the Methow is even worse off than I thought

[Skyvalhunter]

Well we can all admit to one thing and that the Methow herd will never be what it once was. Not even a shadow of it and that's very unfortunate but a sign of the direction that this state is headed.

[Wunderlich33]

  Couldn't have said it better its a sad situation we're in

[bigmacc]

Well we can all admit to one thing and that the Methow herd will never be what it once was. Not even a shadow of it and that's very unfortunate but a sign of the direction that this state is headed.

 , and is why a lot of folks are choosing to go out of state, like I said on the previous page at length, there really was a time and not that long ago, (especially in the Methow) that this state offered quality and quantity, there really was no reason to spend the money to go out of state, like I also said, my family actually had friends that would spend money to come HERE from out of state to hunt the Methow with them, seeing what has happened to the deer population in the valley over the last 25-30 years, I know that is hard to comprehend, especially for some of the younger folks on here.Heck, Ive told this on here before, one of the out of state folks that came over to hunt the Methow was my cousin, who graduated from the UW with a masters in biology, ended up getting a big shot job with Idaho Fish&Game, but he came back to hunt it as often as possible as a non resident, not just to be around family but he also knew the quality of deer that roamed the Methow and he knew where to find them. I remember he and my dad going up into an old haunt, they left at around 3 A.M, they made it back to camp at 10.30 that night with 2 of the knarliest non typicals I have ever seen, both had over 14 points each and both weighed over 350 lbs, killed them in a migration route we know of, they were traveling together with 6 other smaller bucks and over 40 does, 1971 was a good year.

[MAVsled]

1971 was a great year. My dad & I took big muley bucks from just west of the big beaver pond complex near what is now Sun Mtn Lodge.
used to catch the prettiest rainbow trout from the upper creek, draining the pond complex, downhill that fed Patterson Lake too, back in the late 60's.
my dad and I loved to hunt the ridges in the Gardner unit. West Fork Bridge creek was a favorite hike-in hunt back then.
I still go but area is not even close to being the same. Even though I get special feeling inside every time I go to our old haunts.

[boneaddict]

   I've got some really good memories from that country.  I feel blessed I got to grow up and see it when I did.   There are generations of folks that will never know.

[bigmacc]

  I've got some really good memories from that country.  I feel blessed I got to grow up and see it when I did.   There are generations of folks that will never know.

Amen to that bone........Just a shame what they have let happen to the deer herd in this valley.

[OutHouse]

This discussion makes me feel bad to even hunt it anymore. I hunt mostly Gardner unit and have opportunity at whitetails. But if I encounter a mule buck or doe in archery, I would be tempted. My brother took a mule doe during archery years ago and it was one of the best tasting I have ever experienced. I really want meat in the freezer but at what cost. I don't know many other areas. I have considered areas west of Yakima/Cowiche where I live but the hunting kinda sucks around here unless you're doing elk. Perhaps I will just commit to whitetail and nothing else? Maybe pursue bear as well? Always good to reduce predators.

[wolfbait]

  I've got some really good memories from that country. I feel blessed I got to grow up and see it when I did.   There are generations of folks that will never know.

Amen to that bone........Just a shame what they have let happen to the deer herd in this valley.

As do I-

Since I came on H-W 2009, I stressed what wolves were doing to the deer herds etc.. The only reason I joined H-W was to inform and get people involved as to what was happening.

And what has happened to the mule deer herd in the Methow/Okanogan is and has been happening in much of WA, most just won't recognize it until it's too late. It is an over supply of cougars and bears, and then add wolves to speed things up, the protection of predators by WDF$Wolves.

I talk to an old timer a few weeks or so ago, he said he and some friend had hunted the Yakima elk herd for several years, he said in 1993 they got pictures of a pack of wolves hitting the elk where they were hunting. He said when they had packed up and headed for home they stopped at a check station and ask WDFW how long the wolves had been hitting the herd? The WDFW guys claimed there were no wolves, when he told them he had a whole roll of film that would prove them wrong, WDFW demanded they hand it over. He said things got a little hot before they were allowed to leave with their film.

We already know how hard it is to get WDF$Wolves to confirm wolf packs etc..

Hunt while you can, because like the Methow, the rest of WA will be decimated as well.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

[ The WDFW guys claimed there were no wolves, when he told them he had a whole roll of film that would prove them wrong, WDFW demanded they hand it over. He said things got a little hot before they were allowed to leave with their film.

We already know how hard it is to get WDF$Wolves to confirm wolf packs etc..

Hunt while you can, because like the Methow, the rest of WA will be decimated as well.

So why not print the photos and give copies to the WDF&W guys to confirm a pack? This story makes no sense if you really want accountability.  Let's see the photos?

[wolfbait]

[ The WDFW guys claimed there were no wolves, when he told them he had a whole roll of film that would prove them wrong, WDFW demanded they hand it over. He said things got a little hot before they were allowed to leave with their film.

We already know how hard it is to get WDF$Wolves to confirm wolf packs etc..

Hunt while you can, because like the Methow, the rest of WA will be decimated as well.

So why not print the photos and give copies to the WDF&W guys to confirm a pack? This story makes no sense if you really want accountability.  Let's see the photos?

The old timer said they offered WDFW prints but not the roll, but WDFW wanted the roll, Not hard to believe at all knowing WDFW like we do now.

[Skyvalhunter]

I personally won't be hunting the Methow anytime soon at least for deer. If they ever come back I might think about it but for me I think its foolish to take a mule deer when they hurting so much. Probably give up all my points for special permits just to take a picture of the permit if drawn being burned and send it to the WDFW.

[mountainman]

  I've got some really good memories from that country.  I feel blessed I got to grow up and see it when I did.   There are generations of folks that will never know.

Amen to that bone........Just a shame what they have let happen to the deer herd in this valley.

e .
I third that. We did get in on some amazing times through th 70's and 80's growing up there, didn't we. Sad what its become..

[MtnMuley]

I contemplated using several videos and pictures I've taken over the last many years and incorporating them with a new series of pics and vids I would need to take dubbed, "Okanogan is Dying". Looked into a 30 minute documentary type film with a video producer and full narration showing the mule deer life over the last 30 years here, but in the end, the many days/weeks/months needed documenting the present has turned me off. A hike here and there into old shed haunts leaving only distant memories of what once was and the occasional trek up a mountain ridge into an early fall morning blue grouse hunt without the bumping of several muley bucks has me spending more of my time elsewhere these days.  It's not going to get better and many of us know that. I'm thankful I got to experience many awesome memories here in the valley I get to call home.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well last Falls survey results of the Methow units only confirm what I have been seeing.

[polishstunner]

Lots of cougars and bears there. Lots. A local said something about a hair condition too. Not sure.

Every area I know that has cougar, bear, and wolves has taken a hit. My area in oregon is the worst. Oregon has it worse than we do....by a little.