Upper Smith Creek Bull Tag!

[elkhunter00]

The guy at Kiona is Jay Payne. Known him forever. I had the Smith Creek cow tag last year. I danced around a 5 point bull nearly the entire permit season. Even last day I was sitting about 200 yards above him bedded down until dark. I repeatedly tried to get the guy with the Bull tag on him, but he eventually settled for a spike.

[Chesapeake]

 "Bushwacking" You really haven't seen the unit at all have you! You'll have fun.

[luvmystang67]

"Bushwacking" You really haven't seen the unit at all have you! You'll have fun.

Well, I mostly meant that there don't appear to be established trails where I'd like to go (like most hunting), so I'm headed off trail as if I were hunting.  I've spent several hours looking over green trails maps, the gohunt app and aerial views on google and bing.  I've got a decent idea of what I'm looking at.  Trying to find the best way in might be where I screw it up the first time around.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I keep thinking about if I had a Smoke Pole tag in there for a Bull Elk... No way could I continue to go to work from now until the hunt was over..... Gonna be a great hunt for you!!!!

[youngbull]

Stay high and glass i had best luck in the mornings then drop down
watch the thermals youll see when tge fog lifts or blows out

[luvmystang67]

My weekend plan:

Get home from work... Sleep.

Wake up at ~3am or so and make the long drive down (planning to take the sedan instead of the truck).

Hope to park at the observatory at the end of 99 and walk in along the Loo-Wit bike path that goes towards Plains of Abraham and drop down some of the fingers from there.

Spending tomorrow night out there... somewhere.  TBD

See lots of elk/elk sign and get super excited.

Return home exhausted, immediately post pictures to hunt-wa.

 

This is my first solo overnight backpacking trip.  We'll see how that goes.  I don't LOVE being alone in the woods at night, so that will be exciting (pansy, I know).

[Magnum_Willys]

You are in the heart of Bigfoot country but dont let that scare ya.  Take a camera tho. 

[kentrek]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/hunt_info/pumice/index.html

So you can't scoute off the trail...or camp "out there"

It's a $500 fine

Not to be redundant,just pointing this out

[kentrek]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/hunt_info/pumice/index.html

So you can't scoute off the trail...or camp "out there"

It's a $500 fine

Not to be redundant,just pointing this out

Or maybe you can scoute off trail in the smith creek until ?? But you can't camp ?? I'd call

[luvmystang67]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/permits/hunt_info/pumice/index.html

So you can't scoute off the trail...or camp "out there"

It's a $500 fine

Not to be redundant,just pointing this out

Or maybe you can scoute off trail in the smith creek until ?? But you can't camp ?? I'd call

Thanks, already called. The "Pummice Plain" area is not available for dispersed camping.  Everything east and south of the 99 road (opposite side of Spirit Lake) is open for dispersed camping, which is the Upper Smith Creek unit.   

[kentrek]

Who did you talk to ? Cuz it's the third bullet point on the restrictions about camping in the monument...should be the same restrictions as in the MT margret

The monument boundary is the smith creek trail which is also the unit boundary 

I guess we can start another thread about confusing regulations 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

This will be a very good Squatch research mission! Please post your findings in the BIGFOOT thread. Thanks!

[luvmystang67]

Who did you talk to ? Cuz it's the third bullet point on the restrictions about camping in the monument...should be the same restrictions as in the MT margret

The monument boundary is the smith creek trail which is also the unit boundary 

I guess we can start another thread about confusing regulations 

I believe I talked to Mary?  Lol, I called the office number listed on the dispersed camping regulations.  Here's what I've been able to find.

If you download the .pdf on this site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mountsthelens/maps-pubs
It shows you areas that you can and cannot go/camp/hike/whatever.  The fact that they list places where you cannot camp would indicate to me that you can camp anywhere that ISN'T in those particularly protected area.

Also, on the VNM site, there's a pamphlet about dispersed camping, indicating that it is at least allowed in SOME places in the VNM.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/mountsthelens/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=34143&actid=34

And... confirmed by Mary.  So there ya go, that's all I know.

If I'm confused, at least I have a solid story that indicates why I might be confused.

[kentrek]

Ya that's where it gets confusing....there's no camping period in the pumice plains area but camping is allowed in the rest of the monument BUT only at the designated camping locations  that's why the norway pass is a pain due to the hikers always taking up the specific camping locations 

That's how I took it at least...if your rite then there's a few Norway pass hunters that would love to know they can camp where ever


Your 2nd link worked but the info never popped up


Either way good luck ! Youl get a whole better idea of what's going on once you look at the area in person 

[luvmystang67]

Ya that's where it gets confusing....there's no camping period in the pumice plains area but camping is allowed in the rest of the monument BUT only at the designated camping locations  that's why the norway pass is a pain due to the hikers always taking up the specific camping locations 

That's how I took it at least...if your rite then there's a few Norway pass hunters that would love to know they can camp where ever


Your 2nd link worked but the info never popped up


Either way good luck ! Youl get a whole better idea of what's going on once you look at the area in person 

Both links require you to click on further links that will download pdf files.  I didn't directly link the PDFs.  If dispersed camping was not allowed in the entire monument area, I wouldn't expect the monument to have a pamphlet on dispersed camping.  Basically, the way I understand this per conversation with the monument office and the listed documents is that you can camp wherever you want (dispersed camping, outside of designated sites) as long as you're not in one of the 3 restricted zones.  Also, it appears Mt. Margaret has camping permits required, so that would be one additional regulation in that area.  The rest is a respectful free-for-all.

I don't have a good handle on the Norway Pass exact area, but dispersed camping should be golden there, they just might need an overnight permit depending on how the hunt area corresponds to the Mt. Margaret "camping permit required" area.