Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Martinhunter on September 03, 2016, 10:03:23 PM

Title: Methow herd
Post by: Martinhunter on September 03, 2016, 10:03:23 PM: Just got back from our annual trip to the methow, chasing mule deer and we left after 3 days because of the terrible #'s. We and our friends have been going up there every year for the last 10+ years and we've never seen the lack of deer like we did this year. What do you all think the main cause of this? Winter kill due to wintering range being burned the last couple years, slaughtered by hunters last year, predators ect?? We weren't even seeing does and were usually tripping over the does because there's so many of them. Just curious what you all think the real answer is to this poor mule deer herd? I think we should all let this area build back up for a few years before we hunt them again. Just my opinion...
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Wingin it on September 03, 2016, 10:19:09 PM: I just returned also and the numbers definitely seen to be below the norm. I have seen worse though after the 96 winter kill.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: MtnMuley on September 03, 2016, 10:31:44 PM: Quote from: Martinhunter on September 03, 2016, 10:03:23 PM
Just got back from our annual trip to the methow, chasing mule deer and we left after 3 days because of the terrible #'s. We and our friends have been going up there every year for the last 10+ years and we've never seen the lack of deer like we did this year. What do you all think the main cause of this? Winter kill due to wintering range being burned the last couple years, slaughtered by hunters last year, predators ect?? We weren't even seeing does and were usually tripping over the does because there's so many of them. Just curious what you all think the real answer is to this poor mule deer herd? I think we should all let this area build back up for a few years before we hunt them again. Just my opinion...
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Irish_hunter93 on September 03, 2016, 11:40:30 PM: The fires that pushed them all into the valley last year, then the massive amount of deer killed last year with everyone hunting last year equals crummy numbers this year. My thoughts.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: WAcoueshunter on September 04, 2016, 09:46:17 PM: The migration bucks getting killed last fall wouldn't result in a lack of does the following year. Winterkill, lack of habitat from the fires, I'm sure that's not helping. Fire would also mess up their traditional spots - they might just be summering someplace else?
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: boneaddict on September 05, 2016, 09:41:05 PM: Huge harvest last year and game management killing off a pile of "extra" doe. Predators coming out your ears and then a bad winter. You kill the doe, you kill the baby makers.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: JakeLand on September 05, 2016, 09:49:44 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on September 05, 2016, 09:41:05 PM
Huge harvest last year and game management killing off a pile of "extra" doe. Predators coming out your ears and then a bad winter. You kill the doe, you kill the baby makers.

Exactly!
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: powderbounder on September 06, 2016, 07:40:52 AM: Just curious what part of the Methow you were consentrating on?
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Elkrunner on September 06, 2016, 07:56:49 AM: I had a friend over there 2 weeks ago and he saw 100 plus deer
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Jpmiller on September 06, 2016, 08:42:25 AM: Not to be contradictory but I had opportunities in deer Friday Saturday and Monday in the methow. I hear alot of people saying numbers are down but it doesn't translate to my experience. I hate saying it because the idea of a mass exodus of Hunter's out of the area would be great for me but the deer are still there.

All three opportunities didn't pan out due to my own error or you would have seen my stupid face over a buck in the h success thread.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: bronczilla on September 06, 2016, 03:06:52 PM: Hunted Sept 1-4 and only saw 6 bucks and only 3 were legal. They were in town or on private property:bash: Lots of Doe's in camp and around town. Came home with a few grouse
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: bigmacc on September 06, 2016, 08:04:12 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on September 05, 2016, 09:41:05 PM
Huge harvest last year and game management killing off a pile of "extra" doe. Predators coming out your ears and then a bad winter. You kill the doe, you kill the baby makers.

Absolutely. Numbers are down for sure due to "a perfect storm", wintering areas lost to fires, winter kills, big harvest last year of good breeding bucks and yes the doe harvest. could be slim pickens for at least a few years... :dunno:
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Martinhunter on September 06, 2016, 10:20:14 PM: Quote from: Jpmiller on September 06, 2016, 08:42:25 AM
Not to be contradictory but I had opportunities in deer Friday Saturday and Monday in the methow. I hear alot of people saying numbers are down but it doesn't translate to my experience. I hate saying it because the idea of a mass exodus of Hunter's out of the area would be great for me but the deer are still there.

All three opportunities didn't pan out due to my own error or you would have seen my stupid face over a buck in the h success thread.
Yeah I wasn't saying their wasn't any deer at all but nothing like the #'s we've seen years prior. In four days I saw maybe 15 deer and 3 legal bucks that I couldn't seal the deal on. I did see two bear and heard a third ripping up a stump and saw probably close to 20 grouse. I think we'll leave the deer alone over there for a few years, hopefully others will do the same.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: davew on September 07, 2016, 06:56:47 AM: I've got a trail cam set up in my back yard, just off the river near Wolf Creek. There are plenty of deer. I get 8-10 pictures a day. In my area, there are just as many deer as usual. However:
1. The trend for whitetails displacing mule deer is continuing. I see more whitetail than mule deer down low. That wasn't the case five years ago.
2. This year, I'm seeing far fewer fawns than usual.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Elkrunner on September 07, 2016, 07:19:19 AM: I keep hearing the doe harvest. What were the actual numbers of does harvested that year?
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: boneaddict on September 07, 2016, 07:29:12 AM: For those that ripped up their tags, I am grateful.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: 7mmfan on September 07, 2016, 08:10:36 AM: This is the first year in over a decade that we will not be hunting the Methow. We opted to go kill some Idaho's deer instead and give that herd a break.
Title: Re: Methow herd
Post by: Jpmiller on September 07, 2016, 09:23:21 AM: Quote from: davew on September 07, 2016, 06:56:47 AM
I've got a trail cam set up in my back yard, just off the river near Wolf Creek. There are plenty of deer. I get 8-10 pictures a day. In my area, there are just as many deer as usual. However:
1. The trend for whitetails displacing mule deer is continuing. I see more whitetail than mule deer down low. That wasn't the case five years ago.
2. This year, I'm seeing far fewer fawns than usual.

We have actually been seeing alot less fawns this year on cam but when I have been out in the woods I am still running across them farther back. We have only had one consistent fawn on camera behind my dad's place but I ran into two mule deer fawns and four whitetail fawns last weekend.

Been trying to harvest a whitetail or two every year to reverse the replacement trend but so far its not working lol