Unit 574 permit late buck

[elksnout]

We finally drew tags for this hunt. I've hunted it for blacktails quite a bit through the years but never at this time of the year the tags are good for. I know the unit geographically and most of the road system. Research I've done from the game department indicates that deer sometimes will  move into the unit as early as the first of October from the higher elevation units and will winter out in the Bear Creek watershed. Also, as anyone who knows the unit would agree, most of the clear cuts have reached a state where they are pretty grown up. A few weeks ago I found some new areas in the southeast part of the unit that looks interesting. My question would be, has any site members taken part in this hunt and would be willing to share there experience with me ? It took us five years to get these tags and I want to make the most out of our hunting time. The scouting we have done so far as only turned up small bucks and no one area seems to have more sign than the other. I could use the extra help if possible.

[Jason]

it is very unlikely the deer will be forced down to lower elevations in mid to late Nov let alone Oct, not enough snow to push them down, last year during modern elk we had no snow at 3500' just thick ass fog.
There is a lot of state and private timber land in 574, there are lots of new clear cuts to hunt but most you can drive right to them, my advice would be to find an area that is walk in only, stay away from the clear cuts where you can drive to the landings, most likely there is going to be a road hunter there looking for elk, get away from the traffic and walk skidder roads and trails, about the 10 of Nov the Bucks are starting to go crazy.

[elksnout]

Not so sure it's the snow that moves the deer out of the high country. I've talked to alot of hunters who have seen alot of deer during the summer and early fall, then go up during rifle deer and not see a darn thing. Myself included. Not saying they go all the way to winter range but they do move. Oregon did some studies a few years back that showed cascade blacktails moving down that early too with trail cameras. And yes, I did find a fair number of newer cuts on the east end of unit but like you said, everyone I saw you could drive into. Not something I am looking for. I did find one gated road by where the Buck Creek trail crosses the road though. When I walked it out it ran into another road you could drive down. Again not what I'am looking for. That's the only gate I found that day. My season starts mid week of rifle elk so pressure might have waned a little by then ? But i'll sure use what you told me as another tool for the hunt. Thanks.

[buckreaper]

Hi there.  Newbie here.  Been visiting this website for a long time but didn't join cause I didn't think I would have much to contribute.  Felt the need to reply to this because I know this area so well.  Haven't had chance to introduce myself formally yet but will.   

Hunted this area for 23 years, until the game department turned it into a permit hunt.  Excellent hunt in the late season (at least was when I hunted there).  Bear Creek drainage is a very good place.  Hopefully the snow is flying up high.  Find it and you'll find the deer.  They will begin to move in before it snows but, as we all know, it really cranks up afterwards.  It's the same old story -- get off the roads.  ALOT of road hunters in there.  They occasionally get deer but how much fun is that? 

Lots of vine maple but it sounds like you know that already.  Luckily the leaves will be down by the time you're there.  Don't think you have to go high, with or without snow.  We've killed tremendous bucks way down low also.  Give Grassy Knoll area a thorough look.  Drop down into those canyons and you just might be pleasantly suprised.  Only way out is up, though, unless you really know the country then it's miles. 

Best of luck.  I really miss that area.  Best blacktail hunting I've ever seen. 

 

[Chesapeake]

Mouse creek has treated us well, as has Grassy knoll and Buck creek, Oaklahoma and the Circle Jerk, MonteCristo, and Big Huckleberry. I usualy avoid the cuts and still hunt the ridges and hill sides in the bigger timber, on the steeper hill sides.

I've bean around and through the Bear creek area, but it was always crowded and I never gave it much effort. It looked to me to be much like the rest of the unit.

I have a fondness in my heart for the two roads in that unit I know that are the 050's.

I dont suspect you'll get much snow, but if you do, watch the snow line. The leaves will be off, so you will be able to see in the big timber. Move slow and watch. They are there, I always see them durring late muzzle loader elk.

Get yourself a Wind River Ranger district map. The older the better. This map will show almost all the roads, drivable or not, some just road beds with 50 year old trees in the middle.

[buckreaper]

I agree with Chesapeake.  Been in those areas off and on throughout the years.  Bear Creek does tend to get crowded sometimes but only on the roads.  In all the years, I have seen less than ten people (total) while in the timber.  Stillhunt the draws and concentrate in the lower half of the sidehills, almost in the bottoms.  It gets brushy there but that's where we've had the best luck overall on the big boys.  But that time of year they're traveling so you could catch them anywhere.

I'll try to post some pictures.   

[elksnout]

WOW !! That's the info I've been looking for guys. We've taken some small bucks out of Bear Creek during the general season but nothing big. And as I mentioned, have seen some decent bucks in the old growth while hunting elk the last few days of rifle elk. This has been in the lower end of Mouse Creek and up on the south side of Grassy Knoll. Last year around there there was snow and there was deer tracks everywhere. When you guys say hunt the lower half of the sidehills are you talking about hunting downhill or off of the 6808 into the Bear Creek drainage ? Never heard of Circle Jerk in all the years I've hunted the Wind River. Just started to snoop around the Buck Creek area though. Grassy Knoll, hunt the draws off the ridges there ? The info you have all so kindly given backs up my experience a bit. I feel this hunt could quite possibly give my son and I our best chance to take some really decent Blacktails. I do have a dog eared Wind River district map that's about 15 years old.