So does WEYCO open the Vail tree farm during the late ML season? Never tried that during the late season, but there are good numbers of deer there. Anybody?

Its open on the weekends. They leave it closed all week and close it at just after dark saturday night and reopen it before daylight on sunday. Walk ins on weekdays are the best bet IMO, there is a aluminum hatch every saturday morning like you wouldn't believe.

Lot's of deer but lot's of people!

Just say'n

I'm staying close to home. Saving one spot for the 7th when every day is "doe day".

Me too.

Hoping for some good $hitty, rainy, blustery weather to get the animals moving.

I tried the 6-5-1 this afternoon, needed a little heavier weather. I hunted the timber and I couldn't get quiet enough in the salal. If I had some weather I think I could have got a mature animal. I just kept getting busted.

I had a broadside doe (small) at 70 yards but let her off. Then just as I lowered my gun a mature buck came running from right behind me and bounded off before I got a shot. He just let me walk by him. I saw 5 deer this afternoon, hopes are high for this weekend.

Psyched. On vacation beginning Friday afternoon. I've put in my miles on the bike, so I'm dropping the first thing with hair that is bigger than my dog.

Cut em' down......

Keith

Anybody hunting in the rain tomorrow? Thinking of driving some roads in Satsop as they should be runnin all over the place with this weather. Have been hiking alot lately, but seen nill, mostly in Mason though.

Any thoughts? Any one want company? PM Me

I'm headed out again in the rain tomorrow. I was out this morning and saw one really big bodied deer, but it was running and I couldn't get my gun up quick enough. I had walked a circle around it, and as I was walking back to my rig on the road, it ran out from left to right.

I have been hunting more drive-in type areas and the deer are much more pressured than in the bike or walk in spots. I have about a 3 square mile area I have been focusing on. It holds lots of animals, but they are hard to find in the open and when you do they are generally getting into the thick stuff. I've been sticking with it though just because I have seen so many deer in the area, I figure that my chance will be here eventually.

It is warm and windy out there right now, I plan on sitting on a knob at first light and then moving into the timber after about 8:30. One thing I have noticed is that you always should circle back on yourself if you push through timber or thick stuff. Especially if it is a patch with open areas on each side, they won't leave the timber unless they have to. They know about all the rigs full of hunters waiting for them.


Good luck out there.

Bumped 2 yesterday, including one from a spot I've bumped this one deer from for the past few years. 15 feet away and I had no shot. Good thing I can come home and change clothes. 16 miles on the bike yesterday. Supposed to get drier later on today.

Tried the drive in spots and saw lots of rigs. Nobody is riding their bikes, or at least very few of us are doing that every day, in 651, except for me.

Good luck!

Deer were all over today. My last day to hunt so shot a nice doe.

Nicely done! Saw 6 deer in one area, none closer that 88 yards in deep brush. I have this week off, so I'll connect.

We saw 11 today, I had my safety off, and was about to shoot at a doe, but my hunting partner was in that general direction and I second guessed and she ran off.

Partner came across an opening in the thick stuff holding 5 deer, he had drawn on a big doe feeding at 40 yards when a nice buck stepped out to his right. He never got a shot other than a butt-hole shot and never pulled the trigger.

They were jumpy in the unit we were in. Lots of action though, so I am not complaining. As long as none of my client's bridges have washed out, I will have a chance to go the next few days.

Deer were very jumpy for us too. It took seeing quite a few before I got one to stand still long enough. Out of all the deer we saw didnt see one buck though.

Hunted the 651 the other day also. Saw 20 different deer in a somewhat small area, 2 good bucks. May have seen more but thought some were the same deer. Shot at a doe at 60 yds and cleanly missed somehow. The ML fired really weak with half the normal kick and noise. I think the 4 inches of rain that day might have taken its toll. Deer were skidish there too, only the one doe stood still to shoot at. Tag soup for me this year.

Ya we were in the 651 too. Tried to hold out for a buck just didnt want tag soup all winter.

I had my work schedule for this week get suddenly accelerated and could not get out during the week.

I ate my tag sashimi style, dipped in failure sauce.

Ate my second tag in a row, after going 19 years straight with deer. Saw 4 deer today, dumb, standing still, no running away. They know.

Took about a 5 mile hike through Vail today, saw 8 deer including a big and small buck, the spike gave me a shot which I sent about 6" high. Spooked a couple others that I didn't see. Hoping to close the deal before the end of the month.
Didn't see anyone all day, perfect!

You have a special tag?

i guessing he bow hunts

Archery is open till the 31st.

Cool!

Jeebus...seems like between the many of you hunting at Vail you've seen a grand total of 2,539 deer, and no one's shot one? What the hell is going on here? I need some deer sausage and jerky, and since I haven't hunted myself in many years, I'm depending on you guys...get it done, goddammit!

Fish on...

Todd

Be sure to let me know how that works out for ya.........

Heading out for another hike tomorrow, hoping to close the deal so Todd and I will have some sausage and jerky for the winter.
I've heard how Todd can be when he doesn't get his sausage.

Normally I just see the doe with the yearling fawn(?) traipsing through the yard, but yesterday I was up on the roof cleaning out the rain gutters when two fork horn came up the hill, passed by the house, and walked down the driveway like they do it all the time. First time I've seen them, one a larger buck and the other a little guy that I first thought was a spike, but his antlers forked also. Smallest set of forked antlers I've ever seen.

And I think hunting season in my yard just coincides with whatever the general season is. Maybe we're open for archery; I haven't checked.

Sg

Time for a Antlermax Block and a trail camera Salmo... Time to see what you really have hanging out there. If'n you've got some forkies, you've got bigger bucks. Sure is fun to see what you really have....

Might even have you one of these... I'm letting him grow and gonna take the #1 spot in Columbia Blacktail with Archery but he's gotta net over 158" and he's 140ish right now IMHO.... This year he's a bit bigger with forks in the back like the front and a true 4x4, Next year, he's dead!

Then again, I might go look for him in the AM.. I'm feeling a little frisky....





Sure is pretty, isn't he...

Keith

What a nice buck!

I wasn't using my trail cam for security any more, so I sold it to a co-worker who photographs the deer around his house. Yeah, I wonder what critters come up out of the creek bottom up my hill and down the driveway at night. It's like a wildlife freeway. The trail up to the "jump" spot for crossing the fence across the road is really well-worn.

Sg

I really ejoyed my trail cam until it got stolen. What a STUD of a buck. I'm still tryin to bag my first branched archery buck. Blown 3 opportunities so far so any big doe I come across is in danger. Keith...that is a blacktail of a lifetime IMO, take him before the cats or poachers do!

Just noticed the pics are from almost two years ago, he probably died of old age!