some advice needed for deer season

[WaTiger]

due to some recent developments, i am not going to get to hunt Elk this year   but i am going to get to hunt deer .  i have hunted Mulies in Co with decent success but i am at a loss on where to hunt for Mulies/blacktails in WA.  i will be hunting GMU 448, just north of Skykomish.    i went up to the area yesterday and did some scouting, i saw lots of sign but no deer.   

my questions:  the last two weeks of Oct, where should i expect the deer to be?  the highest ridges seem to be at about 5000-6000 ft and the valleys are at about 2500 ft.  mostly forested with some open areas and the valleys all have run-off creeks in them.   

i love to backcountry hunt so i dont mind putting some miles in to get to where they are, i just need some help in where to look.

thanks.

[ICEMAN]

To be honest with you, these blackies basically inhabit all elevations most all of the year. Yes, they can be driven down by snow, but on the other hand, we have blackies living at sea level all year long. Check all elevations...

I would recommend to keep looking. Plus, once the other seasons gets rolling with more guys hitting the brush this should mix things up for ya'.

For now, I would focus on finding and area with plenty of rubs. Some of these blackies do not travel really far and can be found within a mile of those rubs. Find rubs, food and the girls and you will find bucks. Just prey they aren't the nocturnal variety which seems like many of them are...

[WaTiger]

Thanks Iceman, that is what i was needin' to know.   back to scouting

[Stomper]

You will be more sucessful finding deer around clearcuts.I see more deer in the valley than i see up high.Along the river bottoms,up along the sultan basin rd.and Kellogg Lake rd.All these areas are owned by Green Crow,an active tree farm.DNR also has property on the sultan Basin road.We have been logging these areas for awhile.So there is plenty of options on food for the deer.I know above Skykomish has'nt had alot of active logging in awhile.So this equals less food for the deer.

[WaTiger]

thanks Stomper, i have also been checking out rd 6010 in the "Reiter Foothills" area, lots of bear but i have only seen a couple of deer.  it is my "getting in shape" hiking area plus blackberries are everywhere.  i need to see if hunting is allowed there (no signs but i wanna make sure).

[Lowski]

You will be more successful finding deer around clearcuts.I see more deer in the valley than i see up high.Along the river bottoms,up along the sultan basin rd.and Kellogg Lake rd.All these areas are owned by Green Crow,an active tree farm.DNR also has property on the sultan Basin road.We have been logging these areas for awhile.So there is plenty of options on food for the deer.I know above Skykomish hasn't had a lot of active logging in awhile.So this equals less food for the deer.

I have a general question about what deer are eating in this region. Are they eating something that only grows in clear cuts? Grass, bushes, berries, etc..?  A lot of hunting advice tells you to find the food and water sources. By October there should be plenty of water sources(rain ), but I have had a hard time determining what the deer are eating in Western WA.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[7mag.]

Deer need openings, natural or man made. Feed doesn't grow in the timber. Clear cuts are a good place, plenty of feed. Dug up roads are great, the grassy ones that nobody drives on. Deer like to feed and bed on these roads during the day. Burns and clear cuts that are 2-3 years old are prime. You probably won't find big bucks in these openings, but you will see does and smaller bucks. Good luck and good hunting.