Post by: Ghost Hunter on February 06, 2008, 06:28:44 PM
We must be in the running with other states?
Post by: washingtonmuley on February 06, 2008, 07:03:50 PM
Post by: huntingnut on February 06, 2008, 07:34:56 PM
Post by: PacificNWhunter on February 06, 2008, 07:47:13 PM
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 06, 2008, 07:53:42 PM
shawn
Post by: Ridgerunner on February 06, 2008, 08:10:59 PM
Post by: huntingnut on February 06, 2008, 08:14:51 PM
Post by: NORRISKI2 on February 06, 2008, 08:21:53 PM
Post by: Craig on February 06, 2008, 08:40:37 PM
Post by: wastickslinger on February 06, 2008, 08:52:00 PM
http://www.shermancreekoutfitters.com/
Post by: lemondog on February 06, 2008, 09:05:59 PM
Post by: Bearhunter on February 06, 2008, 09:35:48 PM
Post by: huntingnut on February 06, 2008, 09:37:56 PM
Post by: jake on February 06, 2008, 09:39:06 PM
Post by: E-Town Hunter on February 06, 2008, 09:43:05 PM
Post by: WAcoueshunter on February 06, 2008, 09:52:10 PM
....i love the scouting, time spent in the woods alone, and the CHALLENGE anyone else feel the same?
No question...but if you lived in Maryland (or anywhere else in whitetailville), the opportunity to go on a weeklong muley vacation for $3500 (tag included) with the potential of a big buck probably sounds pretty good. And assuming those pics are real WA bucks, those guys are doing VERY well.
That elk is ridiculous. That third must be 30"! Wonder if that's really a WA bull.
Craig, I wouldn't worry about the turkeys up there. If they have land to hunt north of Spokane, you'll have a great time. More turkeys than robins up there (seriously, I bet it's close!). The problem for most is access, and presumably they've got plenty of access.
Post by: SHANE(WA) on February 07, 2008, 12:02:25 AM
Post by: boneaddict on February 07, 2008, 06:52:13 AM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on February 07, 2008, 07:42:19 AM
Post by: MikeWalking on February 07, 2008, 08:45:16 AM
Quote
here let me pay you 3 grand to show me a mule deer to shoot? im sure that they are a awesome guide service but it is just now my style, i love the scouting, time spent in the woods alone, and the CHALLENGE anyone else feel the same?
Yep. Then again I'm just a plain poor low budget guy. :chuckle: I met a group of men, in their 50's being guided on a hike in the Brooks Range. Their guide? Amber, 'bout 25-27. (real nice woman) I kept my laughter to my self. Hey if got the $$ to spend on a guide it's your business. Now if I were going overseas to hunt, sure. Get me a guide! Or where required by law yeah.
But pay someone to lead me through the woods to do what I've done before?? naww.
I may be new to deer hunting, but I've spent to much time walking through the woods, mountains & jungles with and without firearms to pay someone to lead me.
Post by: Alchase on February 07, 2008, 11:59:38 AM
Post by: Cougeyes on February 07, 2008, 12:17:47 PM
Holy Crap!!!! Go to their website and look at the elk photos, it is caption #3. If that think if from up there I am booking a hunt!!!
http://www.shermancreekoutfitters.com/
[/quote
That guy in the photo looks really familiar and I'm pretty sure i've seen that elk before. As a matter of fact I am pretty confident I go to school with that guy here at WSU and he is in my class. If it is him then that elk was not shot with that outfitter, but I could be wrong, I will find out tomorrow when I have class with the guy and show him the picture, if it is him it made the WA muzzeloader record books, I think #3, but again could be wrong. Will know tomorrow.
Post by: Bigshooter on February 07, 2008, 03:16:05 PM
Post by: mossback91 on February 07, 2008, 03:26:57 PM
Man that is amazing. Might wanna roll up your pants and wear rubber boots wwhen your around these guys so that you dont get any of that stuff on ya.
Post by: MikeWalking on February 07, 2008, 04:48:06 PM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on February 07, 2008, 08:26:07 PM
Post by: SHANE(WA) on February 07, 2008, 11:26:40 PM
Post by: Ridgerunner on February 08, 2008, 07:13:01 AM
Post by: Craig on February 08, 2008, 09:09:25 AM
Post by: E-Town Hunter on February 08, 2008, 09:29:59 AM
Post by: Craig on February 08, 2008, 09:54:04 AM
I have never met the guy before but I will be up there in April to see with my own eyes instead of all the hearsay going on. If you kill a lot of big bucks you must be cheating right.
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 08, 2008, 10:01:24 AM
Poke fun at him about his ad for hunting in the rut in mid October, but don't hit him for something illegal and something you have no proof of. He has very good feedback and seems well respected by his clients. Why does everyone have to be so negative? It's kind of sad to see how some of you are so quick to knock a guy down that's just trying to make a living. Without proof, these allegations are just wrong and possibly actionable.
Some of his turkey hunts look really enticing to me. I like to turkey hunt but don't have the time like I did in college to get permission to hunt the private land that most of these turkeys are on. $700 for a place to stay and food and the hunt looks like a good deal to me. If a guy got it for less on ebay it would be an even better deal. I probably won't end up doing it because of time constraints, but it looks like a fairly affordable hunt and a fun 3 day weekend.
shawn
Post by: SHANE(WA) on February 09, 2008, 01:05:56 AM
Post by: Coasthunterjay on February 09, 2008, 09:15:56 AM
also if a guy wants to expand his marketing to another avenue suck as ebay or even Craigslist then i think thats great.....hes getting people to see it....and obviously if he could tickle one person that talks about it or brings it up to all of us then now he has just increased his marketing area.....i think its cleaver and itd inexpensive..............
sounds like the guys doing something right......check out his website!
Post by: bobcat on February 09, 2008, 10:28:45 AM
Post by: E-Town Hunter on February 09, 2008, 11:40:00 AM
I was merely stating the obvious that his trail cam pics were filled with feed. Not that he uses it in his hunts but it sounds like the other guy is pretty confident he does. Doesn't matter to me.
Post by: jackelope on February 09, 2008, 10:22:30 PM
Quote
well i dont understand why they couldnt be in rut that early......AJ...for whatever this is worth, i deer hunt virtually the same area of the state as you, close enough anyway...and on private land...and in our group we have killed probably 20 deer in the last 6 years or so, and none of them are what i would say in the rut. i grew up hunting deer in the rut, so i know what they look and act like, and haven't seen a deer in the general season yet that i would say was rutting.
i don't mean to challenge anything anybody has said, but what i've seen is what i've seen.
Post by: Colville on February 09, 2008, 10:34:34 PM
but one thing is plain as day. If you'll lie about hunting the heat of the rut in the Middle of Oct, you can't then say the guy won't lie about anything else.
There's no clean conscience way anyone can call mid Oct hunting the rut unless it's an absolute freak year. So, again, if a guy will lie about that to make a sale what am I left to assume about his outfit?
Post by: bobcat on February 09, 2008, 10:46:41 PM
I don't see any proof of that and without such proof you are really doing a disservice to this guy and his business.
I'm not sure if your post was directed at my comments, but...what is it that you don't see any proof of? Hunting over bait? Or are you saying that this statement is true:
Quote
IT IS OCTOBER 15TH-19TH. THIS IS A 5 DAY FULLY GUIDED 1 ON 1 HUNT DURING THE PEAK OF THE RUT.
Talk to any biologist...the peak of the rut is almost a full month later than that. So if that's not a lie I don't know what is. These guys may provide a good quality hunt, but if I was the guy paying $3550 (that's what the hunt went for) or $4500 (another hunt that sold 2 weeks ago) I wouldn't be happy when I found out I bid on a "Guided Trophy MULE DEER Hunt During the RUT," and come to find out the rut was a month away. If his hunts are successful due to hunting over bait, then that is what the ebay listing should say. After all, there is no law against baiting deer in this state.
Again, not sure your post was directed at me, but maybe you can clarify that.
Post by: jackelope on February 09, 2008, 10:51:58 PM
you should have been here next month.
Post by: bobcat on February 09, 2008, 11:04:00 PM
Quote
Guided Trophy MULE DEER Hunt During the RUT
Washington State * Rifle Hunt* 1 on 1. 30'' + Item number: 150208224400
Bidding has ended for this item
Winning bid: US $4,501.01
Ended: Jan-27-08 18:00:00 PST
What moron would pay that amount of money to buy this hunt on ebay, when he could have gone to http://www.shermancreekoutfitters.com/ and got the SAME hunt for $3500? Makes me wonder if the bidders on these hunts are for real. :dunno:
Even $3500 seems a little high for a hunt in Washington. If I was going to spend that kind of money I'd be going to Montana, Wyoming, Utah, etc. (just about anywhere but Wa) :chuckle:
Post by: ICEMAN on February 10, 2008, 04:55:18 AM
Post by: bobcat on February 10, 2008, 10:33:51 AM
Maybe they are bidding on their own hunt to run the price up, and make their business look legit? Then, they can say..."hey look, $3500 is a deal, we just sold a few on Ebay that went for $4500..."
Iceman, exactly what I was thinking.
Post by: tmbrline on February 10, 2008, 11:54:24 AM
Post by: Colville on February 10, 2008, 12:21:14 PM
Big difference between noting sometimes rut activity comes early and saying that mid October is the peak of the rut.
Post by: tmbrline on February 10, 2008, 01:17:32 PM
Post by: Colville on February 10, 2008, 01:36:05 PM
I've seen early rut activity before, but big and small bucks are responding to the same cues. I suspect it's entirely possible that they have a really good area. Maybe know some high quality public, lease high quality private with no pressure... maybe feed? There's more than one way to slice the onion. I don't doubt they take some nice deer and I'm not accusing them of breaking any law whatsoever but I can't come to any conclusions about them after that. Except to say that calling the middle of Oct middle of the rut is very very dubious at best. It does happen time to time but to advertise peak of the rut for that time frame, not buying. I suspect there's only a few thousand hunters that've hunted the kettle crest area that'll be able to argue that with rare exception they've never seen rutting activity in modern general season.
If I'm all wet let's have it guys. Let's hear from anyone who hunts the middle of the rut each and every mid Oct, I'll gladly admit I'm wrong and defer to the guys who are seeing it.
Post by: bobcat on February 10, 2008, 01:41:14 PM
The peak of the rut in Washington is mid-November, not mid-October, as this outfitter is claiming.
This guy may have the mule deer figured out, and his clients may kill some big ones, but I still don't know how he can claim this hunt that is Oct 15-19 is during the "peak of the rut."
I'd sure like to hear from the outfitter on this. Maybe I'll email him and ask him to respond here on the board.
Post by: bobcat on February 10, 2008, 08:31:14 PM
Quote
Hello, My name is Joe Rasmussen and I will answer your question the best I can.If you are from Washington you know that it has been 25 years or so since we have been only able to hunt Mule Deer during October in northeastern Washington. So what you are saying is that you can't kill a Mule Deer in the rut in Washington ? We hunt two totally different types of Mule Deer. We have property in the Davenport area that the Mule Deer are more desert Mulies. I have not seen them go into rut during the October season. The other Mule Deer we hunt is near the Canadian border closer to Idaho. These are more of a Rocky Mountain Mule Deer. They have heavier horns and out weigh the desert mulies by over 100lbs. I have hunted these mulies for over 30 years and they always rut in the last half of October.Our season 20 years ago always ended on the 31st and by then they were coming out of it.Last year the biggest one we killed was killed on the 20th in full rut.Mike Eastman was impressed by this and in October of 1992 did a story on us and our Mule Deer.You can probably get a back issue.It was called Washington Wall hangers.My family has hunted the same ridges since the 1920s and have taken Mule Deer up to 35''.There still there and still rutting in October. Thanks
Post by: Cougeyes on February 10, 2008, 09:06:43 PM
Post by: Outfitter on February 10, 2008, 09:52:38 PM
Post by: bobcat on February 10, 2008, 10:03:22 PM
Thanks again.
Post by: wastickslinger on February 10, 2008, 10:04:34 PM
Post by: Ghost Hunter on February 10, 2008, 10:29:46 PM
Post by: E-Town Hunter on February 11, 2008, 08:32:02 AM
Post by: Muleyslyr on February 11, 2008, 10:07:34 AM
Post by: Alchase on February 11, 2008, 12:12:59 PM
Post by: huntingnut on February 11, 2008, 01:26:30 PM
Post by: huntnphool on February 11, 2008, 03:57:55 PM
I've been hoping a guide or service would get on here in some form or another, its going to be nice to have that angle to listen to.
Post by: E-Town Hunter on February 11, 2008, 04:48:47 PM
Post by: SHANE(WA) on February 11, 2008, 11:58:58 PM
Post by: muleracks on February 12, 2008, 03:48:16 PM
We typically see almost no does at 6000 feet in October but the mature bucks are their. Stag groups have usually broken up into singles by mid-October but they are not following the does down the valley.
Post by: Cougeyes on February 12, 2008, 04:10:47 PM
Post by: popeshawnpaul on February 12, 2008, 04:13:54 PM
Post by: Colville on February 12, 2008, 08:42:32 PM
There are a lot of guides in the same geographic area, N ID, NW MT and SE BC. They advertise rut hunts and have seasons that are both in Oct and Nov, but only advertise Nov as rut. Now not taking anyone out of context, I've contacted a number of them to ask if I was interested in my best shot at a rutting hunt when should I hunt? I get a remarkably similar answer. Starting last few days of Oct through mid Nov. These are guides hunting near the border on either side, in the mountains for mule deer, not plains, sage or foothill hunts. Let's just say there's a difference of opinion between how one guide characterizes the rut and what the other guides, personal experience and those I speak to have seen.
The whole thing is kinda moot. The guys in question appear to hunt good ground, take good animals and do so all above board. I just don't believe they have a micro climate of a few dozens of square miles where the rutting behavior of mule deer is predictably unique by at least 2 weeks, but I leave it open that it's possible. If you post great pics of the deer you take, I don't think anyone cares whether you get em in or out of rut as long as you're getting them.
Post by: Jimbo on February 13, 2008, 01:13:21 PM
I hunt Whitetails with these folks every year they are top-notch and do everything possible to insure you have a good hunt. Usually we get a very nice 4-point or better. All free ranging hunts for the whitetail. The mule deer hunting takes place some distance from where we hunt whitetails and although I have never been on the muley hunts have seen some real bruisers taken through all the seasons. Bottom line here is that these are really honest folks commited to getting you in a position to see some really nice bucks and by the way they have great accomadations and its hard to beat Jodies cooking.
Jimbo
Post by: Skyvalhunter on February 13, 2008, 01:44:35 PM
Post by: huntnphool on February 13, 2008, 04:32:17 PM
There are some nice pics of some very nice animals on them, I will post some more as soon as I get them all resized.
Post by: Outfitter on February 16, 2008, 12:43:01 PM
Post by: Cougeyes on February 16, 2008, 01:24:17 PM
Post by: Outfitter on February 16, 2008, 02:21:09 PM