Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: jeepasaurusrex on August 19, 2009, 08:48:57 PM

Title: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on August 19, 2009, 08:48:57 PM: Dad and I are headed over to that area on Labor Day weekend to do some scouting. Just by using some mapping software and satellite photos, The area to the NW of Bonaparte lake, up towards Lost lake looks like a good area. Some dead end roads that offer a nice hike into some good looking country.

Anyone hunt this area? Any advice?

Thanks. :hello:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: Buckblaster on August 20, 2009, 01:48:28 PM: Look in the more remote areas that still have water. Things are getting pretty dry there now. I have been working not far from there and have watched the small streams and springs dry up over the past month or so. Even muleys need water.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: clindsayrun on August 20, 2009, 02:01:33 PM: There aren't any deer over there.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: DeerHarvester on August 20, 2009, 02:47:13 PM: NO DEER IN OKANOGAN.... NONE! ;)
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: Buckmark on August 20, 2009, 03:42:36 PM: Like everyone else has said, no deer here, lots of hunters though for the rifle season, looks like a pumpkin patch, i swear i think this unit is like third behind vail and methow for people during that hunt, the area you said is reallly not that good and has easy access which = lots of people. You should just stay home and chase those blacktails around your area..
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: addicted on August 23, 2009, 01:35:51 AM: our party that went in there last year only saw a bunch of coyotes and a fork and horn muley to go along with all the other orange.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on August 24, 2009, 09:24:22 AM: Thanks for all the input guys. Gonna give it a look, but may look around for less orange. :chuckle:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: KimberRich on August 24, 2009, 03:16:36 PM: Buddy did a scouting/fishing trip over there last weekend and said it's pretty dry..
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: DeerHarvester on August 24, 2009, 04:43:06 PM: It's always dry this time of the year
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: Buckmark on August 24, 2009, 04:45:42 PM: It's pretty dry all the time overhere, some rain and greenup in the early summer, but in the trees remains dry, heck it is just as dry after ice out as it was in november when the snow started flying.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: KimberRich on August 24, 2009, 09:09:24 PM: Obviously it's pretty dry over there.. I meant it's drier than normal. The vegitation in the spots we hunt was only half as tall as it has been in the past, at this time of year.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: SHANE(WA) on August 24, 2009, 11:23:26 PM: People talk of all the orange, yeah on the roads :chuckle: I have been in the sherman unit several times hiking during the rifle deer season, never even saw a hunter the whole weekend, one weekend we only saw 1 rig. Same with the grande ronde area, Tons of hunters, yeah road hunters, get off the roads and climb some peaks, never saw a hunter, sure watched a boat load on the road below driving around. Same goes with the high country of the methow, u get the point hike in ;)
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: KimberRich on August 25, 2009, 09:45:31 AM: The orange I generally see in 204 is usually sneeking around on private property trespassing. Don't think a year goes by when we don't have to run people off.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: Buckmark on August 25, 2009, 09:57:07 AM: Quote from: SHANE(WA) on August 24, 2009, 11:23:26 PM
People talk of all the orange, yeah on the roads :chuckle: I have been in the sherman unit several times hiking during the rifle deer season, never even saw a hunter the whole weekend, one weekend we only saw 1 rig. Same with the grande ronde area, Tons of hunters, yeah road hunters, get off the roads and climb some peaks, never saw a hunter, sure watched a boat load on the road below driving around. Same goes with the high country of the methow, u get the point hike in ;)
I agree with SHANE(WA), lots of road hunters, like every unit the farther from the road the better, I used to hunt opening day because there is only one opening day, then would not hunt hard untill the second week when the rats abandonded ship, then they took away the mule deer for week two :cryriver:, Like SHANE(WA) said, sherman unit 101 sounds good, yeah or grande ronde :chuckle:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on September 06, 2009, 08:57:06 PM: Well, just got home from our scouting trip. We arrived around mid-day on Saturday and met up with Frank (Buckmark). He gave us some ideas on the areas to take a look at. We looked the area over pretty good. Seen a nice Muley doe, a Whitetail 3x3 and doe together. We camped up on the 100 road that night. Had the tent set up in record time. It rained for part of that night, then the moon came out and it cooled off. Dad actually got cold (blamed it on his POS sleeping bag) and hopped into the truck and fired up the heater. I just got cozy in my mummy bag.
:cmp1:

The next morning I fixed a breakfast of ham and eggs. We packed up camp and headed down the road to see what else we could find. We came across 6 blue grouse hanging out in the road. Took a shot at one but missed. :hunt2:

Went on down the road a bit and I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. I grab the camera and started my "stalk." I got within about 35yds and finally got this pic of a nice 3x4 playing peek-a-boo with me between two trees. I couldnt get a shot of his horns, but he had some nice long tines.
:whoo:

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net%2Fhs267.snc1%2F9425_133283437351_720792351_2979078_2568842_n.jpg&hash=b1df4dc760b97f0356b00a4b320d50816ce3e922)

We stopped by Frank's place after that to see if he was home. Left him a note. Thanks again Frank for all your help.

We then headed over to Fir mountain to have a look around. Seen some more grouse and a couple of Muley does. Also came across some mexicans smoking something out of a weird pipe. :police:

Took a detour down to Mount Annie and had a look around before heading home. Ran into a big thunder storm on Loup Loup pass. The fire up there covered a big area. Should be good in a couple of years.

Made it home with out any problems (other than a tail-gating stater just outside Omak :chuckle:)

Now its time to take a shower and relax tomorrow. :cue:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: PolarBear on September 06, 2009, 09:02:54 PM: There are tons of deer in the 204 but they get fewer the closer you get to the 101 unit. There are very few decent bucks in the 101, I would avoid it at all costs.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on September 06, 2009, 09:06:00 PM: We used to hunt 101, but we noticed the huge decrease in deer over the last few years. We also noticed a increase in cougar sign up around Curlew. That is one reason why we moved over to 204.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: PolarBear on September 07, 2009, 01:51:58 PM: Not only have the number of cougars greatly increased in 101 but wolves and even bobcats as well.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: kramman on September 07, 2009, 04:19:02 PM: ive shot a lot of grouse up on that 100rd and last year we saw a moose just as we got on the road from the lost lk side.ill be in the area for muzzle season i hope you enjoyed the area its one of my favorite spots.did you happen to stop by and say hi to Ernie at the bonaparte lk. lookout off the 100rd theres apicture of him and my sons and I always stop and say hi not a bad spot to have your ashes spread.
kramman
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East
Post by: alecvg on September 07, 2009, 06:01:19 PM: Quote from: SHANE(WA) on August 24, 2009, 11:23:26 PM
People talk of all the orange, yeah on the roads :chuckle: I have been in the sherman unit several times hiking during the rifle deer season, never even saw a hunter the whole weekend, one weekend we only saw 1 rig. Same with the grande ronde area, Tons of hunters, yeah road hunters, get off the roads and climb some peaks, never saw a hunter, sure watched a boat load on the road below driving around. Same goes with the high country of the methow, u get the point hike in ;)

I agree, I hunt in the Methow, In a unit with tons and tons of hunters, if you hunt low, in the easy to get to areas, you see orange every where. Where we go, we hike in 5 or 6 miles, and I think I saw two hunters last year, on a-hole who cussed us out on opening morning, and another guy on the way out, those hunters were just on the trail, once we got up off of the trail, we saw no one. You just got to put your work into it.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: bobcat on September 07, 2009, 06:05:10 PM: Why'd the one guy cuss you out? Were you in "his" spot? :rolleyes:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: alecvg on September 07, 2009, 06:15:00 PM: Quote from: bobcat on September 07, 2009, 06:05:10 PM
Why'd the one guy cuss you out? Were you in "his" spot? :rolleyes:

Yep, we told him where we were planning on hunting, and he said he "wanted ALL of it!" Tuff luck, its public land! And what did the guy expect? There is no way he didn't see our camp, we had a huge fire going, that is visable from the trail, did he think we just wouldn't hunt because he hiked up there too? Stupid.
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: jeepasaurusrex on September 07, 2009, 09:30:59 PM: I've encountered that before. I usually just talk to the person and find out what their hunting plans are so I do no "invade" their space. More times than not, I plan it so they can push something to me. :chuckle:
Title: Re: GMU 204-Okanogan East-- Updated
Post by: alecvg on September 07, 2009, 09:35:37 PM: Quote from: jeepasaurusrex on September 07, 2009, 09:30:59 PM
I've encountered that before. I usually just talk to the person and find out what their hunting plans are so I do no "invade" their space. More times than not, I plan it so they can push something to me. :chuckle:

Always nice when you can work it out that way. :chuckle: