Swakane GMU 250 closures

[Biggerhammer]

Entiat's District Ranger, Janet Flanagan, has closed a good sized chunk of the Swakane unit to vehicles.  Six gates and two berms have been installed and the area's roads will be closed this season and no opening time has been given.  It "takes years for the burned area to recover".  This area burns frequently and is always reopened as soon as the fire goes out. The world record big horn sheep was taken in 2010 soon after this area burn; the ram has fire retardant on its back.

The closure includes most of the roads between Swakane Canyon and Entiat to the north and Roaring Creek to the Columbia River.  Here is a map of the closed area: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3823831.pdf

HAHA! That's not fire retardant. It's blood caused from two solid hits from a 300 WSM and yard sale of a roll down a steep canyon side. I KNOW!😉 and as much as it pains me to say, both bullets were launched from a Tikka. So much for friends don't let friends drive Tikka's.😕

[Rainier10]

Not sure how I missed this thread but WOW!

I saw these gates in place last year and they were open the week before the late archery season and closed when the season opened.  The signs said temporary closure but the was nothing temporary about those gates.

I agree with many on here gates are just away of taking more away.  It does free up maintenance money to use on open roads but I hate to see areas closed.  Most of the traffic on those roads just push the animals into steep and deep areas that most won't go hunting in anyways.  At least that is what I have noticed.

Those that can hike will still get to where they need to be but I hate the attitude of "you have to earn it."  That is just one step closer to it not just being a young and fit persons sport to a "he who has the most money" sport.  And the common guy gets the shaft.  The more stuff that they take away that doesn't affect you just lowers the number of people doing that activity and then you have nobody to stand and fight with you when they want to take away your access.  Once they get it narrowed down to just a few late season permit holders hunting the area they can just close it completely down to everyone.

Those roads are bad but they are not a ton worse because of the fires and by closing those roads they are not making egress better they are taking more options away for getting people out if in danger.

Just my