palmer lake?

[300bullelk]

Hey, was just up that way last week and the new plans for a new chow place/bar are just waiting for permits @ Sullys old store there in Gloomis . The place had some great history if you new the old owners from way back when it used to be in Nighthawk. We used to ride motorcycles up there to get ice cream back in the day. Hell, we used to ride up the Old Chopaka road at the north end of the lake and go to Penticton in the 70's. My how times have changed. Good luck with the photo trip this winter, O ya' and the three sister-in laws too!!!

[Da stump]

ok so ya want to get into some monster mulies.  I like the chopaka side of palmer lake but come at it from chopaka lake. canoe is helpful but not mandatory. the ridge between palmer and chopaka doesn't get a lot of pressure and there are some nice deer in there.  For even bigger better and harder to get deer Big Chopaka Mtn.  Hunt high on the mountain and work down the fingers.  Plan on spending a bit of time hunting.  Juniper point is good too later on.  It is rugged and can be dangerous.  I have seen nice bucks up on Rattlesnake.  That is the small mountain to the left as you come up the chopaka grade.  Good luck

[Ghost Hunter]

This thread is making feel old and homesick

[nileboy]

Thanks for the info.! I think no matter where I go anymore i'm going to run into people... A lot of road hunters...I may head up that way labor day weekend to check the area out.

[Scottystyle]

Im curious where thes big sinlahekin bucks are???  In the fishing and hunting news???, i've hunted around douglas and blue goat since about 1991 and ive never seen any buck that would top 140 on public land, none the less get one in my crosshairs. From what i know the area was at its best in the 70's and early 80's before the cattle started running all over nad eating all the deers food, call me sinical but if anyone has pics, with some background view of the area for reference, that would be nice

[mossback91]

I dont see how deer and cows compete for food............I usually see them eating different types forage....

Just my opinion......also that place is overrun with road hunters during general season.....

[Ghost Hunter]

Since the 70's and 80's there has been a lot of acreage sold off in 10's, 20's, 40's. Hell, you used to have to hike across Palmer.  Tough to get near Lemanasky, same with Cecile Cr. Didn't mind hunting thru the cows back then.  It's the damn goats now  Come to think of it, it's happened to the entire county.

[SpotandStalk]

If you have never even SEEN a buck that would top 140, I would venture out from your traditional areas in the Sinlahekin.  Hell, there are 140 whitetails around, let alone muleys.  I mean no disrespect Scotty, but your tone in your response was not necessary.  Perhaps you should respect the people who posted for their ability to find good bucks and be graced with insight rather than scoff at their claims. 

I have hunted/guided/traveled Palmer, Aeneas, Grandview, Little Chopaka, Chopaka, Rattlesnake, Joe Mills, Iron Gate, Blue Goat and various places in between for several years, both on private and public, and would tend to agree with most of the previous posts.  I could scan some pics and then post to verify, but that is more trouble then its worth. 

Sounds like a good trip Bone, good luck and let me know if you need any tidbits on where to go....you probably know the area though. Saw a beautiful high and heavy 5x5 on Palmer in the winter of 2007 that would probably have gone 170+.

[Scottystyle]

The tone in my response?  I was just asking a couple of questions, and stated my knowledge of the area.  Last time i checked I was able to state my own opinions.  Maybe I havent been as lucky as everyone else, but i have for sure put in my mileage around that country since i was 13 years old to be exact.  I never said i wasnt successful, to be exact i shot a mulie every year i hunted up ther with the exeption of 1995 when my grandma and uncle passed away both the week before the opener.  I just never came across anything of size, just seemed to read about it all the time in the magazines 

[SpotandStalk]

My mistake then, it just sounded as though you were scoffing at the fact that they were discussing trophy mule deer in the sinlahekin....and blaming the devil cattleman for their demise.

[JackOfAllTrades]

So, how does one get to Chopaka 'via public roadway'? I have wanted to hunt this area for a long time. Overrun with road hunters? That does not bother me. They can stay on the road all they want.

I read somewhere that 90% of Deer hunters seldom venture more than one mile from the road. I'm banking that most people on this forum are of the other 10%. I know I am. So, to get to good territory, how do you get around the private land to 'good hunting' public land. I had often thought of boating across Palmer lake but now that it's indicated here that that's all leased out to outfitters I'll bag that idea.

-Steve

[Ghost Hunter]

According to my maps most land around Chopaka Mt., and beteen Palmer Lake and Ckopaka Lake is BLM or DNR land.  There is private land along the grade, and the base of the mountain.  Get a map.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Any of the roads to/through the DNR land gated?

-Steve

[300bullelk]

You can access most of it if you go to Chopaka Lake and rock and roll from there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SkookumHntr]

Im curious where thes big sinlahekin bucks are???  In the fishing and hunting news???, i've hunted around douglas and blue goat since about 1991 and ive never seen any buck that would top 140 on public land, none the less get one in my crosshairs. From what i know the area was at its best in the 70's and early 80's before the cattle started running all over nad eating all the deers food, call me sinical but if anyone has pics, with some background view of the area for reference, that would be nice

--I agree, 140 would be huge in the sinlahekin and there just arnt the big bucks like the chelan county units! I would hunt the entiat!