Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: pjb3 on June 07, 2009, 05:49:47 PM

Title: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: pjb3 on June 07, 2009, 05:49:47 PM: I am going to try deer hunting this year amongst many other quarries. Any advice on some public land to go for muleys? I never did hunt for deer in this state so need alittle help.
Thanks
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: littlebuf on June 07, 2009, 06:00:21 PM: best advice would be get some maps and start scouting now. the best rewards come to those that work the hardest and longest. ( then again there's always bull s&!t luck but ive never counted on that) oh ya and muleys are on the east side of the mountains...start there :P
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: colockumelk on June 07, 2009, 07:45:25 PM: I can tell you where not to hunt. Don't hunt in Yakima or Kittitas county. We've lost about half of our deer herd. Look farther east into the desert basin units, around the Chelan Omak areas and/or down south around Goldendale.
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: 270Shooter on June 07, 2009, 07:50:27 PM: Quote from: colockumelk on June 07, 2009, 07:45:25 PM
I can tell you where not to hunt. Don't hunt in Yakima or Kittitas county. We've lost about half of our deer herd. Look farther east into the desert basin units, around the Chelan Omak areas and/or down south around Goldendale.
:yeah: He speaks the truth!
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: rosscrazyelk on June 07, 2009, 08:55:12 PM: Just don't show up where I Hunt, I don't need anymore pressure :chuckle:
Otherwise good luck
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: huntnphool on June 07, 2009, 08:57:49 PM: Start going through all the old threads
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: tony04 on June 07, 2009, 10:18:44 PM: Quote
I can tell you where not to hunt. Don't hunt in Yakima or Kittitas county. We've lost about half of our deer herd. Look farther east into the desert basin units, around the Chelan Omak areas and/or down south around Goldendale.

ive been hearing the same thing. why is the deer population so low?
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 07, 2009, 10:28:57 PM: Quote from: huntnphool on June 07, 2009, 08:57:49 PM
Start going through all the old threads

That is good advice. I was bedridden for a few days after my hernia surgery a couple of weeks ago, so I started on page 97 of the deer hunting posts (back to 2007) and started working my way forward.
THere is so much great information there it will boggle your mind. I am still working at it a couple of pages each night. I have worked my way back to page 54. I am clicking on every thread, because sometimes the title of the thread is not what you thought it would be.
It is most useful if you have your computer in your lap, a WA game reg and a WA gazzeteer on your left side and a pen and pad on your right.
You will save a lot of time by doing research before the season. After I moved back to WA in 2001, it took me 4 years to learn to hunt mule deer by trial and error (I grew up in NE WA hunting whitetails).
Good luck
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: old school on June 08, 2009, 05:01:25 AM: Sorry but deer in omak chelan area are in short supply also. :(
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: pjb3 on June 08, 2009, 12:04:50 PM: I was thinking myself Omak/Okanagan county area. That is a big area, any good public areas? I did alot of deer and elk hunting when I lived in Colorado, just have to find new places now all over again
Thanks all for the input
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on June 08, 2009, 12:13:27 PM: Actually I drove through the Omak area and there were Mule deer everywhere. Looked like a good place to try out for someone wanting to learn a new area.
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: mossback91 on June 08, 2009, 12:16:32 PM: No one in their right mind would hunt okanogan county area for deer!
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: BLKBEARKLR on June 08, 2009, 12:17:46 PM: Also if you are not looking for a trophy mule deer try the breaks, just get ready to compete with all them other fellows in orange
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: CP on June 08, 2009, 12:28:57 PM: Will you be hunting bow, muzzleloader or modern?
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: pjb3 on June 08, 2009, 12:45:37 PM: I hunt modern and I do prefer trophy, not a meat shooter
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: jackelope on June 08, 2009, 02:33:04 PM: you need to do your homework like a couple other guys have mentioned. you could probably do what pathfinder101 is doing and dial yourself in to a great area to hunt without even having to do any other research, but nothing replaces time in the woods learning an area and all the little nooks and crannies.

wdfw's site has some good tools on it too. the gohunt feature is cool, harvest reports, mapping, access, etc.
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: Buschingc on June 08, 2009, 02:47:57 PM: Quote from: mossback91 on June 08, 2009, 12:16:32 PM
No one in their right mind would hunt okanogan county area for deer!

And for some dumb reason, people keep showing up... Dont hunt Omak/ Okanogan area... Its a Pumpkin Fest.. WAY TO MANY HUNTERS and our deer herds are low in numbers.. I live in this county and I dont even hunt it. Everywhere you go there are tons of hunters and not enough deer.. Its not like it used to be.

Chelan county has some good deer though.. That might be a good spot to look into..
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: Slider on June 09, 2009, 08:38:39 AM: Here is a GOOD place to start your search!!!

http://www.amazon.com/Public-Land-Mulies-Bottom-Line/dp/097788371X
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: grizzlygibbs on June 10, 2009, 10:39:11 AM: If your a trophy hunter you might wanna start your hunt in Montana or Colorado!
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: pjb3 on June 10, 2009, 02:05:14 PM: Quote from: grizzlygibbs on June 10, 2009, 10:39:11 AM
If your a trophy hunter you might wanna start your hunt in Montana or Colorado!

I used to live in CO and got my share of mulies, looking for some here now
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: EastWaViking on June 10, 2009, 02:14:39 PM: Wyoming
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: Whitenuckles on June 10, 2009, 03:52:38 PM: Pete, you couldnt kill a deer if you put youre barrel down its throat and pulled the trigger!!! :P
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: Timmybob on June 11, 2009, 09:24:32 AM: Tried my hand at Mulies for the first time last year. My Family has some property up in Tonasket. We hunted a little NW of there in the 215 GMU. Didn't see Sheet !!! Few tracks and some dried up kah-kah and that was it. The fishing was absolutley fabulous though. Fat trout on almost every cast !! I think I will stick to the blacktails though..We did have a really fun time though. Actually got my dad and uncle out for a few days. There was a crap load of grouse out there though. We probably saw 15-20 a day. I wouldn't go there for trophy mulies, but trophy grouse would be another story...Not much help, but you can at least cross this GMU off your list..
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: huntnphool on June 11, 2009, 10:43:56 AM: Welcome to the site Whitenuckles :hello:
Title: Re: Good place for Muleys???
Post by: pjb3 on June 11, 2009, 03:09:54 PM: Thanks all for the input.