Deer and elk season overlap

[HoofsandWings]

I see that this year there is a couple day overlap for deer and elk.
If you see a deer before an elk, do you shoot? Or do you continue to hunt for an elk on opening weekend?

[bobcat]

Depends how big the deer is and what your chances are of finding an elk. If I knew I was going to be into elk at any time then the deer would really have to be a good one. I suppose it might also make a difference how much time you had to hunt elk. If just the weekend, then you might want to concentrate more on killing an elk, and spending more time deer hunting during the late season. Really there's no one way to answer that question as it depends on too many other factors. Personally I would have to let the deer walk because I have a modern firearm tag for deer, and muzzleloader for elk.

[bowhunterforever]

I would concentrate on getting an elk, but i would shoot a deer if it was a wopper.

[ing]

Take the shot. Why pass on a deer here in Washington? I have a hard time passing on deer or elk.  I guess I'm a meet hunter more than trophy.  Tell you the truth I've never passed on a shot in Washington.  I passed on a couple of nice bucks in Idaho then ended up shooting a smaller one.  Ever since then if I have a chance at a deer or an elk I'm takin it!  Besides is'nt that why we are out in the woods durning hunting season anyway?

[Curly]

Deer are easier to come by than elk...........so pass him up unless he is huge.  There is more meat on an elk.....

I remember hunting Cowiche around 20 years ago for elk and at that time the deer and elk ML seasons overlapped.  We passed on a legal mule deer buck since we didn't want to waste time on him and risk not getting the elk we had been chasing around.  We ended up not getting a shot at the elk, but came close to getting a shot at some bulls.  So we ended up not getting elk or deer, but I still think it was the right decision.  If I remember right, we ended up getting deer in a different unit later that year.