GMU 667

[kglacken]

Has anyone ever hiked in or hunted the weyerhaeuser gates between Ranier and Tenino off of 507? I have always wanted to try hunting back in there because i know some people who have killed big bucks not too far from there. Has anyone ever been up there?

[gasman]

Lots of hunting presure, thats for sure 

[kglacken]

is there? I know the tree farm gets a ton of pressure because i go up there all the time during modern season to hunt grouse. I usually archery hunt but I am going to hunt both this year since i have multi season tag. I thought that if i hiked in there the hunting would be good and there wouldnt be much pressure...

[RClare1223]

you have to get about 5 miles in to get into any good areas.but if you willing to put the miles on it can be good.not many people go that far in.

[kglacken]

I drove by there the other day and it looks like they have been doing some logging back there recently! I will make sure to hike in and check it out over summer but wanted to see if anyone had had any luck back there

[gasman]

There is always deer harvested behind those gates, because there are many people that hunt back there. Whe I hunt archery, its one of the areas I hit.

Just plan on not being alone and walking in early and as far you can, most stay fairly close to the gates.

[kglacken]

ok! ya im sure there are some good bucks around there. I want to get a mature blacktail this year and i am going to hold out for one as long as i have to. I dont mind putting on the pack and hiking in.

[bucklucky]

Pressure has goten so bad in there its not funny. There are alot of fort Lewis guys that come down this way and hunt the walk in . I would say that pressure has doubled the past 5 years or so. Plus there are always quads in there hunting. It used to be that a guy could get away from people , not so much anymore. Plus all the poaching that has gone on in there . Buddy found a bunch of carcasses laying in some clearcutt between seasons. I think 5 in one little clearcut. Gamewardens are continuosely driving around in there, been checked many times. It is a high pressure area. I was the first one in a gate last year and was alone, had to meat up with a customer and there was 12 rigs parked . Got idiots walking through clearcuts spooking all the deer out before it is even light just to get a "vantage point"  Had loggers drop guys off right in front of me as I was waiting for it to get light in the morning, I work my way into the cuts slowly glassing in the mornings, pissed me off. That happens quite a bit. There are some deer, bust done expect to be alone thats for sure. Oh by the way, Ive been skunked the past 2 years  in there and I put on the miles and hunt hard.

[gasman]

I don't think I wouldset my sights to high if I was hunting that area.

Yes there are some good BT in the area, but probably not as many you may believe.

They don't become heavy horned by accident.

[kglacken]

It sure is hard to find a place to get away from people to hunt around here! I have a friend that owns 160 acres who would let me hunt on it but i wouldnt want to ask until he killed his buck for the year. I really want to find a good area to get to.

[bucklucky]

You can kill a nice buck anywhere just goto get lucky. It just makes it tougher when pressure is high. Not many nice bucks get killed out of vail during the weekends for a reason, high pressure. There are nice bucks up there though.

[kglacken]

Ya i hope to draw the extended season tag for the skook this year. I have seen a couple big bucks in this area and most are on private land. I have never really put on the miles for deer. Elk is usually what I put the miles on for but this year I want to get a big buck!

[flinger]

Go High and Go Deep

[Alan K]

I think that the big bucks in the Skook are a lot smarter than the big bucks elsewhere just because of the pressure they've had to avoid for several years.  There are an incredible amount of spikes killed every year in that GMU, as well as forked horns.  Anything that's made it past that age in there knows how to elude hunters!  That said, employees get nice bucks all the time in there, so you know they're there.  And anyone can get lucky.  Seems every year someone manages to blast a 4 point at first light. At the check station there it seems like it's always 90% spikes/2 points, ~9% 3 points, and that 1% 4 points.

[cowboycraig]

Looks like a good area even if busy. Would this be the best short of heading East really far? Figure hike in deeper and deeper until past where the lazy go... and lay in wait?

Craig