Archery

[Trent Hale]

The season is about to open. I like to go after mule deer and did most of the hunting in Twisp my land owner has moved and I need to find another good area to go for mulies if any one can help out just let me know. This year I'm taking my two oldest girls with me there first time hunting and would like to put them on some nice mule deer.

[kavykid2k6]

stay out of the methow valley if you wants some nice mules that you can get close to. i hunt the chelan unit all the time with a bow and its the only place i will hunt. not alot of people hunt there and there is alot of big bucks that roam in those hills

[Trent Hale]

stay out of the methow valley if you wants some nice mules that you can get close to. i hunt the chelan unit all the time with a bow and its the only place i will hunt. not alot of people hunt there and there is alot of big bucks that roam in those hills

Right on I'll give it a try we drive right past there every year and its a little bit closer. THANKS!

[fish4brains]

The season is about to open. I like to go after mule deer and did most of the hunting in Twisp my land owner has moved and I need to find another good area to go for mulies if any one can help out just let me know. This year I'm taking my two oldest girls with me there first time hunting and would like to put them on some nice mule deer.

Well played;) Just kidding. Good job taking the girls hunting, wish I could help. I took my 4 year old then daughter out Duck hunting last year and now she is hooked. I cannot wait until this season.

[big fish lite line]

I took my 4 year old then daughter out Duck hunting last year and now she is hooked. I cannot wait until this season.

I know how you feal I'm hoping to practice up on some clay pigeons with my scattergun. thats cool that your doughter will go with you.

[skeetrzx225]

anybody shootin traditional recurve if so let me know iam interested in getting back into archery. i shot compounds for years when i was younger. my son is shootin a brave compound and he is pretty good . i wanna get him in the woods and start huntin again.

[Rollin with Rolland]

anybody shootin traditional recurve

Not yet skeetrzx225, but maybe next year. i've only be archery hunting two years, and wanted to start with the recurve, but after much debating i decided to start compound. (long story). BUT....this will be my first year in WA, and i don't know the rules everywhere, but up here SEPT 1 BABY.......already know where two nice blacktail buck hang out about 1/4 mile from my doorstep (neighbors land)....all i have to do is grab my bow and WALK out the backyard....it's gonna be sweet!! man, i have been putting in the time too....average about 75 arrows a week all summer (5 quivers 3 times a week).

[skeetrzx225]

thats what iam talking about!!!the more time the greater the reward.my dad shoots competitions and teaches bowhunter safety in charles county maryland but he quit hunting because of his knees. id like to get him out here but you know how those older guys are about traveling.anyway good luck.

[kevinb]

Wish I could help you Trent but thats awesome you want to get your daughters involved.

My wife and I are looking at joining a local archery club/lessons. We both want to try turkey hunting with a bow.

[Rollin with Rolland]

Well...Next Monday deer opener...who will be out?? I think I will try to get some crab wed-sat, practice sunday, and INTO THE WOODS MONDAY!! Man am I pumped!! Practice makes perfect, and perseverance pays off....good luck to all, and only pull that release once...make sure your one shot is a good shot.....

[Bscman]

I will definitely be out.

I started with shooting a recurve when I was 5 (my father made it).
I moved up to a mediocre browning recurve until I was 14...when I got my first compound. I've been shooting compound bows ever since. I hunted my first deer at age 14. I've got one with my bow every year since!

I will be in the woods before light Monday morning...rain or shine.
I got my brother in law into archery 2 years ago--he's still on the fence as to whether or not he's ready to hunt. He's good to 35yds, but he's being Mr. Responsible (Good for him!) and second guessing his abilities.
I give him the okay--he'll probably be in the woods with me.

I'm hitting the early hunt pretty hard this year. Normally I've been pretty relaxed and done my hunting in the late hunt. Unfortunately, the past year or so, my favorite unit is closed during the late archery hunt...

Best of luck to all!!!

[Rollin with Rolland]

any results on the deer with the bow??

So, here i am all set to go out. My first time hunting since becoming a WA resident. Well, guess what....you need a firearm safety course if you want to archery hunt in WA. I did not know this until last week. I have not been out, but I am really anxious. I will complete the required course Sat. morning. Watch out....blacktail in my sights Sun. morning!!

BTW...I feel a little disappointed that I have to be firearm trained to archery hunt, BUT, I will not down play the IMPORTANCE of firearm safety...good luck out there.

[Bscman]

BTW...I feel a little disappointed that I have to be firearm trained to archery hunt, BUT, I will not down play the IMPORTANCE of firearm safety...good luck out there.

It's not just firearms safety...
It's hunter's safety/education. You'll learn a lot more than how to just handle a gun. There will be very little info on archery, though. You'll get some discussion on laws/regs and what to do after the "success." If you've read the regs, you'll see how confusing they can be. You truly must read 100% of the book to be legal, because there are so many loops and clauses.

I 100% agree with requiring all hunters to take the course.
In fact, I firmly believe we should have to take an archery "adder" to the hunter's safety program with minimum requirements (in terms of accuracy and safe handling) before being able to archery hunt big game. There are far too many hunters taking up archery, but taking incredibly poor and incredibly risky shots on animals....resulting in injured and lost animals.
I'm amazed at how many people I see try 60+ yard shots on deer and elk when they can't even keep six arrows inside a paper plate at 30-40yds. What a joke.

BTW, No success yet for me....but I've only managed to make it out in the woods once.
I did just purchase a pair of new bows, though. An alpine archery micro for my girlfriend (50lb) and a Fred Bear Lights Out for myself (70lb).

I'll be out in the morning!

[Rollin with Rolland]

Those two bows sound pretty nice Bcsman, way to get the little lady a new toy!! I guess i agree with all the education requirements for hunting, it's just like the Boater Education Card.....

I just wish they had a separate Hunter Education course for archery that would meet the requirements for purchasing a license. The course was 95% firearms. I had to load, unload, and handle three different firearms.....AND NEVER EVEN TOUCHED A BOW!! (didn't even have one in class either). So, maybe I should quit complaining and start acting.....I'm gonna write a letter to someone...(WDFW probably)

I went out for the 15th/16th, and didn't even see a deer. Went out today (midday) and only saw fresh sign, no animals. Aren't blacktail more apt to go nocturnal than other species of deer??

[Bscman]

Wow, sorry for the late response.

I saw a few deer, but only 2 opportunites...and both on young deer...so I sit here eating tag soup.
Well, I guess there's always the late hunt. I seem to get a lot of "holiday deer" anyway.

Blacktail bucks get really shy once their racks harden up. They hole up in the timber and you don't often see the mature ones any time but at sunrise/sunset. Everyone says big BT bucks always have a "second move" around 10-11am, but I must always miss that one.

If you're in an area that sees much pressure at all, you'll find all the mature deer go nocturnal quickly. If you can't be up there at first late, or stay until last legal light, it's hardly worth the effort IMHO.

Did you end up tagging out, Rolland?
If not, don't feel too bad. It seems like this year is a year for bear, not deer (on the west side). Lots of guys over on HuntWA were skunked for the early hunt as well. The first few weeks of the late hunt should be good and exciting.

[Rollin with Rolland]

Nope no luck for me. I got permission to hunt the neighbors "back 400" (they require bow only). So I scouted for a couple days, and got my stand near a pretty active trail near a creek. I got three great sits in the last three days of the season, morning, afternoon, and evening. Just never saw any (that's why i was thinking they may have went nocturnal). I did see two nice BT on their property back in May. Yep, at least there is the late season. So, by the archery late season (Nov. 19) are the West side deer still in rut, or is it about over by then??

P.S. In GMU 407, The late season goes Nov.19-Dec.31.......SWEET!! (plenty of time left)

[Bscman]

The first week or so of the late hunt they'll still be rutting around a little bit. IMHO, it's the absolute best time to be in the woods!!! It'd be a good time to be on your stand in the back 400.

Unfortunately, the unit I like to spend most of my time in is closed during the late hunt...