Mica Peak Moose Hunters

[Machias]

I don't know if what I am about to post is completely accurate, but wanted to pass this along.  I was checking out of the Mica Peak Gate area of the Inland paper company land.  There were two guys from WA, pretty agitated, and rightly so.  They had accessed the WA area of Mica on bicycles from the Idaho side, since it is SUPPOSED to be closed to motorized traffic, which it has not been all summer due to them logging in certain areas and some of the access roads are no longer kelly humped.  I guess they rode in quite a ways and there were folks running all over the areas with ATVs and side by sides.  However what had them really ticked, and ticked me off as well is the nearly complete moose carcass rotting away.  According to the gate attendant 2 bull moose had been harvested on the Monday.  One was a couple he knows and they came prepared with several coolers and a flatbed and hauled their bull out.  The other was a couple of guys who "supposedly" shot a bull and left with the head and a little meat and told the gate attendant they would be back yesterday to pack out the meat, but never returned.  The two agitated guys could see quite a few birds on a carcass down in a steep bowl area.  I did not personally see the carcass, so I don't know how much if any of the meat was removed, just going off what the gate attendant told me.  Hopefully someone did not waste a bull moose for the head.   

[benhuntin]

You will never get away from atv's in this state.


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[ctwiggs1]

Report it!

[Machias]

Report it!

Did that before I posted here.

[Timberstalker]

Wow.  Sickening.

[Machias]

It will be an easy case for WDFW to figure out one way or the other.  The gate attendant has the individual's names and the location of the carcass.  I'm hoping they (the successful hunters) went back in and salvaged the meat and these guys just saw birds feeding on a large gut pile....but it did not sound like that was the case.

[quadrafire]

Who in their right mind would apply for an OIL tag and only take the head and a little bit of meat? If true that is just plain nuts.......

[TheHunt]

I love moose meat.  I would have gone with them just to take all the moose meat.   Too bad.

[jmscon]

I love moose meat.  I would have gone with them just to take all the moose meat.   Too bad.

[boneaddict]

It will be an easy case for WDFW to figure out one way or the other.  The gate attendant has the individual's names and the location of the carcass.  I'm hoping they (the successful hunters) went back in and salvaged the meat and these guys just saw birds feeding on a large gut pile....but it did not sound like that was the case.

I hope you are right.   Like you said though, they are well documented if they chose to waste it.

[bowhunterforever]

What a shame

[Machias]

I have a BAD feeling it will be even worse next week as WA Elk Muzzleloader season opens up in that area.  Let me know if I can help at all.

[steeleywhopper]

I have a BAD feeling it will be even worse next week as WA Elk Muzzleloader season opens up in that area.  Let me know if I can help at all.

I'm afraid of that as well. I didn't see hide nor hair of deer or elk in there. I will keep you posted and thanks for the help offer, I think I'm going to need some.

[stickbuck]

Always a good chance at muzzy pressure, but when I was in there last year for my antlerless tag I only saw two elk hunters and that was at first light. Never saw them again once the day got rolling. Never saw any elk or heard any bugling despite having a fair number of them on my cams in there.


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[huntnphool]

I love moose meat.  I would have gone with them just to take all the moose meat.   Too bad.

+1

[steeleywhopper]

Always a good chance at muzzy pressure, but when I was in there last year for my antlerless tag I only saw two elk hunters and that was at first light. Never saw them again once the day got rolling. Never saw any elk or heard any bugling despite having a fair number of them on my cams in there.


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That country is big enough and the fact that that meat is coming out on your back is issue enough. I guess unless you don’t follow the laws and take a dirt bike in to get your moose out then it’s only the hike in that hurts a bit. I will go in and hunt hard for my cow but I also know it’s going to hurt coming out every step of the way. It will just make it taste that much better if I connect.

[deerhuntr4885]

When I had this tag the security guard gave me his number and told me to call him when I got my moose down.  He unlocked the gate and let us drive in to retrieve it.  That may have been the case with the motorcycle rider you saw. I am sure the ATV's were not allowed to hunt from.

[hunt3636223]

When I had this tag the security guard gave me his number and told me to call him when I got my moose down.  He unlocked the gate and let us drive in to retrieve it.  That may have been the case with the motorcycle rider you saw. I am sure the ATV's were not allowed to hunt from.

Ditto this.  I called the IEP security guy last year after I shot my cow and he unlocked the gate for me to drive up Starr Road.

[NRA4LIFE]

That's sickening if someone wasted nearly an entire bull.  The IEP land I was hunting last year in 124 was open to ATVs whether the gates were closed or not.  Is that not the case down by Mica?

[steeleywhopper]

This was not on Starr road this was up through Weller on the Idaho side. I’ve talked to a bunch of officials including Game Warden and they are not allowing any access to motorcycle in through the Idaho side, IEP officials and gate security said absolutely none allowed this year.

[jackelope]

Who in their right mind would apply for an OIL tag and only take the head and a little bit of meat? If true that is just plain nuts.......

The guy that killed the bull in a hole then realized how big they are and decided it wasn't worth the work.

[BULLBLASTER]

That's sickening if someone wasted nearly an entire bull.  The IEP land I was hunting last year in 124 was open to ATVs whether the gates were closed or not.  Is that not the case down by Mica?

The area between Starr road and the Idaho borderish is designated nonmotorized access only.

[quadrafire]

That's sickening if someone wasted nearly an entire bull.  The IEP land I was hunting last year in 124 was open to ATVs whether the gates were closed or not.  Is that not the case down by Mica?

The area between Starr road and the Idaho borderish is designated nonmotorized access only.

Yes but they come in from the private ground around there all the time.

[Machias]

WDFW is investigating.

[huntnnw]

That's sickening if someone wasted nearly an entire bull.  The IEP land I was hunting last year in 124 was open to ATVs whether the gates were closed or not.  Is that not the case down by Mica?

The area between Starr road and the Idaho borderish is designated nonmotorized access only.

Yes but they come in from the private ground around there all the time.

Yup! I've been running people out of the Idaho side and also talked with the IDFG guy in the area about areas they are getting in to help keep people out. There's just way to many places to access it from post falls to Freeman

[coop2424]

This is so frustrating that people don't respect the animals or the land owners.  This is how property gets shut down then those people will be the ones complaining.  I can't wait to be hunting the Idaho side for moose come nov 1 with the wife.