collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?  (Read 6456 times)

Offline high country

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2007
  • Posts: 5133
OK, so without spilling your areas, what do you find habitat wise when ti comes to said deer?  I see more big bucks in the blowdowns mixed with fresh saplings.....others?

Offline boneaddict

  • Site Sponsor
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 50475
  • Location: Selah, Washington
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2007, 06:07:41 AM »
Ditto.

Offline Dman

  • Dmanmastertracker
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 1468
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2007, 01:55:21 PM »
 I've seen the biggest muleys in the upper ends of finger canyon's where there is good browse and cover, also laying in open hillsides where there is a good FOV, laying in rocks and sage.

Offline high country

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2007
  • Posts: 5133
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2007, 05:24:59 PM »
oddly I have seen very few "big" bucks in areas that could be glassed from very far away. most are in the thickest, nastiest blowdowns, and there is always a bunch of new growth trees, old burns that have been abused by wind....I don't know where guys find deer in open areas in the big mountains, the only open places I have seen a good nomber of decent bucks is on top of a very tall mountain that had burnt and not grown back. that hill is a 7k footer and the trail starts at 4000ft.....it sux going up. but sweet coming down......even with a spare 80lbs.

Offline high country

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: May 2007
  • Posts: 5133
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2007, 07:28:38 PM »
I have seen some bruisers in the fields too, but to me shooting a deer across an open field is sportlees and unfulfilling. If I am to take a deer it will be from the mountain. a 170" high counrty buck is worth a 250" wheat field buck to me everyday.

that is a big 10-4 on big deer and no hunting signs! I don't have to worry, as my land is your land where I hunt.

Offline boneaddict

  • Site Sponsor
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 50475
  • Location: Selah, Washington
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2007, 06:08:43 AM »
Only open hillsides that I have seen bruisers in are at 6000 and up, and its only open because brush doesn't grow out of rock.  Again, Ditto to what high country said.  I here you MILES.  I know those big whitetails can read, and I'm sure they get their copy of the regs way before we do.

Offline Ridgerunner

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 5065
  • Location: Enumclaw
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2007, 10:22:35 AM »
Too often in my spotting scope and not in my rifle scope, lol.  All the above is pretty good advice although I have seen some nice bucks out in the open basins, they were however not pressured at all at that time of year.

Offline Dman

  • Dmanmastertracker
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 1468
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2007, 11:42:25 AM »
 I'd agree with the 'more remote, more out in the open' principle. The one huge buck I saw that I'm sure went at least 350lbs and was at least a 5x6 with great mass was three miles in and at the top of the highest slope at 5,800 feet. He was laying in rocks and brush above me. I had even glassed where he was and couldn't seem him until I practically tripped over him. I got as close as 40 feet, but couldn't get a shot off as he was actually too close to get a sight on him and then was off in to the trees in just a couple seconds. He had so much mass it was too hard for me to make sure he had 3 points moving as fast as he was until he as nearly in to the trees. Definitely non-typical with bases as big around as my forearms. One of my most disappointing trips hunting ever, missing that big buck. 

Offline WAcoueshunter

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2007
  • Posts: 2598
Re: eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2007, 10:01:33 PM »
The two biggest WA bucks I've seen (180 class) were (1) in open rimrock above the treeline, and (2) on top of a 5,000 foot ridge with a grassy hillside with scattered trees on the south side, and heavy dense timber on the north side.  Didn't get shots at either one.  I prefer to glass and stalk, so I usually hunt the southern slopes that are more open.  See plenty of smaller legal bucks out there, often in the wide open.  But the bigger bucks usually seem to be right at the ridgeline so they can reach the dense north side in short order.  That being said, my biggest WA muley (155) was shot at the base of a mountain full of timber.  But instead of being near the trees, he was bedded out in a wide open pasture with his girlfriend, maybe thinking no one would look there...?  It was opening day, so maybe he just hadn't felt any pressure yet...?

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Public Land Sale Senate Budget Reconciliation by dreamingbig
[Today at 01:04:15 AM]


GMU 247 Entiat bear hunting by GeoSwan
[Yesterday at 10:23:36 PM]


AKC Australian Shepherd Puppies by TeacherMan
[Yesterday at 09:54:58 PM]


Observatory quality bull rifle by mtndew
[Yesterday at 09:17:55 PM]


New Zealand Hunt by Rufous
[Yesterday at 08:31:39 PM]


Sportsman Alliance files petition to Gov Ferguson for removal of corrupt WA Wildlife Commissioners by pickardjw
[Yesterday at 07:58:31 PM]


Colockum Archery Bull Tag by crabcreekhunter
[Yesterday at 07:51:37 PM]


Upland Side by Side by pickardjw
[Yesterday at 06:48:15 PM]


American Legion Summer Raffle - $1000 Prize!!! by pianoman9701
[Yesterday at 05:02:37 PM]


Selkirk bull moose. by 10thmountainarcher
[Yesterday at 03:36:22 PM]


North Peninsula Salmon Fishing by Stein
[Yesterday at 02:23:22 PM]


Looking for people to hunt with. by Boss .300 winmag
[Yesterday at 01:21:22 PM]


Primer 157 vs 209 by EnglishSetter
[Yesterday at 11:30:27 AM]


Evergreen youth livestock show and sale by nwwanderer
[Yesterday at 11:06:58 AM]


2025 Quality Chewuch Tag by elkaholic123
[Yesterday at 08:39:45 AM]


Rotator Cuff repair X 2 advice needed by Wood2Sawdust
[Yesterday at 07:49:52 AM]


Tooth age on Quinault bull by nwwanderer
[Yesterday at 06:54:44 AM]


3 days for Kings by Stein
[June 28, 2025, 06:45:11 PM]


Kinda fun LH rimfire rifle project by JDHasty
[June 28, 2025, 06:44:33 PM]


Can’t fish for pinks area 8-2? by WAcoueshunter
[June 28, 2025, 05:22:46 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal