mica peak moose

[quadrafire]

It could be that since IEP has closed it off to motorized vehicles less people are getting into it that deep. Now it's a boot hunt, Horse's, 2 wheeled transit.

The Mica unit is very limited to motorized access anyway. Gonna be a hoof hunt regardless

[boneaddict]

Mica peak is not steep and deep.  It's not even a foothill compared to half the country I frequent.   I've also never used a four wheeler in my entire life. 

[Ridgeratt]

Bone I do think you are the exception to the rule!!!

It used to be a Motorcycle area here in Spokane and it had tons of riding trails. Until IEP closed it off.

[quadrafire]

Mica peak is not steep and deep.  It's not even a foothill compared to half the country I frequent.   I've also never used a four wheeler in my entire life.

Not steep and deep, but it is a pretty big area (bigger than it seems on a map). The bad thing about it from the areas I access, west (Belmont) and south (Starr rd) is foot traffic only and you probably need to get in at least 2 miles to get into the "moose country"

[JLS]

There's a whole lot more to that unit than just Mica Peak.  Moose numbers are just fine.

[deerhuntr4885]

I have the cow tag.  I have not been over there yet, but plan to hunt it with horses.  I have been hearing the same thing.  Fewer moose but still around.  Anybody with a bull tag wanna send me their number I will definitely pass on any info on Bulls I find. 

[splitshot]

  we are scouting sat and sun.  my friend has a bull tag.  my son lives in Spokane and he has been out 4-5 times.   we are then going up next wed to look around and hunt the next 4 days, then hunt hard in nov.      mike w

[nwwanderer]

Lots of nooks, crannies and dog hair stuff that will make for a tough day if the kill is a ways in.  It may look mild from the road, not so much.  Try the Avista powerline if you have the IEP permit.

[Labs07]

I hunt Mica quite a bit on the WA side.  I have seen a few moose this year and I've only been out a handful of times.  Go in through the IEP land and take a bicycle it makes it much easier to get around.  All the moose I've seen they have been walking on the logging roads off the main road. 

[splitshot]

   
we(3 0f us)  scouted mica peak area sunday.  after walking 12.7 miles no meese, no elk, and no grouse.  also no humans.  some sign in the logging roads but not much.    we were going to go up Wednesday but we will wait for 2 weeks, too hot.   drank 2 bottles of water and ran out.   I repeat , toooo hot.  mike w

[quacksmoker]

I've spent a few days last week on Mica and was a bit surprised. I didn't see any moose which was a bit odd and all the sign was old. I didn't see any deer sign either, no tracks, droppings, or anything else. Old elk sign, but nothing recent. Tons of cat poop, it was everywhere. I also came across two kills along the road. I didn't actually see what it was, but smelled really bad and there was something definitely dead. I think the predators are doing a number on them in the area I hunt. I was up high on the property and covered over 9 miles on day, and hunted another 4 the following day. Deer appeared to be avoiding the roads and would just move across the roads from one area of brush to another.

[splitshot]

  we found a bull but don't know if it is over 40 in.    might save him for a couple of weeks.   mike w

[Limhangerslayer]

We are heading up there Friday for a cow hunt.   Is the rut going good right now?

[huntnnw]

I know one thing its NOT wolves...I spend more time up there than everyone combined on this thread. I live minutes from the gate and know many farmers around the mt. I have never heard a wolf howl, seen a track or captured one on cam in 10+ years of running cams with 50,000 pics a year in the area. I hear of a random 1 or 2 wolves that pass thru and thats about it. In the 10+ years of running cams I finally got a cat on cam just this year.

 Is there something up? YUP! The ID side it still pretty good as I see a ton of bulls in cuts there still. I watched 7 bulls in one cut!!  I with others think the ticks are killing off the moose. I saw 3 this year that shoulda died this spring. Since 2009 that unit has gone down hill considerably. It was nothing years ago to go up to mica peak and find nice bulls and some giants with little to no effort! now its a feat to turn up a 42" bull!  yes there is more to mica peak to this unit, but its mostly private and lotted up so bad that it makes hunting moose that way super difficult to downright impossible.

[RadSav]

Is this in the blue tongue affected area?  I know that is not suppose to affect moose, but might explain the smells and lack of deer if it is.