2025 Great Deer Desert Part 3?

[Irrelevant]

If you were to guess, how many deer would to speculate are in this photo?

We glass this area all morning and turned up exactly...
zero deer. zero shots heard.

We did managed to still hunt up 7 in the afternoon our of some bedding areas, all does with one tiny forky.

When I asked my daughter, if she actually liked deer hunting, and if so why? She replied, "because hiking off trail is harder and more fun." I said, "That's good, because there aren't many deer here. And you'll probably never shoot one up here."

 

[El Jason]

I’ve spent a LOT of hours looking at terrain I think would be much better deer habitat than the deer do.

 

[kwyeewyk]

If you were to guess, how many deer would to speculate are in this photo?
View attachment 389706
We glass this area all morning and turned up exactly...
zero deer. zero shots heard.

We did managed to still hunt up 7 in the afternoon our of some bedding areas, all does with one tiny forky.

When I asked my daughter, if she actually liked deer hunting, and if so why? She replied, "because hiking off trail is harder and more fun." I said, "That's good, because there aren't many deer here. And you'll probably never shoot one up here."

Hunted near my place in Entiat unit opening morning, found 10 or 12 does and fawns, fairly typical, but what I noticed most is I only heard about 6 shots fired on opening day. I haven't hunted the rifle opener for a few years now, but I'd guess a typical opener I'd normally hear at least 30-50 shots over the course of the day. Only saw 3 other hunters where I was and that is much less than normal, I suspect that is because there hasn't been many deer since the hard winter in 22-23.

Saw close to 30 mulie does and fawns and 1 spike on public up in Okanogan county one day, about as many on private, definitely more sign too, productive area near lots of ag. Another spot in the Methow where I usually see a lot found 0. I've noticed a lot less deer on winter range last few years as well. I think we're hurting more than usual and our opportunity season structure isn't helping. I got a lead on a 2x3 around sunnyslope, figure I'll just see if I can find a whitetail the end of the week up north though, leave him alone and hopefully he sees next season.

 

[Irrelevant]

Hunted near my place in Entiat unit opening morning, found 10 or 12 does and fawns, fairly typical, but what I noticed most is I only heard about 6 shots fired on opening day. I haven't hunted the rifle opener for a few years now, but I'd guess a typical opener I'd normally hear at least 30-50 shots over the course of the day. Only saw 3 other hunters where I was and that is much less than normal, I suspect that is because there hasn't been many deer since the hard winter in 22-23.

Saw close to 30 mulie does and fawns and 1 spike on public up in Okanogan county one day, about as many on private, definitely more sign too, productive area near lots of ag. Another spot in the Methow where I usually see a lot found 0. I've noticed a lot less deer on winter range last few years as well. I think we're hurting more than usual and our opportunity season structure isn't helping. I got a lead on a 2x3 around sunnyslope, figure I'll just see if I can find a whitetail the end of the week up north though, leave him alone and hopefully he sees next season.

Everyone I know locally that got a deer got it off of private close to town. It's not really hunting, at least not what I like to hunt, but it also gets old to spend so much time looking a good habitat and not seeing a damn thing, let alone actually shooting a deer.

Maybe I'll pony up for a mega millions and it'll solve my problem...

 

[thomas89]

I’ve spent a LOT of hours looking at terrain I think would be much better deer habitat than the deer do.

Me every time I go out.

 

[El Jason]

I did find sheep though…

 

[Perlodid]

Everyone I know locally that got a deer got it off of private close to town. It's not really hunting, at least not what I like to hunt, but it also gets old to spend so much time looking a good habitat and not seeing a damn thing, let alone actually shooting a deer.

Maybe I'll pony up for a mega millions and it'll solve my problem...

I know some people who have shot some off public (further north) but no clue if it's more or less than what they usually find, since it's my first year here. More whitetails than there used to be seems to the most common report, and in places they historically were not present. Not saying that has anything to do with the lack of deer though, just an observation. I haven't been too impressed with what I have seen locally yet, but I haven't been really looking on the east side because I've been running out to the coast looking for my first blacktail. Doesn't seem like I'm missing much back over here in the east.

 

[cgasner1]

Hunted near my place in Entiat unit opening morning, found 10 or 12 does and fawns, fairly typical, but what I noticed most is I only heard about 6 shots fired on opening day. I haven't hunted the rifle opener for a few years now, but I'd guess a typical opener I'd normally hear at least 30-50 shots over the course of the day. Only saw 3 other hunters where I was and that is much less than normal, I suspect that is because there hasn't been many deer since the hard winter in 22-23.

Saw close to 30 mulie does and fawns and 1 spike on public up in Okanogan county one day, about as many on private, definitely more sign too, productive area near lots of ag. Another spot in the Methow where I usually see a lot found 0. I've noticed a lot less deer on winter range last few years as well. I think we're hurting more than usual and our opportunity season structure isn't helping. I got a lead on a 2x3 around sunnyslope, figure I'll just see if I can find a whitetail the end of the week up north though, leave him alone and hopefully he sees next season.

With the amount of suppressors around that could also be cutting down on shots you are not hearing.

 

[kwyeewyk]

With the amount of suppressors around that could also be cutting down on shots you are not hearing.

Hadn't thought about that, I considered maybe people were just actually taking good shots and not throwing a whole mag across the canyon walking them in, but I quickly decided that probably wasn't the case.

 

[Schaaf]

Knowingly hunting ground with low densities is not for the weak minded. Huge props to the both of you.

 

[Irrelevant]

Knowingly hunting ground with low densities is not for the weak minded. Huge props to the both of you.

Not a lot of alternatives in WA...

 

[Schaaf]

Not a lot of alternatives in WA...

@Irrelevant just take the compliment

 

[Irrelevant]

@Irrelevant just take the compliment

Thanks. Let me know if you want to give it a go. I give free lessons in pain and suffering and mental WTF-ism.

 

[Schaaf]

Thanks. Let me know if you want to give it a go. I give free lessons in pain and suffering and mental WTF-ism.

Nah man I’m good

 

[westbranch]

Cool country. I'll deer hunt eastern MT every couple years instead.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Been looking for some old coordinates north of Twisp. Sounds like your mule deer and Oregons are in the same sad state, my data is pretty old. I left Washington when I retired in 2011. If I can locate my old GP perhaps the info will be useful.
Good luck.

 

[JEL]

Cool country. I'll deer hunt eastern MT every couple years instead.

Might be the same numbers. We have a farm/ranch in north central MT. Literally now have zero deer. Used to be all over the place.

 

[Irrelevant]

Might be the same numbers. We have a farm/ranch in north central MT. Literally now have zero deer. Used to be all over the place.

Literal zero or metaphorically zero?

 

[JEL]

Literal zero or metaphorically zero?

I haven’t seen a deer all summer into fall.