Slow year for Deer?

[OutHouse]

Been talking to lots of friends and acquaintances about the deer hunting this year and all I am hearing is slim pickens with a few success stories in the mix. Anyone else think this is a slow year for deer harvest in WA? I am hearing that there seem to be plenty of does but very few bucks which was consistent with my experience coming up to the beginning of September. Ended up taking a doe to ensure some venison for the winter. I also noticed very few fawns with the does I was seeing but that's just my micro-area perhaps?

[Buckmark]

North, South, East or West?
If you are talking Mule deer its been in decline for years, Whitetails in one area i spend alot of time in are doing ok with more bucks seen in the last few years, Blacktails around my place seem to be ok also.

[slavenoid]

Must not be talking about blacktails I keep running into those things everywhere I go more so than previous years. Same with grouse must be all the rain?

[Jimmy33]

This is the first year in many that ive noticed a very steep decline in the mule deer population. I know thats its been in a decline, but ive really noticed it this year. Its a bummer.


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[slowhand]

Tagging along

[OutHouse]

I only hunt eastside mostly in Okanogan County. The mule deer herd is abysmal. I actually saw a lot of does a few weeks ago in a big group but only one with a fawn. Saw the same group last weekend (I think) and still just the one fawn. The whitetail had been really productive the last few years but there are very few bucks in my area now. There are usually a half dozen or so spike whitetails (its an any whitetail unit during archery) right in my area but this year have not seen a single spike. There is decent four point that hopefully I can put my dad on but haven't seen him in months.

[OutHouse]

This is the first year in many that ive noticed a very steep decline in the mule deer population. I know thats its been in a decline, but ive really noticed it this year. Its a bummer.


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Oh yea. I used to be able to go for a casual glassing expedition up in 218 and see at least a few legal bucks each time but in the last few its gotten bad.

[bigmacc]

Yep, I have been singing this song for awhile now, in the Methow at least, 218 and 224 are following the same demise as units farther to the south. Scouted up in that turf this last spring, summer(higher elevations) and just got back from a pre-season trip, worst I have seen in over 50 years. I will be honest, the only reason I still even go into this country to find deer is because of my family history going back over 100 years and the fact that I,m stubborn and old. I enjoy the memories and the scenery more than thinking I will find a buck, in fact I did not even buy a deer tag this year, basically just doing what I have done for over 50 years, scouting and journal entrances. I will tell you, 20-25 years ago these same trips, during the same time frames would have produced over 3000 deer, this year 66, you don't even want to know what these trips produced 30, 40 or 50 years ago, its very depressing, at least it is if you are a deer hunter. I seen signs of wolves these last few months where I have never seen them before, I have seen more bear sign than I have ever seen before and the weird thing was, this year in the areas I was in I didn't see as much cougar sign as I have in the past 10-15. I know cougars follow game, well, at least in those areas I was in, there wasn't any game, not even "local" deer, a few years ago I seen 4 cats while on these same trips. No deer, no cats. I do have friends in other parts and areas who have seen cats or cat sign. I think the wolves are spreading out, my dad and I seen a wolf up in 218 back in the mid 90,s, but it was only the one that we seen, now, I believe they are either moving, spreading or looking for prey but they are in more units and in different "areas" than (at least for me) I have ever seen sign of them before. Slow year for deer? IMHO, unless they get this figured out its all but over as far as Mule Deer hunting goes, AT LEAST, in certain areas of this state.Most of whats left of our "camp/family" hunt out of state now, they do good every year, like I said, I'm to old, stubborn and sentimental.

[Jimmy33]

I know wdfw will never go to permit only MD hunts, i don’t think they should because it would destroy blacktail and whitetail areas, but i do think you should have to choose either a blacktail, whitetail, or mule deer tag. The mule deer tags should cost twice as much.   It would at least be a start...

From: a die hard mule deer hunter


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[archerykraze]

I know wdfw will never go to permit only MD hunts, i don’t think they should because it would destroy blacktail and whitetail areas, but i do think you should have to choose either a blacktail, whitetail, or mule deer tag. The mule deer tags should cost twice as much.   It would at least be a start...

From: a die hard mule deer hunter

Personally I think lowering the multi season quota down to 50 tags would be a good start. Used to never see many hunters during archery or muzzle season but now they look like modern general seasons as everyone that wants a multi tag can usually get their hands on one. By doing this we would be putting less density of hunters in the field over the period of the fall and we wont be running these deer so hard from Sept to Dec. Makes no sense to have this many hunters out for each season pushing the deer around, heck it's bad enough they are being pushed so hard by the bursting populations of cougar, wolves and bear. Hound hunting would be great too but that'll never happen with these Hippie WA *censored*s in control. If hunters can't live without the time in the field provided by multi season they should consider taking up predator hunting and try and take a couple yotes, bear or a cougar to help a few deer out. My two  .

[Lady Grouse hunter]

I SAY NO WAY!
With this freaky weather early,, it WILL be chasing them down to the desert lowlands on the eastside. OHH GOODY for me! HUNT the Desert areas for big Muley's/whitetails(most 3pt minimum(easy!).
Saw a BIG $ss Buck in mid August walking down my country street heading to desert towards the banks lake south. A 4X5 wide & big bodied boy...  Hmm he's trapped from lake to hwy.. Got HIM! 

After that sighting at 6:30 A.M., I was leaving this area to head back home to the Westside on August 15th. It was at Sunset and was diving to US-2 through to the back-way.. I saw something on the rightside that MADE ME just STOP in the road,,, (no traffic in this area)! WOW,,,8 Muley bucks in a neighbor's 8 acer pasture! Each one had at least 3 on one side, average was a 3X4 and only 1 doe with this gang. All were very TALL racks still in velvet. I tried to get video on my
I-phone and only got the last one 2x3 jumping the fence heading off to public land in the Desert! It was a family group. Ha this land I saw them in is for sale and seen 5 Turkey's in that same pasture 1 week before...
It's gonna be a banner of a year before they crash again! It happens every 4-7 years, Soo get your rifles/muzzleloaders/bows out. Put a DEER in the freezer this season. It's been 18 years for me and now is the time to do it again...I shoot Modern Firearm caliber .280 or 7mm express

[Jimmy33]

I SAY NO WAY!
With this freaky weather early,, it WILL be chasing them down to the desert lowlands on the eastside. OHH GOODY for me! HUNT the Desert areas for big Muley's/whitetails(most 3pt minimum(easy!).
Saw a BIG $ss Buck in mid August walking down my country street heading to desert towards the banks lake south. A 4X5 wide & big bodied boy...  Hmm he's trapped from lake to hwy.. Got HIM! 

After that sighting at 6:30 A.M., I was leaving this area to head back home to the Westside on August 15th. It was at Sunset and was diving to US-2 through to the back-way.. I saw something on the rightside that MADE ME just STOP in the road,,, (no traffic in this area)! WOW,,,8 Muley bucks in a neighbor's 8 acer pasture! Each one had at least 3 on one side, average was a 3X4 and only 1 doe with this gang. All were very TALL racks still in velvet. I tried to get video on my
I-phone and only got the last one 2x3 jumping the fence heading off to public land in the Desert! It was a family group. Ha this land I saw them in is for sale and seen 5 Turkey's in that same pasture 1 week before...
It's gonna be a banner of a year before they crash again! It happens every 4-7 years, Soo get your rifles/muzzleloaders/bows out. Put a DEER in the freezer this season. It's been 18 years for me and now is the time to do it again...I shoot Modern Firearm caliber .280 or 7mm express

What?


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[Romulus1297]

I saw 18” 4x4 with eyegaurds today probably won’t  survive.