Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: TeacherMan on August 31, 2023, 03:37:54 PM

Title: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TeacherMan on August 31, 2023, 03:37:54 PM: Idaho archery season opened yesterday for me, since the opener we have watched eight different bucks, both muleys and whitetails, two bears and a moose. NO ELK, poof, amazing how they disappear. Still close to 3.5 months left of seasons so I’m in ZERO rush.

Would you have passed this guy in his bed at 37 yards with your bow?
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: ducks4days on August 31, 2023, 03:51:49 PM: I cant eat antlers. If its legal and I feel good about it, its down. Even better if its big bodied.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: LDennis24 on August 31, 2023, 04:16:07 PM: Yes because it's Idaho, probably not if it was Washington.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TeacherMan on August 31, 2023, 04:21:35 PM: Quote from: ducks4days on August 31, 2023, 03:51:49 PM
I cant eat antlers. If its legal and I feel good about it, its down. Even better if its big bodied.

Definitely get that and if I didn’t live in a spot like I do I may feel the same. I have the opportunity to hunt 60 plus days a season if I want to and that bigger buck was only 15 min from the house.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: buckfvr on August 31, 2023, 04:34:53 PM: Not even a second glance, pass.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on August 31, 2023, 05:09:55 PM: Pass here. Lotsa time to hunt and bucks look cooler in late season.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: MeepDog on August 31, 2023, 05:54:21 PM: If I see a guy like that on the Washington opener tomorrow, he's getting an arrow flung at him.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: nwwanderer on August 31, 2023, 06:33:55 PM: Looks old and chewy, good call
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: ducks4days on August 31, 2023, 06:42:00 PM: Quote from: TeacherMan on August 31, 2023, 04:21:35 PM
Quote from: ducks4days on August 31, 2023, 03:51:49 PM
I cant eat antlers. If its legal and I feel good about it, its down. Even better if its big bodied.

Definitely get that and if I didn’t live in a spot like I do I may feel the same. I have the opportunity to hunt 60 plus days a season if I want to and that bigger buck was only 15 min from the house.

Thats fair. I trade a lot of my big game hunting for 107 days of waterfowl. Late archery blacktail usually pulls me away for a bit, but overall I'm more than happy to just punch tags and get back to the ducks.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: hunter399 on August 31, 2023, 07:30:34 PM: I would of tagged it in a heartbeat.
I've always been a meat hunter.
Maybe moving to Idaho would change my ways. :chuckle:
Well wish me luck,going to look for a cougar in your old stomping grounds here in the NE Washington.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: meatwhack on August 31, 2023, 07:46:56 PM: 2.5 year old buck. Hard pass.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: emac on August 31, 2023, 08:30:50 PM: Idaho pass Washington shoot

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Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: Gettin Birdie on September 01, 2023, 05:11:41 AM: Funny how having 2 months to hunt versus 1 week etc. really changes your opinion on things. I would have shot that buck in a heartbeat in WA, not so in ID or MT, in fact I waited so long last year that I didn't tag out, :chuckle:, which is fine, freezer was full already. Also, a meat hunter first & foremost, but big horns are cool too.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: Stein on September 01, 2023, 08:27:35 AM: I would shoot it the first day of the season, the last day and any day in between. There are always either more tags to fill, fish to catch or something else I can do if I finish early.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: greenhead_killer on September 01, 2023, 10:28:20 AM: Easy pass
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: boneaddict on September 01, 2023, 10:34:10 AM: If he was in my garden he'd get the shaft. Other than that, a couple well earned snaps with the camera.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TripleB on September 01, 2023, 11:02:57 AM: I’d be tagged out first day. He’s big enough for me to be stuffed too.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: huntnnw on September 01, 2023, 11:18:25 AM: Pass regardless of state , young buck and no way I’m shooting that in September
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TeacherMan on September 01, 2023, 12:48:39 PM: The heat this morning along with the full moon put them to bed before light. Thinking the next few days will be pretty quiet here. Tons of young bucks this year! TONS… With that said even scouting over the summer very few animals that would break the 130” mark around.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: boneaddict on September 01, 2023, 12:54:15 PM: Thats still good news though! I'm not sure NE WA will even have that
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: huntnnw on September 01, 2023, 01:34:07 PM: Places in NE wa doing very well. Have a friend who has over 100 deer on his place and 3 bucks over 150”
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: boneaddict on September 01, 2023, 01:49:13 PM: Good to hear!
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: dvolmer on September 01, 2023, 03:01:34 PM: Pass for me.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: jrebel on September 01, 2023, 04:13:22 PM: We had wolves move in this summer and all my bucks and moose are in deep hiding. See wolves on cameras at least a couple times per week....makes me sick. Had my eyes on a buck and haven't seen him since the wolves moved in.....hope is still alive.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TommyH on September 01, 2023, 06:56:55 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on September 01, 2023, 01:34:07 PM
Places in NE wa doing very well. Have a friend who has over 100 deer on his place and 3 bucks over 150”

Some places might be, local populations to me are still *way* under what they were a handful of years ago.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TommyH on September 01, 2023, 06:59:29 PM: TeacherMan, I’ll get that in the mail Monday. 👍🏼 Good luck out there.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: hunter399 on September 01, 2023, 08:22:32 PM: Quote from: TommyH on September 01, 2023, 06:56:55 PM
Quote from: huntnnw on September 01, 2023, 01:34:07 PM
Places in NE wa doing very well. Have a friend who has over 100 deer on his place and 3 bucks over 150”

Some places might be, local populations to me are still *way* under what they were a handful of years ago.
I agree with Tommy.
It's definitely hit or miss.
With a lot of miss ,when it comes to public ground.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TeacherMan on September 01, 2023, 09:49:36 PM: Quote from: TommyH on September 01, 2023, 06:59:29 PM
TeacherMan, I’ll get that in the mail Monday. 👍🏼 Good luck out there.

I need to do the same 🙌🏼
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: dreadi on September 01, 2023, 10:55:11 PM: If I had a legal deer in an early season, that’s all it needs to be for me to target it. I like seeing big bucks, however, I like eating even more.

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Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TeacherMan on September 01, 2023, 11:08:25 PM: How many of these people saying shoot live on the west side vs. east side 😂🤷🏻‍♂️
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: hunter399 on September 01, 2023, 11:30:46 PM: Eastside here.
Definitely a shooter.
It's more of the opportunity thing vs How big thing.
Title: Re: How big does it have to be in the early season?
Post by: TommyH on September 24, 2023, 11:23:34 AM: Quote from: TeacherMan on September 01, 2023, 09:49:36 PM
Quote from: TommyH on September 01, 2023, 06:59:29 PM
TeacherMan, I’ll get that in the mail Monday. 👍🏼 Good luck out there.

I need to do the same 🙌🏼

Mine sent on September 14. Did you receive it or send the other sight?