Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Kumacub on April 05, 2024, 07:40:38 AM

Title: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: Kumacub on April 05, 2024, 07:40:38 AM: Hey everyone,

I started hunting last fall. Learned a lot but didn't tag out. Which is totally fine. My girlfriend and I are planning this season with the mindset of going out and learning more. We are looking at going out in the entiat mountain or going back to the last spot we went hunting last year. My understanding is that both areas are crowded/difficult (We both go off the trail and hike where we mostly saw road hunters or ORVs). I was just wondering if any of you had some advice on if you were in our shoes what you'd attempt. Going back to a spot that was familiar where you saw a few bucks that weren't legal and lots of doe movement. Or try a completely different spot.

Last year it was out in Naneum and Mission. This year I am looking around devil's backbone. Let me know what you think. Thank you to those who gave advice on my last post.
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: Taco280AI on April 05, 2024, 08:05:52 AM: I don't know those areas, but what has worked for me is to stay away from roads and trails, and hike up, and keep hiking until there's nobody above you. I've gone to brand new spots and gotten deer this way.
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: MeepDog on April 05, 2024, 08:15:41 AM: You've almost missed your window, but the best time to scout for deer is in the winter, but before green up. All the sign for the whole year is on display and theres minimal plants that get in your way. Learn to tell the difference between early season rubs from september and rut rubs from november and use that information to form a hypothesis about bedding and feeding for the time of year youre going to be hunting.
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: go4steelhd on April 05, 2024, 08:48:43 AM: Find a spot and hunt it every year for three years. You will figure out the animals patterns. Go scout in late July and early August.

Keep in mind that bucks will be more visible at that time of year, in general when they have velvet on there antlers they stay in the open more. Which will make them way easier for you to locate. Then once their antlers stop growing their pattern changes, but they don't generally move far. At that point look for cover, bedding areas, and water sources near where you had seen them in the summer. If you get out of eyesight of the road you may be surprised what you will find. (Keep in mind does being in an area does not mean there are bucks there)

When you get to the hunting trip opening day is your friend, never miss it. Keep the wind in your face, and really pay attention to the noise you make.

Shoot straight and please share your success when you find it :tup:
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: Mtnwalker on April 05, 2024, 08:49:28 AM: Honestly by WA standards it sounds like you were fairly successful for a first year hunter. You found deer and saw a few bucks, if you were ok with the amount of hunter pressure in your area then I'd give it another year and learn it better :twocents:
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: jstone on April 05, 2024, 08:54:42 AM: Those bucks might be legal this year
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: boneaddict on April 05, 2024, 09:03:51 AM: You increase your level of success typically if you do exactly what Got4 mentioned. Stick to an area and learn their patterns. That is if you liked the area. Part of hunting is to enjoy one self. It is fun to find new places to hunt. The grass is always greener somewhere else approach can hurt your odds
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: dvolmer on April 05, 2024, 02:22:21 PM: Nothing will increase your odds more in the state of Washington than seeking out and creating relationships with a private landowner (rancher/farmer). In this state, access trumps just about everything when it comes to a successful deer hunt. That is if what you consider successful as filling your tag. The time to do that is now, not in September or October. I know people that hunt public land and consider their success on being out in nature and enjoying the mountains camping in the fall. If they happen to fill their tag while doing it it’s a bonus and not near as important as the total experience. The majority of the guys filling their tag regularly are hunting private property. It can be frustrating, but it can be done.
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: JakeLand on April 05, 2024, 02:44:27 PM: Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: greenhead_killer on April 05, 2024, 03:36:21 PM: Quote from: go4steelhd on April 05, 2024, 08:48:43 AM
Find a spot and hunt it every year for three years. You will figure out the animals patterns. Go scout in late July and early August.

Keep in mind that bucks will be more visible at that time of year, in general when they have velvet on there antlers they stay in the open more. Which will make them way easier for you to locate. Then once their antlers stop growing their pattern changes, but they don't generally move far. At that point look for cover, bedding areas, and water sources near where you had seen them in the summer. If you get out of eyesight of the road you may be surprised what you will find. (Keep in mind does being in an area does not mean there are bucks there)

When you get to the hunting trip opening day is your friend, never miss it. Keep the wind in your face, and really pay attention to the noise you make.

Shoot straight and please share your success when you find it :tup:

probably the best advice imo. this is exactly what i would be doing. hammer the same area year after year and youll get all the kinks out. ive gone 3/3 in idaho the last few years, killing all my bucks within half mile of eachother. same with wa, ive killed probably 6/10 years my deer have come from the same hill. all within half mile or so of eachother. just time invested is what will get you over the hump. all public land as well
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: Kumacub on April 05, 2024, 04:00:49 PM: Quote from: JakeLand on April 05, 2024, 02:44:27 PM
Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one

My fall back is hunting black tail on the weekends near me with my 300 blackout. But I’m trying to focus on mule deer since I like being out in the mountains and rucking. Not much public land around Everett. I only know of one decent spot.
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: JakeLand on April 05, 2024, 04:23:43 PM: Quote from: PBush509 on April 05, 2024, 04:00:49 PM
Quote from: JakeLand on April 05, 2024, 02:44:27 PM
Being you’re in everet id be chasing the best deer out there BLACKTAIL ! Close and you can scout every day if you wanted , plus any buck so that ups your % of killing one

My fall back is hunting black tail on the weekends near me with my 300 blackout. But I’m trying to focus on mule deer since I like being out in the mountains and rucking. Not much public land around Everett. I only know of one decent spot.
lots of hunting around you trust me
Title: Re: Advice for next season Mule Deer
Post by: chukardogs on April 05, 2024, 05:38:06 PM: If you can, put a backpack on. Go in far enough that the hunters that leave their vehicles on the road in the AM won't reach your camp. Because the regular modern firearm season normally occurs during the time that Mule deer are still hanging in their summer range. Find an area that a 3-5 mile hike will put you above the deer and the other hunters. Try to camp above the level where the deer are feeding and if possible, bedding. Be completely mobile with your camp. Know your water holes and don't camp on top of them. Being above the deer in the AM and knowing where they're at before they know where you're at will at the least, evens the odds. Be cognizant of food quality. If you grab a handful of brouse and it falls apart in little pieces, keep looking. South facing slopes up high, get baked all summer and by fall are useless to the deer if the feed is dried out. Look for deep broad canyons with water holes in cover and if that canyon runs out near the top, all the better. Springs with dense timber around them is ideal. Mature Mule Deer bucks don't hang around with does 24/7 during this time of year but they do keep track of them by hanging around the fringes, usually above but that's not absolute. Mature Mule Deer bucks are famous for just hangin out, laying in a dense timber or brush and not moving during the day unless they have to. Wolves have exacerbated that tendency two fold. The Mule deer where I have hunted for 34 years have changed their behavior because of the wolves. Nowadays, unless you are within a few days of a new moon, seeing a deer during daylight hours is a rarity unless you or another hunter, jumps them from their beds. They're there but you'll have to move them to get a glimpse. Hope for snow and good luck out there!