South Rainier unit

[yorketransport]

Anyone hunt deer in the South Ranier unit? I did a few years ago but hadn't been back until today. I thought I'd go scouting up on FR 63, and the sucker is washed out at HWY 12! So I tried to go in off of FR 47 behind the high school in Randle, and that road is washed out too. Then I ran into a Forest Ranger who said that as far as he knew, the whole area is pretty much shut down because of storm damage. And they don't have any plans to fix any of it due to the lack of funds.

Does anyone know of any other way into that area?

Andrew

[270Shooter]

Sounds like the hunting could be pretty good .

[Scottystyle]

+1 this state could use some more washed out roads, and no money to fix em.  SOunds like good huntin to me 

[Grizzly]

Did you try going up Skate creek and hitting the 47 on that end?

[littlebuf]

just walk in, that's the best hunting so that's the best scouting  ive got some washed out roads that ill be elk hunting behind this year, yeah other guys do it to but nothing like the fair weather weekend road hunters. the weathers nice get some water and go for a hike

[Dirty Mike]

ALOT OF THE ROADS IN THE AREA ARE PRETTY BAD WAS UP THERE SCOUTING SUNDAY PRETTY BAD

[huntnphool]

I was up around Rainier all weekend, so many roads were washed out and the ones that weren't were blocked by downed trees. The FS has a lot of work to do the next few weeks.

[Dirty Mike]

GOOD LUCK THEY HAD A TON OF CUTBACKS AND LAY OFFS, SO DONT EXPECT IT ANYTIME SOON

[huntnphool]

I hear ya. Anyone know the rules on cutting up the downed trees across the roads?

[buckbrush]

If they are forest service roads you can call the ranger district and they will mark the trees.  Then get a permit and you are able to cut the marked trees. 

[buckbrush]

South rainier should be better in the next couple of years.  That is where that monster blacktail was shot last year.  You may run into a few meth labs.  Access off of skate creek is still available in a couple of spots.

[Dirty Mike]

leave em down, makes the hunting better then by hunting season

[Dirty Mike]

do you hunt elk there?

[yorketransport]

I agree that the extremely limited access will help the hunting. The only problem is that I don't have the time to hike in 10 miles one way. I have such limited time to hunt that spending the better part of a day just to get to my former jumping off point is not really an option. But for anyone who does have the time, I bet that the hunting will be spectacular.

As far as coming in off of Skate Creek road, according to the FS website, FR 52 is still closed for snow and the Skate Creek bridge on FR 47 is closed to all public access.

Maybe it's time I learned to rid a horse. That seems like the next best option.

[Houndhunter]

all the places i hunt there, the rds are complelty gone with most beyond repair