High Buck Hunt & Wilderness Areas

[OPtrah]

Anyone know much about the buckhorn wilderness on the Peninsula? Been doing some hiking in that area this summer and could be a cool place to hunt. Didn’t want to step on any toes if guys are already hunting it. Relatively small wilderness with limited access.

Being so close to a few towns with a lot of generational knowledge passed down, there are a number of guys that just show up on opening morning and know exactly where to be.  A couple of those guys have all the long range set ups.  Some of the areas are only a few miles so you won't see camps, they just hike up the trail early in the dark.  Some of them have been hiking the area all summer and move into different areas and are successful that way too.  Probably be at least one group aways in with a couple horses.  I'd say you have to either beat them into those areas or have an area that's just not known to traditionally hold 3 pt + bucks.  I think a good number of the bucks are in the higher elevation valleys inside of the park and don't really come out into the buckhorn until mid/late October.

Thanks Hoffa, that’s the type of info I was looking for.

[ganghis]

Nothing new under the sun.  Fires are creating log jams the last few years.  It's ok.  If you took all the people who have ever high hunted and put the number of hunts they did on a chart, the most common number would be 1. Smoke filled, dude filled seasons should spike that number. Considering the rate at which tag sales decrease in WA every year, folks should be able to find a quiet place to hunt in the coming years.

Tag numbers might be going down statewide, but seems like there's more enthusiasm than ever for backpack hunts - probably because of guys like Remi Warren, Randy Newberg, and Ryan Lampers.  This isn't definitive but I was curious and looked at modern firearm hunter numbers for the Pasayten from 2013-present... numbers were

302, 322, 346, 322, 208, 295, 324, 375

Pretty consistent except for the drop in 2017 (fire/access issue?), with the highest being 2020 (covid effect?).  Would be interesting if wdfw split out high hunt numbers specifically but they don't do it right now

[GASoline71]

At one time there were only three parts of wilderness open to high buck hunts.  Pasayten, Glacier Peak and one on the western Cascade by Skykomish.  From that time more wilderness spots were added.  I started hunting the high hunt in 1977 and this is how it was when I started.

Alpine Lakes Area.  Hunted High Buck in there back in the early 90's.... once.  lol

Gary

[GASoline71]

Anyone know much about the buckhorn wilderness on the Peninsula? Been doing some hiking in that area this summer and could be a cool place to hunt. Didn’t want to step on any toes if guys are already hunting it. Relatively small wilderness with limited access.

There are roads that lead right up to the boundary and then there are a few trails that go in.  Be prepared to lock the hubs on some of those trails.  They are no joke.  Elevation lines on the topo maps are stacked super close almost everywhere. Hunted High Buck for 4 days in there in the 1990's and all we saw were mountain goats.  Lol.

Gary

[pickardjw]

I'm definitely a newcomer to the backpack hunting scene. Adult onset hunter, definitely inspired by some of the guys on youtube/netflix to get into hunting in general and backcountry hunting. Going into my 3rd year without spotting a legal buck (all modern / late rifle seasons) and chalking that up to paying my dues and trying to learn without taking shortcuts.

I think what's pushing me into the backcountry more than anything is the frustrations hunting around truck campers & road hunters. That and gaining more experience backpacking in the summers.

Had big plans to scout my butt off this summer and then my buddy offered me a deal I couldn't pass up on a boat so I spent it fishing lol. Going in this year having been pushed out of our original spot by fires to a brand new spot we've never been. We're mostly just hoping to see a legal buck at some point and enjoy exploring some new country! As my coworkers say, enjoy hiking with your rifle!