Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Bean Counter on October 09, 2008, 07:52:58 AM

Title: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 09, 2008, 07:52:58 AM: Here's the sitchyation:
I have an second/antlerless tag for Mica Peak (127) with my buddy. He calls me yesterday and tells me he needs to help out at our church on Tuesday evening. That almost cuts the week in half and its a five hour trip to get there from here.

The option:
I'm tempted to head SE to hunt one of my own honey holes for a mule deer just for opening weekend, then come back and pick him up Tuesday eve and we head over for our antlerless deer. But that would only give us Wed-Sun to fill our tags--they aren't good for a late season (I think--It doesn't specify). Assuming we're competent shots to at least 100+ yards do you think that Wed-Sun will give us enough time to both to harvest a whitetail doe? I traveled over there in the late summer to secure access amongst several private landowners, each with 1,000+ acres and all that say they have does. On the phone yesterday one told me that he had five does in his front yard the other day. But these landowners do grant access to other hunters so I'm concerned about the pressure later in the week.

The other option is that he and I head over Friday evening, and try to pop 'em opening weekend. We'd have to head back for Tuesday, but at least we'd have the option of coming back the next weekend. We could then do the late whitetail buck hunt in November if necessary.

Thanks guys :hello:
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: Little Fish on October 09, 2008, 09:07:45 AM: I know nothing about the area you are hunting, but its seems to me if this is a second tag WDFW gave it out to either keep deer out of that particular area or because there are too many animals in that area. What do the harvest stats from prior years show? If its the latter harvest should be pretty good.

When I hunt either sex units with a muzzle loader it takes me 2-4 days to fill my tag on average. This is going in cold (no preseason scouting). It seems like it would be the same or less with modern firearm.
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: EastWaViking on October 09, 2008, 12:54:19 PM: If you are hunting private farm land with a rifle, you will each need about 5 minutes....really.
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 09, 2008, 01:00:20 PM: Quote from: EastWaViking on October 09, 2008, 12:54:19 PM
If you are hunting private farm land with a rifle, you will each need about 5 minutes....really.

Ha, lol. I guess they weren't exaggerating when they said one day.

This means I can go for my mullie opening weekend.

Thanks guys :hello:
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: DeKuma on October 09, 2008, 01:22:12 PM: It's true Bean. I would think you should be able to do that with no issues. I know in 121, if I had a Doe tag, it would take me much less than a day if I was not being picky about the largest Doe I could find.

I would hitthe Muleys first, then worry about your doe tags.
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 09, 2008, 01:31:02 PM: Huh? You get to be picky with the females? Looks like we're evaluating racks of another kind, now!
:yike:
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: Bean Counter on October 09, 2008, 01:31:42 PM: Seriously though, I know i don't want to shoot a fawn doe, but are there really size differences amongst adult female deer? I guess I've never really looked long enough at does to notice. :dunno:
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: DeKuma on October 09, 2008, 01:35:09 PM: Certainly. I have seen quite a difference. You can tell an old Matriarchial Barren Doe form the run of the mill by the shear body size. My dad took an old doe off our property last year that pushed a scaled 180#, compared to my long horn spike weighing 140#. The body on the doe was big and it was obvious the second you saw her. We passed on tons of smaller doe until he found one that looked big enough.
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: TeacherMan on October 09, 2008, 02:37:33 PM: We have three doe tags to fill this weekend. We are figuring to have them filled by noon on Saturday. GMU 124. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Only need 1 day for an antlerless? really?
Post by: hambone on October 09, 2008, 09:24:19 PM: i hunt that unit to get a doe shouldnt take very long just how big of one you want