Good Luck Washingtonians

Struck out big time, didn't see a legal buck in the wilderness, saw 4 on the drive in. It was a tough hunt this year, headed out for the opener and then going back the last week of the season. If I see something decent on the opener I'll take it, otherwise I'm praying for snow and some migration to make the last week special.
 
Dry, dry, dry. It was as crunchy as I have ever seen it. One of my partners took a little 22" 4x4, but for the most part the deer were small. I watched a couple small bucks slowly walk about 1/4 mile right to me, one was a small 4x4, the other a small 3x3, but the 3 point was a little bigger. As soon as they past me, they stopped because a guy was sitting across the draw from where I had set up at, and was making all kinds of noise. These two bucks were 30 yards from me for about 5 minutes before the "idiot" across the draw spotted them. As soon as he did, I watched him pick his rifle up and start blasting away at about 300 yards. He finally hit the 4 point on his 3rd shot and the buck ran right down the draw and back up the other side strait at the "idiot". He finally dropped it on his 5th shot. Maybe I'm too cautious, but I would never shoot at something that was that close to another hunter. I stood up and yelled at the "idiot" that the 3 point standing here is bigger than the 4 point he just shot. About that time, I heard another shot heading my way and the 3 point went down. Well I had had enough of that so I packed up my stuff and started back to the car, where I had a pleasant conversation with the local game officer that was there checking licenses and tags. I saw too many deer to count, but it seems the bigger deer have yet to start moving because of the weather. I will be heading back over Friday to hunt till the 29th or till I find something worth tagging...................rf
 
Last year I hunted an new area where I found a decent, dead 4 point on the second weekend. About 23" wide and real heavy. Anyway, 30 minutes later a real tall, wide as his ears buck gave me the slip and I never saw him again. Also never saw another hunter, or evidence of other hunters in 2 days in this area. So, I did a little scouting and went back for the opener this year. Saw one other guy hunting about a mile away from me, when he started blazing away at something. Took 5 shots. I was working in his general direction, and about an hour later I'm working down a ridge and see a buck that is limping real bad. Buggered up left front leg. Can't quite make out the antlers, but figure it has got to be the buck this guy was shooting at. At this point, I figured that if the buck is legal, I am somewhat obligated to harvest the deer and end his suffering. I watched him bed down, and circled around to get a good look at him and better shot angle. He was an 18"wide X 18" tall three point still in full velvet. He spotted me, stood up and I put him down with one shot through both lungs. Turns out he had no cajones, thus the full velvet. Found .243 bullet in leg with broken bone. Never saw the lazy SOB that did the shooting. Just love the "I guess if they don't go down, I must not have hit him" types. Give the responsible hunters a bad name. I guess I'll get a big one next year. Good luck to everyone else.
Scott/couesbitten
 
Well heres the 22" 4x4 Huntingphool mentioned. This is the biggest Mullie I have got so far and I am happy with it.

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Congradulations on the guys that got their bucks. Couesbitten you did the right thing taking that buck. Sounds like the crazy people are out just like every year. Two years ago my buddy had a guy run up to him and ask what kind of gun he was using because he wounded a buck and he was out of bullets. He only brought three bullets hunting with him.
 
Good for you, you did the right thing. Always nice to have Karma on your side, not to mention the big guy upstairs;^)............rf
 
Good job on the buck. Saturday I got our orchard manager a nice nice 3x3 it is 20 wide 20 tall and has 4 and 3/4 bases or H1 measurements. Also has double eye guards on one side and they are both over 2 inches long. Its a really neat buck. he was a big buck just young. Took him up the entiat and Sunday got fogged out. Going back friday to hunt and look for that big buck. Good luck to everyone and hopefully i will have pictures soon.

OH and the entiat was a zoo also!!!!!

Garrett
 
"Those are great examples of why I hunt Idaho"

Don't for a minute think Idaho is absent its share of idiots, I just saw on the news this morning that Idaho is leading this year with 4 hunters killed so far...............rf
 
I shot a 4x6 counting eyeguards, 17 in wide. I posted the story called smacked one. pics will follow.
 
This year we decided to hunt down in the Grande Ronde unit. This unit has very little public land to hunt, and most of the BLM land that is available to hunt requires climbing gear.

So we put in our driftboat and raft and floated and hunted small chunks of public land where we could. We saw deer every day, and we also seen bucks every day. We didnt see a good shooter buck until the 4th day. it was probably a 23-25" 4x4

We found where it bedded down and we thought we had him nailed down. However, we had to pick up camp and float to the next spot. when we got there we found that it was posted, and we couldnt get the buck. we were dissapointed, so we decided to drift down and take the boats out.

We decided to hunt the Asotin unit, and I was able to score a legal 3pt buck that we caught crossing the road just before dark. I had a good hunt, I was a little dissapointed at the lengths rich people will go to buy up all the good hunting land just so they can have it to themselves. Well I guess that is just life.

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Congrats on the buck Jason. We always see lots of deer in November and December while jetting up and down the Cowlitz River steelheading, even see them swimming sometimes while they try and cross...........rf
 
Speaking of boats and mulie hunting, anyone hear ever head up to the North end of Chelan to hunt. Ive always wanted to try that, sure seems like a lot of unhunted land along the lake on the way up there.....................rf
 
Congrats on the bucks fellas, I'll get some stories posted as soon as elk is done. My wifes hunt starts Monday.
 
Good job ridgerunner, you can try an email em' to me and I'll try post em' for ya.

Boneaddict...where ya been? Did you have your moose hunt yet?
 
I've been everywhere but here. Moose is in the freezer (its full by the way). More to come later. Having any luck?
 
I'm waiting for my Chiwawa late tag come Nov. so I haven't even hunted here yet. Did take a deer in WY. couple weeks ago. Good luck to your wife with her elk tag.
 
Hi, Washingtonians seen alot of nice bucks taken this year by family and friends, still holding out for that late eniat tag burning a hole in my pocket. Any advice such crk names ect. I got all the maps and would like to get off the beating path. Thanks for any advice, I was going to go over the last couple of years but it sounded a little crouded to say the least.
 
WaBlkTL, send me an email at [email protected] and I can give you some info on a good area for the late/rut hunts. Seen some monsters in there. It's definately worth looking into.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.
 

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