2008 High Buck??S

[MikeWalking]

Looking forward to next season and I'm wondering about a few things, access mainly. I've been a hiker & backpacker most of my life, done more trails than I remember and I've tried to get some in every season.  I love snowshoe camps...

Now that I think about it I've never crossed paths with any Hunters hiking into the high country for that season.

Now I'm not asking for anyones "favorite-secret" spot/trail. But some recommended trailheads?

After a couple run-ins with Feral (?) dogs I now hike with a visible side arm (although I may hang a hat over it when close to the trailhead) My ongoing concern is crossing paths with someone who will "freak" at the sight of a gun on the trail.

So, any hints on which trailheads into the proper GMU's might not have much in the way of non-hunters on them would be greatly appreciated.

Hey, any and all comments welcome.

[Chesapeake]

I only know a few trail heads so I wont point you to an exact trail, but I can offer some of my observations up.

By september most of the granola crowd has left the woods for the most part. I stay away from the PCT. It attracts the through hikers and seems to attract the most hikers. You dont want hikers laughing and joking as they tromp along the ridge above the medow you were attempting to hunt.

I also stay away from trails that the outfitters use, or those that are horse friendly. It will ruin your hunt if you hike for several miles just to have an outfit with several hunters come in on horses and crowd you out.

You will probably also want to avoid the trails that are an easy few mile hike to a lake type trails. They seem to attract the late season day hikers, and campers.

I have yet to meet a person on the trail that did anything more than give me dirty looks. By far the majority of the people are nice and polite.

[Ridgerunner]

The easier a place is to get into the more people you will see. 

[wrangler]

who cares, let em freak. i always run in to 'those' types on the high hunt, or during bear season and it makes for some good stories after a long hike. one lady, or guy or whatever it was asked me what i was carrying a pistol for, i told it 'for a while'.... well it then got all erked and lectured me on how if i would just walk down the trail yelling 'hey bear' every 100 feet or so that would scare them away, and if i did see one and it attacked that 'bear spray' would be much more effective than a gun. uhhhhhhhh huh.... good luck with that as your scalp is being ripped off. freak show.

[dbllunger]

Actually the pepper spray does work better then a firearm on attacking bears!!!!  Been proven many times over.  I have packed it in Grizzly country and will again when I go back.  Only problem is to be sure it is good you need to replace it often.  Will probably spray just fine, but would not want to have it fail.  Better spray some yourself to get a understanding of contamination as the stuff burns like hell.
    My normal response to bark eaters and owl humpers when they question what I do is "Well,  why are you (fill in blank on their activity)?  There usual response is because they enjoy it and how much self satisfaction and interaction they are getting out of it.  I then reply "I guess you answered your own question, kind of like I always tell my kids" and walk off.  By the time the realize you just female dog slapped them I'm back doing what I was. 

[Cougeyes]

The bear spray works well for bees too.  But i was carrying it one day and got rushed by a black bear...didn't even think of grabbing it because it happened so fast, but luckily the bear stopped at about 15 feet and we had a stare down for what seemed forever but it was more like 5 seconds.

[WonkyWapiti]

While bow hunting for elk I come across some whack jobs on the west side.  It amazes me the lack of common sense some of these anti-hunters have when my friends and I have been confronted by a lone hiker who decides to take on the group of us in an argument.  This has happened a couple of times to our little group.  This past season it happened while we were on private land that we had sole access to and had been instructed by the landowner to run off trespassers.  This hiker was actually trespassing himself and we were walking out of a morning hunting spot and we had moved to one side of the trail in a single file line to allow him to pass.  But no, this guy couldn't keep his mouth shut and had to start in on us. 

Well long story short of it he starts making up all these stories about the Sheriff's dept coming out to this area and arresting all sorts of hunters, etc, etc.  Some of the guys I hunt with are deputies and they proceeded to correct his blatant lie.  I'm sure some others would have attached him to tree by his underwear to let him think of things for a bit.  I really enjoy my time spent deer hunting in Eastern Washington, the difference in the attitudes towards hunting is amazing.

[high country]

if you run into the anti's just inform them that it is a misdemenor crime to harass a sportsman. then you could throw in something like, "I really appreciate it as it allows me a longer season and two extra tags, one of which is for a baby seal. they give us the tags for turning in harassing terrorists in commision of a hate crime"

[Skyvalhunter]

Well I would say that it is our duty to give a perception to the public that we are not a threat to them. If we go about it with an attitude than we will undoubtly recieve it. I always say hello to hikers when I am on the trail hiking into hunt. If a person should come across an abrasive hiker or tree hugger just keep calm and turn the other cheek. For sure if confrontations occur they will put every hunter in the same "all a bunch of a-holes" pot. Just like when unethical hunters give the rest of us a bad reputation. Sure we could beat the krap out of them and hang them from their undies in a tree but it is easier to be diplomatic about it. I walk away with have a good day response.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Well I would say that it is our duty to give a perception to the public that we are not a threat to them. If we go about it with an attitude than we will undoubtly recieve it. I always say hello to hikers when I am on the trail hiking into hunt. If a person should come across an abrasive hiker or tree hugger just keep calm and turn the other cheek. For sure if confrontations occur they will put every hunter in the same "all a bunch of a-holes" pot. Just like when unethical hunters give the rest of us a bad reputation. Sure we could beat the krap out of them and hang them from their undies in a tree but it is easier to be diplomatic about it. I walk away with have a good day response.

Got to agree with that. 

[Bighorse]

Ya, I have to agree with the avoid trails with easy access and that head back to a lake bit.  While I like those trails too I've only been met with more people when heading back into an area like that.

Ridge running is always a good option.  That usually gets you into "no-mans-land".  When the hiking gets really tough is when the hunting is at its best in my opinion.   

It would help if you posted a specific wilderness area you were very serious about. 

Like I'm really serious about the Henry Jackson for next year.  I went back there for the past two years and worked out some access issues.  Finally I think I've got a good game plan for hunting some nice remote country in there.  I'm also working out the kinks for an Alpine hunt too.  I purchase the green trail maps for all the areas I'm researching and always keep them handy durring the year.  I read them like a book sometimes.

[MikeWalking]

This may not be the right place but I'm going to throw in my 2cents on Bear Spray.  It only works if the wind is not in your face..even with the wind at your back it can come back at you (had it happen..can you say cleeeaaarr sinuses?) Also if a Bear is in full charge it may run you over before it knows it has been sprayed.

On my last trip to Alaska, up to Lake Peters on the flank of Mount Chamberlin I had the chance to converse with a beautiful Blond Grizzly. After snapping a few pictures it became clear he was sniffing my trail back to my tent and was not put off by my shouted suggestions to go away. My final comments to him came while looking through the sights of my trusty 1895gs. With a stiff wind off the Arctic Ocean in my face Spray was not an option, but I still had some...Luckily for us both he stopped short of the "Line"....don't know if it means anything but he crapped a lot walking away.

The summer before that my pilot had 3 customers much less fortunate. One was a man who has hiked ANWR side to side many times.  2 days short of finishing he surprised a Griz in some willows. It took a chunk out of his thigh and had him pinned face down before he was able to get to and use his spray.  It worked. He got home minus a chunk of thigh, but he got home.

The other two were killed on the Hulahula, in their tent. Both Spray and Rifle unused.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0510/whats_new/anwr_grizzly_attacks.html


What's my point? Not sure myself...Guess people need to realize no one option will always be the best. Each has their ups & downs  (I hear Bear Spray doesn't work on Black Bears very well) It's your life your protecting.  How you do it is your business and yours alone.

Having grown up on Dirt Bikes I know all about protecting your sport from bad PR. Most everywhere I rode as a kid is now closed.  I don't suffer the Self Righteous well at all but I know I have to think about the larger picture and leave people with a positive view of me. Or at least not give them reason to go off on the next hunter they see. Many will have their petty, poorly thought out reasons anyway.