Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Rufous on May 05, 2009, 10:20:27 PM
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I wonder if anyone could tell me when the whitetail rut is peaking generally both in the Blues and up in the north eastern part of WA. Thanks much, Brian.
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There is no late buck hunt in the Blues, unless you draw a special tag. Even then, that special tag only seems to catch the pre-rut, and maybe if you are lucky the front end of the actual rut.
In my experience you are probably better off hunting the late buck in the NE corner and hoping for a cold snap...
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down here in eastern oregon we do have a late muzzleloader hunt for whitetails around thanksgiving time and its in the blues, its called the west of the blues
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This last year around Colfax it seemed to peak the four or five days leading up to Thanksgiving.
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When I was a kid we had a cold snap during the late buck, then it snowed a foot and the temp went up to about 40 degrees. Deer went into a "hyper-rut". It was crazy for two days. Eyes swelled shut, bucks running everywhere, deer running into trees... My stepdad and I both tagged up, I saw him shoot one of the biggest whitetails I have ever seen. It was ramming (not rubbing, ramming) it's head against a stout, forearm-sized pine tree. I missed a chance at a huge whitey and wound up shooting a little freakhorn that walked right under my treestand. That was the last two days of the late buck (I think it may have been 1985? 86?). But I have only seen it like that once. Moon and stars must have lined up for us just right that year.
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If you are hunting rifle, plan on the last two days of the late season, if you are archery hunt the first week of late season. That is the peak of the rut in NE WA.
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don't discount the pre-rut....really good stuff there too.
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For 5$ each, I'll tell you which day to be in teh woods for the most whitetail action as evidenced by about 20 consecutive years of HARD study.
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will you accept paypal? and do you think that day would carryover for the blues region too?
:chuckle:
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For 5$ each, I'll tell you which day to be in teh woods for the most whitetail action as evidenced by about 20 consecutive years of HARD study.
Here ya go. You owe me $95.00................. :chuckle:
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The years that I have drawn the late buck hunt for the Blues it was a week after the hunt closed before they started ruting hard. Most years it takes some snow or a cold spell to get them started earlier.
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The years that I have drawn the late buck hunt for the Blues it was a week after the hunt closed before they started ruting hard. Most years it takes some snow or a cold spell to get them started earlier.
:yeah:
CoryTDF's dad got drawn for that tag this year. They experienced the same from what I understand.
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That's why the smart guy goes ML that late season permit for the foothills is smack dab in the middle of it, mostly dinkers of course, wouldn't waste my time
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:)
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That's why the smart guy goes ML that late season permit for the foothills is smack dab in the middle of it, mostly dinkers of course, wouldn't waste my time
yeah...mostly dinks
;D
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I know the answer to this one, I have it down to within a day in Ferry County. I can think of 8 deer that I have shot over the years that fall on two dates in the month of November, man I always make sure I'm in the woods on those days. :chuckle: ;)
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the 17th :)
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I thought the rut peak on Wed.... hump day :chuckle:
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Around Pullman it seems to be the tail end of rifle seasons. Anytime you get nasty weather is good though.
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Hey guys I sure appreciate your input. Brian.