Post by: muleyking on February 27, 2016, 02:04:52 PM
Post by: The scout on February 27, 2016, 02:19:47 PM
Post by: muleyking on February 27, 2016, 02:30:19 PM
Post by: Timberstalker on February 27, 2016, 03:03:02 PM
Post by: buckcanyonlodge on February 27, 2016, 03:05:40 PM
Post by: SkookumHntr on February 27, 2016, 03:06:26 PM
Post by: IBspoiled on February 27, 2016, 03:08:01 PM
Post by: BGLEMIN on February 27, 2016, 03:24:37 PM
Post by: Limhangerslayer on February 27, 2016, 04:56:04 PM
Post by: bigmacc on February 27, 2016, 05:25:32 PM
Between the doe massacre last year and winter kill this year the methow herd is going to be hurting for many years :bash:. my buddy came across a giant winter kill buck last weekend, took his wife up the next day to show her and someone had already whacked the head off.
I could not agree more as far as how this herd is going to be hurting for a long time. My son and a buddy were over doing some scouting and came across a few winter kill bucks that were dandys(1- 31 inch 4by5 and a 29 inch 4by6) and a lot of smaller bucks,does and yearlings, in 2 days they found 23 carcases. This is not good folks. Its going to be slim pickins for awhile I,m afraid.
Post by: SkookumHntr on February 27, 2016, 06:04:30 PM
Post by: AntlerHound on February 27, 2016, 07:06:42 PM
Post by: Mark251 on February 28, 2016, 03:43:34 PM
Post by: Naches Sportsman on February 28, 2016, 03:53:39 PM
I've seen just the opposite in the yakima area, about a dozen winter or so and almost all this years fawns:yeah:
Went for a 15 mile walk on Friday up oak creek and seen around 40 dead elk. Even watched one take its last breath.
It was a bad winter all around.
Post by: _TONY_ on February 28, 2016, 04:03:30 PM
Post by: Martinhunter on February 28, 2016, 05:17:26 PM
Post by: bigmacc on February 28, 2016, 06:03:35 PM
Wow this really sucks!! It's too bad they wouldn't just shut hunten down over there until the heard rebounds. Just make it open season on all preditors!!
I have thaught the same Martinhunter, after the fires in the Methow I was saying they were due for a bad winter and if it hits it would be catastrophic to this herd, now its kind of a perfect storm that some had predicted. Whats different I guess is the hunting season that happened in 2015, with all those big migrators and breeding stock hitting the dirt. The fires, the 2015 season and now the bad winter is the "perfect storm" I guess. I wonder myself if its time to shut it down to let this herd rebound. It would only be the 2nd year I,ve missed in 50 years but if it would help with a rebound I would be all in.
Post by: Ridgeratt on February 28, 2016, 06:53:43 PM
Wow this really sucks!! It's too bad they wouldn't just shut hunten down over there until the heard rebounds. Just make it open season on all preditors!!
I have thaught the same Martinhunter, after the fires in the Methow I was saying they were due for a bad winter and if it hits it would be catastrophic to this herd, now its kind of a perfect storm that some had predicted. Whats different I guess is the hunting season that happened in 2015, with all those big migrators and breeding stock hitting the dirt. The fires, the 2015 season and now the bad winter is the "perfect storm" I guess. I wonder myself if its time to shut it down to let this herd rebound. It would only be the 2nd year I,ve missed in 50 years but if it would help with a rebound I would be all in.
Commendable suggestions on both of your parts, But for everyone who choses not to hunt them. The photos posted on here of success will bring 4 times as many that will. Many years ago I chose not to hunt a declining herd the WDFW warden told me why not they are going to die anyway. He said Nature will take it's course regardless of what I did. What happened this year is Mother Nature at her finest. From the Fires and the lack of winter feed to the harsh reality of winter kill. Just like the outbreak of Bluetongue this last summer.
Post by: Martinhunter on February 28, 2016, 06:56:55 PM
Post by: bobcat on February 28, 2016, 07:10:11 PM
Post by: Kit Carson on February 28, 2016, 08:00:36 PM
Mother Nature is ruthless.
:yeah:
Post by: boneaddict on March 01, 2016, 05:49:43 AM
Post by: Axle on March 01, 2016, 06:24:25 AM
Quote
If they were to shut down mule deer hunting they'd need to close ALL deer hunting statewide. Otherwise blacktails and whitetails would be over-hunted. My opinion only, of course.
It's thick enough on the wet side to provide enough cover for plenty of blacktail buck escapement. Wouldn't be a problem here. Most hunters don't like going through wet brush to get at them. And we all know how good a deer can hide. :tup:
Post by: timberfaller on March 01, 2016, 07:11:26 AM
Post by: bobcat on March 01, 2016, 07:27:19 AM
Well so much for WDFW claim that their "3 point" or better system was why the big boy's were taken(more then usual) during this last season in the Methow!! :o
Did they make that claim? I kinda doubt it, since the 3 point restriction is something they have wanted to get rid of for several years now. They only kept it because popular opinion strongly supported it.
Post by: Duckslayer0513 on March 01, 2016, 08:10:19 AM
Post by: shootnrun on March 01, 2016, 05:11:03 PM
Post by: Limhangerslayer on March 01, 2016, 05:46:47 PM
Has anybody seen all these winter kills in the cowiche or rimrock units? I haven't been able to hike around yetall of the ones I've seen are in Cowiche.
Post by: muleyking on March 01, 2016, 06:25:23 PM
Really sad to see this many deer dying. It seems like they would have at least done some feeding to help keep them alive. I saw some private landowners trying to do their part, but not much from the state to make much of a difference.
Post by: bowhunterwa87 on March 01, 2016, 06:36:33 PM
Post by: westside Elkhunter on March 02, 2016, 05:42:05 PM
Post by: Bango skank on March 02, 2016, 05:44:50 PM
I saw some private landowners trying to do their part, but not much from the state to make much of a difference.
We will see how many people are willing to feed deer once baiting gets yanked. Seems like a lot of people will stop feeding to avoid being accused of baiting.
Post by: Wingin it on March 02, 2016, 09:30:08 PM
Post by: huntnphool on March 03, 2016, 12:40:19 AM
Well so much for WDFW claim that their "3 point" or better system was why the big boy's were taken(more then usual) during this last season in the Methow!! :o
Did they make that claim? I kinda doubt it, since the 3 point restriction is something they have wanted to get rid of for several years now. They only kept it because popular opinion strongly supported it.
:yeah: Have not seen any kind of statement from them, and the APR has nothing to do with the percieved "big boys" being taken. :twocents:
Post by: zwickeyman on March 03, 2016, 01:24:58 AM
I agree 100%
Folks are out there earlier every year trying to beat the next guy. More people all the time too, some running dogs to help find them. Puts a lot of pressure on weak Deer. I quit shed shed hunting 10 years ago because of it.
I might get flamed for these comments but every one knows its true
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 03, 2016, 01:42:15 AM
If WDFW hadn't allowed a larger harvest last fall, wouldn't the winter kill off be that much higher? :dunno: If there isn't enough food for the deer that survived, there certainly wouldn't have been enough for more.. :sry:
Don't try to make sense to the destruction of the Methow crowd. But you are absolutely correct. The more deer that get into the start of a bad winter, exponentially cause more deer to die. And it also makes the damage done to the winter browse exponentially worse and longer lasting. The Department was wise to trim the herd last fall.
The good news is, deer are prodigious breeders when conditions turn around.
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on March 03, 2016, 02:58:05 AM
If WDFW hadn't allowed a larger harvest last fall, wouldn't the winter kill off be that much higher? :dunno: If there isn't enough food for the deer that survived, there certainly wouldn't have been enough for more.. :sry:
Don't try to make sense to the destruction of the Methow crowd. But you are absolutely correct. The more deer that get into the start of a bad winter, exponentially cause more deer to die. And it also makes the damage done to the winter browse exponentially worse and longer lasting. The Department was wise to trim the herd last fall.
The good news is, deer are prodigious breeders when conditions turn around.
All that burned off winter range will be full of fresh new growth over the next couple of years and the deer that remain will be fat and happy
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Post by: jackelope on March 03, 2016, 07:07:57 AM
Well so much for WDFW claim that their "3 point" or better system was why the big boy's were taken(more then usual) during this last season in the Methow!! :o
Is there a link or something where these "claims" can be seen?
Post by: boneaddict on March 03, 2016, 07:45:52 AM
Hey Wingin it.I applaud you. I used to,pick up hundreds of sheds per year. I haven't gone out yet. I also felt so bad for them I quit even trying to photograph them so not to pressure them. But I am only one.
I agree 100%
Folks are out there earlier every year trying to beat the next guy. More people all the time too, some running dogs to help find them. Puts a lot of pressure on weak Deer. I quit shed shed hunting 10 years ago because of it.
I might get flamed for these comments but every one knows its true
Post by: huntnphool on March 03, 2016, 02:10:01 PM
Hey Wingin it.
I agree 100%
Folks are out there earlier every year trying to beat the next guy. More people all the time too, some running dogs to help find them. Puts a lot of pressure on weak Deer. I quit shed shed hunting 10 years ago because of it.
I might get flamed for these comments but every one knows its true
There are a few that run their snow machines all over in Entiat every year pushing deer and "looking" for sheds, pathetic, and some of them are on this forum.
Post by: bigmacc on March 03, 2016, 05:58:22 PM
I am not accusing anybody of doing anything wrong but I think it has to be said. If the deer are in such dire straits and struggling to survive why are people out there pushing them around? Why make them burn that much more energy that they quite obviously need? Wait until the conditions are more favorable for the deer and they can recover some and then go look for sheds or whatever.
I agree :tup:. I have never been into the shed hunting deal but a lot of folks are and like some have mentioned they are getting out earlier every year, using dogs and snow machines. I,m sure we will eventually see drones buzzing around with cameras looking for antlers also :bdid:, one more thing harassing em...... :twocents:
Post by: Hockey21 on March 04, 2016, 07:35:18 AM
Post by: muleyking on March 04, 2016, 09:06:59 AM
We have private property, and have caught people sneaking in there all winter to get a head start on shed hunting, with both ATV and Snowmobiles. We have turned all of them in, and I have yet to see anything done, even though they are blatantly on private property. This is land that we let people hunt, if they are respectful enough to call and ask. The only time we try to keep people out is late winter/early spring, to make sure the deer are staying alive and not being harassed.
Post by: johnnyaustin44 on March 04, 2016, 12:28:50 PM
I completely agree about shed hunting and pushing them around. All the deer I have found have been while predator hunting and/looking for cat tracks. Yesterday was the first time I went out hiking the very low end of some private property we have, that the deer have migrated back out of. It was far worse than I expected. I found 14 dead deer in about a 5 mile loop, and this is at the very bottom of the winter range.That is very unfortunate.
We have private property, and have caught people sneaking in there all winter to get a head start on shed hunting, with both ATV and Snowmobiles. We have turned all of them in, and I have yet to see anything done, even though they are blatantly on private property. This is land that we let people hunt, if they are respectful enough to call and ask. The only time we try to keep people out is late winter/early spring, to make sure the deer are staying alive and not being harassed.
Post by: steen on March 04, 2016, 07:18:41 PM
Between the doe massacre last year and winter kill this year the methow herd is going to be hurting for many years :bash:. my buddy came across a giant winter kill buck last weekend, took his wife up the next day to show her and someone had already whacked the head off.
Thank goodness I killed that doe or she'd be dead anyway!! She was really stupid anyway.
Post by: The scout on March 04, 2016, 07:33:07 PM
Post by: muleyking on March 05, 2016, 02:24:53 PM
Post by: jackelope on March 05, 2016, 03:39:08 PM
Post by: benhuntin on March 05, 2016, 04:50:02 PM
Post by: NOCK NOCK on March 05, 2016, 07:06:38 PM
Post by: muleracks on March 06, 2016, 03:26:57 PM
ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wa_swepctnormal_update.pdf
Post by: muleyking on March 07, 2016, 11:40:10 PM
MuleRacks, I agree with you about the deaths being after jan 1, but I completely disagree with you about the avg shed time. I've kept a very close eye on close to 100 bucks this winter, with the exception of a few small bucks and some whitetails. Almost all bucks on our property didn't drop before jan 20. Most of our bucks drop between jan 25-Feb 15. Two of the largest bucks on our property are still packing as of yesterday. Almost all the big bucks we've had over the last two years have carried them into Febuary.