WA Mulie 2020

[carsonmcdonald]

What is up fellow Washington hunters! I've been inspired by @The Ri Guy 's recent post of a beautiful Washington Mule Deer to get a post started for us PNW hunters to share some success stories.

This is my buck from this year. Ditched the lowland sagebrush and set off to the mountains in search of bigger and better bucks yielded my best Mulie to date. Steep, dry country and a few ridges between myself and the nearest road meant a profound lack of hunting pressure that was well worth the effort of a heavy pack out. Currently reading Robby Denning's book on how to kill bigger mule deer and I'll tell you what, passing on bucks like this in search of older bucks will be a challenge. Washington gets a bad rap but there are still some quality deer here. Post 'em if you got 'em!

-Carson

 

[pendo11]

Good work, I have been talking to many buddies that have been hunting with the same idea in mind. Going to start securing gear for next year. Definitely getting more popular in the PNW.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Here's my 2019 buck -- 175-1/4".

This buck sat tight on a highly-pressured hill-top and wasn't more than 1,000 yards from 4-10 folks and a heavily traveled road simultaneously at any given time. His demise was the fact that I got into his bed in the dark and saw him stick a leg out of his bed through the timber and berry bushes, otherwise I'd have never seen him. In fact, two locals (not wearing hunter orange of course) drove and parked their ATV within 100 yards of me right as I touched off.

We hunt an extremely heavily pressured unit where the locals are scouting year-round and running the hills 24/7 in ATV's after first light, but never kill the big ones. The best advice I can give you is learn to get in on them before dark, and learn to sit on a perch and glass, some guys disagree with this but we wouldn't have killed either buck if it wasn't for glassing.

 

[pendo11]

Literally had a 2 hour conversation last night about that. Definitely gaining the advantage over the day hunters like myself. Good work fellas.

 

[carsonmcdonald]

Since I already posted our 2020 tank, here's my 2019 buck -- 175-1/4".

This buck sat tight on a highly-pressured hill-top and wasn't more than 1,000 yards from 4-10 folks and a heavily traveled road simultaneously at any given time. His demise was the fact that I got into his bed in the dark and saw him stick a leg out of his bed through the timber and berry bushes, otherwise I'd have never seen him. In fact, two locals (not wearing hunter orange of course) drove and parked their ATV within 100 yards of me right as I touched off.

We hunt an extremely heavily pressured unit where the locals are scouting year-round and running the hills 24/7 in ATV's after first light, but never kill the big ones. The best advice I can give you is learn to get in on them before dark, and learn to sit on a perch and glass, some guys disagree with this but we wouldn't have killed either buck if it wasn't for glassing.

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Another stud buck.. Well done. The unit you are hunting has some mass in the genetics, that's for sure.

 

[The Ri Guy]

Literally had a 2 hour conversation last night about that. Definitely gaining the advantage over the day hunters like myself. Good work fellas.

Another stud buck.. Well done. The unit you are hunting has some mass in the genetics, that's for sure.

Thanks guys, I can tell you hard work and a lot of trial (and mostly error) pays off eventually.

It took me 14 years (literally, 2002-2016) to finally kill my first legal buck on public land here in WA, and the last 4 years since that point have been spent studying daily. I'm a firm believer every unit that has good habitat holds good bucks. Deer flow like water and follow the path of least resistance, something to keep in mind as the season progresses and pressure keeps pushing them.

Keep after it and you'll find success!

 

[Brianb3]

Since I already posted our 2020 tank, here's my 2019 buck -- 175-1/4".

This buck sat tight on a highly-pressured hill-top and wasn't more than 1,000 yards from 4-10 folks and a heavily traveled road simultaneously at any given time. His demise was the fact that I got into his bed in the dark and saw him stick a leg out of his bed through the timber and berry bushes, otherwise I'd have never seen him. In fact, two locals (not wearing hunter orange of course) drove and parked their ATV within 100 yards of me right as I touched off.

We hunt an extremely heavily pressured unit where the locals are scouting year-round and running the hills 24/7 in ATV's after first light, but never kill the big ones. The best advice I can give you is learn to get in on them before dark, and learn to sit on a perch and glass, some guys disagree with this but we wouldn't have killed either buck if it wasn't for glassing.

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Think I killed your bucks twin. WA also. I’ll pm ya


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[NEWAoutdoors]

Good work

 

[Jake”0”]

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[Jake”0”]

Had a botched early high hunt then I had to eat my general tag saw lotsa bucks in the 3-4 year age group but nothing super mature passed on a 26-27 inch three point hated to pass up without harvesting a buck but that’s the difference between a monster next year or a mediocre buck this year last year I harvested a decent four point but should have left him for seed and then I wouldn’t have had to pass on my three point this year here a pic of last years four point

 

[Jake”0”]

 

[carsonmcdonald]

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Thats a nice buck man. How did your high hunt get botched? I didn't go out for that hunt this year. Last year I went out for a few days and got rained in the entire time.

 

[Jake”0”]

Two things partnering with a friend who did not train as hard as I did. Weren’t able to make it back into the areas we needed to be in, then the smoke made spotting anything more than 300 yards a joke so I’ll be headed in alone next year. I did receive more Intel on the unit and a couple more places to investigate out of the debacle so all was not lost.

 

[carsonmcdonald]

Two things partnering with a friend who did not train as hard as I did. Weren’t able to make it back into the areas we needed to be in, then the smoke made spotting anything more than 300 yards a joke so I’ll be headed in alone next year. I did receive more Intel on the unit and a couple more places to investigate out of the debacle so all was not lost.

The smoke came in thick this year that is for sure. At least you got some intel out of it - better luck next year! From some of your pictures it looks like you have been killing good bucks in the farm country. I'm from Wenatchee originally - I've seen some nice bucks once you get on top of the plateau there coming out of Pine canyon heading towards Waterville but have never hunted that area.

 

[Jake”0”]

Yeah I’m up on badger mountain we get some pretty nice deer usually a toad every other year or so

 

[Brets1985]

Congrats boys im from wenatchee wa also... the Bromley kill some stud bucks on there property i archery hunt and there was bucks all over up there from being pushed by the fires

 

[Jake”0”]

The damned cats been bad really took a toll on the deer pop up on the badge trying to trim some out been taking a lot of really big buck. Got mine earlier need some folks to get some more

 

[carsonmcdonald]

The damned cats been bad really took a toll on the deer pop up on the badge trying to trim some out been taking a lot of really big buck. Got mine earlier need some folks to get some moreView attachment 247674

If you have any tips I'm all ears! I'm yet to see a cat let alone kill one.

 

[Jake”0”]

About the only way to do it is wait for fresh snow and cover lots and lots of country run track hard and steady they’ll get into cover and back track keeping twenty feet switching direction always stay off the tracks you may have to turn around and figure out where they back tracked keep eyes up they’ll climb into snags and just sit inside like a damned house cat under the bed. Keep your eyes out for deer ungulates are the primary feed look for tracks on a little higher ground after you follow their tracks awhile you’ll recognize the kinda terrain they travel in look on south facing slopes the snow is more shallow and they can sneak better and more quietly plus they like to nap in the sun conserving energy