VAIL tips

[zackmioli]

hey guys, i think im heading down to Vail for the late buck hunt, i havent spent much time hunting blacktails and havent been to Vail since i was very young so any kind of tips would be extremely helpful!

thanks a ton!

[Dmanmastertracker]

 Pray for rain 
 Vail's not that much different from anywhere else, other than be prepared for a TON of people. I would let people push deer to you 

[Curly]

I haven't hunted there for over 20 years.  The crowds were just too large.

Can you still drive in up there or is everything gated now?

[elkfan2]

I dont think I would waste my time in vail unless you want a little two point or spike.

[Dmanmastertracker]

I haven't hunted there for over 20 years.  The crowds were just too large.

Can you still drive in up there or is everything gated now?

 You can only drive in on the weekends, to me that is why the crowds get too large. Vail should revert to the way Wheyerheauser manages other forest's, mainlines open all the time during the season, with all side spurs closed to walk in only. That gives road hunters opportunity throughout the week on mainlines, but also leaves a good deal of quality buck areas that people have to work a little to get to, that don't get pressured as much.

[Antlershed]

Since there side roads don't have gates, that would be an enforcement nightmare, and you would constantly have people driving up the closed roads. You can still hike in during the week, it just makes the hike in a little farther...I've hiked in about 8 miles on a weekday and the only other person I saw was the game warden that stopped and checked us.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 The hard and fast rule is no hiking in on mainlines, so if you went in 8 miles, it must have been cross country? Gates are no big deal, they go up in minutes, actually I see it as helping enforcement, less need for loaded weapon in vehicle checks, shooting from vehicles enforcement, illegal dumping, etc.. has worked very well in other forest's. I don't see them adding gates to all side spurs, they would be strategically places to gate off a group of roads, so the number of new gates would not need to be more than 20 -25 would do. The fact is the number of animals harvested continues to decline every year and biologist's will eventually recommend, as some have already that harvest reduction measures are put in place in Vail, I'd like to see Wheyerheauser take the lead and put in a few more gates, while adding other opportunity for the roadies.

[Antlershed]

The hard and fast rule is no hiking in on mainlines, so if you went in 8 miles, it must have been cross country?

Can you tell me where you found this rule? And what is considered a mainline. I just called the recreation line, and it says for Vail, that you may hike into non-active areas 7 days a week. So, if the gate is closed, you can hike in.

[Dmanmastertracker]

 
"active areas" always includes mainlines, their information officer has told me that more than once, unless they changed their policy this year I know this was the case last season. I specifically asked if I could hike any part of the 1000, 3000, 2000, or south end mains and the answer was no. If you do gain entry to the interior of the farm somehow, you cant walk down any portion of a mainline which makes it nearly impossible to get game out from way back in there.

[Antlershed]

So, the mainlines are the 1000, 2000, 3000, etc? What do you consider the "south end mains"? I guess I will have to call them and ask if it is legal to walk in the road I did. According to the recreation access line, I was in the right...

[Antlershed]

I just tried calling them, but nobody picked up. The recording says that active areas are areas where the gate is open. It doesn't say anything about the "main lines".

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I don't know of any mainlines that have closed gates, the point was was making was that the poster asked for tips about Vail and your comment "You can still hike in during the week, it just makes the hike in a little farther...I've hiked in about 8 miles on a weekday" was open ended and didn't mention the closed areas, you would agree you can't hike into all of Vail during the week? That was my point, in most of Vail, if you were to hike in 8 linear miles you would have to do so on a mainline, there simply are not many, if any gated roads that go 8 linear miles into Vail. It also has to do with your definition of hiking in 8 miles, was it 8 linear miles, or just 8 miles worth of road? You could easily hunt 8 miles worth of road in Vail and only be 2-3 miles back in there. Sorry if I'm nitpicking.

[Antlershed]

Yes, I agree you can't hike into all of vail during the week. I guess I could have been more clear in my original statement, and given him the instances where he couldn't hike in, but there is still plenty you can hike into. The reacreation access line is 1-866-636-6531, which is going to be the best source for what is legal and what's not legal.

Yes, it was 8 miles worth of road. I have no idea how many linear miles it was...the road curved a time or two. 

[Dmanmastertracker]

Yes, I agree you can't hike into all of vail during the week. I guess I could have been more clear in my original statement, and given him the instances where he couldn't hike in, but there is still plenty you can hike into. The reacreation access line is 1-866-636-6531, which is going to be the best source for what is legal and what's not legal.

Yes, it was 8 miles worth of road. I have no idea how many linear miles it was...the road curved a time or two. 

 They tend to do that in there don't they Wheyerhauser's road engineer's must be crosseyed....

[Bofire]

There are many ways to walk in to Vail. Off of XXXXXX Creek road you can walk into Miller hill area. Off of SXXXXXXX rd. you can walk in by the resovoir. CXXXXXXXod road will get you in to MXXXXr hill. Bald Hills road to XXXXXXXon rd. gets you in at the bridge.piXXXXn springs road gets you in to a good area. CiXXXXar road works.XXXXas Creek rd. works.
I think there are less people there every year. Threre are a ton of deer and big deer, nobody seems to hunt the good areas. I aint gonna say where that is!!!!! Walking in from the main gate is prolly the worst way to go walking. one more hint "Mountain Bike"
The late hunt is by far the best.
Carl