GMU 667, SKOOKUMCHUCK success???

[kwalk15203]

Hey Yall,
I am active duty from Mississippi and it seems like back home its easier to find the public to hunt no matter the pressure on the animals there was always quality land to hunt.

So that brings me to my first question, I used the Go hunt mapping app from the WDWF website to find some public land nearby to lacey where I live. From what I found there was some land managed by DNR that I thought was public to hunt. I mapped out a route to a spot on my google maps and departed around 12 this afternoon. Everything was looking good till I got about half a mile from the edge of the "public" land, then out of nowhere there was gates and signs everywhere saying posted. With further frustrated searching I tried to find another route to access the piece of land. Just to let yall know, this land is about two miles east of Tenino off of 507. So my first question is why would there be gates on the only road to what I thought was public land or so told by the GO Hunt app from the WDWF website.

Well, after I had given up on finding access, I knew that I could hunt on the Skoomkumchuck wildlife area. I have gone fishing down there before over the summer so was relatively familiar with the land. I got down there and of course there were some trucks but it didn't bother me. I parked down at the USGS parking area and walked across the street to do some hunting in the fields over there. I saw a good amount of fresh sign and of course people traffic all around but I know it only takes acouple minutes of silence for deer to come out. So my next question is, how much success have people had around that area? I'm not asking for honey holes or anything like that, but could I expect to see some deer? And, I didn't specify but I'm hunting late muzzleloader for deer and elk this year.

I'll also be hunting on base when the training areas are open, but any help with some of this stuff would be appreciated greatly.

thanks guy,

[sRaud]

I live in rainier and hunted the area hard until Weyerhaeuser made it permit only there is a lot of elk and deer out there.. You just have to put in the time and learn the area.

[kwalk15203]

yeah i saw the all the wherehouser gates and the signs by the parking area, but is there no other public land other than that wildlife area?

[huntnfmly]

There is green diamond land off of thompson creek rd.i am just learning the area myself

[kwalk15203]

I'll have to look it up, I have the next two weeks off work. So I'll do my best.

[biggfish]

If you've got a 4x4 you can poke around up Ladd Pass  that is on the east side of Skookumchuck.

[kwalk15203]

@biggfish would there be signs or something telling me where the boundaries are?

[biggfish]

No but it won't connect to weyco land, but you will need a discover pass.

[BigGoonTuna]

i've looked for access to the huge chunk of DNR land between tenino and rainier without much luck myself.  there is a gate that leads to it off johnson creek road about a half mile from skookumchuck road, but doesn't appear to be much help.  really wish there was some kind of easement, all the access roads seem to be in people's back yards...

[Bullkllr]

I think all of the gates on JC Road are on Weyco property. Last couple times I was in on that side there were multiple guys on quads coming from private property anyway.

[fishnfur]

The harvest numbers are really good in Skookumchuck, but I never found enough public land to make it worthwhile even scouting the area.  I'd either hunt Capitol Forest DNR land or the DNR lands west of Pe Ell if it were me.  Should be no access problems in either of those areas.

[kwalk15203]

@fishnfur ive actually plan on trying to hunt some DNR land over by adna off of bunker creek. just google scouted it but haven't made the trip out yet.