Huckleberry Unit deer

[CJ-5]

So I am going to be spending a few days whitetail hunting out of Cedonia here next week.  A relative's family friend has a cabin over that way that they are letting us stay in, which is a nice offer.  They say the hunting is good around there, but this is coming from people who have not really hunted a whole lot.  From looking at the harvest reports it looks like they shoot a load of deer out of the Huckleberry and it looks like there is alot of ground to hunt in that area.  We will have access to 40 acres, but who knows if it is any good or not.  We plan on doing plenty of exploring around the area.  Has anyone on here ever hunted around Cedonia?  I am curious as to what a guy might run into.  Is there much of an issue with private ground?  I assume there is a decent amount of pressure, but probably some deer around there with all that ground.  Just wondering if anyone has had any experience hunting around that area. 

[deadwoodbuck]

I have hunted more around the Gifford area and there are a lot...used to be alot...of nice whitetail in that area.  If you have access to 40 acres then you would be best hunting/scouting that area intensively to see what up.  Quads are BIG so there may be other hunters driving deer onto your land.  Private land is everywhere and the deer on that land is THEIR deer...need to feed the families.  So short of chumming the local natives with out of area goodies...good luck.  There is DNR and timber land to be hunted but good luck finding it.  There are definitly some good possibilities in that area and if you hunt it right...you may get lucky.  Huckleberry unit has really changed as I have seen it go from any whitetail to any buck to next year 3 point or better for muzzy in the course of 4 years.  Good luck and be alert.

[Fish4Fun]

A good source might be to contact Bearpaw on this site. Dale is an outfitter over there and might be able to give you some ideas around your place. Dale and Tara are super nice folks, hope thy can help you out.

[FSTaxidermy]

The Huckleberry has been hammered recently with two bad winters in a row, wiped out most of the good deer.  We have hunted the Chewelah area for past 20 years and not going back this year for the first time.  Dont know how bad Cedonia was hit, but could be the same?  Game dept looking at going to 3pt to help recovery, am all for that. On another note, if you see quads behind non-motorized gated areas, get their plate numbers and report them, their ruining it for the rest that support the laws and walk in.  Good luck, and watch the does, probably will be a buck on their tail!

[CJ-5]

Thanks for the info guys.  It seems like quads are big everywhere, hoepfully they stick to where they are supposed to be and dont screw us up.  That is interesting to hear about the change to 3pt or better for whitetail.  I have seen the whitetail management plan on the WDFW website, but haven't read it since I don't whitetail hunt.  Im thinking i will see more deer than if i stay and hunt at home, plus get to see some new ground so it should be a fun trip. 

[Big10gauge]

Here's a Cedonia buck, been a few years ago though.
I still see a few good ones up there.

[turkey slayer]

My uncle lives in Cedonia and he says he has been seeing a few deer but the number are still low. He has 80 to 100 acres of alfalfa.

[CAMPMEAT]

I think the cougars are not helping. The winters have not been bad at all.

[CJ-5]

Nice buck 10 gauge.  Not surprised about the cougars, i think they are a problem pretty much everywhere now. 

[RidgeRunner_07]

3 point min would be about the best thing to happen here in Ne Washington.

[baldopepper]

I, too, have a cabin in the Cedonia area and hunt there quite a lot.  In fact, I was over there last weekend messing around.  Saw more mulies than whitetails.  That area is really down in population from just a few years back and in the rain it's very diffuicult to hunt.  LOTS of private ground and many of the landowners are quick to make a call if you tresspass without asking.  That's the bad news.  Good news is that there are a lot of big deer over there, we see them all summer and my nephew and a friend did take a couple of very nice whitetail bucks on the first hunt.  It's also a very pretty  area and  if you can't find deer, the lake has been very productive for trout this fall.  Fish from the bank around the net pens in the Hunters Campground area with a worm and a marshmello-nice fish and they fight hard.  Enjoy yourself, hope you have better weather than I did last weekend!!

[ribka]

Here's a Cedonia buck, been a few years ago though.
I still see a few good ones up there.

Nice buck. Like the palmation on the antlers

[spookgus]

Three point minimun means that any genetically Superior deer is fair game. I live in a predominately mule deer area in Eastern Washington and have a few does on my property. The 4 point I thought would breed these does got ran out by on older giant 2pt. point.