Ritzville A Tag

[newbs55]

Just wondering if anyone out there drew this tag?

[Bobm]

I shot this Ritzville buck in 05.

I had to get permission to hunt on private land. Most of it is.

While scouting in August I drove around with an ice chest full of watermelons giving them to farmers I talked to.  Nice folks.  

I hunted the east side of the unit but now wish I had scouted the western side.  I'm hearing big bucks there.

[ducks55]

It looks like you did pretty good on the eastside, atleast I would be happy with that deer.

[Ridgerunner]

any other pics?

[Bobm]

Ok,  since you ask and it's about Washington.

Here is my set up for the shot.  It rained hard earlier and the air was wet for a wicked bullet trail right to the deer.
Rem 700 338 Win shooting 180 Accubonds.
Distance 300 yards.

[Bobm]

Here's another pic I pulled up.

Blurry but shows the buck in the back ground down after he was shot.
He's that brown blob on the opposite hillside.

[bobcat]

That buck must not have had much there to rub the velvet off his antlers. 

[Bobm]

Yeah,  that's what I thought after he was down and that was a late in November hunt.

[bowhunterforever]

Nice looking buck bobm!

[wastickslinger]

Thats crazy, my Ritzville B tag in '05 had same issue. Velvet irritated his antler. Only this one really screwed up the one side trying to get it off.

[jackelope]

a lot of the mule deer we shoot in that wheat country still have pretty good amount of velvet on them.
 

[Ridgerunner]

Not the biggest bucks in the state but decent.  That velvet not rubbing off is really wierd. 

[jackelope]

i always thought they didn't have anything to rub it off on except wheat and thats why it  hung around later than normal...

[wastickslinger]

Not the biggest bucks in the state but decent.  That velvet not rubbing off is really wierd. 

your right but I had to shoot something on the last day. 

[mossback91]

Not the biggest bucks in the state but decent.  That velvet not rubbing off is really wierd. 

your right but I had to shoot something on the last day. 

I think hes just talking about the unit? I dont think hes picking on your buck?    I might be wrong.........

[Ridgerunner]

I'm picking on the unit not the bucks there is a reason why it has so few applicants, I think its all the private land, I would think there would be some good ones out there but maybe they get picked off during the general season since its so open.

[jjhunter]

The tag is not worth applying for.  These same bucks can be hunted during archery, early muzzleloader, and rifle season.  They are easy to find in that open country and the biggest bucks are ALWAYS seen and targeted by the locals in the general rifle season.  If you really want to shoot a big buck, securing access to the good ranches is key - not the tag your hunting on.   

[rosscrazyelk]

I have Hunted around there for many years and I have seen only a couple real monsters but like the others said they are on private land. There are lots of bucks out there but land is limited. There are some pockets of public land but you need to do your research.

[wastickslinger]

I'm picking on the unit not the bucks there is a reason why it has so few applicants, I think its all the private land, I would think there would be some good ones out there but maybe they get picked off during the general season since its so open.

I knew you were not pickin on my buck but I still had to clarify why a shot a buck with milk on his lips. 

It is almost all private. I did alot of homework after I drew it. The reason I put in was because of the deer number I have seen out there in the past and it was close to home. I came to find out the same thing as everyone has said. The locals get the bigger bucks during the general seasons. The only plus to this hunt is that you dont have to deal with thousands of other idiots out and about. From what I gathered from the locals that helped me is that the area has been overrun by hunters, many of which never get permission to hunt. The number of big bucks has really fallen off. I learned alot about the unit. I saw lots of deer, up to 50-60 bucks a day, but quality was just not there.

[MuleySniper]

Not the biggest bucks in the state but decent.  That velvet not rubbing off is really wierd. 

your right but I had to shoot something on the last day. 

Slinger, sure you don't you mean last hour of the first day?? If I remember correctly, you had your little buddy with you twisting your arm to pull the trigger on that guy.

[HUNT]

There are some real bruisers in the area, but they are few and far between.  I have been hunting the eastern side of this area for 10 years.  Seen 2 or 3 bucks that would go 30".  The ground is mostly private and you have to come scout the area to do well.  A legal buck 3 pt or better is a 1 or 2 day hunt.  My boys have tagged out every year in the general season since they started hunting.  I have been putting in for this rut tag for 5 years hoping to draw....  A lot of the big boys are seen only during the rut.  The country may look open, but there are a lot of hidden pockets for them to lay in.  There are some real trophy's in the area....  You just have to find them.  The hunting pressure is actually lower now than 5 years ago....