'08 Deer Plans?

[MichaelJ]

I know everybody has already got their game plan together for the upcoming '08 season, so lets share our plans for the 2008 deer season?  I myself am going to draw a desert tag and kill a 190" buck... hehe ya right!

For '08 I'm actually switching back to Modern rifle to do the Sept. High buck hunt...  Got some great areas to check out and hopefully I'll be able to knock down a nice buck... we'll see with this winter we're having though how many bucks actually make it back to the high country!

I'm also putting in for the multi-season permit to hopefully still be able to hunt the late archery season if I don't tag out earlier.

What are your plans for '08?

Michael

[WDFW-SUX]

I'll figure it out after all the draws shake out

[bobcat]

It's still too early to decide, for me. I'm kind of waiting to see what this winter does to the deer before I make any decisions on where to hunt. I was considering a drop camp for mule deer, either early rifle or general season, but if there is a signifcant winter kill then I will probably forget that idea. Most likely I will end up hunting blacktails close to home, and probably will put more time into elk than deer. A mule deer hunt in Idaho is something I'm considering also, but that too will depend on the winter kill.

[ICEMAN]

After filling the freezer with 07 permit deer and elk, I intend to pull back on the meat hunting, and step it up a bit, look for a better rack this year. I am planning on being a bit more mobile this season, trying two areas I have in mind, instead of my favorite old haunt. See some of these other areas during the modern rifle hunt. Hope I am not disgusted with what I see.

My problem is, I am always falling back on what is familiar. I have scouted other areas, but in the last 10 years, usually fall back on ol' faithful. I am a chickensheit.

[Coasthunterjay]

well i have never needed to put infor a tag for deer but plan on putting in for spring bear , turkey and elk for this year if i can make it happen......

As for my plan for deer? i am thinking i am going to spend a little more money on suppliments and maybe trying to start a small food plot during the spring and summer months and see if adding to the suppliments will give me some larger animals to hunt from.....but this is actually just for a back up...my original plan is to start off scouting early and try to find and locate two deer that i lost last year....

see i have been stocking and hunting two deer in paticular for several years now and usually see them the day before opener and usually once after i shoot my deer after season starts but im hoping that they havent died and that i can get on one of them this year.really, really, really hoping that i can get on one of them this year. i am almost 100% positive that the deer i got this year is an exact cross of the bucks i am looking for if i cant get the dads ill take the older kids, lol .......there are alot of people that would say that WT hunting is really easy....well no not necessarily i put in alot of time and am highly devoted to hunting WT...if you are hunting for meat and you are just shooting your everyday, every year buck then yes it is alot easier, but i am not. i have takin WT hunting to an extreme, it is my passion and i have tried toning my skills so that i could be where i need to be and know what i need to so that when the big monster WT comes in, BAMM, BAMMMMM. well not monsters but more mature i guess is what i mean. i really have turned my focus the last couple years from shooting the 2 to 3 year old deer to the 5 year plus deer. not just for the horns but i believe by taking a couple of the older livestock that i will help by letting some of the younger mature bucks come in and repopulate the area with new hopefully better and bigger genetics.....i know alot about WT but not everything so some extra field time this year before hunting season is what i am going to go after this year to get me prepared for hunting season............

[Bigshooter]

If colorado doesn't have a big winter kill I am going to burn my deer points on a third season tag.  But if they do have a winter kill, then I am going to try and draw an out of state tag somewhere, I'm hoping that I can draw a muzzleloader elk tag in New Mexico.  And if all else fails then I will hunt Idaho for mule deer most likely.  Plus I always hunt washington for deer and elk.

[popeshawnpaul]

Assuming I don't draw for any special permit species again, I plan on spending September bowhunting elk.  If I get one quick, I'll go deer hunting.  Probably up in the NE part of the state.  Trophy only for me this season as I have a freezer full of elk and moose already.

[6 Point]

Private Land Muzzleloader Hunt  near Collville

Hopefully Elk in Oregon(modern)  and

Wyoming for speedgoats , deer, and elk  (3 sep trips)

[huntnphool]

Like Pope I will be hunting elk here in the first part of September and hope to be hunting elk in the middle to end of September in Montana, if I dont draw I will be dragging M-Ray over there to show him my "honey hole", he has 2 points and should be a shoe in to draw. October brings the traditional Methow hunt and I hope to find my daughter a buck to compliment her effort for this last year. November I am hoping to have a late tag or possibly witnessing "hell freezing over" and having the "raffle" tag in my pocket sorry to disappoint the rest of you . Again making the drive back over to Montana, hopefully with my own tag but again at the very least living vicariously through M-Ray and helping him tag a 180+muley. Then its back home to sit in front of the laptop impatiently waiting for updates on the "raffle" tag winners daily post. Of course there are hundreds of pics being taken the entire time, and converting and resizing all of those will be a task as well. If I dont draw Montana my bro and I are hitting Idaho somewhere in between all this chaos, man life is good

[M_ray]

Well I'll start with looking into the Spring Bear then Turkey's since I have never really done either one of those seasons I figure it's as good as anytime to start! Then my plans will depend on the draws in other states. But I figure to spend most of September Hunting Archery Elk in Oregon (tmike and I both have 10 points so we will be helping each other) If neither of us draw there I will look to whats left in Idaho for Elk or we have talked about trying Colorado for both deer and elk.
In WA. I am torn now with no points for Elk now weather I will go back to west side Archery or keep with the eastside and take my lumps with the spike tag & short muzzle season (which doesn't conflict with Oregon) I will hunt deer on the eastside somewhere.

 Then I will forego my Idaho whitetail plans this year to take Huntnphool up on his offer to go to Montana ... I would be a phool not to right? not only for the hunting but the chance to spend good times with friends from the past (we started playing soccer together when we were about 7 or 8 ) Hopefully there will be a draw in there somewhere to put me in a snit but it would be a good problem to have, I'm looking forward to a great 08! 

[WDFW-SUX]

Here are my thoughts on this years seasons.

If I draw out in one of my out of state elk hunts I will do that as they are way better than anything in Wa.  IF I don't draw on the last WA eastside Blues tags I will go to Colorado. If I draw a different state I'll most likely get a Westside archery tag.

For deer Im most likely only applying for points in Washington as I dont want to waste them in a year where the trophy numbers are so down.  If I draw out of state I'll be going in January or August so I have a hole in November and I think that I will go to Utah and do the Wasatch extended archery hunt. There is always the late archery here too.

I've also been playing around with doing  a Brown bear/ mt goat combo  in Alaska but those seasons are in September so that would affect Archery elk so I'd need to not work for a month which would be fine but the wife might get a little pissy if Im gone that long

All of the sheep moose and goat ect.. draws are the wild-cards and they would ruin all of my plans.

[PacificNWhunter]

Headed over east again this year in pursuit of a big muley. Then in November I am headed over to Minnesota to hunt some whitetails! Might even go for an over the counter tag in OR for blacktails, if I am still feeling frisky.

[Ridgerunner]

Going to see what time allows, this might be the year I get serious about getting a bear, will probably get some deer hunting in as well, perhaps a bonzi trip to the high country, who knows.  Will depend on the winterkill and how things are going on the homefront. 

[Ridgerunner]

All thats assuming I don't draw a Henrys tag or Book Cliffs tag this next weekend or one of the Utah elk permits I put in for.  That would be the BOMB!

[Chopaka81]

This past year I turned 50. This Christmas my "to me - from me - thank me very much" gift I purchased a 3 yr membership to a local gym. My plan is do a hard core cardio workout 4 days of each week from here forward to the opener. I swore this year the hills got steeper - then I got on a scale.
A friend who is a retired Marine Corps Gunny explained it this way to me, "sweat in peace or bleed in war."

Don

[Ghost Hunter]

Welcome Chopaka81.  That mountain made me sweat in my teens

[Bookworm]

I'm waiting until the draw for Wyoming elk comes out before I think of anything else. Even if I draw my elk tag my wife and I will be going to Idaho for whitetails. I will probably hunt wetside archery for everything else.

[robb92]

I'll be bowhunting in Maryland and also VA, I plan on taking going bear hunting in VA during muzzleloader and modern rifle. I plan on taking my little hunting buddy through hunters safety and getting her a youth model 20 gauge to deer hunt with.

[actionshooter]

I have mulies set up for November in Idaho, I want to concentrate on deer hunting with my kids here for modern so I might go with archery deer in Wa. For now I'll hunt west side archery Elk and I'm trying to figure out a week in Colorado somewhere in the middle. Thats about all I can get away with for now.

[actionshooter]

Oh ya I forgot, its my year to pull a goat tag too. 

[WACATHUNTER]

Well, probably about the same as the last couple,  WA put in for everything and not draw anything, hunt general rifle and pass on a basket 3 and hopefully see the monster buck I couldn't get a shot at last year.  ID general deer, put in for regular WY deer, elk, moose, antelope, and sheep.  Good luck to all, hopefully the winter kill soesn;t hurt us to bad. 
WACAT

[jackelope]

just wa for me this year...blue mountains for deer, and maybe for elk, haven't decided for sure yet. i'm in for both multi-season tags and one or the other would be a cool thing to have for me.

[Wea300mag]

I'm really due for a moose permit here in WA so I will be in the NE all Oct-Nov.

[deerslyr]

I will try and hit the alpine for high buck this year and hunt BTs somewhere close during general. I want try and make it to the NE for late season WT but have never done this before. Probably just go to the mashel unit for muzzy elk.

[Sagedawg]

I did some work for a guy a few months ago, paid off and hes allowing me to hunt his place, so it will be late WT with my muzzle loader this year. Might go into DT's missing mulies down south....................lol

Sage

[robodad]

I will take my nephew to Curlew this year for general rifle or muzzleloader (I should be in AK for a moose hunt through the middle of September) then off to WI to finish off filling the freezer, I think I'll shoot 5 deer but that is a lot of butchering.   

What ever you do take lots of pictures !!

[boneaddict]

I take it you aren't going into the military now MichaelJ. 

I'm going to hunt the Paunsugaunt in Utah.
The Kiabab in Arizona
The Jicarilla neighborhood in NM
The panhandle in Idaho
The peaks of Washington
The desert of Nevada, and the plains of Montana.....Thats deer....lets see for elk.......

[Slider]

Bone you forgot The Strip?

[huntnphool]

Why isnt Sonora on your list? IMHO, the most over looked place for monster muleys is Canada, I'm planning on going up there for a hunt in the near future.

[WDFW-SUX]

I take it you aren't going into the military now MichaelJ. 

I'm going to hunt the Paunsugaunt in Utah.
The Kiabab in Arizona
The Jicarilla neighborhood in NM
The panhandle in Idaho
The peaks of Washington
The desert of Nevada, and the plains of Montana.....Thats deer....lets see for elk.......

 

[WDFW-SUX]

Bone you forgot The Strip?

"The Kiabab in Arizona"

So you bit the bullet?

[Dman]

 My '08 wish list is:
 Montana deer
 Wa. lottery rut deer tag
 late blacktail in Wa. if unsuccessful
 Possibly Idaho Panhandle deer
 Wa. branched bull lottery tag

[Cougeyes]

Sticking it out in WA still for me, hunting the same place, sitting on the ride top and shooting a deer out of the same hell hole again then complain to myself all the way back to the top of the ridge as I pack it out, (usually the deer rolls a long ways down after i shoot it) as why i keep doing it to myself and why i can't shoot one on top of the ridge....make it to the top, take a deep breath and realize it would be too easy to shoot one up on top and wouldn't be that much fun.  Of course I wont have to complain because i'm going to draw the Desert Tag and a mountain goat tag (always wanted to hunt those).   

I may hunt the high-hunt, never have, wont shoot anything unless it were bigger than what we typically get during the general season. Haven't hunted out of state in over 10 years, I think i'm due as soon as i'm done with this school stuff. 

[boneaddict]

Yeah, I bit the bullet.  I figured it would cost about as much as one shed hunting trip, so I cancelled a shed hunting trip due to snow, and sent the saving on for another future dream hunt.  When I am working this double shift again tonight while my family sleeps at home, remind me its for a good cause. 

Canada isn't overlooked Huntnphool, I figured if I pulled all my resources for ONE year of applying, and skipped a year on points, I could finance a trip up there.  I would hunt there anyday of the week.  I sure wish I didn't have to have a guide.    Sonora...I don't know if thats my thing other than the monster bucks. 

[PolarBear]

I am going to be screwed for hunting this year.  We are building a house and will probably be moving in around mid to late November.  I hope that I will be able to hit the late 101 archery whitie hunt like I usually do, but I doubt it.  I guess that is more incentive to get the house done early or at least on time, eh? 

[Dansk]

Wow... you guys have it easy.  I have to get through these other permit processes before I can even start making plans...

1001  -  Vacation Authorizations from work
1002  -  Leave Permits from wife and kids
1003  -  Make deposit for Family Vacations (cost increases with every permit #1002 that is approved)

 

Once these clear, I can start making plans...

Idaho November Mulies (modern)
South WA November Elk  (Muzzle)
WA Mulies (modern) ... maybe- still strategizing.

...and maybe Recurve Whitetails on the Tucannon ... a wild hair I have- uncle lives there and neighbors are cool with me hunting with a bow (only)...

[Ridgerunner]

It seems that permit 1002 is the hardest one to draw on a yearly basis.  Sometimes its the long season other times its the short season.   

[tmike]

Those leave permits #1002 should have been spelled out in the Pre Nup    Even so they still need to be reminded about what keep our sanity.

[actionshooter]

About 10 years ago my wife came up with this thing she calls "equal money", Today she informed me about this cruise she and friends are taking to mexico this year.   

[huntnphool]

"About 10 years ago my wife came up with this thing she calls "equal money", Today she informed me about this cruise she and friends are taking to mexico this year."

What are you beating your head about? My wife and I do cruises all the time, I can tell you the price of her cruise will be more than enough to go on one hell of a hunt, assuming you really do get "equal money"

[actionshooter]

I'm beating my head b/c I have to save twice as much to go on a hunt. 
 I few years ago I came home from Alaska to new living room furniture, everybody sure thought that was funny 

[tmike]

You think that's bad. 3 years ago I came home from Arizona elk hunting to $3500 worth of furniture. OK that's fair, but this year I get home from Idaho to a $16,000 car. I'm hoping next year I come home to a new boat. I don't think so!

[actionshooter]

I came home from Colorado one year and my wife sold a car and she got more for it than I was going to ask 

$16000 sounds like a moose/griz hunt in Alaska 

[Dansk]

I'm beating my head b/c I have to save twice as much to go on a hunt. 
 I few years ago I came home from Alaska to new living room furniture, everybody sure thought that was funny 

Hah.... that's my story exactly.  I tell all my unmarried friends that your hunting and fishing trips cost double after you get married.  lol.   Misery loves company.

[wastickslinger]

MichaelJ- If your going to draw Desert and shoot a 190, you better plan on fending off all the 200 inchers to get to em. 

My '08 plans ar the same ol same ol. Lame in state hunting. No time or money venture outside the boarders yet. I will likelly muzzleload deer this year. Archery elk.

 

[tlbradford]

Switching back to archery this year and hunting in state.