Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: vandeman17 on December 02, 2013, 03:37:56 PM

Title: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 02, 2013, 03:37:56 PM: Anybody hunt near Keller Ferry? A guy I work with has 400 acres about a half mile or so up from Keller Ferry and he said I could hunt it next year if I wanted to. Just wondering what its like as I have never been there.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: boneaddict on December 02, 2013, 03:44:20 PM: Depending on the parcel, it could be outstanding. There are some really nice muleys and whitetails there and depending on the parcel, elk.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 03:47:05 PM: In the 40+ years that I have gone through there headed to Republic I have never seen very many deer between the ferry and Manilla Creek/Peter Dan road. A friend and I have shot a couple of coyotes probably just barely on your friends land on the way to the ferry.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 02, 2013, 03:48:30 PM: I plan to go check it out this spring and summer but he said there are muleys on it. I would love to find a little tract with some deer and see if I could seal the deal with my bow. Not looking for anything huge, just legal. :tup:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 03:50:23 PM: With 400 acres you could probably find something nice towards the Western side of his land. If it is the chunk that I think it is.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 02, 2013, 04:01:01 PM: He said it is about a half mile "up" from Keller Ferry so I don't really know exactly where it is. I don't know if they camp on it or what but I think 400 acres is big enough for me to hunt.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: mdbuck5x5 on December 02, 2013, 04:57:00 PM: I've camped a few times at Keller Ferry and have seen a few dandy muley bucks as you start heading down the hill to the campground. Should be pretty good.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 02, 2013, 04:58:27 PM: You know that's all tribal land north of the Keller Ferry and unless you're a tribal member...............bad idea.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 05:41:15 PM: Isn't some of the land to the NW of the ferry private/non tribal land?
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: coyotecrazy on December 02, 2013, 05:47:12 PM: I do think even if it is private land within the reservation you cannot hunt unless your a tribal member. Definitely check that out first.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 02, 2013, 05:55:18 PM: Quote from: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 05:41:15 PM
Isn't some of the land to the NW of the ferry private/non tribal land?

Not that I know of. I had lunch with a tribal cop last week and asked if I could hunt on the rez, any plce. No was the answer. No place at all he said.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 05:58:17 PM: Come on, you know that it is better not to ask when it comes to tribal land! They don't ask us. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on December 02, 2013, 06:01:51 PM: Quote from: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 05:58:17 PM
Come on, you know that it is better not to ask when it comes to tribal land! They don't ask us. :chuckle:

Oh heck, just do a drive-by....
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: Elkstuffer on December 02, 2013, 06:03:27 PM: Are you on the north or south side of the river? South side is huntable if your friend owns the property there. I've seen some real nice bucks south of the ferry. North side of the river is Colville Indian Rez and not huntable unless you are an enrolled member. However I've never seen a deer in multiple trips up to Republic once I get of the ferry on the north side. Go figure :dunno:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 06:08:25 PM: Quote from: Elkstuffer on December 02, 2013, 06:03:27 PM
Are you on the north or south side of the river? South side is huntable if your friend owns the property there. I've seen some real nice bucks south of the ferry. North side of the river is Colville Indian Rez and not huntable unless you are an enrolled member. However I've never seen a deer in multiple trips up to Republic once I get of the ferry on the north side. Go figure :dunno:
:yeah:
I didn't think about the South side of the lake. Yeah, no kidding, there are some really nice bucks on the flat and in those draws going up the Wilbur Grade! I saw a monster whitie coming out of the draw behind the last farm on the right before you start really climbing.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: dscubame on December 02, 2013, 06:29:18 PM: Great opportunity. Your just off the river that I spend a lot of time on.... this could be an excellent opportunity for you!
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 03, 2013, 09:28:04 AM: So even though the family owns the land, I would not be able to hunt it? They are not tribal so I would think they couldn't own land on a reservation but I who the heck knows. I will talk to him and see if I can get a more accurate location of the parcel and do my research. Thank you for all the input fellas!
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: boneaddict on December 03, 2013, 09:33:41 AM: I assumed it was on this side of the river. I hope for your sake it is. The other side(manila creek) is pretty much hammered accept for a couple bear, and whitetails passing through, and an occasional elk further up the basin, but probably not near their land.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: lokidog on December 03, 2013, 10:56:51 AM: If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call. We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago. Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 03, 2013, 10:58:15 AM: Quote from: lokidog on December 03, 2013, 10:56:51 AM
If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call. We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago. Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.

That isn't too bad of an idea :tup:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: cem3434 on December 03, 2013, 11:39:45 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on December 02, 2013, 03:47:05 PM
In the 40+ years that I have gone through there headed to Republic I have never seen very many deer between the ferry and Manilla Creek/Peter Dan road. A friend and I have shot a couple of coyotes probably just barely on your friends land on the way to the ferry.

We hunt private land south of the ferry and it is not uncommon to see 50+ deer a day. There area lot of super two's and not a lot of legal bucks. The legal bucks are usually small 3 or 4 points, but I have seen some 160+ bucks come out of there as well. If you have access to the wheat fields, you shouldn't have a problem filling your tag with a small 3 or 4 point.
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: boneaddict on December 03, 2013, 12:13:21 PM: Quote from: lokidog on December 03, 2013, 10:56:51 AM
If it is huntable by you, you should check it out thisa winter with a predator call. We saw lots of cougar sign along the lake north of Wilbur a couple years ago. Also a big female with three cubs, dangit.

Buttloads of coyotes there too, not to mention an occasional wolf. ;)
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: bhawley76 on December 03, 2013, 12:36:43 PM: I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: vandeman17 on December 03, 2013, 12:59:32 PM: Quote from: bhawley76 on December 03, 2013, 12:36:43 PM
I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather

You mean people trespassing? Who would have thunk it? :bash:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: Jonathan_S on December 03, 2013, 01:01:03 PM: Quote from: bhawley76 on December 03, 2013, 12:36:43 PM
I'm pretty sure the land your talking about is not tribal.The place at the top of the hill is dragger farm and that place is loaded with lots of big deer private or not that area gets hammered during rifle season. There are alot of boat hunters, But there is no shortage of deer eather

Anything South of the river is non-tribal, yeah, and you mean "Dreger" :chuckle:

It's good hunting
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: cem3434 on December 03, 2013, 10:37:56 PM: Dreger only owns the west side of the grade and then they own both sides once you get to the bottom of the grade. Dean and Dale are very particular on who they give written permission to because they try to limit the amount of hunters.

The right side if the grade is owned by a couple of other local farming families. I wouldn't try hunting either side of the grade without written permission because they really started cracking down on people this year. It's a very good area to hunt, by it's hard to get permission unless you know the right people.

We usually take a couple of deer a year in either side if the grade between the 5 people in our hunting party. I must say that wheat feed muleys are the best eating deer I have ever eaten too! :tup:
Title: Re: Keller Ferry deer hunting?
Post by: PolarBear on December 03, 2013, 10:41:46 PM: Many years ago I killed a mulie buck in a coulee in the middle of a big wheat field outside of Almira. (had permission). It was without a doubt the best tasting mule deer buck that I have ever eaten!