Yakima Training Center: Any Ideas?

[get one leakin]

Hello,

We are going to be hunting the ytc rifle season.  My grandpa and I both have tags and I was looking for any advice on some good areas within the ytc.  We are both capable hunters and have taken some nice bucks.  We live in goldendale so we dont have any experience in the area.  Any ideas would help, or if someone has seen some nice bucks.... Any advice would be appriciated... Will be scouting between now and the opener NOV. 7th.

[pat2bear]

Congrats on the tags. I've been trying to draw that tag for like 8 years now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous. I'd make at least a couple of trips out there to just get a feel for the place and to take care of all the registration B.S. They have a website that tells you what you need to do and show them. There's miles and miles of land out there and you can find deer anywhere in the unit. Maybe some of the archery guys on here that have been out there this year can steer you in a better direction than I can. A friend of mine drew a doe tag (that he accidentally put in for  ) out there this year. I might tag along just so I can go. How many points did it take you to draw? I know my number should be up soon. 

[wackmaster]

Glass glass and glass you can find deer in all areas out there

[sako223]

$25 to get the recreation card now and they have certain hours to do it also. The deer are spread out with a few areas having more chances. Watch the harvest record sheet where the kills are. Ask the guys there they will tell you.
The rules have tightened up a bit and so has the enforcement. Want to make sure you have All of your paperwork in order and in hand. Also make sure you are in the correct area you chose.
Just a fair warning if you go by the book it can be good. I have met a few guys that got stopped in the wrong and ouch. One guy wandered off into the wrong area and he said they interrogated him for 6 hours to the point of tears. Truthfully he probably deserved it going after a buck in a closed area. We have had our vehicle searched a few times but we're clean.
Oh and don't tell them your grouse hunting, they don't think it's funny.

[pat2bear]

Holy crap! It does say that on the website. PAY A FEE! $25? What a bunch of B.S.!

[sako223]

Yeah that's for each season too. Expires end of March every year. You also have to register your guns in advance which is then run through NICS. You need to have make, model, type(Wood/blue) caliber, serial number, barrel length, overall length, and it must be in a zippered gun case. They Will check it in your vehicle each time before entrance and any other time they like.

[royalbull]

pm sent

[boneaddict]

Everyone going out there needs a card.   Pay 25, watch a vid, and have ID.  Driver needs proof of insurance and registration EACH VISIT.  Need to check in EACH DAY, then go to range control and give the three units you will be in for the day.   Be flexible.  Changes which ones you can and can't get into.

Have good glass, and good tires.

[boneaddict]

Your hunt can be VERY foggy so be flexible on your times.

[littlebuf]

Holy crap! It does say that on the website. PAY A FEE! $25? What a bunch of B.S.!

are you serious? if your worried about a 25 dollar fee to hunt the bucks that live out there, then its probably not the tag for you

[sako223]

True it does not seem like a lot of money but it used to be free, so anytime the gov charges it is easy to be resistant.
Also used to be military personnel manning the entrance and checking the vehicles. Most were very nice and happy to converse about hunting. Now with National Security changes last year, they have new barricaded booth completely tinted and a new entrance pass building all manned with private security personnel 65 of them or so. Another cost I don't agree with. It is like paying twice when the military recruits are already on the payroll.
Another thing is the Federal officers have radar units and will hide in the sage brush. So obey the speed limits.

[get one leakin]

Congrats on the tags. I've been trying to draw that tag for like 8 years now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous. I'd make at least a couple of trips out there to just get a feel for the place and to take care of all the registration B.S. They have a website that tells you what you need to do and show them. There's miles and miles of land out there and you can find deer anywhere in the unit. Maybe some of the archery guys on here that have been out there this year can steer you in a better direction than I can. A friend of mine drew a doe tag (that he accidentally put in for  ) out there this year. I might tag along just so I can go. How many points did it take you to draw? I know my number should be up soon. 

We had 7 points each. I definatly appriciate the advice and I would love to hear from some of the archery guys bout the ones that got away.....

[Bob33]

I've hunted there quite a bit.  Drew a rifle tag two years ago. It's a very good tag.  Here's what you need to know:

(1) There are 16 training areas.  Any and all can be closed at any time.  You cannot determine closed/open areas until about 17:00 the day before.  Remember that when you scout: the deer you find may not be huntable.
(2) There are quite a few deer on the range, but they are not necessarily easy to find.  Bring some good glass, and some patience.
(3) The training center is huge. You can't cover it all adequately. 
(4) You need to spend some time scouting.  Find some areas you like and concentrate on them.  Travelling from one end of the center to another takes lots of time.
(5) Talk with as many of the "locals" as you can.  I found an officer that loved to hunt and he gave me quite a bit of helpful information.
(6) You must enter and exit the center each day; no camping. 
(7) OK, here are my picks: TA9 (go up to the ridge and hunt the draws on the south side), TA10 (to the south of TA9); TA5 (long ways from the entrance).

If you're picky and patient, there are 24"+ deer on the center. 

[ponyboy156]

Me and my father were in there a couple years ago for late muzzleloader buck(Dec. 1-8?). We werent too happy with the outcome. They were really stepping up training due to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. All but two of the training areas were closed. We couldnt check in till 7am which meant we werent hunting till 7:30 -7:45. We did get an opportunity at a 20-22 inch 3 point at the edge of one of the training areas. but he fed up and over into another area before we were in muzzleloader range. One of the areas we were allowed to hunt was being hunted heavily by the Yak tribe at the time so it was fairly empty of dear. I think if the war wasn't going so full steam ahead and more area was open it would have been a more enjoyable hunt. Good luck.

[Elkstuffer]

Get out there and scout. The gentleman that shot that huge buck out there during the archery season spent 30+ days scouting. If you think that you can just show up for the opener and see 180 bucks running all over the place you will be very dissappointed.

[highside74]

Saw pictures from a guy scouting area 12 some real big deer. The day we went in for my buddies muzzy hunt 12 was closed so we hunted 7-8-9 and killed a nice buck in 9.  From the scouting my buddy did I would start in 12/15/10/7/8/9.

[boneaddict]

Hey elkstuffer, did you se the bull he got?  Nice one.

[pat2bear]

Holy crap! It does say that on the website. PAY A FEE! $25? What a bunch of B.S.!

are you serious? if your worried about a 25 dollar fee to hunt the bucks that live out there, then its probably not the tag for you

Guess I should be more clear with my comments. I would have no problem paying $25 to hunt the bucks out there. But I also like to hunt yotes and birds out there also. And to go out there to see all there deer I could be hunting some day. I've been out there quite a few times, but not for 2 years so the fee really surprised me. (Last year it was closed off completely.) I'm really not a cheapskate but I just hate being nickled a dimed by the government. I live a huge 10 miles away, so its probably not the hunt for me. Maybe I'll go to Orting instead. Good luck on the tag. Make sure to post some pics for us to drool over.