High Buck in Alpine Lakes Wilderness?

[jsteplee]

I'm thinking about driving up Friday for the weekend from La Center (north of Vancouver).  I know that doesn't give me much time, and I'm not going to get to scout (other than with a rifle).  Anyone else going to be in that area?  I'm thinking about heading into the wilderness out of North Bend or Snoqualmie Pass.  Never done the high buck before, so this will be new.

Are there any places to avoid and/or watch out for?

[ponyboy156]

If your going out of NB or Snoqualmie pass dont wear camo and sack up your gun when on trail. Lots of hikers and few of them dont like seeing hunters. Ive seen some pics from this year of a few nice bucks in that general area. Good Luck

[bankwalker]

yea good point about the hikers.

hopefully you drive a subaru...that way they will think its a hiker vehicle and wont slash tires 

[fishing is for fools]

     I hike in the summer but when it is hunting season HIKERS CAN GET OUT OF THE WOODS

[7mag.]

If your going out of NB or Snoqualmie pass dont wear camo and sack up your gun when on trail. Lots of hikers and few of them dont like seeing hunters. Ive seen some pics from this year of a few nice bucks in that general area. Good Luck

I don't think I'll be going out of my way to avoid offending the delicate sensitivities of some liberal hikers that don't know how to mind their own damn business. I have just as much right to be there as they do, and if they don't like it, well, too bad, go home. Oh, and they need to wear orange during rifle season, they can accidentally get shot just as easy as a hunter. Respect goes both ways, I'll be happy to show as much as I receive.

[ing]

We hunted it from the Levenworth side about 8 or 10 years ago and got the stink eye by everyone on the trail.  We even stirred up the dust when we parked at the trail head.  Heck we didnt know what we were getting our selves into.  We only hunted the one day, spent the night and left when we woke up the next day.  Never been back since.

[TheSilverSlayer]

I was up there just to scout it out today. Drove up from Ellensburg, and ended up going up icicle creek rd.  Saw a ton of hikers.  I couldn't beleive it.  Also, I didn't really see any hunters.  Maybe a few rigs that looked like hunters though.  Anyway, it was my first time up there, didn't see any game.  I will be hunting this area this weekend.

[native-1]

elk are really low right now in north bend.they are right behind kens truck stop.the bucks are really low to for some reason.spent 3 days in that area.stay low.

[PWN Kurt]

It's a pretty busy place, but there's some deer up there.  I've been on some day hikes up in the area (yes, hunters can go on day hikes too), and if I remember correctly there is a strict permit system to overnight in the wilderness.  I almost think that it'd be better a little later in the season, once the weather comes in.

Kurt

[Alpine Mojo]

The only part of the ALW that has a quota on overnight camping is the Enchantment permit zone above Leavenworth.  There are no restrictions on camping in the other 99% of the wilderness area.

I was up Icicle road this past weekend fishing a high lake.  Lots of cars, hikers, bike riders, families, dogs, etc.  You would have to get far off trail to find game.  I didn't see any deer over the two days I was up there and only ran into hikers within about a mile of the trailhead.  It is a low percentage area.  There are better parts of the ALW to fill your tag.

[edmondshunter]

Id go in through Middle Fork road out of North Bend. I was up there a few weeks ago and the road was closed well before the camp ground.

Dingford trail is the popular trailhead up there and thats a 10-12 mile hike to the head from where the gate was closed!!!  Cant imagine to many hikers are coming in that way It b a 30 mile round trip hike just to trailhead and back.

[Alpine Mojo]

Are you talking about going all the way through to Dutch Miller Gap?  That is some nice open meadow country up there.

[GUscottie]

We went bear hunting opening weekend and ran into a fair amt of the less than conservative folks...Most were supportive of what GUHunter and I were doing, or they just didn't say anything, One guy even came up to us and started chatting about what we were hunting, why, and all that...I saw it as a good education tool.

BUT...at the trail head...we did encounter a few of the folks that gave us the stink eye...but it wasn't a big deal. We're heading up Thursday, hopefully with a few more reports of good stories about the hikers and hopefully a bear or a buck.

Most importantly, I say get out there, don't worry about the hikers, and make sure you know what you're shooting...

[edmondshunter]

yes I think people wont be making that trip to Dutch.  There is a lot of draws to go up from the road before you get to the trailhead at dingford

[jaymark6655]

I hunted ALW open day and most of today.  Was planning to stay three days, but my bipod snapped down and hit me in the temple while I had my rifle slung.  I can barely see out of my right eye now.  I hiked up 1313 to Rachel Lake.  On the way up I really didn't see anyone that early, except someone who use to hunt.  On the way down today I walked past 20 to 30 people going on day hikes.  I was expecting bad things, wearing orange and camo and open carrying both my rifle and sidearm.  I stopped and talked to everyone.  They all wanted to know what I was hunting and wish me good luck.  I only had one guy ignore my greeting, figure he was the anti-hunter out of everyone I met.  Was great getting up there, but didn't see a single deer.  Guess they are down lower were we can't hunt.