No weekday hunting at all on JBLM

[ZBird]

I hunted JBLM quite a lot in the past, but hadn't for a couple of years, so I was surprised and disappointed to find that there were only three training areas available for rifle on opening weekend of MF deer. But not as disappointed as I was today -- for some reason the range allocations were not yet posted online, so I called the Adventure Center just now to find out which areas were open to rifle this week. None are. Zero. I understand that training has to take precedence, but I sure didn't any training in the adjacent areas this weekend, so I don't think it's that. You'd think that the citizens of Washington would have some right to the animals on those vast tracts of land.

Which brings me to my next topic -- alternatives. Any suggestions? The tree farm permits are a little above my pay grade, even if they hadn't all sold out in the first few minutes of sale. I thought about checking out Capital Forest. I understand there's a lot of pressure, but I will be hunting on weekdays and I don't mind hiking in to get away from trails. I've got an all-day-comfortable tree stand, and would be looking for a likely intersection of game trails to sit on somewhere back in the sticks (assuming that all the clear cuts will have guys on them). Smart? Dumb?

Any help will be deeply appreciated.

[JDHasty]

I saw some nice bucks in Capital Forest up Waddel Creek Rd about a mile past Noschka Rd.   Timber above to the east of the road and reprod below (you should be able to find where I am talking about on Google Earth).  I don't hunt it and never have hunted it, but I camp there every year in July and there are bucks there.

I used to hunt Newakum Gardens area north of Alpha and Cinebar and it was crawling with deer. Wish I could be of more help, and if I think of anything else that you could access public land I will post it.   

[YoterHunter]

The new range master is a anti did the same thing last year. They want 20$ to be able to hunt on the base well give us some spots to hunt.  If he dosent like having rifles on the base lets go to shot gun slugs . If this feels up the adventure center is going to start loosing money. Or he's ever it goes to. Plus I noticed no pheasant hunting on We stay. All you military fokes need to complain that you want some place to hunt

[TechJeff]

Skookumchuck unit was full of sign on opening day. Watch out for pheasant hunters and deer that they push out of the intermediary woodlines.

[JDHasty]

Skookumchuck unit was full of sign on opening day. Watch out for pheasant hunters and deer that they push out of the intermediary woodlines.

Oh heck yea.  I was in the south end of Skookumchuck hunting pheasant last year and jumped a big buck right there.  It is nasty, really overgrown and canals cutting through it, but it was lousy with pheasant after Thanksgiving last year for about two weeks.  My dog wears a bell or I probably would have jumped more deer in that mess.  The one I jumped was actually in a canal, probably hiding, and was between my dog and me.  I was wading in water about up to my crotch and came around a bend in the canal and he just exploded out of the water about five yards from me. 

I have also seen nice deer up on the Port Blakely property behind Scatter Creek north and on then pole line north of Scatter Creek south release sites.  Scatter Creek itself is not legal for rifle I think. 

I wish I could be more help. 

[cookingdaily]

looks like 3, 15, an 17 are open fri, sat.  as well as compatible areas

[JDHasty]

If it were me, I think I would give 3N a try.  I wasn't aware that 3N included everything up to Perimeter Rd.  That slope above Mounts Rd used to be a bedding area delux.  They would cross the tracks by the overpass and go down below to feed.  Thirty years ago the lower area was an open meadow, it is now grown over pretty well.  Like I have posted on other threads, I used to practically live on 3N when I was in jr high and high school.  I never hunted deer there, but it was crawling w/deer thirty years ago and I don't see why it would not be this weekend. 

We used to shoot bandtails and would walk from Steilacoom along the tracks through Bragget's place and all the way to the Nisqually bridge. 

[ZBird]

Thanks for the kind replies. It no longer surprises me that the nicest people I meet are either at the gun club or on the hunter's forums.

I live in Tacoma, which explains my interest in JBLM -- it's close. However, I'm a Lutheran pastor, so hunting on Saturday is problematic, and Sunday impossible. That basically shuts down JBLM for me, given the current policy on range allocation. I haven't bow hunted in twenty years, but am thinking it might be time to get back into it.

I did go down to Capital Forest yesterday. The prevailing opinion on this forum seems to be that CF is overrun with hunters, but I have to say I didn't see all that many--maybe 8-10 vehicles all day. Maybe the overcrowding only applies to weekends (?) I found an awesome clearcut near the C-Line that I sat on all afternoon (until the fog rolled in), and never saw another hunter. Didn't see any deer, either, but will definitely try again.

Intend to scout Skookumchuck as well, per another of the recommendations above, but at this point most of the scouting is going to be for next year. It would sure be nice if the range allocations at JBLM could be loosened up a little, but I'm not holding my breath.