Rifle Quality Tags

[Rainier10]

Rainier10 is was up there for 3 days. Hunted up there all my life and every year mores and more people show up. Its getting crazy with p[people up there. Even in my honey holes toooo many people. Nice job on your buck!!!

Thanks, I was super happy to connect on that buck after what I saw the first three days of the season. 

As far as people, I have thought the same thing for the past two years, tons more people and camps in lots of the old honey holes, guys just set up camp right where the deer are/were.  I have been hunting up there since 94 with my wife's family, they had been hunting up there since the 70's.  The hunting has been tough the past few years but for us it is more of a tradition to go, it is just what we do.  Some years we do well, others not so well but we always have a great Thanksgiving week with all of the family together doing what we love and reliving the good ole days.

[Buckjunkie]

I spent 14 days in the Swakane with my nephew who had a late rifle tag. Best buck we saw was a 150ish buck. Bad weather (rain) made a few days tough, but I won't be going back any time soon.

[Rainier10]

I spent 14 days in the Swakane with my nephew who had a late rifle tag. Best buck we saw was a 150ish buck. Bad weather (rain) made a few days tough, but I won't be going back any time soon.

I think the last couple of years have been tough for the rifle permits.  I tell people 150-160 is a good buck for that permit.  There are bigger ones out there but not enough for every permit holder to shoot one.

The real prize of that permit is too be able to hunt with fewer people and see lots of deer.

We archery hunt the unit and it has been tougher hunting for that as well but it is a family tradition for us to go there.  I think there are better options to hunt at this point but we are just stuck in the rut of going there every year, it is just what we do.  There were ten of us hunting this year and three of us got deer, on the baseball field that is a great average.

[jstone]

I agree. i grew up in wenatchee hunted that area for ever. There are nice bucks but not like it used to be. IF i ever put in for a rifle permit it wouldnt be there. Unless you had a kid maybe i would put them info it to get a buck.

[Rainier10]

I agree. i grew up in wenatchee hunted that area for ever. There are nice bucks but not like it used to be. IF i ever put in for a rifle permit it wouldnt be there. Unless you had a kid maybe i would put them info it to get a buck.

I have been putting my kids in for it for the past 4 years, me as the team leader hoping my points will increase their odds a little.  It will be a great time if we get drawn.