Whitetail in 231 Gardner

[JWBINX]

My hunting buddy drew a late Whitetail tag in the 231. I've hunted 231 for Mule deer with good success but never
really seen any Whitetails. We are headed over the 13th. If anyone has any intel on prospects over there it would great.
My friend at Hanks market said the whitetails are actually being seen more and more in the sage.
Any info would help.
Thanks.

[boneaddict]

Twisp River.   The majority are on private. Those that aren’t are seen in the Sage areas.  There is a giant one to the upper end that many folk know of and have been after, any local that ever puts in for this tag.   (If still alive that is, I don’t think anyone has killed himI’ve been trying to film him for about 4 years.  Last time I saw him he was 7x7 typical.  Anyhow.  I almost hate that the wdfw sells this tag. It dupes people into applying.  Yes, it can be fun, but helps if you live there. As an outsider, it’s mostly a money grab.   Hunt public as close to private and to riverbottom as you can.

[JWBINX]

Thanks Bone, those are kind of my thoughts also.
My friend did not know anything about this tag.
It's kind of interesting how bad the Mule deer hunting is there now as more
people applied for the buck tag than the quality Tag??
It will be fun just to be in the Methow in the middle of November.

[Igor]

Be ready for some snow in Gardner.  We camp on Wolf Creek Rd., along the Methow River, on some friends property.  Our friend sent us some pictures this morning of her place, and she has 14" - 16" of snow right now, with more predicted. 

And, she just told us that the temperature is predicted to dip into the low teens at night.  Stay Warm !!!

[OutHouse]

I heard there is a wildlife area about half way between Winthrop and Mazama. I have never checked it out and am not even sure its free to hunt. I think its on the left side of the highway heading west. I just got curious as I was writing this and it is called the Big Valley Wildlife Area. Check this out:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/big-valley-wildlife-area-unit

[Chad E.]

I was across the road in 218 chasing mule deer this past weekend and saw a whitetail in 231 I would gladly of hung a whitetail only tag on.  Send me a pm and I can drop you a pin.

[ghosthunter]

There was one Whitetail Buck shot about 2700 ft in Gardner that I know of wasn’t big. During regular season.

Try wildlife area end of Frost Road.

[mountainman]

Between Frost and Elbow Coulee above private land..

[Scruffy]

I heard there is a wildlife area about half way between Winthrop and Mazama. I have never checked it out and am not even sure its free to hunt. I think its on the left side of the highway heading west. I just got curious as I was writing this and it is called the Big Valley Wildlife Area. Check this out:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/big-valley-wildlife-area-unit

This area was good about 25 yrs ago.  Now it has turned into a dog walking park with joggers, bike riders, and whatever else those spandex wearing people wearing people do.  Also, the fields are all a Safety Zone only the wooded area is huntable.

[Duckslayer89]

I heard there is a wildlife area about half way between Winthrop and Mazama. I have never checked it out and am not even sure its free to hunt. I think its on the left side of the highway heading west. I just got curious as I was writing this and it is called the Big Valley Wildlife Area. Check this out:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/big-valley-wildlife-area-unit

This area was good about 25 yrs ago.  Now it has turned into a dog walking park with joggers, bike riders, and whatever else those spandex wearing people wearing people do.  Also, the fields are all a Safety Zone only the wooded area is huntable.

  Use to archery hunt in there. Could see deer in the fields walking in. Slowly every year numbers decreased until you didn’t see any more deer in the field.

[OutHouse]

That's a bummer. Good to know though.

[timberfaller]

I heard there is a wildlife area about half way between Winthrop and Mazama. I have never checked it out and am not even sure its free to hunt. I think its on the left side of the highway heading west. I just got curious as I was writing this and it is called the Big Valley Wildlife Area. Check this out:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/places-to-go/wildlife-areas/big-valley-wildlife-area-unit

This area was good about 25 yrs ago.  Now it has turned into a dog walking park with joggers, bike riders, and whatever else those spandex wearing people wearing people do.  Also, the fields are all a Safety Zone only the wooded area is huntable.

   Chased one biggie there while running the place, out smarted three of us for about three seasons BUT was it a blast!!  Worst thing to happen to that chunk of land with the state getting their hands on it!

Good luck, find brushie draws or thickets near fields and BOY has it dumped the snow in the last couple of days!