ellensburg pass

[toothfangclaw]

Anyone hunt that area? Went for a scouting trip and it seems promising. it looks promising but we also thought that the l.t. Murray would have deer lol. Not looking for honey holes.  Thanks!

[boneaddict]

Not usually a trophy area.  There should be some legal deer.   There are usually several camps by the observatory road.  Watch the real obvious.  Its usually overlooked pockets that the deer will be found. 

[cem3434]

We have shot a couple toads out of that area over the years, but there aren't a lot of monsters.  The deer population has dropped off in the last 5 years or so due to the hair loss disease and now there aren't a lot of deer around that area. 
I did shoot deer opening day in that area for 5 years in a row including 2 deer over 160" when the hunting was good.  The last time I hunted there 2 years ago, we didn't even see a deer in a 1-1/2 days before packing up and leaving.
My hunting partner was over there for archery elk and said the deer were still scarce.  I would try another area, but that's just my  .

[SirSpencer]

The deer population has dropped off in the last 5 years or so due to the hair loss disease and now there aren't a lot of deer around that area. 
 ... I would try another area, but that's just my  .

Completely agree, i was up there for 5 days 2 weeks ago didn't see one buck. I was definitely covering a lot of country and still couldn't get into them. In the last 4 years of being up there ive seen three legal bucks. I've heard its due to a very large cougar population though.

[bobcat]

They should have left the Umtanum GMU permit only like it was several years ago. But, I guess the problem with that is the indians then took advantage of all the good bucks that came as a result of the general season closure, and they killed them on their winter range. It sure has potential to be a good unit, but with hair loss, indians, poaching, and cats I don't see how it will ever see its potential.

[SirSpencer]

I remember the permit days! Used to see the biggest deer i saw all season up there when I was elk hunting. Maybe they should go back to that.

[bushmaster]

GMU's335-346 are a waste of your time for deer. I have prop at elk heights and im in the wood all the time. Its not that there is a lack of legal deer, its that there is a lack of ALL deer in these gmu's. I see it dwindle year by year. They need to close down deer hunting in these areas for 2-3 years, let it rebuild and run permit only after the 2-3 year moratorium. After gun season, almost ALL 3pt or better deer are shot BEFORE they can breed. A three pt min is a joke of a management program! Thanks WDFW, how many millions did it take to come up with that . . All they care about is how to sell the most amount of tags they can, and let us load up the woods with hunters and shoot the deer we need as breeders. I have an idea, lets shoot ALL the good breed stock so the 2pts and spikes can get laid. This "program" that we have is about $$$ not "game management".

[focht22]

Well Said Bushmaster, there is nothing left in that unit worth shooting.

[Cougeyes]

GMU's335-346 are a waste of your time for deer.

I typically hunt 335 and it has gone downhill.  3 of us in our camp used to all fill our tags opening weekend, but in the past 2 years none of us have gotten one.  Read the 2009 game status trend report on WDFW and it clearly shows the numbers plumeted.

[bushmaster]

I just spoke with a friend that was up in 336 for 11 days (elk,deer muzz). As far as the deer hunting went, they saw 6 deer in 11 days, two of the deer they saw twice! They did see 1 legal deer that they couldn't catch up to. I know of 1 4x4 with browtines I have seen a dozen times right by my place, but trying to patter this guy has been mind blowing . I think he's gone nocturnal on me. He said he would NEVER hunt the 300's for deer again! I told him I would appreciate it, sense he's not that great of a hunter to begin with.

[coachcw]

theres a few buck in there go hi .

[bushmaster]

NICE BUCKS!!!!!!!

[wsucowboy]

Dang, great bucks!

[dscubame]

Thats what we are talking about!

[focht22]

wow, nice bucks!!