High buck wilderness areas - When is it too early to scout?

[Fader31]

Hi, for a little context, I want to start doing some backpack hunting trips this year. I've done a fair amount of backpacking and I grew up hunting deer and elk in Colorado and Utah, but for some reason I haven't ever done the high buck hunt in Washington even though I've lived here most of my life.

I'd like to start getting out to scout by foot as soon as possible. Can anyone recommend a wilderness area that is accessible enough to start checking out now, or do I need to wait until later in the year for enough snow to clear? I don't mind driving so any of the wilderness areas in the state are fair game. I enjoy doing the legwork to find good hunting spots, but I don't want to drive for hours just to find that the areas that looked good on maps are still snowed in. Any help is appreciated.

[Bareback]

When the snow melts which varies on area.

[ganghis]

You should probably be able to start getting into the eastern Pasayten in early June, but in most wilderness areas (up high anyway where you'll want to be anyway) it's not really worth even trying until July.     

Or, you could go now and bring crampons and an ice axe

[teanawayslayer]

Record snow pack this year. I’m betting in august at least in the areas I go. On a normal snow year middle of July the snow is usually gone. Just really depends on where your going to go

[Fader31]

You should probably be able to start getting into the eastern Pasayten in early June, but in most wilderness areas (up high anyway where you'll want to be anyway) it's not really worth even trying until July.     

Or, you could go now and bring crampons and an ice axe

  YES! Crampons and an ice axe are true backcountry essentials!  That thread is one I read whenever I need to restore my faith in the internet.

Many thanks for the info all!

[jackelope]

In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

[nwwanderer]

Follow the green line with the migrators, they might not hit the high spots much before the opener. There are not many, look close

[boneaddict]

In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.

[jeffro]

In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.

Exactly
Don’t push a spot you think might hold deer, they will be in the valley and on private before you finish wiping

[7mmfan]

Or, you could go now and bring crampons and an ice axe

Well this would be good practice for the actual high hunt right?

[teanawayslayer]

[quote author =jackelope link=topic=270543.msg3672610#msg3672610 date=1651794353]
In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.
[/quote] spot on!

[300rum]

I had a sure thing once in August.  Had a big boy pinned down in August and on opening day a couple of guys came out of nowhere and busted him.  I finally came to the conclusion that the better you get the less scouting you have to do.  Other thing, you can't scout where some guy is going to come out of the bushes, even when you are a long way off from everything.  Best to just leave them be until opening light.     

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.

[Fader31]

In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.

Exactly
Don’t push a spot you think might hold deer, they will be in the valley and on private before you finish wiping

That's a good point, I always try to avoid walking right in where I might spook critters, when scouting I mostly look for places that won't have much going on where I can sit down and glass. I think the big difference here is I want to make sure I've identified a good place to set up camp and will have located a reliable source of water before the season begins. Plus I need to try out my new crampons

[Colville]

Your best asset come september is time. The more you have on scene the more likely you find where the deer have squirreled away.  They're there and likely not far off even if they did get bumped... and they will get bumped.

[jackelope]

In my limited experience, scout to learn the country and know where you're going, but the deer will be in different places come mid September from where they spend their summers.  I've seen lots of deer in the summer time that are literally nowhere to be found during hunting season.

He might be speaking from minimal experience, but it’s pretty much spot on.  And I’d like to add that those that scout in August should do so with kid gloves, because once busted, they move to their secondary spots.  So many folks blow a sure thing.

Exactly
Don’t push a spot you think might hold deer, they will be in the valley and on private before you finish wiping

That's a good point, I always try to avoid walking right in where I might spook critters, when scouting I mostly look for places that won't have much going on where I can sit down and glass. I think the big difference here is I want to make sure I've identified a good place to set up camp and will have located a reliable source of water before the season begins. Plus I need to try out my new crampons

This stuff you mentioned should be goal #1 and #2.