Methow season recap?

[davew]

I'd like to hear about everyone's experience in the Methow this year.  I spent 8 days hunting Gardner, 4 in muzzleloader and 4 in modern (multiseason tag).  I saw a few does/spikes/forkhorns every day but never even saw a legal buck.  From what I've seen, the herd outside of town continues to shrink, but the number of deer in town or in and around the un-huntable hay fields has bounced back a bit.   Even though I can't hunt there because of the proximity of other houses, I'd see more deer if I just sat in a lawn chair in my driveway all day. 

How does this compare to what you guys are seeing?  It would be fun to compare notes. 

[KP-Skagit]

Our camp of a half dozen hung two bucks and a bear. We were weekend warriors and then a couple older guys who can't get after it much anymore. Nothing freaky, 2.5 year old deer. Collectively we saw a lot of deer, a few other shooters we could not put it together on. Including two that popped up while we were skinning my old man's bear. Other hunters messed that one up for us.

I'm not sure if its my knowledge year over year but I have been seeing more and more deer over the past couple years. We have hunted the area for a long time but with a local friend who has since past away. So in some ways its like learning a new place.

[Skyvalhunter]

Depends on what GMU you are in I know the lower Alta has taken a beating between the two wolf packs the deer are few and far between. I spend a lot of time there having property there but I have been going there since I was a kid. I am sure there are other parts of the GMU within the Methow that fair better. I know the high country isn't the same but where is it. Pearrygin has taken an absolute beating. A person shouldn't hunt the whole season and not see a legal buck like my friend did.

[timberfaller]

Spent the general season in my old stomping grounds and then some!  Seen lots of bucks, none legal!  Spent a day in what used to be a good area,  seen one set of tracks, many camps, didn't see even a doe all day.  Don't think I will ever go back to that place.

My nieces and nephews did ok during muzzie and archery season, nothing to brag about, but at least they aren't going to have tag soup!!

Heard even the game wardens were telling people who complained about the lack of deer, "wolves" in their response's!!   To bad their "biologist" can't figure it out!!  What I get from them is "climate change"!   educated past their intelligence!

[X-Force]

Opening weekend I heard of a wolf pack up squaw creek (8 wolves) and I’ve seen a video of a wolf pack (about a dozen) up near the chewuch/ptarmigan border. They were high in the snow.

We had 2 whitetail doe tags filled, 1 whitetail buck tagged and a really nice mulie tagged in camp. It was definitely a slower year, only saw 8 legal bucks, nothing worked out. But we had 3 generations in camp most of the season, which was awesome. And everyone saw at least 1 legal deer while hunting.

[bankwalker]

Opening weekend I heard of a wolf pack up squaw creek (8 wolves) and I’ve seen a video of a wolf pack (about a dozen) up near the chewuch/ptarmigan border. They were high in the snow.

We had 2 whitetail doe tags filled, 1 whitetail buck tagged and a really nice mulie tagged in camp. It was definitely a slower year, only saw 8 legal bucks, nothing worked out. But we had 3 generations in camp most of the season, which was awesome. And everyone saw at least 1 legal deer while hunting.

Modern rifle I spent Sunday through Thursday camped off black creek canyon. Hunted squaw creek every day morning. Never heard or seen a wolf. Glad I didn't experience any issues

[bigmacc]

Opening weekend I heard of a wolf pack up squaw creek (8 wolves) and I’ve seen a video of a wolf pack (about a dozen) up near the chewuch/ptarmigan border. They were high in the snow.

We had 2 whitetail doe tags filled, 1 whitetail buck tagged and a really nice mulie tagged in camp. It was definitely a slower year, only saw 8 legal bucks, nothing worked out. But we had 3 generations in camp most of the season, which was awesome. And everyone saw at least 1 legal deer while hunting.

Yep, that Chewuch/Pearrygin bunch has been cruising that turf for awhile now, they bounce around from the Baldy/Tiffany area down into Tripod and then north up into 20 mile turf. Just making the rounds Its where my dad and I seen our first wolf back in the early 90,s during a post season count, we were told, "there are no wolves around, you must have seen a big coyote". Dang thing was staring us down at about 30 yards (give or take) in the middle of the road! We were yelling and throwing rocks at it for 2-3 minutes before it eventually slinked over the bank with teeth showing, it was bigger than my 110lb black lab who wanted nothing to do with it. We had 3 pistols drawn for that "big coyote", just in case.

[RobinHoodlum]

We also heard wolves in Squaw Creek. Was about the 5th day of muzzy season. South side and a couple.miles east of Hunter Mtn

[timberfaller]

Careful boy's,  you'll make members of the MVCC mad at you!!!   You know its suppose to be called Hunter Mt!

[huntnphool]

 While I agree things are not great, I got family members on legal bucks every day I was in the field the last two seasons, even got my niece her first deer this year.

[Jingles]

Careful boy's,  you'll make members of the MVCC mad at you!!!   You know its suppose to be called Hunter Mt!

If not mad at them at the very least label Squaw creek hunters as derogotory Racist.
 

[jkononen]

This video?

[Jingles]

This video?

Wow those are some big azz black coyotes with winter pelts that aren't worth picking up
Bang bang bang

[pickardjw]

Need a lot more of the three S's up there.

[Jingles]

Need a lot more of the three S's up there.

Forget the 2nd S  buzzards and carrion eaters will take care of that one

[timberfaller]

Careful boy's,  you'll make members of the MVCC mad at you!!!   You know its suppose to be called Hunter Mt!

If not mad at them at the very least label Squaw creek hunters as derogotory Racist.
 

 

[Skyvalhunter]

Time to take that sign

[Hockey21]

We hunted the general season around Twisp and saw a lot of orange. The hills were covered. Didn't know what to expect this year since a lot of the Winthrop area burned. Not a ton of deer either. a few does here and there. One 4 point, which I missed 3 times due to not sighting my gun in before I left (115 yrds away!  , and one 3 point which my father-in-law harvested. Lots of predator's around also. Saw cat tracks in my area for the first time, of course bear and wolf tracks and their poop.

[X-Force]

This video?

Yup same video

[30.06]

Cat tracks, way less bear sign than normal. Did not hear wolves where I have in the past. 1 coyote running fast way uphill just as I was leaving stand.

 Opening Day fkn insanity on crack. I saw 1 doe pass by at 50 yds followed by 14 "hunters" (they were the Orange Team) over the next 2 hours. In-fkn-sane.

Got a 2 1/2 YO Friday, had a not really a chance type chance at a medium and almost bumped into a big 1 but he went the other way out for some reason. His Wife

and Kid had huge eyes and a very startled expression like "barb wire crap- you almost shot my poppa! " & "WTF did you come from I thought we were safe here!!"

Snuck up on some good spots but the bucks were all lying down & smooth 2 pts. Normal year I see a bear and shoot a coyote. One big 4 pt was hanging in main camp.

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