Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Ellensburg on September 21, 2009, 10:54:13 PM

Title: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Ellensburg on September 21, 2009, 10:54:13 PM: I was talking to my cousin who lives in Republic. I told him I was gonna hunt around Ellensburg for a muley and he told me im wasting my time. In his words: "Anyone can come up here and shoot a NICE whitey" Said he sees 150"+ deer everytime he goes scouting. "You would barely even have to get out of the truck".....

He doesnt have property but says the farmers and land owners are cool and are easy to get permission from. He said I should skip my season down here and just come up there and get an easy wall hanger. I can stay with him and his wife (maybe he will be gone for a day or two and the hot wife will get lonely????) jk but seriously i wish...

Is he lying to me or should is the hunting really that good up there? Long shots, short shots? What should i expect? Thanks for any tips!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: lazydrifter on September 22, 2009, 03:13:02 AM: I think your cousin needs to lay off the wacky tobacky. We hunt the Curlew/Republic area. True, we see a lot of deer. But those big whitetails don't get big by being dumb and as far as property owners it is getting tougher and tougher. Maybe he knows a lot of people. How many big whitetails does he have on the wall?
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on September 22, 2009, 04:02:12 AM: During when lazydrifter? rifle or Bow? theres a huge difference in what you see between the 2 choices
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: shorthair-on-point on September 22, 2009, 04:02:55 AM: This is WA state bud. If there was some place that good in this state it would be covered in orange in nothing flat :chuckle:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: tazz on September 22, 2009, 05:37:17 AM: i lived there for 30 years there are some nice deer there but they are not dumb and not all land owners let you on there property like shorthair said if it was that easy everybody would be there just my :twocents:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 22, 2009, 05:41:31 AM: Do you still hunt up there?
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: tazz on September 22, 2009, 05:44:17 AM: yes i do
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 22, 2009, 05:49:36 AM: Its fairly easy to hang a tag on a little one, wallhanger, No, not likely. As for property owners, good luck with that. If you have an in, it would be a fun hunt to try. Its certainly a new experience, and although whitetails aren't my thing they are fun to try. They do some of the darndest funny things.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 22, 2009, 05:50:16 AM: and.......the mule deer can be enormous. :)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Hornseeker on September 22, 2009, 07:08:39 AM: That was funny... I laughed out loud! I think we need pics of your cous's wife...
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: robodad on September 22, 2009, 07:41:12 AM: I think this unit is so popular largly because the disabled hunters, senior and youth hunters can all harvest doe's on their general season tag which takes a lot of pressure off them to shoot a buck elsewhere, I see bunches of folks driving around with disabled hunter placards in their window when I am there, sure there are a few decent bucks there but usually in town areas where there are too many houses to do any shooting or they are in areas covered up with orange.

It really reminds me of hunting Wisconsin, (Maybe I like it cause that's what I am used to) where there are tons of hunters just trying to fill tags and not looking for the elusive wall hanger. We usually tag a buck each year cause one of our hunting party has a buck only tag but it's never a big one. Here is pic's of a couple....

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMG_2492.JPG)

Another:

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/PICT0006.JPG)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: halflife65 on September 22, 2009, 08:25:18 AM: What did you shoot that buck with? Is that one of those Thompson Contender things? Still, nice job if you got it with a pistol - that's really cool.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: turbo on September 22, 2009, 08:27:50 AM: It's all about private property and porch hunting.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Buckmark on September 22, 2009, 09:01:34 AM: I think your cousin is not telling the whole truth, yes there are some very nice whitetails in the area, (anyone remember the racks that were in the old gas/service station on the corner in republic?) but they dont just stand there and during the rifle hunt they have been moved around by the muzzy guys, lots of little bucks but they are no pushover either, as far a seeing 150+ deer while scouting well get away from the fields and then start counting, your numbers will drop.
Landownership and or permission from farmers is key if you want to guarantee filling your tag, not a wall hanger but a legal deer and alot if most owners overthere will say no to you, especially if your just now asking permission.
The big boys dont start to show back up untill the late bow season (you should see the mule deer that come by my stand in november, not open for them then and i think they know it). Just look at the harvest data on wdfw, unit 101 which i think your talking about during general rifle, 2008 750 antlered deer taken compared to mnt spokane 2029, in 2007 unit 101 561 taken out of 3503 hunters, mnt spokane 1610 taken out of 6312 hunters, you have a better chance to fill your tag in mnt spokane and as far as wall hangers good luck.. And yes i hunt this area, yes i own land in this area..
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on September 22, 2009, 09:23:50 AM: There's another Republic thread floating around here too. I can tell you this from 12 years of camping in the same spot of the NF opening week in Republic, branched muleys far outnumbered branched whitetail in camp every year. Spike and forky whitetails are very common though, most guys will shoot those over there, so not a lot have a chance to get bigger. The area grows some really nice whitetail, but even if you have access to private property, plan on spending all season chasing one down, they are just not easy to get out of the thick stuff, most of the time you hear them, catch a glimpse of them and they're gone for good. Whitetail never go back to an area they encountered a danger to them (so say bio's) and it seems to be true. In our years of hunting over there, I kicked out several nice whitetail but never found them again in the same spot afterwards, if you don't drop them that first time your probably out of luck.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: lazydrifter on September 22, 2009, 02:46:40 PM: Yeah we hunt rifle and I know there is a lot of difference between rifle and LATE bow season. I've also seen alot of the LOCALS that seem to think that since they know the landowner it is ok to hunt the property without asking permission. And in our party nice mulies always outnumber nice whitetails.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on September 22, 2009, 03:50:40 PM: Harvest data doesn't show anything! ITS NOT open in November for rifle ever.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 22, 2009, 05:07:27 PM: A lot of folks who own land over there are tired (my self included) of wetsiders invading the place and will not give permission to hunt it. Every year I have to kick folks off of mine and my buddies land who are hunting or even camping behind our no trespassing signs. I do not allow anyone, not even myself or family to hunt my land. Yes, there are a lot of deer, even some nice bucks but the zoo pushes them deep into the brush where the vast majority are too lazy or afraid to venture. The areas where the biggest deer hold up are spots where you can get lost in a hurry and more than a mile (more like 2-3) from any road. Just do a little research on a good topo map, stay low in elevation for whities and find a nice brush choked drainage, sit on it and wait for them to come to you. Chasing big whities through the brush will leave you frustrated and empty handed. Also keep in mind that just about everyone drives past the best places to start hiking and they are not way up in the hills. Good luck!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: lazydrifter on September 22, 2009, 06:32:53 PM: See I disagree. Almost everyone we have had problems with are the locals who don't own huntable property but think that since they live there and know the owners that is alright. And then when you confront them they either say well it's alright, we know the owners or, no we're not on their property yet. Well what do you think that fence was that you just climbed over back there. I'm glad we started getting cell service over there last year because now instead of just running them off we can call the sheriff.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 22, 2009, 07:08:03 PM: I haven't had a problem with the locals yet because most know where my buddy and I stand and that they will have hell to pay for trespassing. Year before last I chased off a camp of 6 that were 200 yards in past my fence where they had cut it to get their quads through. They were a bunch of citiouts from Redmond that though it was a DNR fence and just couldn't find the gate. I gave them until I could get back with the Sheriff to get the hell off. I came back with my buddy instead about 2 hours later and passed them on the way out. They had cleaned up the site and fixed my fence. Something like that happens every year and all from out of towners.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: jdb on September 22, 2009, 07:11:45 PM: so polarbear can I hunt your land this fall??????????? Just kidding!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 22, 2009, 07:18:42 PM: You got a couple extra grand, I might consider it. ;)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on September 22, 2009, 07:20:28 PM: Aren't you yourself a wetsider? :dunno:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on September 22, 2009, 07:24:19 PM: If you own land, your vested in my book. Your paying taxes to that County.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 22, 2009, 07:30:28 PM: Yep, I am a wetsider and an eastsider. Depends on what my mood is. Like Dman said, I pay plenty of taxes on both sides.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Ellensburg on September 22, 2009, 08:52:38 PM: polar bear, im from the east side so maybe I could hunt it. Am i right?!?!?!?!

WHy don't you hunt your own land. I bet there are deer on it bigger than moose.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: mossback91 on September 22, 2009, 08:54:21 PM: Your only a true eastsider if you were born raised and stuck true to the eastside!!! dont get this chit mixed up!!

and ellen I grew upw ith a kid whos dad lived in republic so that where he hunted.....killed a big muley every year!!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on September 22, 2009, 09:17:39 PM: Quote from: mossback91 on September 22, 2009, 08:54:21 PM
Your only a true eastsider if you were born raised and stuck true to the eastside!!! dont get this chit mixed up!!

and ellen I grew upw ith a kid whos dad lived in republic so that where he hunted.....killed a big muley every year!!

So if my dad was born and raised on the east side, moved over here, then moved back over there, then I came along, moved from here over to the east side and owned land over there, would I be an easterner, or wet sider, I'm so confused :rolleyes:.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: mossback91 on September 22, 2009, 09:20:12 PM: Quote from: Dmanmastertracker on September 22, 2009, 09:17:39 PM
Quote from: mossback91 on September 22, 2009, 08:54:21 PM
Your only a true eastsider if you were born raised and stuck true to the eastside!!! dont get this chit mixed up!!

and ellen I grew upw ith a kid whos dad lived in republic so that where he hunted.....killed a big muley every year!!

So if my dad was born and raised on the east side, moved over here, then moved back over there, then I came along, moved from here over to the east side and owned land over there, would I be an easterner, or wet sider, I'm so confused :rolleyes:.

Your own confused man who will never know where he belongs?
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on September 22, 2009, 09:22:46 PM: Easy bubba, it's a big State, enough room for everyone.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: SHANE(WA) on September 25, 2009, 03:00:23 AM: Speaking of ferry co, latest article in a magazine, this should flow some more hunters to the unit
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi200.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa139%2Fshanewa300%2F1253872500.jpg&hash=f2967eeaf17cd4754cd41a937262ee3cc6a72251)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: halflife65 on September 25, 2009, 07:12:20 AM: Yeah, I saw that.

THe SE corner of the state used to be good for birds, too, until all those @)$*(@_)#* articles came out about it in F&H News. Now, there are still birds, but it's either posted or you hae to belong to a gun club.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: tazz on September 25, 2009, 08:00:53 AM: yea years ago the sport shop in republic used to have those articles put in those magazines so he would get more customers
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: jagermiester on September 25, 2009, 11:22:30 PM: Guy,
Give it Hell in the late hunt if you dont get a buck during the regular season your cousin may know something all these naysayers dont. As a matter of fact you might as well leave tommorow night make the 5 hour drive see your hot cousin in law and go scout it for yourself you may find that all these guys are right but you may also find they are just trying to keep that corner of the world to themselves.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Jeffrey on September 26, 2009, 08:28:14 AM: Hey Ellensburg- The "man law" is in effect here....We need pictures, of both: Your cousins wife, and the big whitetails your cousin has hanging on his walls! Come on man!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: 300UltraMagShooter on September 26, 2009, 07:21:46 PM: I was up there last year and I ran into some guys who had rifle hunted. They went 6 for 6 on 4 x 4 or better. The guy I talked to showed me his. Nothing special. 125" - 130" 4 x 5 but that is unreal for a success rate. I didn't see a buck the entire week. Ugh, but i'll be back eventually. Just need to learn the unit a little better.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: lazydrifter on September 27, 2009, 08:47:12 AM: I knew of 1 party that did that every year and then found out that some of them were taken after dark.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 08:51:55 AM: Quote from: lazydrifter on September 27, 2009, 08:47:12 AM
I knew of 1 party that did that every year and then found out that some of them were taken after dark.
There are a lot of locals who prefer to shoot their bucks after dark and during the "locals" season, which is rifle around Thanksgiving. When I was still rifle hunting over there we would often hear shots far up in the hills in the middle of the night.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 08:54:29 AM: You have to remember that a whitetail is almost always a 4 point (many count the eyeguards) by year two. And....they are almost as dumb as posts when in the rut. Kinda compare them to two point mule deer I guess.

Half the locals fed them all summer so probably feel they deserve the meat. LOL
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 09:02:07 AM: No kidding. My buddy and I were over visiting one of his neighbors many years ago in December. All of a sudden we look out and a big buck was out in pasture pushing his horses off of their alfalfa. He pulled out his rifle and dropped it and told his grandson to go out and take care of it. He was pissed that the buck was messing with his horses. My buddy and I left immediately. This guy was in his 80's and figured that it was fine to shoot any time he felt the need. There is a lot of that mindset over there.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 09:21:34 AM: :chuckle:
I think some of them take care of trespassers that way too. As maybe they should. He probably had to set the marlbourough down to do it. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 09:24:06 AM: You are right on the money. He had to set his beer down but left the smoke in his mouth.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 09:26:23 AM: GOD I love it up there. I swear its one of the last refuges for Rednecks. :chuckle:
Most trucks have a cowcatcher on the front and a CB antenae sticking out somewhere. and.....antoehr good portion have an extra diesel tank in back too.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 10:07:59 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 09:26:23 AM
GOD I love it up there. I swear its one of the last refuges for Rednecks. :chuckle:
Most trucks have a cowcatcher on the front and a CB antenae sticking out somewhere. and.....antoehr good portion have an extra diesel tank in back too.
Or a 55 gallon barrel of diesel in the back with a hand pump or siphon hose! My buddy has a 500 gallon elevated diesel tank by his barn. Ya gotta love real rednecks!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: actionshooter on September 27, 2009, 10:26:12 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 10:07:59 AM
Quote from: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 09:26:23 AM
GOD I love it up there. I swear its one of the last refuges for Rednecks. :chuckle:
Most trucks have a cowcatcher on the front and a CB antenae sticking out somewhere. and.....antoehr good portion have an extra diesel tank in back too.
Or a 55 gallon barrel of diesel in the back with a hand pump or siphon hose! My buddy has a 500 gallon elevated diesel tank by his barn. Ya gotta love real rednecks!

Whats so redneck about that........ :dunno:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 10:28:04 AM: In this culture or in my mind Redneck is a good thing. :)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 04:15:16 PM: What pisses me off is that redneck has become synonymous with white trash. When I was growing up it meant you were a farm boy who worked his ass off outside from dusk til dawn. Now it means you are a NACSAR loving, beer swilling, broken down truck driving, cars in the front yard, unemployed, knocking up every gal you can, uneducated piece of crap.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 04:17:58 PM: Ellensburg, pm me if you would like some specific info on Republic.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: boneaddict on September 27, 2009, 04:39:05 PM: Quote
a farm boy who worked his ass off outside from dusk til dawn

Thats how I still view it.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Typical8 on September 27, 2009, 07:30:46 PM: a farm boy who worked his ass off outside from dusk til dawn

Thats how I still view it.

From a boy who grew up in east Tennessee! I agree!
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: PolarBear on September 27, 2009, 07:34:34 PM: I grew up in Central Tennessee (Columbia) until I was 6, that is where I learned the term.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: skynimrod on October 03, 2009, 08:02:56 PM: It's still a little redneck down here. That's Ok with me though I love it. It kinda reminds me of home N/East Wa.
Also Camouflage is the normal style. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on October 03, 2009, 08:42:46 PM: OMG this reminds me of last weekend, I kid you not this sign was in this guys front yard at the only lookout point to Beacon Rock, would you guess he's had trespasser's?? :chuckle:

If that isn't redneck, I don't know what is....
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on October 03, 2009, 08:47:34 PM: Just a side note too, I was recently reading an article in Backpacker magazine, this writer did a hypothetical study covering a route by foot from BC into NE Washington, and he interviewed a bunch of locals in Canada about his proposed route. He didn't actually take the route, it was a study just to see how easy it is to get in illegally. In interviewing a Canadian hiking guide, the guy said anyone would be nuts to cross into the NE Washington woods from BC. The writer says "why, drug runners"? Guide says, yeah that, but even worse, hunters in Washington, no drug runner would survive them :chuckle:.

Bunch of rednecks.
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: georgia redneck on October 03, 2009, 08:59:22 PM: Did somebody call for a redneck :chuckle: :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: robodad on October 04, 2009, 06:15:49 PM: Here is another I found on 4th of July road in Danville north of Republic !!! :chuckle:

(https://hunting-washington.com/cpg/albums/userpics/10689/IMG_0096.JPG)
Title: Re: Ferry County tips? I think republic area?
Post by: Birdguy on October 04, 2009, 07:25:54 PM: Ellensburg you will never know if you don't go. I would be more inclined to head that way next weekend and do a little scouting. If you like what you see and can get the permission do it. If not hunt around your area. Just make sure you are on the right side of the signs :bdid:. I too am a wet sider who pays taxes on both sides of our state. The locals trespass just as much as the visitors but the locals find better hunting and less trouble for trespassing in August, September, November, and December, they also prefer mid week for some reason :rolleyes:. Having had game cams up the last few years you learn a lot about what goes on when you are not there. Good luck and let us know what you ended up doing.