Peaches - Planning through the hunt

[scudmaster]

Yeah I am sure it will be find. I am gonna pack in to the Norse Peak and hunt the high basins. So I think that will leave a lot of others behind. Heading in there this weekend so should start to get a better sense of scale for the place. Thanks all for talking me off the ledge.

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[rtspring]

No need to go in deep in either unit to kill big bulls,  just depends on what HUNT you want to experience.  I have a heck of a lot of experience in both units and have been deep in both.  I've never killed an elk or helped anyone with success in deep. 

Would not worry about other hunters, lots and lots of country, and a ton of elk. 

[Katmai Guy]

The bull in my avatar I shot in 346 from the road on my way home on my last day.  Not the biggest on the hill but I was on my way home.

  Pm me if you decide against steep and deep.

[scoutdog346]

mono pod that works as a walking stick also. works great for me...

[Stein]

Scouting trip 2 is in the books and I have two more scheduled before the hunt.  I was able to head in with my son and get a good lay of a completely different part of the unit.  I crossed a few areas of the area off the list, checked out several base camp sites and one potential spot that I need to check out again during the next trip.

I also found a spot that had 3 trucks at the trailhead as well as passing another two coming up when I was leaving.  It looked to be a great area, but I'm guessing it is grand central during the season.  If I am able to scout during muzzy season I will be able to verify this one way or another.

I talked to a guy up there and that coupled with a ton of research and scouting led me to what may be the best lead I have had so far.  I need to check it out, but the area looks very, very promising - no vehicle access, 2-3 miles of hiking in, great cover and feed as well as someplace I can get into several areas from the same access point.

Training is going fine, I found a huge set of stairs and I am focusing on maximizing vertical climb with a 30 pound pack.

The next trip will be a four day trip with my family.  I should be able to get daily early morning scouts as well as some serious windshield time scouting the closer to road areas I need to get a look at.

I appreciate all the guys in here that have given me pieces of the puzzle, this enabled me to start building alternate locations in case the primary ones I am developing don't pan out. 

The next month is going to be crazy as my son is scheduled for the youth duck opener and my daughter will be at the SCI youth doe hunt as well as trying to figure out how to punch my second deer tag either before or on my way to the Peaches hunt.  Then, I have a week or two before the blues buck hunt which I haven't even started to research yet.  Man, great problems to have and so unlike my average season.  I am very fortunate to have banked a ton of vacation and have a hunter for a boss.

[Brena.Hunter]

Norse Peak Fire Information:

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5509/

[dave24]

Well congrats on the draw it's a tuff hunt had tag last year not many animals lots of people and camps from deer to modern elk. All I can say is go high pacific crest trail no pressure there.

[Stein]

My third scouting trip was cancelled due to the fire and the previous two trips are in areas that are now burned.  It looks like best case scenario is they will be able to hold the fire at the 19 road, but that is far from certain now.

I sincerely hope all residents are safe as well as the fire crews.  My hunt means nothing compared to real problems many face.

Right now, I'm not planning any future scouting trips but have some open weekends if conditions improve.  I'll spend time desk scouting trying to figure out where the elk will go - if anyone has any ideas I'm all ears.  I don't think many people with the Peaches tag ever end up in 336, but that may be the place to start looking.  If the 19 road is closed, there is going to be quite a pumpkin patch on the SE checkerboard of 346 as it is the only place left.

[scudmaster]

If you return you tag they will reinstate your points. So that is something to consider. But had to be postmarked by today for archery.

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[Stein]

Well, I'm back from my last scouting trip and it went very well.  I scouted 3 areas and found a fourth potential that I didn't have time to go up into yet.  I also finalized on a base camp hunt and got my campsite and backup lined up.

On Sunday I went into a completely new area and found a backup spot that is great, but very well known.  I ran into 4 muzzy hunters plus 2-3 groups of ORV riders.  Hopefully the ORV activity lessens in the next few weeks with more snow and colder temps.

On Monday morning back into a different area I have been near before, I heard a single shot about 7 am and then two more at 9-10 when I was at my best spot, but nothing nearby.  I actually found what looks to be a very promising spot that had zero boot or tire tracks going in.  The fact that it wasn't hunted during the muzzy opener or frequented by ORV makes me smile, but on the down side, there were few signs of elk.  I didn't get up in there until 9 am, so they could have come and gone or they may mosey into there in the next few weeks or be pushed over when the season opens. 

I did find the motherload of deer spots on the top of a knob.  There were fresh droppings on top of week old stuff on top of ancient stuff every 5-10'.  There is a bit of overlap with the seasons, so I might be tempted to burn the buck tag I drew if I get sight of a nice mulie.

I had a chance at two grouse, one I passed as it was too close to where I wanted to glass and the other jumped down a steep ravine before I could figure out where my earplugs were.

Finally, I was high enough on Monday to see into the burn - man that is going to be a tag in 2-3 years.  Imagine entire drainage after drainage of black pencils poking out of a white snowy landscape.  It will be interesting to see what happens if they open it up before my season.

Overall, hunting pressure didn't seem very high, but there are 3 times the modern tags issued as muzzie.  What really surprised me was the number of trailers coming west on 410 when I was heading east on Monday.  I probably saw 10-15 hunters max.

I also just noticed that my opening weekend is the closing weekend for the general deer hunt, so that wasn't the best news around.  Between the close of general deer and the opening of general elk is three scant days where there will only be 110 tags out there.

Wrapping everything up, I decided that I will absolutely shoot the first bull 5x5 or bigger.

So, overall a great trip.  I have four solid spots plus another 1-2 if those go south.

[hunterofelk]

Did you see any elk?

[jstone]

  and was there still hot spots in the burn?

[Stein]

I didn't see any hotspots, the ground was covered with a thin layer of snow up high and solidly damp down below.  i did see a spot fire but it was way down by the 19 road by a campground and was being attended to.  Ground under trees was relatively dry still.

I didn't lay eyes on elk, but got close enough to smell one and followed a separate set of tracks up a different game trail to a steaming pile and let him go.  I promised myself not to get excited or dejected if I saw a bunch or none as they will likely be in different spots in almost 3 weeks. 

I also wasn't at any spotting locations until 9 am and off by 5, so I wasn't there during prime times.

[rtspring]

Dont put to much into thd deer hunters scaring  away the elk, the area gets little pressure for deer.  Most that hunt deer drive the roads, so not much to worry about. 

[Stein]

Well, the alarm went off this morning and I can't believe it's actually time.  I hope that almost forgetting the wood stove is the closest I come to forgetting something important.

Deep thanks to all that provided a piece of the puzzle and good luck to the other 109 tag holders and everyone in the field this weekend.

Feel free to anyone to drop by, I will be in the Cabelas Bighorn tent and have the green Chevy with a maroon canopy.