Post by: djnoodle on September 25, 2013, 07:06:32 PM
I have hunted mule deer in Idaho for a few years. Time away from my family and cost have made me decide to give WA deer hunting another try. I have hunted blacktail on the wet side most of my life. Taken many 2-3 year old bucks, no trophies.
Never hunted in Eastern WA before. I am not familiar with any hunting areas east of the Pacific Crest Trail. I do not know if there are any areas open to the public that are productive enough to make the trip.
Are all of these big mule deer bucks on this site taken from private ranches, or can someone point me to a GMU that I could hunt that would be worth my while?
Post by: buglebuster on September 25, 2013, 07:09:42 PM
Post by: scout/sniper on September 25, 2013, 07:10:04 PM
Go up #2 Canyon Road until it ends and turns into dirt road.
Lots of nice deer up there.
Post by: huntnphool on September 25, 2013, 07:19:02 PM
Post by: 6x6in6 on September 25, 2013, 07:23:12 PM
Welcome to the site.:yeah:
:chuckle:
Post by: BigCutty3 on September 25, 2013, 07:25:24 PM
Post by: djnoodle on September 25, 2013, 07:29:35 PM
Welcome to the site.
Thanks
C-Post???
You lost me :dunno:
Post by: snowpack on September 25, 2013, 07:35:14 PM
Post by: RB on September 25, 2013, 07:39:10 PM
Welcome to the site.
ThanksC-Post???
You lost me :dunno:
dj,
Welcome to the site there are quite a few smarta$$e$$ on this site and loads of great information and great people. The best thing to do is hang out for awhile post some pictures of past hunts, look through the harvest reports on the WDFW site and see where the habitat is for good Mule Deer.
C-post is a bad running joke kinda like no-tellum ridge, going on a snipe hunt, or whatever fictitious place you can come up with. Also check out the special permit areas for Mule Deer never know you might get lucky next year and draw a once in a lifetime Mule Deer hunt!
Post by: Kc_Kracker on September 25, 2013, 08:05:56 PM
Post by: coachcw on September 25, 2013, 08:11:03 PM
Post by: BKMFR on September 25, 2013, 08:20:11 PM
Good Luck. East Okanogan late season if you can get drawn is a great hunt. Regular season good luck, probably hit the Okanogan and get above some of the orchards.....
Post by: bobcat on September 25, 2013, 08:27:47 PM
The best areas might be isolated sections of public land that's mixed in with private land, near farm country and away from concentrations of cougars and wolves.
Post by: jdb on September 25, 2013, 08:29:13 PM
LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.i would have to disagree, all the yakima units are abismal(sp)
Post by: bobcat on September 25, 2013, 08:32:02 PM
:sry:LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.no it ain't!
:yeah: I can't think of a worse place to hunt mule deer, except western Washington!
Like I said, look at the success rates. Umtanum has got to be one of the lowest in the state.
Post by: ghosthunter on September 25, 2013, 08:33:52 PM
LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.
:yike:
Really
I hunt that for elk every year and I have seen 5 deer.
Post by: bobcat on September 25, 2013, 08:36:46 PM
:sry:LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.no it ain't!
:yeah: I can't think of a worse place to hunt mule deer, except western Washington! Like I said, look at the success rates. Umtanum has got to be one of the lowest in the state.
342 sucks :chuckle: :IBCOOL:. I helped the harvest rate go up in 2010 and 11 though :tup:.
I hear the Yakamas do okay on the deer in that unit in late November and December.
Post by: huntnphool on September 25, 2013, 08:37:18 PM
:sry:LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.no it ain't!
:yeah: I can't think of a worse place to hunt mule deer, except western Washington!
Like I said, look at the success rates. Umtanum has got to be one of the lowest in the state.
:sry:LT Murry north of Selah. GMU 342.i would have to disagree, all the yakima units are abismal(sp)
:chuckle:
Post by: ghosthunter on September 25, 2013, 08:38:57 PM
Welcome
Post by: jdb on September 25, 2013, 08:40:39 PM
actually the yak res is almost void of deerthe best mule deer hunting is mid dec. just ask the Mucks
:yeah:. I think the best hunting is on rez land as the indians kill off of our land instead of theirs :twocents:.
Post by: huntnphool on September 25, 2013, 08:44:52 PM
The Colville Res is loaded though.actually the yak res is almost void of deerthe best mule deer hunting is mid dec. just ask the Mucks
:yeah:. I think the best hunting is on rez land as the indians kill off of our land instead of theirs :twocents:.
Post by: djnoodle on September 25, 2013, 09:00:06 PM
To answer the questions, I am looking for a place to hunt modern rifle, not this season, too late for that. Not necessarily the GMU with the most area of public land, but I don't want to spend all day in the truck, looking for an area that I am allowed to carry a rifle in. Of course, I want to fill my tag, but I realize that the success rates are around 5% in most GMUs. I'm looking for a chance to get a shot at a trophy of course, who isn't. My main reason for looking over that side of the fence, is that I have not hunted deer in Western WA in 10 years, and my scouting this year has taught me two things, many of my favorite hunting spots are now unaccessible, and many of the ones that are not, are now overgrown with brush.
And here is a pic of my most recent buck. It's a 2x3 and I got him on Old Baldy Mountain, near Lava Hot Springs, ID. Smaller than I was hoping for, but it was the last day of the hunt...
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi477.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Frr135%2Fdjjfree%2FDSC01313_zps3f822976.jpg&hash=321a972ae0b689039842ec239ac6e4d8c58120f6) (http://s477.photobucket.com/user/djjfree/media/DSC01313_zps3f822976.jpg.html)
Post by: Fowlweather25 on September 25, 2013, 09:18:56 PM
Post by: Buzz2401 on September 25, 2013, 09:33:43 PM
Post by: jdb on September 25, 2013, 09:51:04 PM
for sureThe Colville Res is loaded though.actually the yak res is almost void of deerthe best mule deer hunting is mid dec. just ask the Mucks
:yeah:. I think the best hunting is on rez land as the indians kill off of our land instead of theirs :twocents:.
Post by: predatorpro on September 25, 2013, 09:56:26 PM
Post by: yakimarcher on September 25, 2013, 10:03:32 PM
Post by: Nilehunter on September 25, 2013, 10:06:55 PM
Noodle no one is going to give you the answer you want. Got to do your own research.:yeah:
Welcome
Welcome!
Post by: Nilehunter on September 25, 2013, 10:09:42 PM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wilderness
Fuzzy nuts thank you!
Hope were not getting back to the "hunt your own zip code" discussion. :chuckle:
Post by: fastdam on September 26, 2013, 03:57:08 AM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wilderness
True story.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 26, 2013, 05:24:52 AM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wilderness
:yeah:
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 26, 2013, 05:44:12 AM
Post by: scout/sniper on September 26, 2013, 06:38:39 AM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wildernessThe best hunting for everything is in Yakima.
I can't wait for my friends and I to hook up the campers and head over.
Oh look, a deer in my field, and another. :rolleyes:
Post by: djnoodle on September 26, 2013, 07:08:30 AM
The best hunting for everything is in Yakima.
I can't wait for my friends and I to hook up the campers and head over.
Oh look, a deer in my field, and another. :rolleyes:
Around here, Yakima has the same folklore status as Las Vegas or Bangcock, Thailand. I'm quite sure that due to budget cuts, the next installment of 'The Hangover' will be filmed there.
"What happens in Yaki-vegas, stays in Yaki-vegas!"
Post by: RB on September 26, 2013, 01:01:25 PM
Post by: KimberRich on September 26, 2013, 01:18:54 PM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wilderness
:rolleyes:
Post by: bullcanyon on September 26, 2013, 01:23:58 PM
Welcome aboard dj.
Post by: boneaddict on September 26, 2013, 01:32:19 PM
Quote
What is the Best Public Land Muley Hunting Areas in Our State?
Whichever ones don't show up on here for 20,000 plus people to see. :)
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 26, 2013, 01:32:58 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on September 26, 2013, 01:38:54 PM
Nailed it :tup:QuoteWhat is the Best Public Land Muley Hunting Areas in Our State?
Whichever ones don't show up on here for 20,000 plus people to see. :)
Next best unit is the one that you spend the most time in. Pick one and get out there and hunt, they all get better the more time you spend in an area learning it and how the animals live in it.
Post by: djnoodle on September 26, 2013, 02:32:19 PM
Look at that mug. Wondered who the new guy from Morton was. Ring me up or we can bs next time the girls hang out and i can give you some ideas.
Welcome aboard dj.
I seen your bull on that Margaret thread too.
We'll get together soon.
Post by: Crunch14 on September 26, 2013, 02:44:57 PM
It used to be Okanogan and Chelan counties. But I don't think so much anymore. The units around Ellensburg and Yakima are terrible. Just look at the harvest reports. A 5% success rate is about as good as it gets.
The best areas might be isolated sections of public land that's mixed in with private land, near farm country and away from concentrations of cougars and wolves.
I can vouch for the Oakonagan going down hill. We've hunted the Conconully/Loomis area for 40 years... The past 5 or so have sucked! So for the first time in my life we're heading somewhere new. Not sure how it's gonna be, but can't be worse. Last year we saw 2 does in 10 days in the woods.
Post by: MtnMuley on September 26, 2013, 04:15:15 PM
It used to be Okanogan and Chelan counties. But I don't think so much anymore. The units around Ellensburg and Yakima are terrible. Just look at the harvest reports. A 5% success rate is about as good as it gets.
The best areas might be isolated sections of public land that's mixed in with private land, near farm country and away from concentrations of cougars and wolves.
I can vouch for the Oakonagan going down hill. We've hunted the Conconully/Loomis area for 40 years... The past 5 or so have sucked! So for the first time in my life we're heading somewhere new. Not sure how it's gonna be, but can't be worse. Last year we saw 2 does in 10 days in the woods.
Nice to see some people are finally realizing the things I say about the muley populations around the Okanogan Country aren't untrue just to keep people away. Sad to say, this year WILL be the worst year in a long time for success rates here. It flat out is looking bad. :(
Post by: saylean on September 26, 2013, 04:19:32 PM
Post by: antlerking on September 26, 2013, 04:32:20 PM
Post by: jdb on September 26, 2013, 06:19:11 PM
There's lost of deer around Yakima, you have to know where to look and hope that you can avoid all the numb nuts from the west side who invade and push all the game back into the wildernessagreed but the op asked for the best area yakima isn't even in the top 5
Post by: buglebuster on September 26, 2013, 06:21:19 PM
Post by: muleracks on September 26, 2013, 10:05:25 PM
October: GMU 244, 245 or 246
November: Permits GMU 247, 245 or 250