chelan-sawtooth wilderness area

[addicted2hunting]

I have heard of guys getting packed in there for rifle season but have any of you guys gone up there for early velvet mulies? I am chewing on the Idea of hiking back in there for 5 or 6 days for early archery.

[addicted2hunting]

I also like the pasayten area as well.

[mountainman]

Get in touch w Steve Darwood or Ryan Surface. Would recomend either!

[bobcat]

Problem with the Pasayten is it's not open for archery season. The first deer season in there is the early rifle season beginning on September 15th. So if you want to hunt with your bow in there, you'd need a modern firearm tag.

[addicted2hunting]

Get in touch w Steve Darwood or Ryan Surface. Would recomend either!

Are these guys pack guys?

[addicted2hunting]

Problem with the Pasayten is it's not open for archery season. The first deer season in there is the early rifle season beginning on September 15th. So if you want to hunt with your bow in there, you'd need a modern firearm tag.

Yeah I realized that after i posted. haha.

[mountainman]

Get in touch w Steve Darwood or Ryan Surface. Would recomend either!

Are these guys pack guys?

Yes sir.

[addicted2hunting]

sweet. i will check em out.

[boneaddict]

want to hunt with your bow in there, you'd need a modern firearm tag

or multi season tag


Varrelman out of Alta probably has the best areas "camps" for a packer and comes highly recommended.   I don't think Darwwod is packing in there anywhere anymore for hunting season.  He does summer stuff in there.   Not sure how that "guiding permit thing works."  Jess is pretty busy with the Pasayten in that time period.

[boneaddict]

Mountainman, did Surface pick up Millers outfit/area?

[MtnMuley]

Mountainman, did Surface pick up Millers outfit/area?

Yes.  Oh, you asked mountainman, lol

[boneaddict]

Thanks for the "local" help.

[addicted2hunting]

yeah, My uncle inlaw went with Brian back in 2003. Sawtooth outfitters are good guys. I was also curious if there is a good size population of bucks summering up in there?

[throttlejocky20]

I have been scouting the sawtooth for the last 4 years. There is areas up there that hold alot of deer but its not an area to just take a guess at. If i dont draw a late tag i will be up there for a 7 day trip next year. I found the bucks and now its time to try and put one on the pack!!!!

[addicted2hunting]

I have been scouting the sawtooth for the last 4 years. There is areas up there that hold alot of deer but its not an area to just take a guess at. If i dont draw a late tag i will be up there for a 7 day trip next year. I found the bucks and now its time to try and put one on the pack!!!!

Ok good to know. so where are these areas located that you found? :chuckle:Jk. I plan on spending some good time up there also. prolly wont "hunt" it for a couple years but will for sure be in there scouting and checking it out.

Does an outfitter get upset if a guy on foot is up in the areas he guides?

[Alan K]

Shouldn't be, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[splitshot]

steve darwood packed my son , grandson and myself  into the gardner mtn area for goat about 12 years ago, it was great.  it was a drop camp for 5 days.  i think his son is helping him now.   mike w

[throttlejocky20]

IMO if your in the area on foot doing the work on your own no one has a right to say anything. I know outfitters go into the area i found during riffle season and i seen a few rigs at the trail head during the muzzle season. But i dont believe most people are willing to go the extra length to get to the sweet spot. Found some good hunting 6 miles in but the world changed at about 10.

[trophyhunt]

I have been scouting the sawtooth for the last 4 years. There is areas up there that hold alot of deer but its not an area to just take a guess at. If i dont draw a late tag i will be up there for a 7 day trip next year. I found the bucks and now its time to try and put one on the pack!!!!

Ok good to know. so where are these areas located that you found? :chuckle:Jk. I plan on spending some good time up there also. prolly wont "hunt" it for a couple years but will for sure be in there scouting and checking it out.

Does an outfitter get upset if a guy on foot is up in the areas he guides?

I'm sure they will be mad but their permit for guiding doesn't make it their property, nor can they tell you to leave. I wouldn't hunt their area on purpose but if I didn't know they were there and I worked my butt off to get set up, I would say too bad.

[addicted2hunting]

I have been scouting the sawtooth for the last 4 years. There is areas up there that hold alot of deer but its not an area to just take a guess at. If i dont draw a late tag i will be up there for a 7 day trip next year. I found the bucks and now its time to try and put one on the pack!!!!

Ok good to know. so where are these areas located that you found? :chuckle:Jk. I plan on spending some good time up there also. prolly wont "hunt" it for a couple years but will for sure be in there scouting and checking it out.

Does an outfitter get upset if a guy on foot is up in the areas he guides?

I'm sure they will be mad but their permit for guiding doesn't make it their property, nor can they tell you to leave. I wouldn't hunt their area on purpose but if I didn't know they were there and I worked my butt off to get set up, I would say too bad.

My thoughts also...

[boneaddict]

THey won't be upset.  Most drop and go and leave the camps.   You hike in 6 and run into a camp full of guys that rolled out of the sack.  Their camps are set up in the nice spots.   Its nice to know where they are at so you can either take the pressure to your advantage, or avoid it entirely. 

Yes Darwoods son is helping him, his name is Jess.

[boneaddict]

now, you pay for an outfitter to take you to an area and you wake up and some schmoe has set their little camp up in the middle of the area, would you be happy?   Thats the camps perspective.   No, they don't own it.

[longrangekiller]

So do these drop camps have specific places they set u up at or were ever u wanna hunt? Sorry if that's a dumb question I have never done a drop camp or even looked into it 

[boneaddict]

They tend to be in the same spots every year.   It usually has to do with feed or water and location for hunting of course.   If its within their area they can probably dump you off on a big rock if you want to.  Alot of that area isn't the greatest place to throw down.

[Skyvalhunter]

Not sure if Sawtooth is still operating that base camp out of Eagle/Crater TH.

[longrangekiller]

They tend to be in the same spots every year.   It usually has to do with feed or water and location for hunting of course.   If its within their area they can probably dump you off on a big rock if you want to.  Alot of that area isn't the greatest place to throw down.

Thank u for the info I've always thought in the back of my head how fun it would be but havnt ever even looked into it

[casey58]

We hiked in 25 miles last year and ran into a outfitter about 18 miles in while looking for a good place to camp for the night.  they were so impressed we hiked that far they had us set up right next to them and gave us dinner and breakfast.

[boneaddict]

  I wouldn't doubt it.  Most of the outfitters I know are stand up guys and actually believe in old school hospitality. 

[MtnMuley]

Funny how most of the chaos is back closer to civilization and roads

[James]

I have not hunted early season in that area, but since Steve Darwood has been mentioned I do have some experience with Cascade Wilderness Outfitters.  Steve Darwoods son Jess packed my father and me in for a fishing drop camp. 

I will probably do another drop camp at some point and would use them again (my old man can’t backpack long distances anymore).  Great group, there were a few issues, but they dealt with them very professionally.

[CMG]

Not speaking for others who paid for the pack up there, and what may have been promised to them, to each his own. but we always had one or two guys on foot or horse stop in camp. Always welcomed fellow hunters and shared the fire/cup of joe and a story. When you're that far back, you may regret burning a bridge    only ran in to one *censored* in the pasayten over the years.  I would bet most but not all drop camps feel the same. 

[huntnnw]

Use to hunt the are years ago..never saw a hunter during rifle season.. we only went 5mi in and cut straight up the mt...my dad shot a monster buck up there and we passed lots over the 3 year span we did it.