A handful of late-season hunts can get you back in the field for a second chance after the general rifle season is history. Photo by Willy Onarheim.

Hopefully by now you have a nice rack hanging above the fireplace, and a mountain of venison in the freezer. You can bask in your glory. You've done your job!

But if good fortune didn't land in your lap this fall, you now have a long time -- ten months, to be exact -- to think about it.

When it comes to deer hunting, I've wasted more tags than I care to admit. But a few years ago, I started planning late season back-up hunts. And now, my whole program seems to be on the upswing.

By exploring Washington's big-game pamphlet, you'll discover a variety of options that can get you back into the field for a second chance, after the general rifle season expires. Some of these hunts are open to anyone with a rifle deer tag; others require more planning and preparation. All of these back-up hunts have one thing in common: timing -- putting you into the field much later in the season than the general hunt. You'll sneak through new-fallen leaves or a few inches of snow. And the bucks will be rutting hard.

EASTERN WASHINGTON WHITETAILS
There's no shortage of whitetails in the northeast corner of the state. In fact, herds there have been rebounding since the late 1990s. Areas open during the annual late whitetail hunt include GMUs 105 through 124, some of the best deer-producing units. Recently, hunters have been enjoying success rates near 30 percent in the Sherman, Huckleberry, 49 Degrees North, and Mount Spokane units -- and a bundle of those deer were late-season, record-book bucks.

One popular destination for late whitetail hunters is the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge in GMU 117, just east of Colville. You'll need a map, compass or GPS here, with over 40,000 acres of rolling forests, and little in the way of landmarks.

Little Pend Oreille is a major wintering area for whitetails in the northeast corner. The late whitetail hunt is normally scheduled for the first two weeks in November. There's a possibility for snow at just about any time. Most veterans who hunt the area look forward to any sign of snow, which moves deer down out of the hills, to concentrate in the refuge.

Most hunters seem to prefer tracking animals through the thick timber, especially if the snow is quiet.

The refuge's elevation ranges from 1,800 to 5,600 feet, and the snow line will fluctuate this time of year.

The country is brushy, too -- thick conifer forests with lots of undergrowth. Those trees and brush can be soaking wet during a cold November storm, so prepare for those conditions as well.

If the weather is dry, you may be in for a tough hunt. The deer will be widely dispersed, and dry sticks and twigs will make it nearly impossible to sneak about quietly. Under these conditions, your best bet will be a stand that utilizes the lay of the land and potential hunter pressure,

The refuge is dissected by a good number of forest roads, and campsites are plentiful. Hunters are allowed to camp in dispersed hunter campsites from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31. M

MASTER HUNTER SEASON
Hunters who participate in Washington's Advance Hunter Education and reach the master hunter level are entitled to a mid-December hunt in GMUs 130 through 142 to harvest antlerless whitetail deer only.

To prevent property damage, many landowners will welcome master hunters to harvest deer on their land. Unit 139 (Steptoe) is known for wheat fields and whitetails, and most of the old-timers who own the farms are pretty sociable. Try knocking on few doors, and you'll find some ranch owners who really want you to hunt their place.

Don't have the time or patience to go door to door? Check with the WDFW's Spokane office for a list of landowners who will allow access to master hunters during the late whitetail season.

The deer move during the cold hours of the morning, so get out there and hunt the hills and valleys at first light. The edges of crops and just about any areas that provide cover will prove worthwhile.