Ebay highest cost item WA hunt

[SHANE(WA)]

I have no doubts about high elevation deer rutting earlier, my dad shot a 30" muley in the sawtooth a few years ago tending a massive rub line and had about 10 doe's with him on opening weekend, seen this activity for years there. I also have a spot here near spokane where we hunt around 4,000' for whitetails and the rutting activity starts way earlier than down low.

[muleracks]

I have never seen rutting behavior in mid-October.  In the Cascade Mountain of Chelan County the does typically start moving toward the winter range at the first hint of weather. The bucks stay back until the snow forces them to move or the hormones kick in in early November. 

We typically see almost no does at 6000 feet in October but the mature bucks are their. Stag groups have usually broken up into singles by mid-October but they are not following the does down the valley.

[Cougeyes]

That is exactly what we see to a "T".  We've hunted the same general area for the past 10 years at about 6,000' and we hardly ever see any does, but the bucks are always there.  By sunday last season of opening weekend b/w 3 of us we counted 17 bucks and only 5 does and the bucks are either in pairs or are alone.

[popeshawnpaul]

I must say I've seen rutting activity in mid October up near the border northest of Republic.  It isn't the norm, but I've seen bucks with thick necks.  Heck, look at my first deer that I've posted on here.  He was shot October 17 and he had a swollen neck.  I've seen rubs this time of year up there.  I would think it's more the start of pre-rut, but it can happen in those parts.

[Colville]

pope, I'm sure you know that often you see swelling necks before you see bucks chasing does. Often a buck out late or with a thick neck gets called a rutting buck when it's still pre-rut. I've seen signs of rutting late in Oct. I'm sure some have seen full on rut before in mid to late October. I've yet to hear anyone, claim that the peak is every mid October.

There are a lot of guides in the same geographic area, N ID, NW MT and SE BC. They advertise rut hunts and have seasons that are both in Oct and Nov, but only advertise Nov as rut. Now not taking anyone out of context, I've contacted a number of them to ask if I was interested in my best shot at a rutting hunt when should I hunt? I get a remarkably similar answer. Starting last few days of Oct through mid Nov. These are guides hunting near the border on either side, in the mountains for mule deer, not plains, sage or foothill hunts. Let's just say there's a difference of opinion between how one guide characterizes the rut and what the other guides, personal experience and those I speak to have seen.

The whole thing is kinda moot. The guys in question appear to hunt good ground, take good animals and do so all above board. I just don't believe they have a micro climate of a few dozens of square miles where the rutting behavior of mule deer is predictably unique by at least 2 weeks, but I leave it open that it's possible. If you post great pics of the deer you take, I don't think anyone cares whether you get em in or out of rut as long as you're getting them.

[Jimbo]

Hey ya'll,
I hunt Whitetails with these folks every year they are top-notch and do everything possible to insure you have a good hunt. Usually we get a very nice 4-point or better. All free ranging hunts for the whitetail. The mule deer hunting takes place some distance from where we hunt whitetails and although I have never been on the muley hunts have seen some real bruisers taken through all the seasons. Bottom line here is that these are really honest folks commited to getting you in a position to see some really nice bucks and by the way they have great accomadations and its hard to beat Jodies cooking.

Jimbo

[Skyvalhunter]

Well lets see some of your pictures and a few stories. It helps us thru the winter dull drums!!

[huntnphool]

Hey Sky, along with "Jimbo's" pics I have been posting Joes pics under "Trail Cam Pics" "Moose" and "Nice Whitetail Bucks" at least I think thats what I posted them under

There are some nice pics of some very nice animals on them, I will post some more as soon as I get them all resized.

[Outfitter]

I tryed to attach the artical from Eastmans Journal.I'm not sure if you will be able to read it.

[Cougeyes]

Cool article, that says something about your business if Eastmans comes out there, thanks for posting.  Do you care to tell the story about being attacked by the cougar, i'm sure everyone here would like to hear that story.

[Outfitter]

The cougar incident was in October 1991.I was glassing a ridge for deer with my rifle leaning against the downfall I was sitting on.Out of the corner of my eye while glassing I caught a movement in the snow.I droped my glasses down and seen it was a lion crawling strait at me about 20 yards like you would see a house cat do.When it registered in my mind what was happening I reached for my rifle.When I did it caught the movement and went into a full run at me. I wheeled the gun around and hipshot toward it.It hit him right in the eye at 8ft from me.He did some flipping around and ended up about 15 yards or so down the hill. The cat was a young tom that weighed about 100lbs. I called the WDFW and gave it to them because it wasn't season.They said it was probably hungry and didn't know exactly what I was and that I should have just stood up and yelled and waved my arms.Easy for them to say.I suppose if a guy had time to think about it in probably would have worked.However I still think I would have done the same thing.