okanagon highlands

[kramman]

spent 5 days camping in the highlands between tonasket and republic with the wife and kids had a great time mostly fished and swam but i did get out to scout for deer most evenings but just from the road glassing hillsides and such the wifes back was bothering her quite a bit or i would have done some hiking.saw quite a few deer and even a couple of whopper bucks.one 6+6 and a3pt. that was at least 26inches wide.the thing is i never even saw a deer above 4500ft. its opposite of what i know from hunting over there off and on for 20 years.just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?
                                          kram

[popeshawnpaul]

Most of the deer are down low in the farm valleys. 

[lazydrifter]

Why go up high when there is all that good alfalfa down low.

[MtnMuley]

Ya that!

[Buckmark]

Where abouts did you camp??

[kramman]

we were centrally located at bonaparte lk. f.s. campground.I checked and we were there about the same time last year and the deer were more wide spread.this year all the deer were low even though there seemed to be feed everywhere.we did see deer everywhere we went ,even down in the alfala fields.It was a great family trip we probably caught and released 30+ fish a day from the dock there. I was just wondering if anyone had any insight to why all the deer were low.I will be hunting muzzy over there and my thoughts are already swirling on where i might find that big 6pt.saw him low but on public land wondering if he will still be there.Ive officialy caught deer hunting fever :drool:less then 6 wks till opening day
                                                    kram

[chevysquid]

They stay low because that is where the alfalfa is and the private land that you and I can't hunt is.

[Ghost Hunter]

It's sad how many fawns are lost in the alfalfa fields during the first cutting.  Took a big hit on piece I hunt   Can't see them hidden in the field

[Buckmark]

They stay low because that is where the alfalfa is and the private land that you and I can't hunt is.

Not entirely true, though there are alot of deer in the alfalfa, but they are a small part of what you dont see, the deer in the alfalfa are alot of the same deer every night, dont get the really big ones till later, after the snow flies. I though would not hunt this gmu  , kramman im not sure were you drove around or what time but there are some decent deer in the area you camped at, just do the normal, off the road, away from the atv's (which ride on the roads which is illegal up there , glass and check the draws.
By the way, did you see any deer in the meadow just north of the resort were the old homestead is (heading left as you turned out of the campground), that small area is all private and the guy that owns that meadow is a real a**hole

[Buckmark]

It's sad how many fawns are lost in the alfalfa fields during the first cutting.  Took a big hit on piece I hunt   Can't see them hidden in the field

So true, it can a distrubing sight when your in the combine.. I'd like to tell ya the farmers care but...... 1 less eater for them...

[kramman]

buckmark you must know that owner unless your the owner.if you mean the area past the boyscout camp and before the 050 rd no i didnt see any deer there but i use to park at the old homestead and duck pond there and hunt the burn on the south side of strawberry that was 20 years ago before it was posted no tresspass.never took a deer up there but they were there thought i might go up there again parking at the gravel pit there just inside the natl. forest the area has been thinned in the last couple of years.by the way i love that area up there
                                                   kram.

[Buckblaster]

Most of the small springs and streams have dried up in the higher elevations so they have just moved down to where there is more abundance of water and along with that, more green feed. The deer have it figured out.