Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Cordes10 on December 18, 2011, 09:29:19 PM
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I was just curious if anyone else has been seeing much, i've been all over hunting only public land and just have not been seeing the deer i have in the past for the late season, had a successful elk season with a bull but still looking to close the deal on a deer to feed the family of 5! Congrats to all the amazing bucks i've seen pictures of on here, some people had an incredible year harvesting animals and congratulations!! Happy holidays!
Braden
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Hunted a TON this late season, 6 full days and 10 half days. Passed two spikes te first two days then things really shut down after that. I saw a total of 5 deer while hunting over those 16 days.
Typically I don't see a lot of deer hunting the vast majority of my time from stands. Coming and going in the middle of the day or in the dark.
I had my shot at and blew it
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Not much activity.... the weather is too mild. We need some big winds to push them out of their safe place. I can imagine them now..... bedded in the thickest cover imaginable and waking up just to turn their head to the side to take a bite then drift back to sleep :twocents:
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I think what you been seeing on the west side is the general concenses. to many bears, cats and poachers
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I have been having a hard time finding some deer myself this late season. I'm starting to get a little nervous about filling my tag this year.
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Its coming down to the end and I still have my 2nd tag to fill.... Not seeing the numbers like I normally do at this time of year. Not sure if its the mild weather or not, in years past I still saw plenty when the weather was mild... wonder if the hair loss is causing a big reduction of deer?
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I am thinking they have gone to Indian Island naval base, I always see them there omw and omwb from hunting.
Seen a 2 fatty does this weekend and thats it.
oh well, a few days left
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I'm glad I didn't spend the money and buy my whidbey island tag that I drew I'm having a hard enough time filling one tag.
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I havent seen too many eaither. Going to try a new spot tomorrow and plan on putting some miles on the mt bike :tup:
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If you guys don't mind saying, what units are you hunting? I've been seeing plenty of deer... but I don't have a tag and the unit I've been in doesn't have a late archery season anyways, I realize the lack of pressure probably has a lot to do with it, but this area is strictly walk in and doesn't get much pressure anyways.
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I've been in the 407 and a little in the 410.
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624
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SPent some time in 407 earlier, now concentrating in 410
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460 and SW corner of 454.
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If you guys don't mind saying, what units are you hunting? I've been seeing plenty of deer... but I don't have a tag and the unit I've been in doesn't have a late archery season anyways, I realize the lack of pressure probably has a lot to do with it, but this area is strictly walk in and doesn't get much pressure anyways.
I passed on some deer while elk hunting the first two weekends and didnt hunt on the third weekend, but this last weekend I spent two days in a walk in only unit without seeing a deer. I rattled one in but spooked it before it was in sight (only second time I have ever tried rattling and my second series of rattles spooked the deer) and spooked one other deer in the reprod and never saw it. Pretty slow! :o
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Still hunt the timber and thick stuff. Go through it slow and don't be afraid to "bust brush" it's not going to be quiet but don't worry as long as you don't make any human noises you should be fine. A buddy and myself have seen two bucks (one of them was a monster) and several does doing this the last 3 times we've hunted. All the deer were within bow range but getting a shot in that stuff is a different story. Also my friend has a hard time not making human noises and I think he's also incapable of whispering. Frustrating, but no one's perfect I suppose.
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I did late muzzy in Mason unit...... Passed a few does early in the hunt along with a spike and small forky..... Then didn't see anything for almost 2 weeks..... Was starrting to think I really screwed up on passing early..... Then at first light on 3rd to last day saw to mature bucks but couldn't get any closer then 206 yards...... :'( If I went to a different landing first I would've been 134 yards away..... :bash: By the time I got there they were already in the timber.... :chuckle: Jumped a deer on the second to last day but never saw it..... Exploring some new areas I caught a fat doe eating on the edge of a cut in between timber just before dark and laid her down @ 44 yards..... We saw a bunch of deer on the way to and from hunting..... Alays dark though...... Took my Dad out the last day of late ML after I got my doe.... Not expecting much..... (he just had surgery on his knee and had complicatios with blood clots and such 1 1/2 months ago) So he isn't very mobile.... I brought my grouser..... Uneventful morning.... Sat around and bsed til about noon..... Dad was getting tired so we decided to call it a year.... Went back to the truck and started to drive out.... Well I'll be damned if a yearling doe walked out right in front of the truck and stared feeding on the side.... Didn't think Dad could move that quick to jump out put a cap on and put it to her..... :chuckle: I think it might have been a 5 yards shot..... :chuckle: They are out there... Just only moving in force at night.... We just got lucky and caught some stupid ones!!!! :IBCOOL: I saw less deer during this late season then ever before... Good luck everbody......
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Westside BT herds overall are in very poor shape IMO. Yah I think weather is playing a role, but from what I am hearing on here and guys I know with boots on the ground its really slow. Having hunted several days in several different units this past season on the multi, predator hunting now in three or four units in several different types of weather. I havnt had a double digit deer day since this summer scouting. The best day of deer numbers was late october with 9 deer and over 20 miles biked and walked. Hunting Timber, jackfir, clearcuts it dont matter.,
The rut was a flash in the pan. With fewer does needing covered rut activity is shortened dramatically. The only areas showing increasing population is the urban areas. Nearly every hunter I talked to had seen a cat, In the areas I hunt I beleive this to be a leading cause of decreasing deer numbers.
I decided to put an honest effort forth in filling that cat tag and declaring war on all coyotes. Try to get fawn recruitment up. No cat yet, the dog hunting is not bad tho :chuckle: Sorry for the ramble
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I'm not a bowhunter (this year) but my rifle season in W. Wash was exacly the same. Very few deer seen, worst season ever experienced. Ironically, I heard of 4 cougars killed in/around the areas I hunted! I'm really hoping WDFW cuts way back on modern firearm antlerless tags in the years to come. I think the hair slip, cats and poaching are really taking their toll on the blacktails.
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I've been seeing plenty of deer in 407 but not a lot of bucks. I've probably hunted 8 half days and seen deer on all but 2 hunts. Missed a doe on Saturday and was at full draw two more times this weekend. I had a buddy call me last night with two bucks eating apples from the ground out in their apple trees after dark last night so I was out there this morning but no luck.
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I wish one of you guys seeing all the deer would point me in the right direction.
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BVBH- You're right on with your analysis. I think it's a combo of predators and too many does being shot but mostly predators. I started inspecting the coyote droppings closely this last week and didn't see but a few without deer hair in them.
Bears in the spring time are huge fawn killers. Tree killers too, need more permits on spring bear.
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saw 5 deer on the way to the store today, all in the hay field that is posted, as is all the woods around it... I even stopped by and talked to the owner one day, offered to help with bucking hay, mend fences etc... and he said nope.... pretty much a typical Whidbey land owner. I can gaurantee you will see 5-10 deer a day come out into his fields year around.
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Had a close call with a 4 point and spike tonight but they spooked before I could get a shot off.
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I wish one of you guys seeing all the deer would point me in the right direction.
D-Rock I'd be willing to help but you're a long ways from my neck of the woods. Good luck I hope you whack one so you don't mess up your streak of filling your tag for however years in a row, I know that feeling!
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I wish one of you guys seeing all the deer would point me in the right direction.
D-Rock I'd be willing to help but you're a long ways from my neck of the woods. Good luck I hope you whack one so you don't mess up your streak of filling your tag for however years in a row, I know that feeling!
have car will travel
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I wish one of you guys seeing all the deer would point me in the right direction.
D-Rock I'd be willing to help but you're a long ways from my neck of the woods. Good luck I hope you whack one so you don't mess up your streak of filling your tag for however years in a row, I know that feeling!
have car will travel
PM sent
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Put abou three miles on the bike behind a locked gate today in the rain only to get a flat and half to walk my bike all the way back out :bash: :bash: :bash: So then we went up to capital forest again :puke: ... but surprisingly we saw 4 does but Just couldnt stalk within range of them. Closest i got was 65 yards which is too far for me... oh well. We still have another week and a half or so
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Put abou three miles on the bike behind a locked gate today in the rain only to get a flat and half to walk my bike all the way back out :bash: :bash: :bash: So then we went up to capital forest again :puke: ... but surprisingly we saw 4 does but Just couldnt stalk within range of them. Closest i got was 65 yards which is too far for me... oh well. We still have another week and a half or so
At least your getting into them. Good luck!
I'm headed back to where I saw that 4 point Friday after work. They seem to be cing to feed right at dark so I'm going to setup in the brush and try to wait him out. Maybe I'll get lucky.
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Goodluck! I have to work the next couple days so i wont be out until after christmas
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Im only seeing one sometimes two deer every couple days and none within range. I saw one today (all day) and it was about 120 yards. I was able to get within 50 yards but the route getting there was pretty thick. I have been seeing predetor poo with lots of hair and bones in it just about everywhere I go. This is THE most frustrated I have ever been hunting. Havent even drawn my bow back. This is looking like the first time in about 7 years of not filling my tag. I am able to go out tomorrow and just really am debating whether I want to or not. Just very confusing season. I have passed up a few does that werent anything impressive, but am now wishing I had taken one. :dunno:
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What GMU are you hunting?
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663. And I have A LOT of miles on my boots.
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Got within bow range of two more deer Tuesday morning but I zigged when I shouldve zagged and they didn't stick around. A buddy sat in a tree stand in the same area yesterday for a couple hours and saw a buck but couldn't get a shot. I cant wait to get back to Washington next week and hang my tree stand. Ill will hopefully have some pictures to post soon.
