What part of Lake Chelan is considered high buck?

[gooeydruid]

Hi all,
Looking to do some high buck on Sep 18-19 in the Lake Chelan area, and curious what sections of it are considered "high buck" hunting.
Looking on this page, under Chelan Wildlife Area, http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/search/search_region.php?searchby=region&search=2&orderby=wla%20ASC, are all of these sites (Chelan Butte, Entiat, Pateros, Swakane, and White River) considered legal to hunt high buck? Which species are considered high buck?
Sorry for the seemingly dumb questions, never deer hunted in WA before and just curious about some of this high buck.

[boneaddict]

No, all those areas aren't in the high hunt.  Thanks for asking before doing something stupid.  You'll need to pick up a set of regs, you know the ones with the cool whitetail pic on the front, and read through it thoroughly.  Its defined as the Lake Chelan Recreation area, or park.  You have several others to choose from as well such as Glacier Peak.  

[mossback91]

No, all those areas aren't in the high hunt.  Thanks for asking before doing something stupid.  You'll need to pick up a set of regs, you know the ones with the cool whitetail pic on the front and read through it thoroughly.  Its defined as the Lake Chelan Recreation area, or park.  You have several others to choose from as well such as Glacier Peak.  

 

[Armadillo]

  I think I know the regs your talking about Bone

[boneaddict]

 
By the way, you'll note on a map that the Chelan Recreation area isn't easily accessible or you can't reasily drive to it.  You'll need a boat, horse or a good pair of boots.

[DOUBLELUNG]

You can easily access the Lake Chelan Rec Area by taking the Lady of the Lake ferry out of Chelan.  You can also access the Glacier Peak Wilderness via the same ferry, to Holden Village, then the bus up to Domke.  That puts you within hiking distance. 

[muleracks]

It is very easy to backpack from Stehekin. To access the Glacier Peak Wilderness just go up Devore Creek, Campany Creek or Agnes Creek.  Cascade Corrals (Craig Courtney) may be able to pack you in if you want a more comfortable camp and don't want to pack out game.  You can also get off the Lady of the Lake at Lucerne and take the bus to Holden where you can hike up Ten Mile Creek, to Lake Holden or up Railroad Creek or go into the Copper Basin.  Good bucks in all of that country.

The Chelan National Recreation Area is also good and has easy access from Moore Point northwest to Mock and McGregory Mountain.  Cascade Corrals also packs into that area but, realistically, are probably booked.  Plan on backpacking your hunt.

[actionshooter]

There other ways in, but most involves a 2+ miles hike before you can hunt.

[boneaddict]

It is very easy to backpack from Stehekin.

I don't remember that being easy. 

[ICEMAN]

You can easily access the Lake Chelan Rec Area by taking the Lady of the Lake ferry out of Chelan.  You can also access the Glacier Peak Wilderness via the same ferry, to Holden Village, then the bus up to Domke.  That puts you within hiking distance. 

This is easy?... 

[boneaddict]

They know you are a redneck when you board the lady of the lake next to the little gal from Seattle and have a deer strapped to your back. LOL

[runamuk]

They know you are a redneck when you board the lady of the lake next to the little gal from Seattle and have a deer strapped to your back. LOL

Oh I wanna see that 

I hadn't thought of going up into that country for high hunt......hmmmmmmm...adding to list of things to do before I die 

[jstone]

Yep, That is on my Bucket List. My older brothers used to hick up by Domke Lk. in the 70s and 80s, lots of good stories, and big deer

[popeshawnpaul]

I've hunted there and a few other places the last two years and I don't have any good stories or big deer...  Biggest I've seen in two seasons is a small 3 point... 

[popeshawnpaul]

No, all those areas aren't in the high hunt.  Thanks for asking before doing something stupid.  You'll need to pick up a set of regs, you know the ones with the cool whitetail pic on the front and read through it thoroughly.  Its defined as the Lake Chelan Recreation area, or park.  You have several others to choose from as well such as Glacier Peak.  

 

By the way, I think I submitted a huge whitetail picture they didn't use on the cover.  I wonder who or what you have to do to get that cover...   

[alecvg]

They know you are a redneck when you board the lady of the lake next to the little gal from Seattle and have a deer strapped to your back. LOL

That would be awsome!

[DeerHarvester]

Even worse, try coming back from the San Juan Islands with a deer on your back.  Talk about getting the eye.  Been there done that.  At least Chelan has a few rednecks. 

[ctwiggs1]

dumb question.. can you quad up there at all?  it would be nice to 4wheel in ya know? any trails at all?

[DeerHarvester]

I would say no but I'm not certain.  Most of that is wilderness area which is a no wheeled area

[Scheindogg]

Anyone figure out a feasible way to get to the national recreation area? Or is it the same several years later? I understand having to hike but is there a way that it's about 2 miles not too difficult or is the only way 5+ miles of hiking?
I'm not considering any ferries in talking drive, park, hike.

[bigtex]

Anyone figure out a feasible way to get to the national recreation area? Or is it the same several years later? I understand having to hike but is there a way that it's about 2 miles not too difficult or is the only way 5+ miles of hiking?
I'm not considering any ferries in talking drive, park, hike.

Geography doesn't seem to change very often....

[Scheindogg]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

[bigtex]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

It's National Park Service land, you have a better chance of seeing a moose in that area than a newly established trail. 

[cougforester]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

It's National Park Service land, you have a better chance of seeing a moose in that area than a newly established trail. 

I've seen moose tracks and droppings for the last 6-7 years consistently on the north shore of Lake Chelan, and my hunting buddy saw a cow and calf in August of last year. Pretty cool.

[bigtex]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

It's National Park Service land, you have a better chance of seeing a moose in that area than a newly established trail. 

I've seen moose tracks and droppings for the last 6-7 years consistently on the north shore of Lake Chelan, and my hunting buddy saw a cow and calf in August of last year. Pretty cool.

Seen any new trails? 

[jackelope]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

It's National Park Service land, you have a better chance of seeing a moose in that area than a newly established trail. 

Probably better be careful with that comparison there, Tex. We'll have trails in the NPS lands in no time.

I will add to that that a 5 mile hike to access quality high hunt country is the norm. Or even less than the norm.
A 2 mile hike during the high hunt in September would be like a hike to Bellevue Square at noon on a Saturday.
 

[bigtex]

Lol!!! I mean my dad volunteers with national trails association and they make trails where there weren't before. So as far as I knew they could have made a more accessible trail to the area since '09 when this post started.
Thanks for assuming I'm a moron tho   

It's National Park Service land, you have a better chance of seeing a moose in that area than a newly established trail. 

Probably better be careful with that comparison there, Tex. We'll have trails in the NPS lands in no time.

Well maybe not a legally established trail  Anybody who knows the NPS knows it take half a lifetime to get anything approved.

[Skyvalhunter]

Yea the NPS doesn't have the funds to maintain the trails they currently have.

[grade-creek-rd]

Hey guys...don't forget Grizzly Bears!!!! they soon will be here too! (ok, there are actually a few already there...but more coming!)

No motorized vehicles allowed inside the National Recreation Area (except the one established road through the Stehekin Valley just before the National Park it cuts through part of the Recreation Area).

All of Domke, Holden, and surrounding areas burned extremely hot a in 2015...Wolverene Creek Fire...so watch for sink holes, blow downs and widow-makers... and no trail maintenance due to "budget" and safety concerns out of the Entiat RD. As for coming in via boat to Lucerne and up to Holden...no problem, just plan for a full day to get to Holden and a full day out...boat, bus, hike/hike, bus, boat...add in that in Sept is still hot out and your in a blackened wasteland for a few more years...but hey, the snow "might" be gone by then...Lyman Lakes has a record snow year!

And honestly, it really is easy to get into the LCNRA...just jump off the boat at Moore Pt, take the lakeshore trail towards Purple Pt and "bingo" your in! Oh, but the deer are just above you, only about a mile or two away...6,000 ft above you!

Your better off driving to the top of Snoqualmie Pass and hiking the PCT into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness...

Grade

[ctwiggs1]

Another option could be an outfitted drop camp 

[boneaddict]

Grizz are already there.  Few of those mutts too and no, still no easy way there

[RB]

Grizz are already there.  Few of those mutts too and no, still no easy way there

Ride the helicopter in with the new Bear transplants 

[Ellensburg]

Is there any EASY way to find a map of Washington's wilderness areas? The regs suck and Im not seeing anything online.

[Eric M]

whoops double posted

[Eric M]

Is there any EASY way to find a map of Washington's wilderness areas? The regs suck and Im not seeing anything online.

I bought one for the Alpine Lakes at Sportsman's warehouse. You can also buy GMU maps there. I suggest you pick up a Delorme Atlas and Gazeteer for Washington. Page 99 of the regs from 2016 has a large list of where to get maps also.

[Knocker of rocks]

I don't get why the USFS Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness area is outside of the high hunt.

[Sakko300wsm]

Wonder if gooeydruid got lost up there? 😝

[Knocker of rocks]

Is there any EASY way to find a map of Washington's wilderness areas? The regs suck and Im not seeing anything online.

This works too
https://www.nationalforestmapstore.com/category-s/1514.htm

[bobcat]

Try this:

https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4-free-online-topo-maps.html


Also, the "GoHunt" interactive map on the WDFW site can be useful.

[cougforester]

There is a long process I just went through to get a map of all public lands and be able to navigate it in Google Earth for scouting.
1. Download Major Public Lands file from the DNR https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/adminsa/DataWeb/dmmatrix.html
2. Convert that shapefile to a KML/KMZ using this website http://www.mapsdata.co.uk/online-file-converter/
3. Upload into Google Earth or Garmin Basecamp. Basecamp will allow you to download that information onto your handheld GPS unit for field navigation. http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

End result will look like this.

[The Weazle]

There is a long process I just went through to get a map of all public lands and be able to navigate it in Google Earth for scouting.
1. Download Major Public Lands file from the DNR https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/adminsa/DataWeb/dmmatrix.html
2. Convert that shapefile to a KML/KMZ using this website http://www.mapsdata.co.uk/online-file-converter/
3. Upload into Google Earth or Garmin Basecamp. Basecamp will allow you to download that information onto your handheld GPS unit for field navigation. http://www.garmin.com/en-US/shop/downloads/basecamp

End result will look like this.

Tagging to do this later

[Hockey21]

Even worse, try coming back from the San Juan Islands with a deer on your back.  Talk about getting the eye.  Been there done that.  At least Chelan has a few rednecks.

That reminds me when I hunted Lopez Island and it was the weekend of the harvest festival. My buddy and I, with a buck in the truck, surrounded by hippies.   It was classic. Lots of dirty looks and a few hippy tears.

[baker5150]

Even worse, try coming back from the San Juan Islands with a deer on your back.  Talk about getting the eye.  Been there done that.  At least Chelan has a few rednecks.

That reminds me when I hunted Lopez Island and it was the weekend of the harvest festival. My buddy and I, with a buck in the truck, surrounded by hippies.   It was classic. Lots of dirty looks and a few hippy tears.

I was working on Lopez a few years back, got in the ferry line behind a guy and his son who had a buck in the back of their truck.
I got out and tried to take a closer look and approached his door, the guy hops out of the truck and starts rambling on about how it was a legal kill, he had a permission slip for the land he hunted, etc, etc.
I told him I was a hunter and congratulated him on a nice buck (for an island deer).  Ends up is 13 year old son got it with his new bow. We shot the breeze for an hour, and he said he encountered a few "not so happy" locals at the market in town who weren't afraid to show their displeasure, so he was quick to defend himself.

[JimmyHoffa]

Even worse, try coming back from the San Juan Islands with a deer on your back.  Talk about getting the eye.  Been there done that.  At least Chelan has a few rednecks.

That reminds me when I hunted Lopez Island and it was the weekend of the harvest festival. My buddy and I, with a buck in the truck, surrounded by hippies.   It was classic. Lots of dirty looks and a few hippy tears.

There's a hippy lady out at Clallam Bay, that I've heard was the instigator behind the hound bill, that ran up to a truck at the gas station with a dead cougar in it.  She started balling and hugging it, talking about how a cougar is her totem animal and kindred spirit.  Then told the guys they needed to go hangout with the Makah to lose their evil, greedy white ways and appreciate the cougar.  She didn't know the guys that shot the cougar were Makah on their way back to the rez.