Post by: gr8whthunter on October 12, 2014, 10:14:50 AM
heres how my first day went -
got out yesterday afternoon after work at about 3pm and went to this years honey hole, no tracks driven in to it so i was the only one there all day and saw 3 doe and a mystery deer right off the bat, couldnt track the mystery deer sadly though, went up a ways farther and was glassing a unit and spotted 2 deer about 1000yds out, spotting scope was left at home and the rain didnt help the binos spot bone on top of there heads or not, so it was time to get my stalk on. hiked across valley and through a creek and back up the other side just on the back side of a hog back ridge and when i popped up on the top i was about 100yds away from....2 doe .... really good size doe but started the hike back to the truck and i gotta tell you this new job i got is really working me outta shape.. slept like a baby though
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 14, 2014, 06:03:21 AM
PathfinderJR hunted 13 hours Sunday. Walked over 9 miles, looked in every conceivable draw and hole on the property we hunt. He's still empty handed. Praying for rain this week... :dunno:
Post by: boneaddict on October 14, 2014, 07:23:47 AM
Post by: Toptwo on October 14, 2014, 07:45:03 AM
Post by: Hilltop123 on October 14, 2014, 07:54:01 AM
Looks pretty lean here in the Yakima, though those that always seem to get it done seem to be notching their tags and filling their freezers. Looks like temps are about to plummet, so that might move things along. I think hairloss is putting a hurt on the local deer herd.
I think it's beyond a hurting. I don't think the deer numbers are coming back, as hoped. I seem to see fewer and fewer deer every year. Granted these are just my observations, nothing scientific about it. Young buck numbers almost none, not like years past even after hair loss hit. Just my observations.
Post by: James on October 14, 2014, 07:54:52 AM
Also hit the San Juan’s and it was the worst I had ever seen. Tons of predator scat, and saw about 1/12 the number of deer and deer sign.
Rough year, glad I was able to get a tag punched early.
Post by: swanny on October 14, 2014, 09:19:01 AM
Weather on Saturday on the east side was crazy!!
Post by: silverdalesauer on October 14, 2014, 10:00:54 AM
Post by: jackelope on October 14, 2014, 10:08:54 AM
Post by: silverdalesauer on October 14, 2014, 10:14:18 AM
Post by: rtspring on October 14, 2014, 10:20:39 AM
I passed on a long 400 yard shot at dark on sunday on a huge two point with what I am sure was a legal eyeguard. Being late I passed on the shot and will be back in there friday.. Weather was horrible most of the weekend. They bedded up and fed all night long..
Rtspring
Post by: Snakeriver10 on October 14, 2014, 12:45:29 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on October 14, 2014, 12:53:03 PM
Been hitting it hard since the opener! Tried like heck to put Whitpirates FIL on a buck close to the road that I had seen several times. Im seeing great numbers of deer in my area, they are coming back after some bad years!That right there is funny, even funnier if it is true. :chuckle:
I passed on a long 400 yard shot at dark on sunday on a huge two point with what I am sure was a legal eyeguard. Being late I passed on the shot and will be back in there friday.. Weather was horrible most of the weekend. They bedded up and fed all night long..
Rtspring
Post by: ELKBURGER on October 14, 2014, 02:14:47 PM
I'm in Pomeroy right now. I saw literally 15 pheasants yesterday. Saw bucks every day. I have had hundreds of deer on my trail cameras all summer. I've had 4-5 cats on the camera also. I talk to the wdfw bio a lot and he's never told me the deer numbers were great. Opposite in fact. 4 bucks killed on the land we hunt along with 4-5 opportunities on legal bucks in my crew. I've got kids hunting with me and they're not taking 300 yard shots. I had a 10 year old 147 yards from a nice 3x mulie last night and he wouldn't shoot because he couldn't et steady on the sticks and the CRP was too tall for him to use the bipod. The wind blew really hard most of the weekend here. I think that's what's kept the deer down. Wind died down yesterday and the deer were out in force last night. We saw 30 deer in about 2 hours last night.Im hoping to get back overthere on the private I had access to. Will you be there through the weekend??
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on October 14, 2014, 02:30:40 PM
Post by: de0827 on October 14, 2014, 02:33:48 PM
Post by: steeleywhopper on October 14, 2014, 03:00:12 PM
In the wheat fields of SE wa it was the worst season my deer camp has ever seen. First time ever not only did no one tag a deer, but not a single buck was even seen. Average 15+ bucks seen on opening day.
Also hit the San Juan’s and it was the worst I had ever seen. Tons of predator scat, and saw about 1/12 the number of deer and deer sign.
Rough year, glad I was able to get a tag punched early.
What kind of predator scat do you see on San Juan? The only thing that eats deer there are Eagles, people, and car bumpers. No coyotes on the island only foxes.
Post by: longrangehunter338 on October 14, 2014, 03:31:40 PM
Post by: Sumpnneedskillin on October 14, 2014, 03:51:02 PM
3 different groups and one individual in different parts of the county.
Post by: KDB on October 14, 2014, 04:03:35 PM
Post by: jackelope on October 14, 2014, 04:35:29 PM
I'm in Pomeroy right now. I saw literally 15 pheasants yesterday. Saw bucks every day. I have had hundreds of deer on my trail cameras all summer. I've had 4-5 cats on the camera also. I talk to the wdfw bio a lot and he's never told me the deer numbers were great. Opposite in fact. 4 bucks killed on the land we hunt along with 4-5 opportunities on legal bucks in my crew. I've got kids hunting with me and they're not taking 300 yard shots. I had a 10 year old 147 yards from a nice 3x mulie last night and he wouldn't shoot because he couldn't et steady on the sticks and the CRP was too tall for him to use the bipod. The wind blew really hard most of the weekend here. I think that's what's kept the deer down. Wind died down yesterday and the deer were out in force last night. We saw 30 deer in about 2 hours last night.Im hoping to get back overthere on the private I had access to. Will you be there through the weekend??
No unfortunately we're westbound now almost home.
Post by: yakimarcher on October 14, 2014, 04:39:59 PM
Post by: steen on October 14, 2014, 07:42:09 PM
Post by: Turner89 on October 14, 2014, 08:21:03 PM
Tonight when I pulled in the driveway, there were 3 does, and a small 3 point in the pasture. The buck was chasing the does all over the field.( we don't mess with the deer around the house) I can't wait till this weekend :)
Post by: Rainstorm Hunter on October 14, 2014, 08:39:29 PM
Post by: gr8whthunter on October 15, 2014, 07:24:31 AM
so then i went to a spot from last year where i saw a few spikes but didnt see anything except alot of cat sign so that spot is pretty much off the deer list, ended up trying to go to an old honey hole but there has been a truck there since opening day same truck, the guy must be hunting it pretty hard and not gotten anything, i know there is alot of deer in there from earlier this year and last years hunting. and heard of a couple guys getting some good bucks and my partner watched a kid get his first deer nice little forked horn and he ended up having to gut it for the kid, and teach him how to and all that.
Post by: Rainier10 on October 15, 2014, 07:33:34 AM
Didn't hunt the opener, but as a Manager for a 90,000 acre tree farm it was a pretty typical opener. Signs torn down, trespassers, several small fires from unattended camp fires. And people wonder why lands are being closed down. Most of our lands are open to the public. Most of it is walk-in only. I thought I saw more hunters than usual, which may be a result of Weyco charging on their lands.Very disappointing to hear this. Sorry that a few bad apples ruin it for others.
Post by: troyspinetar on October 15, 2014, 08:19:22 AM
Before heading home we stopped and hunted the sage outside of Okanogan. We saw 8 mulie doe, 2 WT doe and 1 WT buck. Never had a shot at the buck.
Disappointing :(
Post by: James on October 15, 2014, 08:35:25 AM
In the wheat fields of SE wa it was the worst season my deer camp has ever seen. First time ever not only did no one tag a deer, but not a single buck was even seen. Average 15+ bucks seen on opening day.
Also hit the San Juan’s and it was the worst I had ever seen. Tons of predator scat, and saw about 1/12 the number of deer and deer sign.
Rough year, glad I was able to get a tag punched early.
What kind of predator scat do you see on San Juan? The only thing that eats deer there are Eagles, people, and car bumpers. No coyotes on the island only foxes.
Bobcat and coyote mostly. Also found two bobcat and one coyote skull this year hunting and scouting.
Last year I only saw one pile, this year I saw a pile every 3 feet, it was insane. Some had deer hair in them, and one had half of a fawn hoof.
Post by: silverdalesauer on October 15, 2014, 10:06:47 AM
Upon our arrival back to our lodging, met a guy that had been putting the stalk on a deer. He was in position to shoot when he heard a noise behind him... COUGAR! It was crouched in a stalking position 10 yards away from him. He turned and shot it in the face.
It's pouring rain here today - hope to get out and see some movement tonight.
Post by: lokidog on October 15, 2014, 11:00:30 AM
Spoke to a farmer who's lived in SE Washington his whole life. Said he's never seen so few deer and so many cougars. Said that he's seen 10 cats this fall. He thinks the WDFW is telling us there's less cats and plenty of deer, but thinks they're telling a backwards story. He was also saying that the wolves in the Blues are most likely impacting deer herds there. And, in terms of pheasants - he's shocked at how few there are left.
Heard that the cats are taking a lot of deer out where we hunted near Davenport as well. Got invited back to the 3+ square miles of private land later this winter. :tup: We saw only one small WT buck during daylight and about two dozen other does, mostly mulies, in three days of covering a lot of ground. I have not hunted this before so cannot speak to any trends other than what the locals told me.
In the wheat fields of SE wa it was the worst season my deer camp has ever seen. First time ever not only did no one tag a deer, but not a single buck was even seen. Average 15+ bucks seen on opening day.
Also hit the San Juan’s and it was the worst I had ever seen. Tons of predator scat, and saw about 1/12 the number of deer and deer sign.
Rough year, glad I was able to get a tag punched early.
What kind of predator scat do you see on San Juan? The only thing that eats deer there are Eagles, people, and car bumpers. No coyotes on the island only foxes.
I was wondering the same thing. I've heard some coyotes have been seen on Cypress, but it is technically not one of the San Juans. :dunno:
Post by: kenjo on November 02, 2014, 03:11:48 PM