Free: Contests & Raffles.
I was told that the North End held a lot more animals??? any truth to that? Well i guess i will see what happens?? I'll be up scouting this weekend, Maybe I'll hold out just shy of the wilderness...?
The elk pops have decreased quite a bit in the last 10 years in the Adams area IMO. As with anywhere, there are pockets/sidehills/benches throughout the general area that the resident elk frequent at some point throughout the season (think 5300-5500' elevation, hint...hint). No big herds there come hunting season for sure but a handfull of small bunches seem to lurk in the same areas each year (I'm speaking of archery season only as that's where my knowledge base comes from). Some areas betwen the main road (west side) and the PCT trail are almost unreachable (from the main road, to the E) unless you work in on the PCT trail and drop into them (hint, hint). There are quite a few hunters that frequent the PCT during the archery season but many don't get too far from the trail. You'll hear them squeaking their hoochie mamas some days . Carry a few mini snickers and other small sweet snack items with you if you use the PCT for ingress at all; I share them with the long range hikers coming up from the south. In doing so, they'll be extremely gratefull for a non-backpack sack snack and happy to tell you where they've seen or heard elk on their trek thru the cascades . On those rare years when you get rain in archery season, the mushroom pickers swarm into the roaded areas. Watch what you leave in your truck at the trailhead and in camp. Most but not all mushroom pickers are good folks.
Quote from: Phantom16 on June 29, 2015, 12:04:32 PM\\The woods on the west side of the mountain are so choked that the elk numbers have fallen steadily in the 20 years I've been hunting that area. If I had two good hips, I'd be working the burn area from a couple of years ago on the south-side. That should be rich with grasses by now and I imagine a magnet for hungry ungulates. Much of that is the MA Wilderness.
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Hoodoo from Oregon is running most camps now. They Charge$ I think it was 12$? Camp boondock close to a horsecamp(except Cody-No water potable) so you can grab some water if need be. Horseshoe Lake camp is one I like and the road has been cleaned up, but dusty.
Sounds like they closed most of the wilderness down now due to a fire had some friends backpacked in there and they got the boot
Nastybynature, I was also looking at checking out Quartz creek area. Now that i know that is one spot you want i'll lay low for a bit, don't want to step on your heels. You know if that area gets hit pretty hard or not?
where are the three new fires that started last night?
I had the Oct. 1 rifle tag several years ago. Most incredible elk hunt I have been on. Went over three different times before the season. Talked to a lot of bow hunters that all had the same story, hard to find until the rut starts. Then it gets pretty wild. Walked for three days before the season without much sign then got a tip from a PCT hiker. Night before opening day we were at the top of the Stagmen trail listening to six bulls going off in the timber below the intersection with the PCT. Was back up there at daylight the next morning and the elk were all going nuts. One of the bulls sounded like a total terradactal. Did not ever see him. Saw two nice fives spinning in circles until a spike ran right between them. Blew it on a nice five, missed ahead shot as he was boiling downhill. Next afternoon after showers and laundry at Troutlake we walked up Riley creek from the highway. A mile or so up the hill my buddy said he thought he heard a bugle. A minute later a bull cut lose with a bugle that sounded like it was right on top of us. I about came out of my boots. He told me he was going to try to cow call, bugling in days prior brought no responses. I scooted up about thirty yards to be able to see better as it was still pretty thick. As soon as he cow called a bull came walking in, I thought it was a spike because of the thick brush, Above me about sixty yards I could see the branches on a large tree moving back and forth. It finally dawned on me that it was a big bull standing right behind the tree. The spike was still standing there at thirty yards looking right at me. He finally turned and I could see that he was a nice forked horn double. I shot him, with no regrets as I had to go back to work on Monday. My buddy said another bull came and went that I did not see and another was circling behind us when I shot. Muddy Meadows is another spot on the north side that has been good over the years. I believe we walked 10 plus miles a day up there so unless you spike camp be ready for that
