DESERT early archery tag!!! scouting PICS added!

[trytough]

I drew the new desert early archery tag, im supper excited about this tag and think it will be a really good hunt!  Whats everyone elses opinion on how this hunt will be? 

[NoBark]

Watch out for the snakes   

Congrats

[trytough]

I'll gladly watch out for them! 

[goosehunter12]

Congrats, if the weather continuous the same HOT, it will be a fun hunt!  Had my wife and oldest son in for it but no luck. 

[trytough]

I'm curious as to how many people put in for it.

[Ibcnurun]

I drew the same tag one year after drawing the Alkali archery tag - how am I doing this??

[wackmaster]

Your lucky as hell


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[trophyhunt]

I drew the same tag one year after drawing the Alkali archery tag - how am I doing this??

yup lucky as hell or your best buddy is high up on the ladder for wdfw! How did you do on your alkali hunt?  Those are tough hunts for sure!

[Ibcnurun]

I drew the same tag one year after drawing the Alkali archery tag - how am I doing this??

yup lucky as hell or your best buddy is high up on the ladder for wdfw! How did you do on your alkali hunt?  Those are tough hunts for sure!

Here is the Alkali hunt result. Will be looking for his desert brother. Agreed....not easy hunting.

[trophyhunt]

Wow, great archery deer, congrats!


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[trytough]

Nice alkali buck!! I've dreamed of that hunt!  The desert hunt has always been on my list though too.  I will be scouting overthere every other weekend all summer long!

[Duckhunter14]

Buy snake boots!

[trytough]

what is peoples opinions on resident deer there or is there alot of bucks that migrate there towards the rut?

[trophyhunt]

Nice alkali buck!! I've dreamed of that hunt!  The desert hunt has always been on my list though too.  I will be scouting overthere every other weekend all summer long!

i hope you had a chance to hunt the alkali before the Indians raped it?  Talk about a good hunt and a travesty.  Back on track, I think all those deer in the desert are residents? Not positive.

[Kazekurt]

The vast majority of the deer in the desert unit live there year round.  They do leak out into the Crop land and orchards of the neighboring units but they quickly go back if they get any pressure.  There is lots of swamp and brush for cover and water and feed is plentiful so they really have no reason to leave.  I see deer all summer long when I'm working out there but they don't linger much into the daylight hours because it's so hot.

[backcountry55]

I'm working there for the next year would scout for you after work but don't know where to go if you tell me I will take pics I don't bow hunt for deer but,will scout for you if you want me too?

[crabcreekhunter]

No need for snake boots in the desert (haven't seen a rattler in the unit with hundreds of miles walked) and no need to "hire" any help, early in the late summer hit the willows and Russian Olive swamp areas, the deer in agricultural areas seem to be "seen" and older age class bucks I've seen do not hang out around ag fields but more in tall, isolated sage, cattails, Russian Olive and willows.. Unit is not what it was before it went to permit only or early years of the unit but lots of 140 to 160 inch bucks, it'll be fun and best of luck!

[trytough]

I went scouting this last weekend in the desert, seen 8 bucks and two dandies!  I tried to get pics but they were moving and couldnt get it put together before i lost them.  I will be heading back over in a week or so.

[trytough]

I've went scouting 3 different weekends in the desert unit so far and its been tough seeing deer.  Ive seen a total of 14 bucks, a couple of decent ones and one that was outstanding!  I got lucky and was able to get a pic through my binos for you guys.  what are your guesses on his score?

[C-Money]

My guess is he is big enough to shoot!! I'm sure he would score well, he's got it all.

[Duckhunter14]

My guess is he is big enough to shoot!! I'm sure he would score well, he's got it all.

Exactly. Hes a dandy. I love when they are going straight away with their ears tucked back, they always look huge!! Hope you can find him come September.

[trytough]

He's a dream buck thats for sure!  i hope i can find him come september!

[MLBowhunting]

He is a definite poper

[coachcw]

he needs to be on the hit list .

[bowtechian]

That guy is a stud!! good luck hope you connect with that one

[Rainier10]

Velvet is always tough for me to tell but my guess is 165-175 when it comes off and he is done.

He has it all, I would shoot him for sure.

[HUNT-HARD]

165 is way low I would say. He is probably mid 180's I would say. But until he sheds the velvet its hard to judge his mass. He's got width and length though!!

[Karl Blanchard]

Shooter all day, every day.  177-182".  Only thing I can't really see is the main beams,  probably 23-24". 

[GameHunter1959]

Nice buck! I hope you get him.

[UBA]

I'm guessing low 180s  awesome buck

[SkookumHntr]

I would put him 24-25"minimum and with those deep forks,  he's a 180+ inch buck! That thing is a freaking monster!

[Rainier10]

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,178213.25.html

This thread shows you what a 170" deer looks like, some of them are mid to high 160" deer.  Like I said above that is the range I think you are in, 165-175",  I am buy no means an expert at judging 180 deer in velvet.  There is also a thread on 180" deer, I just don't see that this one is in that category.  If you compare your photos to the ones in the 170" thread I think you will see they are very similar.

Once you get over 160" slight increases really add up.  1" longer tines each with a little more mass give you 10" more, that is tough to pick up from your photos and for the average guy to see.

I think most will agree that you have a shooter on your hands if you can find him next month.

Good luck, I hope you get him.

[UBA]

That buck has to be in the top percentile for the unit

[jjhunter]

I see a mid-170s deer.   He is super heavy which automatically makes him a shooter in my book.   His 2's are little short and one beam is short.    Regardless, he is a tremendous buck and if you get the opportunity, I'd put an arrow in him! 

[Karl Blanchard]

Can't just guess his frame, you gotta add him up.  His spread credit of 22" and his short for for his rack g2's are his only weak point.  He's got 33-35" of mass.  Without seeing a good view of his main beams I can't say for certain exactly his top end but I can say with certainty he is 175"+.

[Karl Blanchard]

I see a mid-170s deer.   He is super heavy which automatically makes him a shooter in my book.   His 2's are little short and one beam is short.    Regardless, he is a tremendous buck and if you get the opportunity, I'd put an arrow in him!

  great minds think alike

[deerhunter_98520]

After you shoot him let us know the score 

[coachcw]

Good luck sleeping the next month.

[trytough]

Super excited to get this season started! I'm taking all of next week off and am camping out in the Desert.  Hopefully I'll find something that I want to put on the wall!

[splitshot]

  never saw a snake in desert, sure there are a few.  the deer move to different places as the rut gets near and as cooler weather approaches.  some don't.  some huge bucks don't come out of the trees till nov or dec.     mike w

[Bob33]

im supper excited about this tag and think it will be a really good hunt! 

They're tasty at lunch also.

Best wishes. That is a great tag.

[Badhabit]

Is Lind Coulee in your unit from Hwy 17 to the lake? If you have a kayak it might be worth a scouting float. During duck season when we take the boats up we see plenty of bucks along it. There's also a few nice bucks hanging out in the dunes on the islands. Getting a boat back there is a skinny water access.