Bethel

[Mr T]

My old man hunted this unit for deer and elk for a couple of decades and I was with him fand my grandpa for about 10 years for deer season (mostly hust hiking with a rifle on my shoulder  .  He often talks of the big mule deer he saw during elk season and has persuaded me to apply my points to this late mule deer hunt.  Maybe next year will be the year that I will be drawn and get into some of those deep canyons of my childhood.  Until then, anybody have pics of their late season mule deer?

[Mr T]

or even a story if no pics...anything....I need a fix 

[Glockster]

I too spent my youth on those hills and canyons, but that was 15yrs ago.  There used to be many and even some big deer....lots of muledeer/blacktail crosses.   

I can remember not being able to leave camp without seeing deer , especially during elk season back when that season was in November.  Now in those same areas I know like the back of my hand, it's rare to see a doe.  WDFW's estimates of the yakima units' deer herd show a decline of over 50%.

Wish I had a better story for ya, but none of my good Bethel Ridge stories go past 1995 in that unit. 

[Mr T]

Yes my last year was 1995 for deer in the bethel ridge/cougar canyon area and it was just attempting to recover from the HUGE winter deer kill of a couple of years prior.  Still remember seeing countless does, but very few bucks back in the day.

[huntandjeep]

Deer and elk hunting have went to crap on bethel.Hunted up there since early 90s and would always see deer.

[MAVsled]

i'd apply elsewhere...and the tag season is right after the modern elk season. Jumpy deer to say the least.
deer herds in this area have never recovered from the winter kills of the mid 1990's.
while elk hunting, I haven't seen a good buck for several seasons. Used to see good bucks and we even used to hunt deer around Meloy-cougar canyons up to Grouse Haven in the 80's-early 90's.

now we pursue muley bucks in the Okanagon units.

[220hunter]

a guy i know went elk hunting up there this year and said he saw some really nice bucks. so it might be good but its hard to say 

[D-Rock425]

It wouldn't be my first choice to deer hunt in.

[TeacherMan]

I hunted that area in 2005 with a cow tag and saw several really nice bucks! One was a nice 6x6, I could hear him coming up the draw and I totally thought I had an elk coming toward me. I had my crosshairs on his chest when he broke over the hill toward me. First time in my life I was sad to see a monster mule deer. 

[Dan-o]

I think if you check the WDFW special hunt stats, you'll see that Bethel has been far short of special for quite a few years now.  Sorry.

Having said that, I still have a warm spot in my heart for the Bethel from hunts in the '90's or so.

[Mr T]

Yes, I also still have that warm spot with a lot of great memories.  Will not be attempting a general season hunt but still thinking a lucky draw of a November hunt would be worth it.

Still hoping to get a story or report from somebody about the November draw buck hunt.