collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Advice for next season Mule Deer  (Read 2415 times)

Offline Kumacub

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2023
  • Posts: 26
  • Location: Marysville WA
Advice for next season Mule Deer
« on: April 05, 2024, 07:40:38 AM »
Hey everyone,

I started hunting last fall. Learned a lot but didn't tag out. Which is totally fine. My girlfriend and I are planning this season with the mindset of going out and learning more. We are looking at going out in the entiat mountain or going back to the last spot we went hunting last year. My understanding is that both areas are crowded/difficult (We both go off the trail and hike where we mostly saw road hunters or ORVs). I was just wondering if any of you had some advice on if you were in our shoes what you'd attempt. Going back to a spot that was familiar where you saw a few bucks that weren't legal and lots of doe movement. Or try a completely different spot.

Last year it was out in Naneum and Mission. This year I am looking around devil's backbone. Let me know what you think. Thank you to those who gave advice on my last post.

Offline Taco280AI

  • Past Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+6)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2013
  • Posts: 2961
  • Location: FL350
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2024, 08:05:52 AM »
I don't know those areas, but what has worked for me is to stay away from roads and trails, and hike up, and keep hiking until there's nobody above you. I've gone to brand new spots and gotten deer this way.

Offline MeepDog

  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2021
  • Posts: 704
  • Location: SE Washington
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2024, 08:15:41 AM »
You've almost missed your window, but the best time to scout for deer is in the winter, but before green up. All the sign for the whole year is on display and theres minimal plants that get in your way. Learn to tell the difference between early season rubs from september and rut rubs from november and use that information to form a hypothesis about bedding and feeding for the time of year youre going to be hunting.

Offline go4steelhd

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 1345
  • Location: Behind the crosshairs
  • MT Wild Sheep Foundation Life Time Member
  • Groups: go4steelhd
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2024, 08:48:43 AM »
Find a spot and hunt it every year for three years. You will figure out the animals patterns. Go scout in late July and early August.

 Keep in mind that bucks will be more visible at that time of year, in general when they have velvet on there antlers they stay in the open more. Which will make them way easier for you to locate. Then once their antlers stop growing their pattern changes, but they don't generally move far. At that point look for cover, bedding areas, and water sources near where you had seen them in the summer. If you get out of eyesight of the road you may be surprised what you will find. (Keep in mind does being in an area does not mean there are bucks there)

When you get to the hunting trip opening day is your friend, never miss it. Keep the wind in your face, and really pay attention to the noise you make.

Shoot straight and please share your success when you find it :tup:
NW__HUNTER Instagram

Online Mtnwalker

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2015
  • Posts: 2257
  • Location: Selah
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2024, 08:49:28 AM »
Honestly by WA standards it sounds like you were fairly successful for a first year hunter. You found deer and saw a few bucks, if you were ok with the amount of hunter pressure in your area then I'd give it another year and learn it better  :twocents:

Offline jstone

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 6555
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2024, 08:54:42 AM »
Those bucks might be legal this year

Offline boneaddict

  • Site Sponsor
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 50475
  • Location: Selah, Washington
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2024, 09:03:51 AM »
You increase your level of success typically if you do exactly what Got4 mentioned.   Stick to an area and learn their patterns.   That is if you liked the area.  Part of hunting is to enjoy one self.   It is fun to find new places to hunt.   The grass is always greener somewhere else approach can hurt your odds

Offline dvolmer

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2012
  • Posts: 1560
  • Location: Eastern Washington, West Richland
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2024, 02:22:21 PM »
Nothing will increase your odds more in the state of Washington than seeking out and creating relationships with a private landowner (rancher/farmer). In this state, access trumps just about everything when it comes to a successful deer hunt. That is if what you consider successful as filling your tag.  The time to do that is now, not in September or October.  I know people that hunt public land and consider their success on being out in nature and enjoying the mountains camping in the fall. If they happen to fill their tag while doing it it’s a bonus and not near as important as the total experience. The majority of the guys filling their tag regularly are hunting private property. It can be frustrating, but it can be done.
Zonk Volmer

Offline JakeLand

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+35)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 4490
  • Location: Wet side
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2024, 02:44:27 PM »
Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one

Offline greenhead_killer

  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2010
  • Posts: 2168
  • Location: the burg
  • Groups: wsf life member, wsta, mdf, sci, sscf
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2024, 03:36:21 PM »
Find a spot and hunt it every year for three years. You will figure out the animals patterns. Go scout in late July and early August.

 Keep in mind that bucks will be more visible at that time of year, in general when they have velvet on there antlers they stay in the open more. Which will make them way easier for you to locate. Then once their antlers stop growing their pattern changes, but they don't generally move far. At that point look for cover, bedding areas, and water sources near where you had seen them in the summer. If you get out of eyesight of the road you may be surprised what you will find. (Keep in mind does being in an area does not mean there are bucks there)

When you get to the hunting trip opening day is your friend, never miss it. Keep the wind in your face, and really pay attention to the noise you make.

Shoot straight and please share your success when you find it :tup:

probably the best advice imo. this is exactly what i would be doing. hammer the same area year after year and youll get all the kinks out. ive gone 3/3 in idaho the last few years, killing all my bucks within half mile of eachother. same with wa, ive killed probably 6/10 years my deer have come from the same hill. all within half mile or so of eachother. just time invested is what will get you over the hump. all public land as well

Offline Kumacub

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Oct 2023
  • Posts: 26
  • Location: Marysville WA
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2024, 04:00:49 PM »
Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one

My fall back is hunting black tail on the weekends near me with my 300 blackout. But I’m trying to focus on mule deer since I like being out in the mountains and rucking. Not much public land around Everett. I only know of one decent spot.

Offline JakeLand

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+35)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 4490
  • Location: Wet side
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2024, 04:23:43 PM »
Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one

My fall back is hunting black tail on the weekends near me with my 300 blackout. But I’m trying to focus on mule deer since I like being out in the mountains and rucking. Not much public land around Everett. I only know of one decent spot.
lots of hunting around you trust me

Offline chukardogs

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2009
  • Posts: 467
  • Location: Shoreline
Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2024, 05:38:06 PM »
If you can, put a backpack on. Go in far enough that the hunters that leave their vehicles on the road in the AM won't reach your camp. Because the regular modern firearm season normally occurs during the time that Mule deer are still hanging in their summer range. Find an area that a 3-5 mile hike will put you above the deer and the other hunters. Try to camp above the level where the deer are feeding and if possible, bedding. Be completely mobile with your camp. Know your water holes and don't camp on top of them. Being above the deer in the AM and knowing where they're at before they know where you're at will at the least, evens the odds. Be cognizant of food quality. If you grab a handful of brouse and it falls apart in little pieces, keep looking. South facing slopes up high, get baked all summer and by fall are useless to the deer if the feed is dried out. Look for deep broad canyons with water holes in cover and if that canyon runs out near the top, all the better. Springs with dense timber around them is ideal. Mature Mule Deer bucks don't hang around with does 24/7 during this time of year but they do keep track of them by hanging around the fringes, usually above but that's not absolute. Mature Mule Deer bucks are famous for just hangin out, laying in a dense timber or brush and not moving during the day unless they have to. Wolves have exacerbated that tendency two fold. The Mule deer where I have hunted for 34 years have changed their behavior because of the wolves. Nowadays, unless you are within a few days of a new moon, seeing a deer during daylight hours is a rarity unless you or another hunter, jumps them from their beds. They're there but you'll have to move them to get a glimpse. Hope for snow and good luck out there!

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

10 kokes by Alchase
[Today at 07:17:17 AM]


Hoof Rot by fowl smacker
[Today at 06:28:53 AM]


MA-10 Coho by metlhead
[Today at 06:02:06 AM]


Ever win the WDFW Big Game Raffle? by addicted1
[Yesterday at 10:56:29 PM]


Honda BF15A Outboard Problems by Sandberm
[Yesterday at 08:18:08 PM]


Idaho General Season Going to Draw for Nonresidents by JDArms1240
[Yesterday at 08:16:36 PM]


Eastern WA-WT hunting from tree stands?? by addicted1
[Yesterday at 06:47:44 PM]


A question for any FFL holders on here by ryan2202
[Yesterday at 05:01:26 PM]


Bow mount trolling motors by BigGoonTuna
[Yesterday at 01:29:55 PM]


I’m on a blacktail mission by addicted1
[Yesterday at 12:10:11 PM]


where is everyone? by nwwanderer
[Yesterday at 06:01:04 AM]


Wolf documentary PBS by Skyvalhunter
[Yesterday at 05:58:56 AM]


Stuffed Pork Chop by EnglishSetter
[June 07, 2025, 11:12:59 PM]


Another great day in the turkey woods. by Remington Outdoors
[June 07, 2025, 09:43:57 PM]


Buck age by kentrek
[June 07, 2025, 08:56:47 PM]


Oregon special tag info by Judespapa
[June 07, 2025, 08:37:07 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal