2009 muzzleloader season

[kramman]

Just curious how everyones season has gone so far.Mine went something like this missed biggest buck ive ever seen during hunting season in wa..Still had a great time spent  with my 2 young boys and the old man[he also missed a 4pt]. I sure hope others know how to shoot.So lets hear some stories

[Buckmark]

Where did you wind up hunting this year??

[kramman]

I hunted the 204 and 101 everywhere from Chesaw to mt. Ann and Havillah to Curlew and Republic.I could have tagged out on a 2pt. wt 10 mins into opening day but i choose to pass now i wish i had taken him so i could have  meat for my WY trip here in a couple of weeks

[ribka]

Managed to tag this buck last day of the season. Saw a lot of does and a few smaller bucks. Story to follow

[kramman]

nice buck lets here the story

[Rhinoron247]

Great Buck well worth the effort.  Tell the story.

[DJR]

Well, I'm just back for the day to sort out some transportation problems. Heading out again later tonight or tomorrow ~0300. Saw a few cows, nothing shootable. After a really long, hard day of hunting yesterday I got back to my rig after dark to find this:





Got a shoulder under it and managed to bend the end enough to get the weight off the hood and backed out from under it. Hunting alone has a down side.






How's my season going so far??? I'll get back to you on that. 

DJR

[DUGANDEER]

That sucks man! Good luck with the rest of the hunt.

[MagKarl]

My inlaws live on the North end of Spokane.  We made a family trip over there for the week and I made day hunts out to public land sections in 124.  Deer are absolutely everywhere on low elevation private land, but pretty scarce up in the hills.  I'd see 1-2 deer per day in the woods and 20-30 while driving there and back.  Lots of historical sign like trails and old rubs that would suggest lots of deer, but very few seen or jumped.  Looked like maybe winterkill might have been part of it as they had a ton of snow last year, combined with nice weather, full moon, dry noisy woods until Friday, it was tough hunting but a good hunt anyway.  Passed on two shot opportunities on small does, saw 2 nice bucks but no shots.  Should have shot a couple coyotes.  Got frustrated trying to access state land that's landlocked by posted private land.     

[PNWCOONASS]

Jumped 3 deer with no shot opportunity.  Saw a coyote for about 5-10 seconds, just enough time to put the big eyes on him.  had a doe come in on the edge of a clear cut about 120 yards out.  No shot. 

help EpQ21 with his first bear. 

Waiting for late season now. 

[medic6]

Family scored three deer within a few days of each other.  Total deer seen was around 40 for three days.  Couple of bucks,  but mostly does and fawns.  Helped that we had any deer tags.  Blacktail are difficult to hunt of the southwest part of the state,  tends to be thick.  Deer or no deer still a great time.

[callonetta]

Made it to 200 yards of two 3 point muledeer, wind was blowing so I did not want to risk it with the muzzy.
Saw over 70 does, spikes and two pointers mostly just before dark, moon was out and very windy all five days. Nice camping trip with my buddies

[kirkl]

Heres a link to mine.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,35277.0.html

[MichaelD]

Put a lot of miles on the old body over the two weekends seeking the elusive buck.  It was the hail mary stalk at 6:00 on Sunday night down a canyon that I figured wouldn't produce a buck but I thought I should walk before I gave up and headed home.  I walked right past 15 does (I looked back about 500 yards at the path I was walking and they were standing right where I had been) and figured that was all I was in for till dark.  I headed to a little honey hole where there is a spring at an old homestead.  Its the only water for about 2 or so miles of pasture/wheat ground.  On the skyline I noticed a huge bodied deer working his way toward the water hole.  I swung my chubby body into high gear and got to the water hole before he popped out of the draw that fed into the canyon.  I couldn't wait much longer as the sun was dropping fast.  I snuck down to the creek bottom and used the rocky bottom to take me to the bottom of the draw and the dang thing was gone!  The last I saw he was headed almost at a trot down the draw before he went ouf ot sight.  Must have smelled me, but I decided to head up the draw to see where he went.  Just about at the top the 3x4 mulie jumped up about 145 yards away.  He looked straight at me for about 2 minutes.  I steadied a rest and he finally turned to the side and gave me a great full on side view.  A little smoke later and my dad, son and I are dragging the buck back to the pickup.  I hit him a little farther back then I wanted but it got the job done.  I hit him about 1.5 miles from the truck.  He headed straight down hill and ran down the canyon while I reloaded and chased it butt down.  I found him laying in a heap about 300 yards from the pickup.  Nice little drag down hill, but he was heavy wtih a lot of fat.  I am headed out to mow the yard, then bone out the meat, but will add a pic tonight when I get a chance.
Back straps sound a lot better than the tag stew I ate the past couple of years.

[Machias]

Managed to tag this buck last day of the season. Saw a lot of does and a few smaller bucks. Story to follow

THAT is a really nice looking buck, what beautiful markings and nice and wide!!  Congrats!!