Thinking it might not be worth it this year.

[Rob Allen]

So in all my recent scouting around Klickitat  county deer seem to be extraordinarily sparce. From the river to the reservation  from 97 to the Klickitat  river there is just very little  evidence that there are a lot if deer. A few in the private fields  outside of Goldendale but little anywhere else. No fresh poop game trails have very little current  use . I only have two  three day weekends to hunt. Thinking the  woods might be a waste of time this year. Anyone  agree or am i being needlessly pessimistic?

[7mmfan]

That area has been on the decline for a long time. Sad to see it get to where it is now.

That being said, is it a waste of time? Do you only consider those 6 days in the woods worth it if you kill something? What would you be doing otherwise? Watching football? Give me 6 days in the woods with the odds stacked against me any day, I'll take those odds and love every minute of it. There are very few places as fun to hunt as the breaks of the Klick.

[bracer40]

That area has been on the decline for a long time. Sad to see it get to where it is now.

That being said, is it a waste of time? Do you only consider those 6 days in the woods worth it if you kill something? What would you be doing otherwise? Watching football? Give me 6 days in the woods with the odds stacked against me any day, I'll take those odds and love every minute of it. There are very few places as fun to hunt as the breaks of the Klick.

Yup! Fully agree!

[Naches Sportsman]

The woods is never a waste of time.

I've been out and about glassing and walking areas that used to hold deer around here and haven't seen much as well. Sure beats sitting at home or at work. 

[boneaddict]

Only way to answer that is for you to prioritize.   Is it worth time away from family or do you have other precious things to do? Is it worth the cost going in knowing you probably won’t harvest.     Hunting is Hunting.   Not killing

[Gringo31]

I'd agree that deer numbers appear to be the lowest I've seen....maybe ever.

[Special T]

When I'm out I'm hunting for more than just deer. Coyotes, mushrooms, berries...

[Bob33]

So in all my recent scouting around Klickitat  county deer seem to be extraordinarily sparce. From the river to the reservation  from 97 to the Klickitat  river there is just very little  evidence that there are a lot if deer. A few in the private fields  outside of Goldendale but little anywhere else. No fresh poop game trails have very little current  use . I only have two  three day weekends to hunt. Thinking the  woods might be a waste of time this year. Anyone  agree or am i being needlessly pessimistic?

http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/local-news/20170912/deadly-deer-disease-arrives-in-sw-washington

[bobcat]

I'll be deer hunting in the same area that I will be also hunting for elk in November. So with elk being my priority this year, I'm looking at it as more scouting for elk, but with a rifle in case I happen to see a deer. So if I see no deer, it's no loss.

[wolfbait]

Only way to answer that is for you to prioritize.   Is it worth time away from family or do you have other precious things to do? Is it worth the cost going in knowing you probably won’t harvest.     Hunting is Hunting.   Not killing

 

I have talk to old timers etc. who just like the hunting, camping etc. they have done it for years. Many don't care if they bring meat home or not, which is good at this stage.

[fishnfur]

 
http://www.chinookobserver.com/co/local-news/20170912/deadly-deer-disease-arrives-in-sw-washington


Man, that's bad news!

[Wazukie]

I would contribute the decline in the west klickitat do to the exploding cat population - just my two 

[pianoman9701]

You have several options.
Approach the private landowners where you're seeing deer on their property
Start scouting earlier and put out some bait
Hunt another area
Don't hunt

This year was the first in three seasons that I enjoyed elk/deer camp. You forget how valuable that time in the woods is. We didn't see squat for elk in 10 days. In answer to your original question, it was completely worth it.

[Seabass]

I never have regret for a day in the woods.

[rtspring]

Harvesting an animal is just a bonus to the geat time spent outdoors with family and friends.. 

[Boss .300 winmag]

Harvesting an animal is just a bonus to the geat time spent outdoors with family and friends..

 

[Odell]

I would contribute the decline in the west klickitat do to the exploding cat population - just my two 

the Poaching is bad also

[Wazukie]

I would contribute the decline in the west klickitat do to the exploding cat population - just my two 

the Poaching is bad also

I don't know of any poaching that goes on in the West Klickitat.  Can you enlighten us on that?

[Odell]

I would contribute the decline in the west klickitat do to the exploding cat population - just my two 

the Poaching is bad also

I don't know of any poaching that goes on in the West Klickitat.  Can you enlighten us on that?

was thinking 382, didn't see 'west' when I quoted it. My relatives have a ranch out there with a county road cutting through. They and I find arrows in the fields all the time, hear gunshots, have had multiple people caught etc. But poaching is a massive problem and I doubt it stops at a particular GMU line

[jnordwell]

So in all my recent scouting around Klickitat  county deer seem to be extraordinarily sparce. From the river to the reservation  from 97 to the Klickitat  river there is just very little  evidence that there are a lot if deer. A few in the private fields  outside of Goldendale but little anywhere else. No fresh poop game trails have very little current  use . I only have two  three day weekends to hunt. Thinking the  woods might be a waste of time this year. Anyone  agree or am i being needlessly pessimistic?

Pick a new spot. Maybe up around Mt Adams for black tails.

[Rob Allen]

If my wife and i don't  hunt we'll  be harvesting  mushrooms coho razor clams  or all 3.

We might  consider doing  blacktails a little further west/ elk scouting.

Would  love to go back into the Blues  we just don't  have the time off this year.

As soon as we rid ourselves  of our med bills and cc bills  we'll  be doing  OTC deer and elk in Montana from then on.

[Cab]

If it was about seeing deer and killing deer no one in their right mind would ever hunt Maine for deer. I grew up there and spent countless whole days-weeks and sometimes whole seasons not seeing deer. As my dad always said " You can't shoot them from your couch." One thing I do is that I hunt areas I know but instead of sitting there, slow stalk hunt. That way you're covering ground, always explore new areas or areas you haven't tried.

[pianoman9701]

So in all my recent scouting around Klickitat  county deer seem to be extraordinarily sparce. From the river to the reservation  from 97 to the Klickitat  river there is just very little  evidence that there are a lot if deer. A few in the private fields  outside of Goldendale but little anywhere else. No fresh poop game trails have very little current  use . I only have two  three day weekends to hunt. Thinking the  woods might be a waste of time this year. Anyone  agree or am i being needlessly pessimistic?

Pick a new spot. Maybe up around Mt Adams for black tails.

This is a sly ploy to misdirect you away from the blacktails in the hills surrounding Camas.  Welcome neighbor. 

[Rob Allen]

I need to update my profile.
I moved from Vancouver to Bozeman in April of 16  but now live  in Wishram WA.

If i hunt this year I'll  be between  Carson and Willard most  likely.   I may get one day to hunt during late buck and that would  be spent on the   between Stevenson and the upper Washougal.

[Rob Allen]

Got tags

[Timberstalker]

Good luck.

[jnordwell]

So in all my recent scouting around Klickitat  county deer seem to be extraordinarily sparce. From the river to the reservation  from 97 to the Klickitat  river there is just very little  evidence that there are a lot if deer. A few in the private fields  outside of Goldendale but little anywhere else. No fresh poop game trails have very little current  use . I only have two  three day weekends to hunt. Thinking the  woods might be a waste of time this year. Anyone  agree or am i being needlessly pessimistic?

Pick a new spot. Maybe up around Mt Adams for black tails.

This is a sly ploy to misdirect you away from the blacktails in the hills surrounding Camas.  Welcome neighbor. 

Grew up in central Washington and that is where I hunt. Now if the city police would help me hang a tree stand in the power pole near my house I’d hunt at home.. but sadly I never have don’t know the area..