Finding time to Elk & Deer hunt

[Arrow]

  Just wondering what everyone else is doing when it comes to Elk and Deer hunting in this state? After years of modern hunting I really enjoy bow hunting and don’t want to go back but this state is making it difficult to do both deer & elk in the same season. Elk hunting is my passion so I always take a week off work but I also like to deer hunt with a bow. Years past the early season ran out until the end of Sept or at least the 25th which gave us another full weekend after elk just to hunt deer. I know deer opens Sept 1st which give us 7 days before Elk but it always seems harder to get out Labor Day weekend and I don’t live in an area where the deer population is high so work nights are out.     

[jackelope]

Finding time to spend "enough" time  hunting is one of my biggest challenges at this point in my life. I have been taking a 4-5 day weekend to elk hunt and a 4-5 day weekend for the deer hunt every year. I usually get a weekend or 2 or a day here and there to spend scouting. It's never "enough" in my eyes but it is what it is at this point. Hopefully the time I am spending at work will pay off in the long run eventually. Having a young child and wife who also works full time and then some makes it really difficult. I don't know how some of the guys on here can pull off taking a month off or hunt all over the west....all I can say is that it must be nice. Some time in the next year or so I will probably start deer hunting with the bow like I do for elk. The available seasons are very appealing to me...I do enjoy rifle hunting though so it will be a tough transition.

[Woodchuck]

If I may quote what a very wise individual on here once said. " those who want it bad enough will find a way, those who don't will find an excuse"
That is not an effort to piss you off but seems to ring true in a lot things. 

[jackelope]

If I may quote what a very wise individual on here once said. " those who want it bad enough will find a way, those who don't will find an excuse"
That is not an effort to piss you off but seems to ring true in a lot things. 

Then maybe my family and trying to get ahead in life a little is my priority right now and not hunting. IF you want to get ahead you've got to bear down for a while and do it at some point. Now seems to be that time for me. That doesn't piss me off if your concern was aimed at me. I would not disagree with your statement at all.
10 days a year in the woods doesn't seem that bad to me anyway.
 

[Woodchuck]

Was not particularly aimed at anyone. We each have our own set of priorities and values and that will dictate our choices on any issue IMO. But I believe that in most of lifes issues it really does boil down to just that. Maybe "excuse" is a poor choice of words in that context. Apology offered if I offended you.

[elkoholic]

I do them both at the same time...if I see a nice buck I am gonna shoot him. I shot this blacktail open morning of elk 2 years ago in the lewis river unit...

[Instinct]

I mainly focus on elk because our deer population is crap but i get out for a day for deer. But i also hunt gmus thhat is also open for deer when im elk hunting so if the oppoortunity presents it self ill change my roll of the hunt. I also prefer late season too for deer, no need to waste time and money on deer that isnt plentyful in certain areas.

[BurleyDog]

what about bow hunting the later season for deer and focusing on elk early?

[DoubleJ]

If I may quote what a very wise individual on here once said. " those who want it bad enough will find a way, those who don't will find an excuse"
That is not an effort to piss you off but seems to ring true in a lot things. 

Hey that was me!!  I guess I'm wise now 

[Arrow]

    I just wish WA State would stop make changes to the hunting dates. Once you have a system in place it seems like they go and make a rule change. The long archery season was always one of the more positive things about it but that is slowly going away with time. Sorry I guess I’m just venting!
    Believe me I would drop a legal deer in our Elk GMU but we rarely see any deer where we hunt. I also agree late season is better time to hunt deer but there again we don’t have as many GMU’s to work with as we do in the early season.   

[Tony]

I concentrate on Elk in the early season and for the late season i look for deer the first 4-5 days since they typically stop rutting after that were i hunt then i turn back to searching for elk.

[yakimarcher]

You're looking at the problem all wrong, hunting is the priority, you should be trying to find time do do all that other crap 

[Woodchuck]

If I may quote what a very wise individual on here once said. " those who want it bad enough will find a way, those who don't will find an excuse"
That is not an effort to piss you off but seems to ring true in a lot things. 

Hey that was me!!  I guess I'm wise now 

Oops, sorry, thought it was someone else. No you are not wise. 

[rtspring]

Hunting is my only real hobby,

So I work my butt off all year so that I can go hunting and not worry about any other issues..  This year I will spend 60 days consecutive up in the hills. After 20 years in the service it is about ME TIME......

[akirkland]

Hunting is my only real hobby,

So I work my butt off all year so that I can go hunting and not worry about any other issues..  This year I will spend 60 days consecutive up in the hills. After 20 years in the service it is about ME TIME......

                                                                                                                                                                   HELL YA!! AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE