New High Hunt opportunity?

[JackOfAllTrades]

The regs are posted on line.  Mount Baker Wilderness area.

 

[3nails]

 This will be an absolute joke of a hunt. Still scratching my head why they would open this up as a high hunt. Bad combination of hundreds of bunny huggin day hikers and "high bear/buck" hunters. Sure hope they force the day hikers to wear orange. Get ready for a goat rope of epic proportions.

[X-Force]

I don't see why? almost every wilderness area has "bunny huggers" on the main trails during high buck. should be a great hunt some guys.

[Elkaholic daWg]

Doe s a Mt Baker wilderness area even exist?  I have my doubts....and I was wrong.....

What page are the boundaries described??

That avatar was taken Damn close to it!

[JackOfAllTrades]

I couldn't find the boundaries.  Yes, there is a Mount Baker Wilderness area.

"The Mt. Baker Wilderness is 117,900 acres, created as part of the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984."

-Steve

[X-Force]

if your looking  for a rough visual of the Baker wilderness check out the map on wilderness.net

[3nails]

I don't see why? almost every wilderness area has "bunny huggers" on the main trails during high buck. should be a great hunt some guys.

Well then you don't know the area well. Super easy hike into it from anywhere. WAY more day hikers than other high hunts. There's not one single area worthy of needing horses to get into. I guarantee at 3 miles in from any trailhead there will be ten camps set up to hunt the same bowl. I've yet to talk to a single local hunter who is happy about this.

[bobcat]

What's odd to me is that all it says is "Mount Baker." It does not say anywhere that I can see that it is only the wilderness area that is open for the high hunt.

I guess we are just supposed to assume that they mean the Mount Baker Wilderness Area.

I think I'll go hunt somewhere in the Mt Baker National Forest for the high hunt. 

[shanevg]

Not excited about this hunt.  Not saying I won't hunt it, just don't think it's a good area to open up for that many hunters at that time of year. Not only is the wilderness too small and too easily accessible (many areas have wilderness access within a half mile of the car).  There are very few remote areas to hunt that are away from trails and hikers (as in other wilderness areas.)  Also, that time of years is still peak hiking season around here. There are already enough conflicts between hikers and bear hunters I can't imagine what it will be like when there are 5x more hunters all wearing hunters orange! 

I'd love to see this hunt be a "buck" draw hunt with 50 or 100 tags. OTC and there will just be too many hunters in there!

[X-Force]

What's odd to me is that all it says is "Mount Baker." It does not say anywhere that I can see that it is only the wilderness area that is open for the high hunt.

I guess we are just supposed to assume that they mean the Mount Baker Wilderness Area.

I think I'll go hunt somewhere in the Mt Baker National Forest for the high hunt. 

alpine lakes, glacier peak are the same way. to find maps see page 100

[X-Force]

Not excited about this hunt.  Not saying I won't hunt it, just don't think it's a good area to open up for that many hunters at that time of year. Not only is the wilderness too small and too easily accessible (many areas have wilderness access within a half mile of the car).  There are very few remote areas to hunt that are away from trails and hikers (as in other wilderness areas.)  Also, that time of years is still peak hiking season around here. There are already enough conflicts between hikers and bear hunters I can't imagine what it will be like when there are 5x more hunters all wearing hunters orange! 

I'd love to see this hunt be a "buck" draw hunt with 50 or 100 tags. OTC and there will just be too many hunters in there!

I figured if anyone would be up for this hunt it would be you.  I can see the potential for conflict but we as hunters always complain about opertunities and this is a great one. relatively easy access, multiple access points and beautiful country. I don't know if I'll hunt it because I have a multi season tag.
 

[pd]

Well then you don't know the area well. Super easy hike into it from anywhere. WAY more day hikers than other high hunts. There's not one single area worthy of needing horses to get into. I guarantee at 3 miles in from any trailhead there will be ten camps set up to hunt the same bowl. I've yet to talk to a single local hunter who is happy about this.

3Nail or ShaneVG, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your opinions?  I have no dog in this fight (never been to Mt. Baker, no intention of hunting there), but I am surprised at the negative response to a new hunting opportunity.  Isn't this an unusual occurrence, where the agency has opened a new area to a hunt?  It seems to me that WDFW simply added another "wilderness" area to the high buck hunt.  How can that be a bad thing?

With all of the land inside the North Cascades NP locked away from hunting, plus the legacy national parks (Rainier, Olympic), and the dense population in the state, you would think adding Mount Baker to a hunt opportunity would be welcomed.  Instruct me where I misunderstand, please.

[bobcat]

What's odd to me is that all it says is "Mount Baker." It does not say anywhere that I can see that it is only the wilderness area that is open for the high hunt.

I guess we are just supposed to assume that they mean the Mount Baker Wilderness Area.

I think I'll go hunt somewhere in the Mt Baker National Forest for the high hunt. 

alpine lakes, glacier peak are the same way. to find maps see page 100

That page tells me where to buy maps. Maps of what? The Mount Baker National Forest? That's the point I'm trying to make, nowhere does it say the high hunt is only within the wilderness area. We all know that it is, but only because that's what the high hunt has always been.

For a new hunter reading these regulations for the first time, how would they know it's only in wilderness areas? At least with Alpine Lakes, it is an actual GMU that is the same as the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Same with Pasayten, it's a GMU.

I just think they should have some sort of description in there that tells people the hunt is only in the wilderness area.

[JLS]

Interesting responses here (please don't take this as judgemental or critical, it's an observation) that folks are unhappy about MORE opportunity? 

I highly doubt that this was done on a whim, and without any thought as to potential ramifications. 

[X-Force]

What's odd to me is that all it says is "Mount Baker." It does not say anywhere that I can see that it is only the wilderness area that is open for the high hunt.

I guess we are just supposed to assume that they mean the Mount Baker Wilderness Area.

I think I'll go hunt somewhere in the Mt Baker National Forest for the high hunt. 

alpine lakes, glacier peak are the same way. to find maps see page 100

That page tells me where to buy maps. Maps of what? The Mount Baker National Forest? That's the point I'm trying to make, nowhere does it say the high hunt is only within the wilderness area. We all know that it is, but only because that's what the high hunt has always been.

For a new hunter reading these regulations for the first time, how would they know it's only in wilderness areas? At least with Alpine Lakes, it is an actual GMU that is the same as the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Same with Pasayten, it's a GMU.

I just think they should have some sort of description in there that tells people the hunt is only in the wilderness area.

I was wrong and stand corrected. it does appear poorly described.