pasayten high buck hunters in closed areas of harts pass.

[chris90]

Something that has been bothering me for many years as an archery hunter is seeing all the supposed "pasayten high buck" hunters up harts pass camping and hunting right off the main road??.. When the hike into unit is miles away. This has been happening every year and hasn't changed. I know archery hunters that wont even bother going up harts pass once the high hunt has started just because it is a joke with all the rifle guys in orange hunting within the archery area. There's orange all over the hills and camps right off the road. We shouldn't even be able to see or even hear your gun shots seeing that your area is miles of a hike away. I don't know what I'm trying to get out of this more than just getting the word out that this area is closed and only open to archery hunters. Pay attention to your hunt boundaries and stick to them!

[X-Force]

I assumed those camps were archery hunters. I was surprised by how many camps were up there. Never drove through in the daylight so I can't say if people were "hunting" right out of camp. Its a shame if what you say is true.

[Hunterman]

If it's been going on for years now, and the game cops haven't done anything about it, maybe your coordinates might be off 

Hunterman(Tony)

[Bob33]

Harts Pass is less than a mile from the Pasayten Wilderness boundary on my maps.

[Jingles]

Are you seeing the Actual hunters camps or the outfitters base camps?  I know the outfitters base camp at harts pass then horse the hunters out to their respective camps well into the wilderness. Are you sure they are all deer hunters and not bear hunters?
 What's the matter the first 15 days of the month not enough for you without having any other hunters around?

[chris90]

Are you seeing the Actual hunters camps or the outfitters base camps?  I know the outfitters base camp at harts pass then horse the hunters out to their respective camps well into the wilderness. Are you sure they are all deer hunters and not bear hunters?
 What's the matter the first 15 days of the month not enough for you without having any other hunters around?

its a matter of people hunting in closed areas not whether or not 15 days is good enough for me. I pulled my deer on the 3rd day of the month but thanks. Yes hunting camps guys in orange with rifles. Would you wear orange and have a rifle in your hand if you were in a closed area?? I have seen these people hunting along the roads up and down harts pass.

[Bob33]

Contact the local WDFW officer. With that number of violators he should take an interest.

[Rodney107]

I was up there this weekend archery hunting  I seen more than 10 Orange vested rifle hunters on the hills on harts pass  kinda weird I can bear hunt aug and  deer hunt beginning of sept and not see any other hunters up there and sept 15 comes and camps and orange are walking around

[bobcat]

I've seen the same thing in the vicinity of the Alpine Lakes wilderness. Camps right on a main forest service road, and guys hunting right out of their camps, right along the road. No doubt they were deer hunting with a rifle, and wearing orange, but about a mile from the wilderness boundary.

[abhold87]

I will have to agree I saw a lot of traffic headed up that way and heard 8 shots Tuesday morning from that direction. It deff believeable that guys don't know where the actual boundaries start

[BOWHUNTER45]

No sense accusing someone of illegally hunting unless you actually see them harvest an animal out of the unit ...People camp where ever they want and then hike into the area .Just because you see someone walking across a hill side with a gun does not make him guilty of hunting in the wrong area    just saying and my 

[Knocker of rocks]

It deff believeable that guys don't know where the actual boundaries start

Most of the western and southern Pasayten is clearly and easily topographically defined by ridges

[mazama]

I don't do the high hunt but i have walked into wilderness from harts pass it is about 700-800 yds to the boundary.

[boneaddict]

It is a very common experience and am surprised how many do it and get away with it.    Lots of hunters are unethical and like to cheat.   You should hear how many gunshots you can hear on the day before the season begins.   Its crazy how many people feel they need to cheat just to kill something.

[RadSav]

When there were more clear cuts out of Skykomish we used to stop and talk to nearly a dozen high buck hunters a day road hunting.  We would show them the Alpine Wilderness boundary on the map.  Most would tell us we were wrong and just keep on road hunting.  Saw a few deer killed shot from the trucks too.  Now with the bonus point system maybe guys are a little more careful.  Back then we called the LEOs a few times.  Had one response in about five years of reporting it.  And then they spent more time giving my wife crap about bear hunting with a 257 Roberts than paying any attention to the poachers.