Blue Mtn Foothills West Rifle Tag

[TimbersEdge]

I finally drew the Rut Rifle Whitetail Tag for November 8th - 19th. I live on the west side, but have hunted 154 blue creek for General Season Rifle since 2008 probably 60% of the seasons. My Hunting Partner lived local and had me on his Bennett permission slip accompanied by a handful of FFTH properties. Ive harvested a handful of nice 4x4 whitetail, but younger & nothing I would shoulder mount.

Because Ive always hunted Mid October when the weather is much warmer, Im looking for insight into behavior and tactics you guys have experienced for this later season?

Thank you all in advance & Good Luck!

[MeepDog]

154 general season is the definition of a pumpkin patch. You might run into a decent buck with a rut tag but hot dang do those public deer get some pressure in the season.

[Ridgerunner]

Don't be afraid to rattle during that late season, when I had the tag I was able to rattle a buck in, that was cool. 

[AntlerHound]

Prior to your season try to locate a good buck via cams or seeing one on the hoof. Then try to find a scrape in the vicinity. Via Wa's new laws you can't make mock scrapes anymore but if you can locate a heavily used communal scrape that works even better. Early part of your tag the mature bucks will be checking those scrapes on the regular. Typically in the morning. Closer to the end of your tag they will have started to pair up with ladies. Be in areas with heavy doe traffic around the end.

[Caseyd]

Harvest starting in a few weeks, deer will be getting moved around. Good time to start looking.

[SEWA509]

I'd focus on locating doe groups and their bedding areas. The deer around there can be pretty nomadic since there is a lot of open country around all the ag land with pockets of draws and trees intermixed. Harvest is going to start ramping up soon and most farmers don't have the time for some random coming asking for permission when they got a million other things on their mind so if you're going to try to get permission time it accordingly.

Overall, I'd say it's a numbers game. Put in time on areas with known doe bedding areas and you'll be sure to see a good deer or two. Don't get discouraged if you don't see anything one day cause the very next day could be when a nice buck makes his loop checking does. Also beware that upland bird seasons are going on and depending on where you hunt you could have company.

[teanawayslayer]

It was mixed behavior when I had the tag. We saw lots of bucks. Not a lot of rut activity early. Towards the end it picked up. Ended up shooting a 140” buck. Had a great time. Between you Bennett pass ffth and state land I think you’ll have plenty of area to find a good one. Scouting know is a waste of time. You have all the general seasons. Not many of the deer down there make it to a mature age. Have fun! Be patient.

[geauxtigers]

I drew this tag in 2023…similar to you I’ve spent a lot of time there during the general seasons for the past 10-15 years.  I focused on the later part of the tag dates.  I didn’t bother trying to get additional land access because I had access to one area that I felt confident in, unfortunately it got hit with heavy fog halfway through my first day.  The fog seemed to lift from most of the unit and I saw 10x more bucks just running around with does, fighting each other, lounging, etc than I have ever seen in October.  Unfortunately I saw most of those on private lands, and after I had already tagged out.

I saw a couple great bucks my first morning, but ended up settling for a smaller buck on day 3 because I had a shot, and I could only see about 50 yards in any direction for two straight days.  Make sure you have the wind farm access permit

[Trooper]

My 79 year old father drew the Blues Mountain late Muzzleloader whitetail quality hunt which starts after your hunt. Following along, as I don’t have a lot of experience or knowledge in SE Washington .  Best of luck on your hunt this year.