Blue Mountain foothills west?

[HntnFsh]

Runs Nov. 9-19th.
I know people on here have peak rut dialed in to within a couple days.
If you were hunting this tag, what 5 days would you pick?
I'm hoping to be over there for at least a week. But if something comes up and can only make it 5 days I want to be there for the best 5!  I will have my son and brother in law over with tags also. And hopefully the grandson as head grouse shooter and pack mule.

I have a feeling this year is going to be cold and snowy. If so the timing may not matter. What are your thoughts?

Thanks HntnFsh

[jackelope]

I’d go the last 5 if that’s all I could do.

[teanawayslayer]

I’d go the last 5 if that’s all I could do.

when I had the tag we went the last 5 days. It wasn’t hot by any means, but bucks were chasing. We saw lots of deer

[HntnFsh]

I'm hoping to go over on the 11th and stay until the 19th. But a lot of that will depend on the rest of the crew. I was thinking the later the better. If I have to settle on a 5 day window the last 5 days sound good.
Thank you!

[jackelope]

The last 5 days is still pre-full on rut craze if you ask me.

[SEWA509]

The later part of November seems to be when the rut is most active. That being said, deer are still going to be moving and searching a lot. I would focus on pinch points or funnels downwind of doe bedding areas as bucks will be cruising these locations looking for hot does and scent checking these locations.

Get a decent little glassing pad and be willing to sit all day at some of these locations or find areas with good visuals in multiple directions.

10 am to 2 pm is a great time to kill a buck on his feet

[geauxtigers]

I have the tag also and will be there for the last 4-5 days.  Good luck, maybe I’ll see you there.

[jburkett]

My nine year old drew that tag a couple years ago we were there for the last 9 days of the season. We saw rut activity every day but didn’t see a buck over 125” until the last three days of the season. My boy filled his tag on our fourth day of hunting on a small 4x4 which we were both very happy with, but after that the big guys came out.  We stayed till the end and glassed up bucks for the fun of it and saw several very nice ones. I’d hunt the last days if we ever get the tag again

[Turkeyman]

Last 3 days.

[BUTTER]

Depends a lot on weather as well. Hope for Cold and Snow

[geauxtigers]

As of right now it looks like I’ll be there by myself for this hunt.. I already have a few spots lined up for hunting so I’m not asking for everyone’s secret spots or intel, but I’d be interested to meet up with other tag holders for a beer in town or around a campfire in the evenings.   

[Limhangerslayer]

Daughter has the tag, but I think we’re turning it in now as she has a youth tag.  She’s 16 now so she can’t do youth anymore, might as well save the buck points

[geauxtigers]

Well it doesn't look like we'll get the snow that I was hoping for during thi season.  Anyone on here already hunting the last few days, and if so how is it looking so far? 

I'm headed over late Wednesday night to hunt the last 4 days of the tag.  Mentioned it once before, but if any other tag holders (or anyone...) wants to grab a beer in Dayton or around a campfire and swap stories let me know.

[trophyhunt]

good luck, we turned the wifes tag back in so hopefully the person who got it has fun. 

[geauxtigers]

good luck, we turned the wifes tag back in so hopefully the person who got it has fun.

When you turn a special tag back in do they actually go down the line and try to offer it to someone else?  I just assumed it was burned and nobody got it.

[Caseyd]

good luck, we turned the wifes tag back in so hopefully the person who got it has fun.

When you turn a special tag back in do they actually go down the line and try to offer it to someone else?  I just assumed it was burned and nobody got it.

Yes they have a alternate list.

[bachto]

If this helps. I had a quality tag for the one blues units. I killed a nice 4 point mulie on Friday and he was absolutely going nuts over some does. Full on rut mode pushing them around racking bushes. Mulies tend to start the rut a little sooner from what I have heard but this might help you.

[jackelope]

If this helps. I had a quality tag for the one blues units. I killed a nice 4 point mulie on Friday and he was absolutely going nuts over some does. Full on rut mode pushing them around racking bushes. Mulies tend to start the rut a little sooner from what I have heard but this might help you.

Pics man, pics!!

[teanawayslayer]

Well it doesn't look like we'll get the snow that I was hoping for during thi season.  Anyone on here already hunting the last few days, and if so how is it looking so far? 

I'm headed over late Wednesday night to hunt the last 4 days of the tag.  Mentioned it once before, but if any other tag holders (or anyone...) wants to grab a beer in Dayton or around a campfire and swap stories let me know.

this hunt doesn’t normally ever see much snow if any. I wouldn’t be to disappointed with that. Good luck!

[HntnFsh]

Been here since Friday. Really slow. Know of a couple that were harvested. Talked to a guy last night that has been here since the opener.  He threw in the towel and went home this morning. He saw some bucks, but nothing that turned his crank. Saw a couple dandies that were just out of an area that was huntable. Seen a few legal dinks that we passed on.
Seeing a fraction of the deer that I saw a few years ago when I had the tag. As people have mentioned.  Blue tongue really hammered these herds. There are pockets with fair amounts of deer and pockets devoid of deer and sign where I saw plenty before.  I think I'll be lowering my standards tomorrow and taking the first legal buck I see unless things really light up. Sorry to give such a lousy report. Hopefully someone can pitch in with better news.

[HntnFsh]

Think I've seen as many mulies as I have whitetails. Some rut activity out of both species.

[geauxtigers]

Well it doesn't look like we'll get the snow that I was hoping for during thi season.  Anyone on here already hunting the last few days, and if so how is it looking so far? 

I'm headed over late Wednesday night to hunt the last 4 days of the tag.  Mentioned it once before, but if any other tag holders (or anyone...) wants to grab a beer in Dayton or around a campfire and swap stories let me know.

this hunt doesn’t normally ever see much snow if any. I wouldn’t be to disappointed with that. Good luck!

Yeah I definitely wasn’t EXPECTING it, just hoping for enough of a dusting for some great visibility of deer


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[geauxtigers]

Think I've seen as many mulies as I have whitetails. Some rut activity out of both species.

Yeah when I was in our normal area in October I saw two whitetail does the whole weekend, dozens and dozens of muleys.   A few years ago it was 50/50. 

I got access for a nice draw that usually holds more whitetail so I’m more optimistic for this week.

Good luck to you!


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[jamese]

The last few yrs have been bad for White tail. As mentioned, Blue Tongue really hit hard. Been hunting this area for a long time. Spent the whole season for muzzle. I think i saw 2 shooters, that were above average - a few dink sm 3pts.. Its mostly a muley show, at least for my group.. I had this tag around 10yrs ago. I would not waist my points on this tag again.

[bachto]

If this helps. I had a quality tag for the one blues units. I killed a nice 4 point mulie on Friday and he was absolutely going nuts over some does. Full on rut mode pushing them around racking bushes. Mulies tend to start the rut a little sooner from what I have heard but this might help you.

Pics man, pics!!

[Woodchuck]

Been here since Friday. Really slow. Know of a couple that were harvested. Talked to a guy last night that has been here since the opener.  He threw in the towel and went home this morning. He saw some bucks, but nothing that turned his crank. Saw a couple dandies that were just out of an area that was huntable. Seen a few legal dinks that we passed on.
Seeing a fraction of the deer that I saw a few years ago when I had the tag. As people have mentioned.  Blue tongue really hammered these herds. There are pockets with fair amounts of deer and pockets devoid of deer and sign where I saw plenty before.  I think I'll be lowering my standards tomorrow and taking the first legal buck I see unless things really light up. Sorry to give such a lousy report. Hopefully someone can pitch in with better news.

Get up high, higher than you think you want to be. 

[jackelope]

If this helps. I had a quality tag for the one blues units. I killed a nice 4 point mulie on Friday and he was absolutely going nuts over some does. Full on rut mode pushing them around racking bushes. Mulies tend to start the rut a little sooner from what I have heard but this might help you.

Pics man, pics!!

Nice. Congrats.

[jackelope]

Been here since Friday. Really slow. Know of a couple that were harvested. Talked to a guy last night that has been here since the opener.  He threw in the towel and went home this morning. He saw some bucks, but nothing that turned his crank. Saw a couple dandies that were just out of an area that was huntable. Seen a few legal dinks that we passed on.
Seeing a fraction of the deer that I saw a few years ago when I had the tag. As people have mentioned.  Blue tongue really hammered these herds. There are pockets with fair amounts of deer and pockets devoid of deer and sign where I saw plenty before.  I think I'll be lowering my standards tomorrow and taking the first legal buck I see unless things really light up. Sorry to give such a lousy report. Hopefully someone can pitch in with better news.

Get up high, higher than you think you want to be. 

Agreed. The blues whitetails are a different breed and they love those higher elevations.

[HntnFsh]

Will be up high before daylight!
Thanks for the help everybody. Very much appreciated!

[geauxtigers]

Good luck HntnFsh!  I hope you get a big one and leave a bigger one for me!


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[HntnFsh]

Good luck HntnFsh!  I hope you get a big one and leave a bigger one for

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Thank you, and the same to you!

[dilleytech]

Getting pretty excited to hunt my foothills west tag. I’m aware the huntings not what it once was but what is. Should be a really fun week of looking for Washington whitetail. I just noticed that the FFTH spots I had marked a couple months ago, a lot of them have changed to private. Now there’s new FFTH options. Who knows what I will even be able to access but there’s a lot of area to cover. I definitely won’t see it all.