Hunting the Palouse

[Young Buck]

I am a rookie hunter looking to hunt deer in the Palouse region this year. I am hosting both my dad and brother for the second week of the season and so far I have two areas picked out, the first location is next to Albion and the other location is above the Snake. From asking around it sounds like most of the public land gets hit pretty hard since the majority of the land in the Palouse is private. I know the Blue Mountains are good for Elk but not sure on what they produce for deer? Has anyone had good success on public land around the Palouse region? I have scouted the area quite extensively and I have seen plenty of legal bucks but I am sure they go to private land during the season. Anyone have any suggestions within the area.

[Pathfinder101]

You may be right about the bucks heading to private when the shooting starts.  Keep scouting them and try to figure out what routes they use.  Try to find out where they head when they get spooked.  Then, be sitting in a good overwatch spot with binos and a spotting scope BEFORE light on opening day.  Be ready to move to intercept them if they are using a different route.  When you are scouting look for feeding areas, bedding areas, funnels and interception points and routes for yourself.  Get a bipod, get a steady rest, and don't shoot at running deer. 
If the surrounding private ground allows some hunters on it, then they will be shooting there too, so expect them to get chased back and forth from the public to the private and back again until the opening weekend circus is over.
Good luck.

[GEARHEAD]

That advice is spot on and my tactic for opening day. get to a spot, sit and wait for them to run by, intercept if ya can, if they are far off. those deer will be hustling opening morning.

[MuleySniper]

 
Yeah, let all the other hunters push em through to you. We used to hunt there up until 4 or 5 years ago. We generally all got bucks opening morning sitting and being patient behind some glass.
Good Luck!
MS

[SHANE(WA)]

gotta love the thought process of people, always.I mean always, "The deer get pushed off the public onto private" well what about the hoards of hunters hunting private, I have seen more pressure on private than public at times

[MHWASH]

I might be reading this wrong, but you said you were hunting the second week. This is only a 9 day hunt.

[focht22]

MHWASH, we will heading out toward the middle of the week two catch the last four days. Hopefully things will be a little calmer be then.

[Ridgerunner]

Hopefully they will be calmer and the deer won;'t be running with their tongues hanging out still..

[Young Buck]

You may be right about the bucks heading to private when the shooting starts.  Keep scouting them and try to figure out what routes they use.  Try to find out where they head when they get spooked.  Then, be sitting in a good overwatch spot with binos and a spotting scope BEFORE light on opening day.  Be ready to move to intercept them if they are using a different route.  When you are scouting look for feeding areas, bedding areas, funnels and interception points and routes for yourself.  Get a bipod, get a steady rest, and don't shoot at running deer. 
If the surrounding private ground allows some hunters on it, then they will be shooting there too, so expect them to get chased back and forth from the public to the private and back again until the opening weekend circus is over.
Good luck.

Thanks for the advice Pathfinder!

[Pathfinder101]

No problem man.  Good luck, I hope you tag up.  Get out there with your spotting scope and binos as much as you can between now and your hunt.  Try not to bump them (like I did this morning ). 

[Young Buck]

gotta love the thought process of people, always.I mean always, "The deer get pushed off the public onto private" well what about the hoards of hunters hunting private, I have seen more pressure on private than public at times

I guess I have never seen "hoards of hunters" on private land.

[Pathfinder101]

You will see.  Most of those posted properties only let "family" hunt there.  How many uncles, aunts and cousins and inlaws are in YOUR family?

[Young Buck]

That's true. There is also a wildlife reserve in the area but I heard they usually come out of there to feed in the early morning and late evening.