2018 seems very lean

[Southpole]

A few more years WDFW is gonna have a hard time selling tags.

Maybe when sales go way down something will finally be done about the predator problem 

Naw, this is what the upper management of the department has been working towards to eliminate hunting all together. Looks like it’s working pretty good.

Do you think the folks in upper management are anti-hunting or just plain ignorant to wildlife management?

I think it’s both, but like another member on this site stated in another thread, the “type” of people that are moving in to the state or city folks moving to rural areas, are opposed to hunting and they love their predators. They also seem to have a lot of money and leverage. People like us are getting out voted and squeezed out. It’s unfortunate but it’s reality.

[woodswalker]

Of course it doesn't help that the weather is warm, that the season is 1-2 weeks earlier AND is only 9 days.  Of course that protects the migrating herd that the bio's are so keen on.

In addition the 3 point minimum seems to be selecting for two point genetics...I saw a total of about 30 deer opening weekend, only 4 bucks, 2 spikes and 2 two-pointers...  one of which was HUGE. All the deer i saw were between 2500 and 4600 feet. Except the hordes in town...which i didn't count...but there were likely over 70 total.

[Jonathan_S]

Unlimited OTC tags, small winter range, historically low numbers, high predators…something has to give.  The mule deer herds in Central Washington deserve to get as many healthy deer as possible down onto winter range for several years.  There are still plenty whitetail and blacktail

In addition the 3 point minimum seems to be selecting for two point genetics...I saw a total of about 30 deer opening weekend, only 4 bucks, 2 spikes and 2 two-pointers...  one of which was HUGE. All the deer i saw were between 2500 and 4600 feet. Except the hordes in town...which i didn't count...but there were likely over 70 total.

Get any pics of the huge two point?

[C-Money]

I talked to a landowner who tagged a small 3pt opening morning. He said he has never seen so few bucks. My son and I saw 2 2pts, and 2 spikes. Saw, I feel, a fair number of doe, but for sure, fewer bucks, and zero legal bucks.

[ThurstonCokid]

Helped a buddy tag out archery opening day mule deer 3 point. And i shot a decent 3 point muley opening day rifle.. i feel like the deer are there. Maybe it’s because I’m only 21 and don’t understand what it used to be like but the opportunity in this state is endless. Can’t wait to see the blacktail hunters finish up there season! Good luck to everybody on there  last day on this side of the state.


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[NOCK NOCK]

1st off, don’t get me wrong, I am well aware that the muley herds are not in the best shape right now. BUT, remember it’s hunting not killing. We all can’t kill nice bucks every year.
We’ve had some big fires, and 2015 was a big harvest by a lot of hunters, it’s gonna take time to come back from that it don’t happen overnight.
Calling for the opportunity to just hunt every year to be taken away(permit only) is a little reaching.  Better off pay attention to your driving skills in winter range to avoid smacking deer on the hwys, and spend more time predators hunting

[heavyhorned]

i hunted from opening day till the fallowing Saturday. hunted from 7000 feet to 1200 feet. yes i covered a lot of area and many miles hiking and driving. opening weekend saw 17 does 2-two points. Monday went to a different area and saw 43 does 8-two points. Tuesday saw 28 does and wife shot a beautiful 4x4. Wednesday saw 17 does 2-two points. Thursday hunted a area i had good luck in the past. saw 12 does, one big buck but he saw me first, 4 of the biggest white tails i have ever seen but on privet land. Friday went back to where my wife shot her deer. saw 38 does, one spike ,6 two points and two 3 points at dark. went back Saturday morning found one small 3x3 and helped a dad and daughter get on it. they spotted it before me so i fig i would help her get a shot. decided at 12pm my season was done. its not that i didn't see deer. i had to cover lots of land and glassing to find them. a lot more than in years past. i cant tell you how many coyotes i saw. dozens and dozens. i talked with many other hunters while traveling and heard the same thing over and over. where are all of the deer? they saw sign, they saw some deer, but nothing legal or no bucks at all. it is frustrating to say the least and as a hunter i wonder what can i do to help see those deer numbers increase. complaining to wdfw doesn't work. so i guess i will start by this fall taking up predator hunting. i do like the idea of limiting tags for certain units and maybe adjusting the units hunt seasons or doe only to help bring up those lower numbers.

[ghosthunter]

Well we just got back. And it was painful.

We hunted our traditional spot and nothing.
We know of two or three taken.

We had 8 to 12 hunters in camp during the season. Two saw a buck. Of any kind.
No more than two dozen does were seen by all of us.

We hunted every day. Before light to noon or longer ,back out 3 pm till dark.
Terrible.

Side note.... The muzzy elk was no better. I would not have gone without a cow tag.But four guys wanted to go. Those I said ok. We found between us 24 carcasses.
Saw one spike before season opened. Maybe a dozen cows.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Many of us aren't even pursuing muleys anymore in WA. Numbers are horrid in general. I don't even see a rebound in the near future. Makes me sick.

 

I never thought I would say this, but I think I might almost be there myself...told Dale that yesterday. It's rough spending an entire weekend in country that usually has at least some deer in it and not seeing any deer at all.

I don't want to take away anyone's opportunity to hunt, even though my personal preference would be permit only for mule deer.  I had last weekend free, the wife's blessing to go hunt, and ... meh.  Just not feeling like hunting local mule deer.  It does look like the 2017 fawns had good survival and recruitment, 2018 had good fawn production, and the forecast for an upcoming El Nino winter is hopeful for good recruitment of this year's fawns.  It is going to take an increase in herd size before good numbers of bucks are recruited.       

[woodswalker]

Unlimited OTC tags, small winter range, historically low numbers, high predators…something has to give.  The mule deer herds in Central Washington deserve to get as many healthy deer as possible down onto winter range for several years.  There are still plenty whitetail and blacktail

In addition the 3 point minimum seems to be selecting for two point genetics...I saw a total of about 30 deer opening weekend, only 4 bucks, 2 spikes and 2 two-pointers...  one of which was HUGE. All the deer i saw were between 2500 and 4600 feet. Except the hordes in town...which i didn't count...but there were likely over 70 total.

Get any pics of the huge two point?

No I didn't..but was up close (35 yards) and he was probably 2.5"+ in diameter at the bases and the forks were easily 1.75 at the fork and 16-18" tall.  Probably 20" spread.  Phone was in my pack that day as i had almost lost it the previous day.  He was definitely older, slightly grey at the muzzle.

[C-Money]

Heavyhorned makes a good point. We too, saw an above average number of coyotes this season.

[Southpole]

Heavyhorned makes a good point. We too, saw an above average number of coyotes this season.

We saw an over abundant amount of coyote sign in the Rimrock as well. After my friend had shot his elk it wasn't more than 5 minutes later there was a pack of coyotes barking and yipping not very far from us. Seen an over abundant of cat sign too.

[andrebeergog]

It was ridiculously hot.  A couple of days it got up to 65 in NE Washington.  We had our best year in many with 4 bucks in camp out of 10 hunters though.  And some of them only hunt the opening weekend.  We were only seeing them in the first and last 2 hours of the day.  3 were shot before 8am and 1 around 5pm.  Midday was pretty uneventful due to the heat.  It took us 2 days to find out where they were hanging.  The predators (wolves) pushed them out of their normal routine and areas where we normally see them.

[wheels]

been lean few years at least for me why wasn't to sad to sit it  out for school obligations

[singleshot12]

A few more years WDFW is gonna have a hard time selling tags.

Maybe when sales go way down something will finally be done about the predator problem 

Naw, this is what the upper management of the department has been working towards to eliminate hunting all together. Looks like it’s working pretty good.

Do you think the folks in upper management are anti-hunting or just plain ignorant to wildlife management?

I think it’s both, but like another member on this site stated in another thread, the “type” of people that are moving in to the state or city folks moving to rural areas, are opposed to hunting and they love their predators. They also seem to have a lot of money and leverage. People like us are getting out voted and squeezed out. It’s unfortunate but it’s reality.

Well something should of been set in stone by now - - That Does Not Allow non Hunters Dictate on how we hunt and manage our game. We need a dept.that works for us again. Currently they seem to only take out money and use it to appease the bleeding heart greenies