son drew Gardner late whitetail tag

[Dan-o]

Hey all.

My son drew the Gardner late Whitetail tag......   and I am shamelessly looking for some help.

I know some decent public land areas in the unit that hold whitetails, but I'd like to secure access to private land if possible.

If anyone has a contact for river bottom and/or agricultural land that might allow us on for the late hunt, I'd appreciate a PM.

I'm not opposed to paying a reasonable trespass fee or working out some other arrangement.

Thanks all.

Dan

[Jpmiller]

Some folks find him a little gruff but I'd talk to Aaron Burkhart at early winters outfitting. I've known Aaron and his wife a long while, my old man and him have become sort of buddies, and he has alot of knowledge and contacts in the area.

[Dan-o]

Thanks jp.

[OutHouse]

Some folks find him a little gruff but I'd talk to Aaron Burkhart at early winters outfitting. I've known Aaron and his wife a long while, my old man and him have become sort of buddies, and he has alot of knowledge and contacts in the area.

That's great advice. The mountains behind Burkhart's property have tons of bedding areas same as all the lower elevations near the valley floor on that side of the highway. I've walked down valley toward his property and found numerous good areas that whitetails retreat to when they are not on or near the valley floor. If you got access from him you could scout those ridges and lower elevations behind his parcels and other parcels and probably find some bruisers that are using the area. If you talk to Aaron, see if "PJ" is still in the area. PJ may have moved out of state (so I heard) but he lives just down valley from Aaron. If you got access from both you would have miles of mountain side to scout/access to find travel routes etc. I am picturing the early morning rattling sessions etc. where you could be tucked up on the hillside but not far from the valley floor. Everyone emphasizes the river bottoms etc. but the whitetails absolutely use the lower elevation mountain sides for cover, feed etc. Several years ago I had a mature 6 by 6 that was mostly hanging out on the mountain sides per my cams.  Best of Luck to you and your son!

[jason stevens]

Don't worry too much about elevation. We have whitetail at 4700 feet more then mules. They can be anywhere.good luck

[Dan-o]

Some folks find him a little gruff but I'd talk to Aaron Burkhart at early winters outfitting. I've known Aaron and his wife a long while, my old man and him have become sort of buddies, and he has alot of knowledge and contacts in the area.

That's great advice. The mountains behind Burkhart's property have tons of bedding areas same as all the lower elevations near the valley floor on that side of the highway. I've walked down valley toward his property and found numerous good areas that whitetails retreat to when they are not on or near the valley floor. If you got access from him you could scout those ridges and lower elevations behind his parcels and other parcels and probably find some bruisers that are using the area. If you talk to Aaron, see if "PJ" is still in the area. PJ may have moved out of state (so I heard) but he lives just down valley from Aaron. If you got access from both you would have miles of mountain side to scout/access to find travel routes etc. I am picturing the early morning rattling sessions etc. where you could be tucked up on the hillside but not far from the valley floor. Everyone emphasizes the river bottoms etc. but the whitetails absolutely use the lower elevation mountain sides for cover, feed etc. Several years ago I had a mature 6 by 6 that was mostly hanging out on the mountain sides per my cams.  Best of Luck to you and your son!

Good info.  thanks.   

[Dan-o]

Don't worry too much about elevation. We have whitetail at 4700 feet more then mules. They can be anywhere.good luck

Wow, that's crazy.

Is that a new phenomenon, or have they always been that high?

(serious question)

[jason stevens]

Don't worry too much about elevation. We have whitetail at 4700 feet more then mules. They can be anywhere.good luck

Wow, that's crazy.

Is that a new phenomenon, or have they always been that high?

Not sure but great bucks this year .
(serious question)

[Dan-o]

Don't worry too much about elevation. We have whitetail at 4700 feet more then mules. They can be anywhere.good luck

Wow, that's crazy.

Is that a new phenomenon, or have they always been that high?

Not sure but great bucks this year .
(serious question)

 

[jason stevens]

Don't worry too much about elevation. We have whitetail at 4700 feet more then mules. They can be anywhere.good luck

Wow, that's crazy.

Is that a new phenomenon, or have they always been that high?

Not sure but great bucks this year .
(serious question)

 

[jason stevens]

Thats 4700 feet along with others an lots of does.too many pics to posts. You'll do fine

[Dan-o]

NOTE TO SELF:    Buy altimeter.   set to 4700'.



Thanks Jason.   

Those definitely get the blood pumping!

[Jpmiller]

PJ is no longer at the place down valley I'm pretty sure is the one outhouse is referencing , I will also say that I've run into whitetails further up the hill than I thought I would on the south side of hwy 20. My folks live near the fire station in mazama and I spent a fair amount of time exploring the NF land behind their house and especially in more recent years am finding more and more whitetails higher up.

My dad's gotten some.absolute brutes on his trail cam but won't ever save the pictures otherwise I'd post some up for you. He brings the card in, looks at it and then deletes it and puts it back. Drives me nuts.

[Dan-o]

Thanks.

I do appreciate the info.

[Jpmiller]

Just a heads up they cut a dozer line at the base of sandy butte and sounds like are planning to start a back burn if the fires get much closer. Forest service told my dad the road system up behind freestone is burning right now up at the top.

[Dan-o]

Thanks for the info.

I drew this tag maybe 7 years ago (I know it's been a few years), and my spots were burnt to the ground.
that was a bummer, but it did force me to look at other areas in the unit.

[Jpmiller]

Have seen seven whitetail bucks yesterday and today, I saved them all for your son lol if public access opens back up it could be a good year. Been seeing more mule deer than normal down low as well.

[Dan-o]

 

Looking forward to it!

[Dan-o]

OK folks, it's not too late to hook me up with some good Gardner Whitetail intel.

You know you want to.....     

[h2ofowlr]

We have drawn this tag 4 times and have yet to shoot a WT buck during this late hunt.  I did see a few, but never could get a shot as I usually busted them out of the thick and they would take off.  Last year I did see a guy get a nice WT 4x4 in Gardner, but it took him several days to get it patterned before he got a shot at it.  Nice WT do exist, but most of the time we see them on private property in the unit that we can't hunt and not on the state pieces.

[Jpmiller]

Update?

[Dan-o]

The hunt did not go as planned....

My son planned 8 days, but his boss fell off a ladder and hurt himself.

His boss has been great to him over the years, and my son felt compelled to stick around and keep a 2.5 person business up and going.   He managed to squeak in two 1.5 day stints.     Not too much excitement.

[phildobaggins]

Is this the buck you're looking for? 

[Jpmiller]

The hunt did not go as planned....

My son planned 8 days, but his boss fell off a ladder and hurt himself.

His boss has been great to him over the years, and my son felt compelled to stick around and keep a 2.5 person business up and going.   He managed to squeak in two 1.5 day stints.     Not too much excitement.

Sorry to hear.tbay but good.on your boy. Sometimes hunting has to take.a.back seat, hope he can draw again soon.

[Dan-o]

Is this the buck you're looking for? 

That probably a last day shooter......