Mule Deer in Eastern WA

[Jcremer24]

Hey everyone, hunter from Texas here and just moved up to Seattle area this past March. Looking to getting into some larger game up here. Can anyone provide some insight on the best GMU’s/spots for Mule deer and elk as well? Looking to explore and scout some areas! Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks

 

[Xaevian]

Mineral Springs area is a good start.

 

[No_Regerts]

Mule deer are all over E. WA. The biggest issue is access. You either hunt private land, or you hunt with everyone else on public land. Mule deer are terribly mismanaged in WA. WA allows anyone to buy a deer tag OTC and hunt just about anywhere. The best opportunities on public land, IMO, are special draws out of the regular season, and wilderness areas where you can get away from other hunters.

The wilderness areas are generally clear of snow during the regular season, and the deer will be up high until food and snow drive them to migrate. This means a lot of effort to get to them. Mule deer in the north part of the state will be higher up than whitetails.

The SE corner is mostly badlands and river breaks. In these areas, its the opposite. Mule deer will live down in the creek and river bottoms while the whitetails will stay up high near croplands on the plateaus.

 

[trevi]

A good thing you want Eastern Washington because Western side is a mess of thick brush. I made my mistake hunting elk and blacktails on the the western side. But i am new to Washington, too. So, i have much to learn also.

Does not Texas have more variety? I would live to hunt wild boar!!

 

[Jcremer24]

Yes I have heard Eastern is the way to go. Not as much big game in Texas. Tons of whitetail and axis and ttoooooooooons of hogs yes. Hogs are a blast. Miss that the most by far.

 

[No_Regerts]

Yes I have heard Eastern is the way to go. Not as much big game in Texas. Tons of whitetail and axis and ttoooooooooons of hogs yes. Hogs are a blast. Miss that the most by far.

Most big game hunting in WA takes a lot of time and effort. Lots of species to hunt though. Blacktail, whitetail, and mule deer. Rocky mountain and Roosevelt elk. Black bears, cougar, and coyotes. Special draws for moose and bighorn sheep.

The problem is the amount of “opportunity”. It makes for lots of pumpkin patches.

 

[HawkCreek]

Get yourself into the rough country and off the road. I shot my muley a few hundred yards off the road this year. I saw exactly two other hunters on foot, everyone else was in a truck on the FS roads or on a dirt bike on the established trails (open or not didnt seem to matter). Everyone I talked too seemed to be repeating what a tough year it was. I saw deer every day, just took this desert hunter a bit to find a legal one.
If you can hunt during the week probably 80% less hunters out, weekends are the busy days.

 

[DeanMk]

Hey everyone, hunter from Texas here and just moved up to Seattle area this past March. Looking to getting into some larger game up here. Can anyone provide some insight on the best GMU’s/spots for Mule deer and elk as well? Looking to explore and scout some areas! Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks

Traditionally, Muley's were often found down in the Blue Mountains. SE part of the state.
Elk's a little easier to find. They're out on the coast and up in the mountains.
Hunt'em like deer; good amount of vegetation and good cover.

Dean