Post by: bankwalker on February 08, 2010, 11:34:45 PM
Post by: Jamieb on February 08, 2010, 11:59:48 PM
Post by: boneaddict on February 09, 2010, 05:36:11 AM
Post by: GrainfedMuley on February 09, 2010, 06:59:56 AM
Post by: wolfbait on February 09, 2010, 07:21:56 AM
well it looks like there wont be much of a winter kill to worry about this year. hopefully the deer and elk numbers will reflect the mild winter and rebound a little after the last couple years.
I suppose s.fitkin has been running his numbers for the Methow deer, wonder how much our deer herd grows this year? >:(
Post by: bearpaw on February 09, 2010, 07:37:01 AM
Post by: GrainfedMuley on February 09, 2010, 08:37:22 AM
Post by: zackmioli on February 09, 2010, 08:47:21 AM
Post by: woodswalker on February 09, 2010, 08:55:43 AM
Mildest winter in years for the NE Washington area. If we could get rid of some coyotes there would be an excellent fawn crop this year. Hearing rumours (some of them from totally reliable sources) of increased wolf activity this winter. Sounds like we have several packs in NE WA now. :bash:
Just get rid of coyotes...big and small..but dont shoot ones with collars. :yike:
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on February 09, 2010, 09:01:44 AM
Kill ALL wolfs on sight........... :dunno:Wolfs?
Been seeing plenty of deer, elk and moose in NE washington. I'm also finding wolf tracks every time i'm out in some drainages. The Diamond pack seems to be staying in a pretty small area, but there is (suprisingly to me) lots of game there...all winter long.
We did 18 miles on horseback the other day and saw lots of game up here. It's looking good for next year!
Post by: Jekemi on February 09, 2010, 09:08:18 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on February 09, 2010, 09:15:38 AM
Post by: Alchase on February 09, 2010, 11:14:30 AM
it will be horrible for the Mosquitoes!
Post by: Diehard0123 on February 09, 2010, 11:29:03 AM
Not to be a downer,And the ticks :yike:
it will be horrible for the Mosquitoes!
Post by: bankwalker on February 09, 2010, 11:49:32 AM
i took a drive this morning over to a couple of my late hunt elk areas and checked them out. 3" of snow was all i found...when usually its around 2-3ft. and there was alot of sign in the areas.
Post by: Mike_D on February 09, 2010, 06:19:41 PM
Post by: Jekemi on February 10, 2010, 06:39:51 AM
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on February 10, 2010, 10:49:24 AM
They are pretty much widespread right now, they are up to ~3000 elevation already because there is no snow. I heard about a guy down on Kirkpatrick road that was wanting turkeys killed- it's right on the Spokane/Pend Oreille County line. you might go knock on a couple doors there- they are having trouble with them.
Post by: MichaelJ on February 10, 2010, 12:45:38 PM
Michael
Post by: bearpaw on February 10, 2010, 01:12:52 PM
As far as deer, I think the realistic and optimistic analysis is that "we didn't lose many deer over the winter and there should be a high fawn birth rate with so many does coming through the winter in such a healthy state". We still do not have any more deer than we did during the last hunting season, which is below average for the area. In reality, it will take several mild winters and years with good fawn recruitment to get back to the previous numbers of deer we have had in NE WA a few years back. :twocents:
Post by: MichaelJ on February 10, 2010, 01:16:37 PM
Fortunately we had a good turkey hatch here in NE WA last summer (not too much rain like the previous several hatches) and numbers were up last fall and its unlikely many died during this mild winter. While I do not believe turkey numbers are back as high as 3 or 4 years ago, there are much higher numbers than late winter last year. :twocents:
As far as deer, I think the realistic and optimistic analysis is that "we didn't lose many deer over the winter and there should be a high fawn birth rate with so many does coming through the winter in such a healthy state". We still do not have any more deer than we did during the last hunting season, which is below average for the area. In reality, it will take several mild winters and years with good fawn recruitment to get back to the previous numbers of deer we have had in NE WA a few years back. :twocents:
One of your most recent posts that I actually agree with 100% lol :chuckle:
Michael
Post by: bearpaw on February 15, 2010, 07:27:42 PM
I was out this weekend and saw some deer but numbers seemed about one third of normal on the winter range I visited.
Post by: Shootmoore on February 15, 2010, 07:34:47 PM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.thisnext.com%2Fmedia%2F400x400%2FNuclear-Biological-Chemical_592B0623.jpg&hash=74d4239acb86e808623c5e88ad3f80538a8a217c)
Shootmoore
Post by: mulehunter on February 15, 2010, 07:36:32 PM
Mulehunter >:(
Post by: Pathfinder101 on February 15, 2010, 11:00:49 PM
Looking good so far. Has to be better than the last couple, but our major kill usually comes about March about the time they start crapping themselves to death with the fresh cheet. They certainly are going into with more reserve I'm sure.
Amen. Winter kills happen in Feb/March, not Dec/Jan. Keep our fingers crossed that winter doesn't suddenly decide to show up...
Post by: MichaelJ on February 16, 2010, 12:04:24 AM
well thanks michael :)
I was out this weekend and saw some deer but numbers seemed about one third of normal on the winter range I visited.
Do you think this is due to the snow being so low the deer are still spread out?
Not sure about where you were at, but it was the same last weekend up the entiat... wasn't hard to find 12"+ of wet sloppy snow but the deer were spread out like crazy... the GF did manage to find her first sheds ever and they were a nice 4 point set laying RIGHT NEXT TO EACHOTHER! I been shed hunting for a few years (never been serious about it) and I've NEVER found a set laying right next to eachother! Really brightened her day as she was a little cold and her feet were frozen!
Michael
Post by: bearpaw on February 16, 2010, 10:24:07 AM
We know someone with a cougar permit so we have been up high too, deer are pretty much intermediate level or lower, I am afraid there's just not many deer here in the mountains to migrate down. :(
The properties we hunt have pretty good deer populations, but I didn't see many more deer on the properties than during hunting season. I was on some excellent southern exposure that greens up first and always attracts extra deer.
2 or 3 more easy winters can change it if the wolves don't all move over from Idaho. :bash:
Heard about a couple more wolf packs (numerous different wolf tracks on an elk kill, and some other sightings in different areas). This was from a very releable source. If he told us he had seen bigfoot, he'd be one of the few people I would believe.
shootmore that photo is funny as hell... :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Post by: WAcoyotehunter on February 16, 2010, 03:19:45 PM
It will take a few years to get numbers back to pre die off levels, hopefully in the meantime we can get an appropriate buck:doe.
Post by: bearpaw on February 20, 2010, 09:17:05 PM
Post by: colockumelk on February 22, 2010, 12:46:24 PM
I know the Colockum elk herd only has a 20% calf:cow ratio and the Yakima herd only has a 30% calf:cow ratio. Predators are very, very bad. Many people blame the low populations on cougars. Claiming they kill off all of the adults. This is false. Coyote's and bears kill of far more elk and deer than cougars do. While cougars do kill some adults the coyotes and bears kill way more babies. KILL MORE DOGS!!!!!
Post by: huntnphool on February 22, 2010, 01:08:24 PM
Post by: norsepeak on February 22, 2010, 01:15:13 PM
Post by: PolarBear on February 22, 2010, 01:24:39 PM
Gonna make shed huntin a little harder this year as the animals are spread out all over the winter range, should make it better for me though as I don't have time usually to get out early and hit the lowlands like everybody else!:yeah:
Michael
No kidding! The deer that are normally living down by our cabin are way up in the hills. The mule deer never really came down like usual and all the sheds we found last week were few and far between and farther up the hill. I found one cougar/wolf kill way up in the hills but that is it. I say cougar/wolf kill because there were tracks from both all around the skeletal remains. Even the ribs were eaten clean down to the spine, and strewn over 100 yard area. .Hopefully we get some rain this summer to keep everything green longer and antler growth up.
Post by: TeacherMan on February 22, 2010, 01:54:43 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on February 24, 2010, 12:51:39 PM
Michael