 2 point with eye guards.  This was in a clear cut, a mile behind a locked gate and it was mid season.  We made a plan and went for it that Saturday morning.  Showed up at "the spot" at 5am to ensure beating everyone else.  6-8 cars came and went between about 6 and 6.30am, seemingly since we were already there.  As we were getting ready to hike in, another car pulled up, and didn't leave.  They parked their truck, and got ready in a hurry and started walking in.  In a low voice i said, "hey, we were here first, wait and walk in with us or walk in behind us." 

The older guy said, "no we'll be quick and just get to our spot on the other side of the cut."  Right... walk in quick, spook all the deer, stay an hour and then leave, completely screwing us.  I was pretty livid, especially when upon meeting them when we hadn't even made it down to our spot because we were going slow, he said he spooked at least 3 deer on the way in.  I asked him if he'd ever shot a deer before.  He said "no, we just come here to have some father son time, but it would nice to get one one of these days."  I just said "if you really want to get one, at least learn what not to do... like spook them all before shooting light."  and just walked away.

Most people don't mean to be a holes, they just don't know how to hunt.  They haven't done the research or the scouting and they are lazy.  That's why i said 3 miles or more in this year, before anyone can jump ahead of me and spook my deer.  If this story helps anyone not be that guy, i'm happy, but we missed a legit shot at getting my buddy a deer last year because of it.

[Toptwo]

I will be out in these area's, but think I will pretty much be hunting M-F and leaving the weekends to the masses. Besides, Mondays weather looks a LOT worse then Sat/Sun (at least for this weekend) that might help keep a few more people home during the week Good luck everybody, and stay safe and have FUN!