Chiliwist whitetail

[bushmaster]

does anyone know if the chili is all mule deer, or is there whitetail also. 2nd question!!! Im going into this blind and have never been there, is this a decent gmu? as opposed to the teanaway where I usually go???

any thoughts would be great!

[chongo469]

controled fires in the chiliwist area from what i hear, dont know if it is a good thing or bad thing

[bushmaster]

what does a controlled fire mean? Are you refering to camp fires??

[chongo469]

prescribed burns of certain areas by the state.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka/fire/rxburn/10burn/metburn10.shtml

[bushmaster]

Oh, roger that!

[SpotandStalk]

Plenty of whitetails...it is actually a pretty good mix....if you are wanting a whitetail there are some better areas than others.  Do you have a special permit?

[bushmaster]

no special permit, my cousin went on a trip east and drove by the chili and thought it would be a good place to switch to because we have been skunked 4 years in a row and he has not harvested a deer, EVER! I just wanted some other options or get some info on this area. If its no good, then I wont go. Is there better out there?

[poopooheaddad]

My in laws live in that unit, it is not a bad unit, its what you make of it, lots of roads, lots of private property (south,and west) good mix of Muley and White tail. up by loop loop is nice.

[seaduckhunter]

Chilliwist is a good unit to hunt ID say more mulies than whitetails.   There are whitails there though especially in the creek and river bottoms.

[bushmaster]

Im hearing allot of good things! All input is greatly appreciated and I thank you all! I just got off the phone with a guy that knows 239,224,218 like the back of his hand. He is actually PAID to do spring game counting in region 2. Im still filtering what he told me and looking at a map as we speak. I might have to change LZ,s, he told me of a few places within spitting distance that in fact will pay off huge this year, maybe a new state none typical from what he himself put eyes on! 

[chevysquid]

non-typical whitetail or muley?

[bushmaster]

mulie! are you going up into the 200 gmu's area?

[chevysquid]

I'll be in the 215 (sinlahekin) but may wander depending on how it goes.  Taking leave for the whole muley rifle season.

[bushmaster]

I know the 215 well, I use to hunt it pretty hard about 7-8 years ago. Got invited to go up with a huge group and camp off the toats. They still go up for rifle but they havent been bringing home the deer as much in the past few years.

[chevysquid]

I'm going to head up towards the twenty mile meadows area.

[Malottguy]

The Chiliwist is okay at best anymore. When I was a kid the deer population was much better but with the explosion of homes going in and having other land owners locking up huge areas of good land it makes it much tighter to hunt.

Put it like this I live here and I go elsewhere to hunt.

Deer to hunt yes. Just to many people. I counted 19 vehicles on Chiliwist Butte itself on opening morning last year ( I thought I would try it again and left for the north for an afternoon hunt instead )

[billythekidrock]

I saw a moster muley come off the Butte side of Fox a few years ago. I think it was the local Postmaster?

[Malottguy]

Oh there's a few monsters up there but they are sneaky closet we have ever come to one up there when we hunted it was 400 yds and my buddy just couldn't connect with his .308.

Largest one I ever seen was on the Malott side hanging dead from a deer fence. He tried jumping it and got caught and hung himself.

[Shootmoore]

Yep used to be a lot of big brutes in the area.  We always had a hoot hunting the area back when they had the late season "Mallott hunt" for archery.  Its been a lot of years ago but if I remember right it was December 15thish to mid January.  Chased some real monsters around the hills.  Have not hunted that area in years so no current knowledge to impart for you.  Grampa grew up in mallott so he knew all the land owners back then and helped getting me on a lot of private land. 

Shootmoore

[MtnMuley]

I saw a moster muley come off the Butte side of Fox a few years ago. I think it was the local Postmaster?

Late tag.  Not sure about monster class though.

maybe a new state none typical from what he himself put eyes on! 

I'd love to see that!

[billythekidrock]

I saw a moster muley come off the Butte side of Fox a few years ago. I think it was the local Postmaster?

Late tag.  Not sure about monster class though.

Nope. Not a late tag. It was opening day of general season. Two of us were heading in a couple hours before dark and they were just getting it to the truck. Shot it out of it's bed in the first hours of the season.

[MtnMuley]

Oh.  The local postmaster killed one there a few years ago with a late tag.  It was a nice buck.

[Malottguy]

Yes that was a nice buck but no monster. There are book class deer up there but most aren't seen until winter when they come down for the year. Funny part is I have seen some truly awesome bucks in late December and early January and I think wow I want to find their sheds but hell if I can find them. I have even tried right after they lose them.

My hope is someday the genetics will return to what they once were for all the bucks.

[billythekidrock]

Ok, monster might be a bit much, but definately a whopper.

[pips4bucks]

So I was checking out the regs earlier and there's a late archery quality deer draw for this area, Nov 21-30, any buck.  What's anyone's  on this?  Is it worth putting in for?  I'm not necessarily looking for a 40 incher  just a nice respectable muley, but if a decent whitey shows himself, I'm not picky.  Thx!

Pips

[Malottguy]

Not worth it nope not what so ever LOL  

It is a good quality hunt. As mentioned before the old Malott hunt was awesome I only got to take part once when I used to bowhunt. I got me a big fat doe that year on the last day. But there where at least three very respectable bucks but all three I saw would stay up on the hill. No way yo get a shot at them.

[DeerHarvester]

Have fun! It will be like hunting in a pumpkin patch.  Not to mention all the drunk road hunters trying to run you off the road.  Good luck!

[MtnMuley]

Funny part is I have seen some truly awesome bucks in late December and early January and I think wow I want to find their sheds but hell if I can find them. I have even tried right after they lose them.

That is funny.  Maybe I'll leave you one.

[Sneaky]

Chiliwist hasn't really been the same since my generation went in on the any deer hunt back in 2001 from what I hear. I killed deer there 3 years straight when I was 11-13 on the doe hunt. Each year we saw WAY less deer. Some of the best memories I have though.

[Malottguy]

MtnMuley if you get a big enough one I would love to see it. Like I said I am going to avoid that area LOL.

[H2Ofuzz]

Benson Creek has a ton of big white tails.

[Malottguy]

Yeah Benson Creek does have some whitetails but it is also getting more private land too. But always worth a try.

[H2Ofuzz]

As far as i know about a mile up you hit the cattle guard and from there up is fair game. Lots of land up there.

[Malottguy]

There is plenty to hunt for sure just I remember when I was younger there was hardly no private land even up to the cattle guard. But it is worth trying if you are in the area. Actually that is the area I seen a cow elk in about 20 years ago and I haven't seen one up here since.