2022 late whitetail dates

[fumasgreg]

I just spoke with a gentleman from Fish and wildlife about late season for modern firearm for Whitetail. He believes that the late season this year will be November 5 through November 19. We are going to hunt the area in between Colville and Ione. Does anybody have any recommendations if we should hunt the first week of late Whitetail or the second week of late Whitetail? Thank you for any advice.

[vandeman17]

Later the better in my experience. It puts you closer to the rut and hopefully more daytime activity.

[buckfvr]

Many factors to consider.  Other hunters in the area you plan to hunt in there the first week can make the second week more difficult than it would otherwise be.  Young bucks get goofy earlier than the ones of older age class, and I dont mean old bucks, just 2yrs on up.

Wolves, lots of wolves in the entire area.  You may not see them, but rest assured they are wondering in the area.

Effects of a severe 2021 summer blue tongue episode.  Many deer died.

The high likely hood of baiting becoming illegal prior to the 2022 hunt in response to cwd concerns.  That alone will be a major game changer for most hunters.

I feel that 2022 will be one of the lowest harvests in recent years, especially if baiting is banned.  If you cant do some serious scouting, tougher hunt awaits you. 

10 years ago, if you had a week to hunt, slam dunk.  Now adays, one week is a rock and a hard spot, even for the locals.   

[Ghost Hunter]

   However; The snow came a little too late last year, the last 2-3 days of modern.  Full moon means more daytime activity in my book.  Frost moon is Nov. 8th.     Good luck.

[Colville]

Good advice so far.  I'd add, i'd spend some time to get multiple stand locations.  It's all but impossible to still hunt these deer.  That said, the smell and noise you make along with the others in the woods will spoil stands. I'd want to have multiple stand locations to rotate through during my time.  I'd also want to make sure I spent the time to create those opportunities at a better than fair distance from the last road, skidder, trail etc.   Last year, zero signs of rut. We found almost no scrapes. We did bump up some deer when we got frustrated sitting and seeing nothing. We found a couple bucks that way but they easily escaped.  Weather/cold in the month preceding is going to give you more or less luck than just the days you hunt.  We rarely get real rut activity (I hunt in the area you are talking).  We are lucky to get to the pre-rut and get some bucks out scraping and out nosing around doe areas.  Everything else being equal, the last days are the closest to rut.  There's a reason the original season dates ending on the 22nd of Nov were moved back to the 19th, those 3 days were too successful.

[fumasgreg]

Excellent points! I appreciate you guys.

[huntnnw]

for rifle the last couple days will always be the best regardless of the moon. Ive hunted one area where the rut was non existent and then moved a few miles and bucks chasing every where. It can be great or dead with the dates for rifle deer. From 30 years of chasing them in E WA Nov 20-25 is the money dates to be in the whitetail woods with some years in some places till Nov 30.

[TeacherMan]

My stomping grounds! I’ve taken some nice bucks out of that area. Definitely no question hunt right up until the last day.

[PA BEN]

Later the better. Just be aware that blue tongue has wiped out 50% or more of the deer heard in some areas.

[hunter399]

Later the better. Just be aware that blue tongue has wiped out 50% or more of the deer heard in some areas.

That's about right. Some areas seem almost not affected,while other areas are wiped out.

I think maybe a few was still sick going into winter,which has just wiped them out even more ,till this spring its safe to say we are seeing final effects right now.

[nwwanderer]

Vote for late and yes, the lowest numbers in many decades.  Trifecta, lots of open does, low fawn survival and a bad dose of EHD.  Great year for a nice walk in the woods

[elkboy]

In GMUs 139 and 142 where I live and work, I have never seen as few whitetails as this year.  On evening walks where I normally see 80-100 deer, I am lucky to see 20.   Fortunately, we are having a cool, wet spring; hopefully that will translate to higher stream flow in late summer, and give our whitetail herds a break from EHD/bluetongue.

[baldopepper]

Seems everyone is into the later the better thing. Last year the last few days of the hunt had way more hunters out than the opener did. Last day of the hunt deer started to get active and 4-5 days after closure they were going nuts.  As stated before some areas got hit very hard with the bt and others didn't. Areas closer to running streams or bigger lakes fared much better.

[huntnnw]

outside of moscow to plummer,ID I have never seen so many whitetails this spring. Hundreds in fields

[Lincoln4]

Later the better, in my experience.