Tough Decision to Make

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

HW members,

Please help me make a tough decision.

Late archery buck tag starts tomorrow, Ritzville Unit 284.

Or hunt my local stomping grounds that I have confirmed whitetail bucks and some elk in the area. Archery as well.

2 days off of work.

Snowing hard locally, 6-8” down so roads are crap.
Ritzville showing way less snow.

What would you do?

[MountainWalk]

Closer

[mburrows]

Do you have access around ritzville that’s holding deer? Tough call.

Kind of sounds like a bird in hand vs bird the bush scenario?

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Do you have access around ritzville that’s holding deer? Tough call.

Kind of sounds like a bird in hand vs bird the bush scenario?

No private access around Ritzville was gonna hit public. Figured deer would be in sage near crops. Haven’t had time to scout.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Closer

Kinda what I was thinking too. Bird in hand scenario like MBurrows said too.

Plus the local stuff closes earlier so if I don’t tag out I can always try to Hail Mary a buck in the Ritzville area.

[greenhead_killer]

Easy call. Hunt local. Especially with this cold weather and no private access in ritzville

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Easy call. Hunt local. Especially with this cold weather and no private access in ritzville

Thanks for the help yeah I was leaning that way just wondering what other folks would do in this scenario. 

[LDennis24]

Hunt close to home. I live North of the Escure Ranch and I'll keep an eye out for any bucks or deer activity that looks promising for ya! I'll shoot you any info I have via PM. Good luck!

[bustedoldman]

Do you have access around ritzville that’s holding deer? Tough call.

Kind of sounds like a bird in hand vs bird the bush scenario?

No private access around Ritzville was gonna hit public. Figured deer would be in sage near crops. Haven’t had time to scout.

Alot of the Ritzville public ground is holding deer(bucks) right now..........I was just out popping yotes this weekend and was within bow range of several decent 4pt mulies, theres a couple whitetails roaming around as well. Go with your gut..........

[huntnfmly]

Hunt close to home. I live North of the Escure Ranch and I'll keep an eye out for any bucks or deer activity that looks promising for ya! I'll shoot you any info I have via PM. Good luck!

This is one of the reasons I like this site people helping out others
Good on you👍

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Hunt close to home. I live North of the Escure Ranch and I'll keep an eye out for any bucks or deer activity that looks promising for ya! I'll shoot you any info I have via PM. Good luck!

Thanks man that tag is good till December 18th so I have time.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Do you have access around ritzville that’s holding deer? Tough call.

Kind of sounds like a bird in hand vs bird the bush scenario?
[/quote


No private access around Ritzville was gonna hit public. Figured deer would be in sage near crops. Haven’t had time to scout.

Alot of the Ritzville public ground is holding deer(bucks) right now..........I was just out popping yotes this weekend and was within bow range of several decent 4pt mulies, theres a couple whitetails roaming around as well. Go with your gut..........

Thanks Busted I kinda figured that’d be the case since rifle is way over and rut is on.

My gut is typically solid but today it’s being indecisive!

I sure do appreciate everyone chipping in with advice. This forum is awesome! Thanks, I’ll keep y’all posted if I have any luck!

[bustedoldman]

Do you have access around ritzville that’s holding deer? Tough call.

Kind of sounds like a bird in hand vs bird the bush scenario?
[/quote


No private access around Ritzville was gonna hit public. Figured deer would be in sage near crops. Haven’t had time to scout.

Alot of the Ritzville public ground is holding deer(bucks) right now..........I was just out popping yotes this weekend and was within bow range of several decent 4pt mulies, theres a couple whitetails roaming around as well. Go with your gut..........

Thanks Busted I kinda figured that’d be the case since rifle is way over and rut is on.

My gut is typically solid but today it’s being indecisive!

I sure do appreciate everyone chipping in with advice. This forum is awesome! Thanks, I’ll keep y’all posted if I have any luck!

Good Luck....If you go Ritz feel free to PM me.

[GWP]

The old 'What if?"
So, worst case, you get skunked either place you would go, which would make you feel worse?
Or, would going further add to the 'adventure'?
I once drove 2.5 Hrs to get to an area, after getting up very early, and had my firing pin break within 15 min of getting there. While I was pretty pissed, 'things happen'.
Good luck either way!

[HUNTIN4SIX]

Trying to make the same decision with my muzzy tag.  Stay up here north or go down to steptoe unit.

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Well I got into my local area after snow shoeing into it. Snow drifts were at least 3’ deep. Got good bucks coming into cam, rattled in a sweet 5 point, and trailed elk for a mile in snow. I’m beat, heading to Ritz tomorrow. Good luck tag holders!

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Update: local spot is a journey to get into, snowshoes and all.  Bucks were locked down a bit it seemed last weekend. Elk were tough to get on. So I moved to Ritz unit.

Holy smokes! Some of you told me I’d see a ton of deer. You were right. I didn’t count but estimated I saw over 150 deer in one day. My tag is any buck so the pictured buck was the target giant 2 point but man they’re like elk now all herded up tough to get up close. Round two next week after this crap weather blows out. More later….

[6haase6]

Just got good word. Congrats man!!!!!

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Thanks for all the help Hunt WA community.

I had a fun late archery season. Got into whitetail bucks and elk in my local area. Tough going with the snow.

Then hit areas south of Ritz for an archery special buck tag.I found that some of you were right about this tag. I saw a TON of deer! Not too many masher bucks but several that many of you would be proud to have on the wall.

Any way my third trip out I started figuring things out. With minimal cover, this was gonna have to be a belly crawler stalk on a bedded buck. I see two does on a low ridge, one kinda spots me so I duck out of sight. A few minutes later she’s feeding but still looking. So I start glassing her vicinity as she’s looking down ridge intently. Bedded buck. Several points and nice width. Looking away from me, sweet it’s go time! Back pack off, I hand and knee crawl toward what is the only real cover around, small sage bushes, maybe knee high. Range him, range bushes, quick math I’ll be to 40 perfect!  As I pathetically crawling trying to not sound like a bull in a China shop, he lazily gets up and stretches! Darn this could be a do over. He’s not spooked just wandering around feeding. I keep going. I get to 80, need another 20 to do something. Oh yeah, doe bleat in pocket, make some noise. He non chalantly sort of heads back my direction. Once he’s within range I put the finder on him, 65, takes another step and looks away. Draw back, brain to autopilot, bubble, pin, release. Fletching buried and stopped! Looked kinda back but then we are our worst critics.

After looking in the wrong spot for blood, finally worked up hill to the point of impact and some blood, then more and more. I knew there wouldn’t be a ton because the arrow didn’t fully pass through. I found him at the end of a 100 yard jaunt piled up with an arrow poking out. Turns out it was a heart shot and took out some lung tissue as the whole front end was a clotted mess.

Learned a lot on this one, got some great advice from some of you, practiced longer shots all summer and into fall, and got on some great private land. Thanks everyone!

[Mfowl]

Well done! Congrats!

[MADMAX]

Love that heart shot
Well done

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Just got good word. Congrats man!!!!!

Thanks for reaching out to a stranger. If you ever hunt near Spokane give me a shout I got some tips.

[boneaddict]

Nicely done!

[highside74]

That's how you get it done. Great job and thanks for sharing.

[Smokepole]

Oh hell yeah.  Way to bust in with the belly crawl, then administer the heart shot.  Dang.  Congratulations.  Your story reminded me of antelope hunting back when I could still belly crawl.  Now I just roll on the ground.  Nice, nice buck!   

[bustedoldman]

Good Work!!!

[6haase6]

Just got good word. Congrats man!!!!!

Thanks for reaching out to a stranger. If you ever hunt near Spokane give me a shout I got some tips.

No problem. Just glad to see a successful harvest. That time of year in that country with a bow can be very tough!

[Rutnbuxnbulls]

Just got good word. Congrats man!!!!!

Thanks for reaching out to a stranger. If you ever hunt near Spokane give me a shout I got some tips.

No problem. Just glad to see a successful harvest. That time of year in that country with a bow can be very tough!

Ain’t that the truth. Got busted a lot more than I know. Every time I’d turn around giant ears and head staring a hole through me. The deer were so tightly grouped it was a challenge and discouraging at times but I relegate hunts kinda like a sports match where I’m always outmatched. But sometimes I win the game. Anyway thanks guys. Now on to bird hunting my dogs need to get out!

[blackveltbowhunter]

Great buck!!!

[elkboy]

Congrats!!! Glad you got a great buck down!!!

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Good work!

[mburrows]

Well done!!

[hunter399]

Heck ya!
Congrats 👏