Post by: MichaelJ on January 02, 2008, 04:28:01 PM
We all know that the Entiat has gone WAY downhill the last couple of years, however there seems to be great success still happening in the GPW north of Entiat (and the areas just south of the GPW border...) where supposedly all the Entiat Deer summer... If there is still quite a bit of mature bucks being taken in the GPW, then why aren't we seeing these deer on the winter range? What do you think?
Michael
Post by: NoBark on January 02, 2008, 04:48:50 PM
Post by: NoBark on January 02, 2008, 05:02:16 PM
Post by: Cougeyes on January 02, 2008, 06:24:43 PM
however there seems to be great success still happening in the GPW north of Entiat (and the areas just south of the GPW border...) where supposedly all the Entiat Deer summer... If there is still quite a bit of mature bucks being taken in the GPW, then why aren't we seeing these deer on the winter range? What do you think?You're not seeing them on the winter range because most of them s are being shot in the GPW before they get there. Naw...I dont know anything about that area either, possibly they winter somewhere else other than the entiat but i'm guessing not.
Post by: jackelope on January 02, 2008, 06:31:58 PM
Quote
You're not seeing them on the winter range because most of them s are being shot in the GPW before they get there.
kind of what i was thinking too. i don't know much about that country, but i did see some pic's of some big bucks from the high hunt on a certain outfitters website...
;)
Post by: Ridgerunner on January 02, 2008, 08:55:32 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on January 02, 2008, 08:59:25 PM
Post by: Cougeyes on January 02, 2008, 09:19:52 PM
Is wildlife monitoring the cougar population in this area?In the GPW or the Entiat? I'm pretty sure they dont have any they're monitoring in either of those areas. They do in Winthrop and Twisp area as well as the 5 county hound hunting area.
Post by: ICEMAN on January 02, 2008, 09:23:24 PM
Post by: Cougeyes on January 02, 2008, 09:43:24 PM
I think if the numbers do not rebound they need to study what is affecting the deer. Whether it be collaring a bunch of cougars and determining their impacts and determining how many are actually in the area and if they're killing does or more of the bucks; or shutting down human winter activity (snowmobiling, snowshoeing skiing etc...), stress on an animal in winter could severly limit an animals survival by burning more enery than necessary.
From what the study I know around Kittitas County cougars are not killing the bucks but mainly the does and mainly cow elk and not bulls. This seems to be the trend for a lot of the cougar populations. Why take a risk on injuring yourself from an antler gore...much easier to kill someting that has a lesser chance of hurting yourself. But in Idaho I know one guy found that the cougars he was studying were killing a lot of mature bucks, but that was after the rut when they were much weaker.
But...I do think some study needs to be done, I think a lot of people here have some good ideas, unfortunetly those surveys and questionaires WDFW sometimes puts out for public comments probably does little good, meaning they dont act on many if any of them.
Post by: MichaelJ on January 03, 2008, 10:18:34 AM
Michael
Post by: Muleyslyr on January 03, 2008, 10:50:33 AM
I also think the Chiwawa unit is getting more and more popular and attracting more hunters every year, and that unit acts as a natural funnel for the migrating deer heading to the Entiat. I honestly believe a lot of those deer are getting cut off before they even make to their winter grounds.
Post by: HuntinFool on January 03, 2008, 11:14:04 AM
Also with this winter we have had each snow we have gotten the snow melts on those south facing slopes within a few days to a week.
Post by: jackelope on January 03, 2008, 11:34:11 AM
but should every buck in the entiat be a 190-200" deer?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 03, 2008, 11:51:44 AM
Post by: HuntinFool on January 04, 2008, 09:51:24 AM
Post by: Wea300mag on January 04, 2008, 05:33:30 PM
Quote
There are good bucks in the entiat every year. A guy i know watches 5 to 6 bucks every year and he thinks they are all 170 and up deer. My uncle has also seen the sheds the guy has gathered from the bucks. My dad went up the entiat one day this year and saw a buck that would go in the 170's, my uncle was up the entiat cutting wood and saw a few bucks that would go from the 160-170 range. My taxidermist also told me yesterday that he was taking a guy up the entiat with an archery tag and saw a couple handfuls of 160-180 deer. The deer are there most people just aren't looking in the right spots.
First of all, I would like to see some pics of all these 170+ deer, yes I know none of these people have a camera but they "think" they are all 170+. Most people see a four pt that is even with the ears and immediately that is a 180, I call BS, what they are looking at is a normal 140-160 buck. I'm sure there are a few bucks in the Entiat that are 180+ but finding them on any given day (on public land) is not easy. Then the number of bigger bucks has declined substantially in the last 5 years.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 04, 2008, 05:53:18 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on January 09, 2008, 11:57:43 AM
a big buck didn't get big by being stupid
Ya ur right, but the number of big bucks has gone WAY down the last couple of years... yes there's still some mature bucks in there, but not nearly the amount as has been in the past... Go down to Ardenvoir and check out the hunting "albums"... Not nearly the amount of BIG bucks taken in the last few years compared to pre '03 years...
Michael
Post by: muleracks on January 23, 2008, 04:35:50 PM
My vote is to cut way back on the winter range kills by restricting special permits and add a permit system for archery hunters in the Swakane unit. Bet you would see a recovery with more age on the bucks and more quality between their ears.