Finding public land (or private) in Stevens County

[Skycruiser]

This is in response to the post from firemechanic who's looking for public land to hunt in the Huckleberry unit. There's lots of public land to hunt in that unit and lots of private land too. Here's how to find the public land AND if you find a piece of private land you'd like to hunt, here's how to find out who owns it and how to contact them.

For maps, go here:
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/dataandmaps/maps/100k_product.html

Order the Nespelem and Chewelah quads online and you'll have them in two days. They're great maps and clearly display the public land and roads to get to them. You'll never be sorry you own them. With these in hand, no one can ever try to bluff you that you're hunting on their private land when you're not.

Then check out the Stevens County website. Start at the homepage http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/. Click the GIS (Geographical Information System) link, then the SC Mapbook link. There you can download maps like this:
http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/GIS/Maps/Page_12.pdf

The pink is public land administered by the DNR, same as shown on the quads you ordered, but not as detailed. If you find a section you like, you can get a satellite view from the Stevens County tax assessors site. Here's how to do it:

From the sample map above, lets say you're interested in Section 15. From the legend in the upper right, you can see that the full description is Township 36, Range 39, Section 15 (or, in GIS shorthand, 363915).

Go back to the homepage and clink the link for "Parcel Information on Assessor's Site". There, click the link for "Real Property Search", then click "I agree". On the search page, select "Legal Search" in the drop-down box and enter 363915 in the township/range/section box (leave the plat name box blank). Click the Legal Search button.

What pops up is a list of the taxable parcels in that section. In this case there are only two, because almost the whole section is public land. Click one. Now you can see the details of that parcel, including the owner, their mailing address, the size of the parcel and its designated use. Across the top of the page are a series of tabs. The far right one is "Section Maps". Click it. You now see a link labeled "Entire Section". Click it (or download it if you choose). It's a satellite view of the entire section, showing the terrain and the two legal parcels outlined in yellow. The remainder (labeled 8000367) is public land.

Is that cool, or what? Your tax dollars at work. Now you've got a new way to kill HOURS AND HOURS getting ready for hunting season!

[firemechanic]

Skycruiser, thanks for the info. I ordered the maps today. Do you think they're are any whitetails up that high?

[Skycruiser]

A doe tag in the Huckleberry unit is the closest thing to a deer-hunting slam dunk there is. There are whitetails all over the unit. Even without an opportunity to do any scouting, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a doe in a couple of days.

If you have time to do a little scouting, try to hunt within a half-mile of an alfalfa field. If alfalfa is available, especially if it's irrigated, it will be the deers' #1 food choice. You won't have any trouble finding trails through the woods nearby leading to it.  In the afternoon, set up about 200-400 yards back from the field and wait for them to come drifting through.

The ridgetops are generally pretty open and are prime spots to find deer crossing over to the shady side (north) in the morning and for stillhunting VERY SLOWLY during the middle hours, say 11:00 to 2:00. 

Post here and let us know how you do. Good luck!

[Lincoln4]

Thanks for the info.  I just used it for the area my kids and I hunt. 

[firemechanic]

Lincoln4-did you fill your tag?

[Lincoln4]

Not yet, I'm taking the kids over on the 12th.  They can whack a doe, so that's a pretty good deal.  I'll head back for man camp late season in November.  My buddy's family has a cabin in the area, pretty sweet deal!

[Palmer]

Thanks for the info.  I just used it for the area my kids and I hunt. 

I used to hunt just north of Chewelah and there were deer everywhere.  I'd see 2-5 deer a day and the population has only increased since 7 years ago.

[Lincoln4]

Got back on Wednesday.  My 12 year old got her first, a spike.  My 16 year old got his first, a doe.  Doesn't get much better than that.  My first time butchering...  One last night, one tonight.  I got a video from Kentucky (of all places) Fish and Wildlife which is actually pretty good.  Took me about 3 hours last night, and hopefully less tonight.   

[Lincoln4]

Only two hours for the second one

[Palmer]

Great, Congrats!!!  Every year will get better, too.

[Lincoln4]

I highly recommend it to everyone.  Let the butchers stick to beef and such...

[firemechanic]

Leaving friday morning to try and fill my whitetail doe tag. Wish us luck, we have 5 to fill.

[jonnyz94]

Awesome post Sky! Thanks a million!
Have also just used the same formula for lincoln county and now i'm going to try Pend O Reilly