2 points around every corner!

[matt345]

I hunted a private piece of ground in Grand Coulee with a friend and 3 other guys for 4 days and we hunted it hard every day sun up to sun down. We only took home a doe, one guy had a doe tag. We saw probably 15 different 2 points, nothing that was legal, someone on the neighboring piece of property got a big 4 point 25 inch spread. We had a great time, weather was perfect, shot at a few coyotes on the run. Just never connected with a legal buck. There's always a late hunt to try and solve the tag soup issue! Next year should be better on that property with all those two points lets hope a few of them make it through the winter 

[400out]

Heard that more than once this year  I found one with eye guards and smoked him 

[carpsniperg2]

They are like rats up here right now Bad gentics being passed on this year. I have seen more 3-5 year old slick 2 points this year then any other

[SemperFidelis97]

We had a similar issue this year we seen 2pts on a daily basis, and really only seen two legal shooters all week one on which was a 2pt with eyeguards.  Good thing we have the kids to fill the freezer with doe tags.

[DoubleJ]

This is happening at foster creek too.  This is why I started the thread asking how the wdfw could go about washing out those genes.  They are everywhere up there.

[npaull]

It's kind of an interesting problem, because really when you put a 3-point minimum rule in place you create an evolutionary selective pressure that *favors* mature 2-point bucks!

[the1rod]

thats how it was in the place i hunted last year, saw a ton of twos but nothing legal, and only saw a few threes that had been shot. went back this year and by 8:30 opening morning my dad and i both had nice threes, and we saw a ton pulled out that weekend. so have fun next year! and good luck with the late hunt.

[bankwalker]

You would think after years of complaining about so many mature 2pts in areas. The wdfw would actually realize there is a problem with genetics and do something about it.

It seems to me more and more every year the wdfw doesn't want our money. As they keep giving Washington hunters a reason to go out of state.......

[Savage Hunter]

Had the same experience in the Blue Mountains . . . lots of two points and spikes.  So frustrating

[wence5]

We were hunting over by Keller Ferry on Lake Roosevelt, and noticed a ton on big forks. I was able to take a nice three point out of there though.

[DoubleJ]

It's kind of an interesting problem, because really when you put a 3-point minimum rule in place you create an evolutionary selective pressure that *favors* mature 2-point bucks!

 

[runamuk]

They are like rats up here right now Bad gentics being passed on this year. I have seen more 3-5 year old slick 2 points this year then any other

its not bad genes its what we select for on this side...its all part of the theory of evolution and natural selection....we have been rigorously culling the 3 point and better leaving the 2 point to survive...its really basic animal management/breeding at work....this state hires people who havent got a clue and we end up with these messes

[THunt]

I believe they should give out 500 youth permits for 2 points in Douglas county.

[Fish4Fun]

Sad thing over there is that bulk of the 2 points are all mature deer. every day we would get on a buck and when it turned its head it would be a huge 2. We saw a couple that would be easy 21" - 24" wide 2 X 2's with NO eye guards. get enough of them breeding and we will have nothing but a county full 2 points. 

[Glockster]

Saw same thing in the Almota unit of the Snake River breaks....we saw big 2's every day.   

They actually had a permit only black powder hunt for 2pts in that unit, to try to address some of this problem.  But I don't know how many they took...very open country and tough to get in BP range. 

[DoubleJ]

The ones we saw in Foster Creek were mature 2pt.  Problem was, the spread was about 8" and the points were about 2" long and thin from the skull up.  Faces were long and full, backs were sagging, and these deer were 250+lbs.  These were not young deer.

[BOWHUNTER45]

I have had the same problem ..the first week seen little deer everywhere and I have hunted my butt off trying to find a nice one ,, seriously covered some ground and glassed till my eyes were burning and cant seem to get on one ..this morning was cold and frosted and I thought for sure today would be the day but never seen one flippin deer ...Now that I would shot one of those duces he will not show himself again

[CHUCK S]

Same in Lincoln GMU 133.  We lease property and saw 21 different 2 x 2's and only one 1 x 2.  Should be good next year but strange to see a big 2 x 2 running 15 - 20 does.  Only saw one 4 x 4 whitetail and he was on the run, no other whitetail bucks after that.

[runamuk]

Same in Lincoln GMU 133.  We lease property and saw 21 different 2 x 2's and only one 1 x 2.  Should be good next year but strange to see a big 2 x 2 running 15 - 20 does.  Only saw one 4 x 4 whitetail and he was on the run, no other whitetail bucks after that.

talked to someone who said that was what they saw last year lots of 2x2 and thought this year would be a good year and so far he hadnt found that to pan out still saw lots of 2x2's...

out of the 40 some deer I saw...I saw 1 2x2 and one little spike...rest were does

[steeleywhopper]

I hunted a private piece of ground in Grand Coulee with a friend and 3 other guys for 4 days and we hunted it hard every day sun up to sun down. We only took home a doe, one guy had a doe tag. We saw probably 15 different 2 points, nothing that was legal, someone on the neighboring piece of property got a big 4 point 25 inch spread. We had a great time, weather was perfect, shot at a few coyotes on the run. Just never connected with a legal buck. There's always a late hunt to try and solve the tag soup issue! Next year should be better on that property with all those two points lets hope a few of them make it through the winter 

I was in the same neck of the woods as you and all we saw were two points and does. We saw a ton of two points last year and thought this year would be good for legal bucks, not! Moving on to somewhere else next year, the deer are evolving into two points!

[Eli346]

 Our area was full of big 2 points last year but couldn't find one with a 3rd. Figured it would be a slam dunk this year but it wasn't any better, if not worse. All of the big 2 points were gone and didn't see much that was legal to shoot. I think the pressure is getting to them and they're getting smarter. Most of the good sign was in the timber in the draws. By the way, it was the Chelan area.

[400out]

I did see one giant 2x that had a 3rd breaking off the passengers side but you had to have a spotting scope to see it! if he was running you wouldn't take the shot! I wish he would have came off the land he was on! next year I will get with one of the mod gods and go after him 

[wildweeds]

WDFW needs to read the article I read in field and stream some years ago about genetics and antler growth.The article was about whitetails.Basically the jist of it was that a spike in a whitetail is inferior in antler genetics.There was a question about a scenario, a spike and a spike by forkhorn,a 2 buck a day limit and which one to shoot.The awnser was to kill the spike.................and don't let the other get away.My guess is all those 2 points your seeing............were pempernel spikes on their second antler growth.Should make the deer harvest spikes and 3 pt min.

[wence5]

WDFW needs to read the article I read in field and stream some years ago about genetics and antler growth.The article was about whitetails.Basically the jist of it was that a spike in a whitetail is inferior in antler genetics.There was a question about a scenario, a spike and a spike by forkhorn,a 2 buck a day limit and which one to shoot.The awnser was to kill the spike.................and don't let the other get away.My guess is all those 2 points your seeing............were pempernel spikes on their second antler growth.Should make the deer harvest spikes and 3 pt min.

I don't think the WDFW commissioners are going to read anything but how to wring out a few more bucks from the public! 

[Tman]

Coming soon to GMU's 117 and 121 too ... 

[andrebeergog]

Our deer party this year got skunked but counted 8 2 points and 2 spikes on public land in 204.  Just couldn't find that 3rd point.

[huntnphool]

 Wouldn't this be a great trophy for a kid! WDFW could kill two birds with one stone if they pulled their heads out of their collective a@$'s and put a feather in their caps at the same time. A youth hunt targetted at these bucks would be awesome, several of us have been asking for this for a number of years now.

[wence5]

I don't think the WDFW commissioners are going to read anything but how to wring out a few more bucks from the public! 
[/quote]

+1 that! It would seem it's all about the buck.