Author Topic: GMU 250 Late season? (Read 10441 times)

bonneylakebowman · « **on:** October 07, 2009, 11:28:20 AM »

I know this question has been asked multiple times and I have read the posts that talk about hunting the Swakane unit in the late season and the only thing i have really gotten from them is that there is going to be alot of people, the roads are deadly and to get out and walk. My brother and I both drew doe tags and from what I have heard those are going to be fairly easy to find deer for. My grandpa is driving up from Nevada to hunt with us and will be looking for a 3 pt. min and so will I. I want to hold out on the doe tag untill the last minute. With that being said we are willing to hike to get to the animals. I was wondering if I could get some pointers on where to start? I am planning on going over there for the opening weekend of rifle with my dad to do some scouting.

I was also wondering what the odds are of being able to get in there and set up a deer camp? My grandpa has wall tents and a motor home and if he can get the motor home set up down in the bottom of one of the canyons that would be nice because my grandma is coming with if not is there alot of areas to be able to set up a few tents?

Nate

MtnMuley · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:09:28 PM »

Weather will be a factor on the tent thing and accessibility. Put your time in glassing & hunting hard, and you should do fine.

luvtohnt · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:15:31 PM »

Quote from: MtnMuley on October 07, 2009, 01:09:28 PM

Weather will be a factor on the tent thing and accessibility. Put your time in glassing & hunting hard, and you should do fine.

I have been up there multiple years and one year there was so much snow you could hardley go anywhere, other years like last no snow. I would keep the camp trailer low in case a snow storm moves in, cause I would hate to have to leave it up there. Like said above glass, glass, and when your eyes are tired glass some more.

Brandon

jackelope · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:18:15 PM »

if there's snow on the ground i'd be fairly confident telling you a motor home would be a horrible idea in any of those roads.

usmc74 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2009, 01:46:39 PM »

I took my first archery deer up there many years ago. We hunted up Entiat, south of Ardenvoir.

Camp low. Even park the MH on the blacktop, and drive a truck up into hunt

I've seen some nice bucks up there

bullcanyon · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2009, 04:55:33 AM »

It's really not that big of a unit. You should not have any trouble figuring out where you need to be. Like others have said. You should camp low. Not worth losing your mh for a deer. Good luck and be safe.

halflife65 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2009, 10:14:08 AM »

The roads are really steep. Maybe a spot down low on the Entiat road to camp? There are several campgrounds down there, although they may be closed by that time of year (not sure).

I wouldn't take a MH up those roads - probably even in the early season. You can probably get up there alright, but you may thrash the thing. It would be pretty scary when there was snow on the ground.

Anyway, you should have good luck shooting a doe in there. Take your time and look at some nice bucks while your at it. Have fun!

teal101 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 12, 2009, 02:37:14 PM »

There is a trailer thats a ways up the Swakene canyon road that was parked in a camping spot. it was obviously left due to a snow storm. The roof was crushed in and it was destroyed. Keep the MH down low for sure. Those roads are hell all year long, let alone in the winter!

eastside boy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2009, 09:23:18 PM »

Uh...yeah, the Swakane canyon road is in hellish condition right now, it needs a good grading......pot holes and sharp rocks every where. Good luck with the hunt, and I would suggest putting some miles on the boots when you can and get off the roads as far as you can. I was able to get a nice buck (7x8) in the unit last year doing this.

eastside boy · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2009, 09:31:11 PM »

Also there are a bunch of burmed roads that vehcles cannot travel.....might be a good bet for your grandad to get out and walk some of those.

DOUBLELUNG · « **Reply #10 on:** October 15, 2009, 05:36:47 AM »

Also consider one of the nearby state parks - Confluence in Wenatchee is adjacent to the Swakane unit.

bonneylakebowman · « **Reply #11 on:** October 15, 2009, 09:49:21 AM »

ok thanks for the info guys. I was planning on driving as far as i could then hiking as far as i could after. my friend is going to come over with us to hunt and he has a jeep that is on 35's and is locked up front and rear so we should be alright on the roads. what is the chances of my little brother getting on does over there? he has an ichy trigger finger and wants to put the smack down on a doe with his new bow.

DOUBLELUNG · « **Reply #12 on:** October 15, 2009, 11:09:59 AM »

Chance of seeing does: 100%. Chance of getting on does depends on his stalking ability plus dumb luck.

boneaddict · « **Reply #13 on:** October 15, 2009, 11:19:49 AM »

Bring chains. That road gets a batch of wet snow and it is about as dangerous as it gets.

bullcanyon · « **Reply #14 on:** October 15, 2009, 07:21:52 PM »

Offer me 10 grand to drive those roads when they have snow and I'll will laugh at you. Don't matter what kind of rig you got. Those roads flat out scare the crap out of me. Meet someone on them and you will have a pucker facter of 10.5! Take bones advice.

bornforhorns · « **Reply #15 on:** October 15, 2009, 09:07:10 PM »

Sooo dangerous are the roads that I can't understand why they wouldn't open it up to atv's and I'm not an atv person...but I myself am lucky to be here from a horrifying incident. You can hunt Swakane draw itself and do very good.

halflife65 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 16, 2009, 12:02:31 AM »

Quote from: bullcanyon on October 15, 2009, 07:21:52 PM

Offer me 10 grand to drive those roads when they have snow and I'll will laugh at you. Don't matter what kind of rig you got. Those roads flat out scare the crap out of me. Meet someone on them and you will have a pucker facter of 10.5! Take bones advice.

He's not kidding...bring chains if there is any chance for snow.

jstone · « **Reply #17 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:51:46 AM »

Thats all we need Lazy ATVs ruining the Swakane area.... BAD IDEA

halflife65 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 16, 2009, 09:57:33 AM »

Yeah, I agree. Chains but no ATVs. If it is too brutal, get out and walk.

bonneylakebowman · « **Reply #19 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:55:32 AM »

ok thanks guys. Ill make sure we have chains for all four tires on all the rigs that will be there

jstone · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2009, 10:59:14 AM »

Have gone down the road backwards in the swakane and in the Entiat a couple of times thinking everthing is good, It gets to be a pain puttin chains on sideways in the road. I learn the hard way sometimes.

joebear · « **Reply #21 on:** October 19, 2009, 10:08:37 AM »

you should think about hunting some place else with that motor home. Also not sure if you know it or not but season there has been cut in half and other then your doe tag it is a 3 point or better area now. Bios say the population as declined a ton i the last few years do to weather and allot of road hunting pressure.

WArookie · « **Reply #22 on:** October 19, 2009, 06:56:11 PM »

Just like everyone has said, I would not try to take the motorhome up into the Swakane unit. You should have many other places to put it for easy drive-in hunts. Wenatchee has lots of RV areas.

Yes, most of those roads suck even without snow.

Brett

jimkrueg · « **Reply #23 on:** November 23, 2009, 01:51:54 PM »

I just turned a five day hunt into a two day hunt because of the roads. I was even seeing bucks, but the roads are too scary in the snow for me. I shot at a three point Sat. morning and missed. When i first say him he was at twenty yards. By the time I finally got my bow pulled back he was at forty yards. Went ahead and shot any ways and missed. I saw nothing Sat. evening or Sun. morning and decided to leave. The drive down was nerve racking.

Jim

jstone · « **Reply #24 on:** November 23, 2009, 08:38:33 PM »

How high where you i was up high. slippery but not bad

jimkrueg · « **Reply #25 on:** November 23, 2009, 08:57:14 PM »

We were on Mills Canyon road, took the first right and went strait up. It snowed Sat. night and it just made things worse. We had chains on but it was a one lane road on top which made it hard when two vehicles came together. One of the vehicles had to back up with no room to spare. Maybe it's just me but I'd rather be safe than going off a cliff.

WAcoueshunter · « **Reply #26 on:** November 24, 2009, 07:45:55 PM »

I was up there Saturday. I hit a stretch of ice and slid down a grade backwards at about 15 mph...scared the living piss out of me. Chained up all four after that and didn't have another problem. I'll get the chains out earlier this weekend, that's for sure.

As for the deer, saw plenty of does and small bucks, but nothing mature. Of course, I spent most of my day playing chauffeur for my beginner buddy and his doe tag, so that didn't help.

MtnMuley · « **Reply #27 on:** November 24, 2009, 08:01:54 PM »

I know V-BAR chains are expensive and hardly used, but on those nasty Swakane Roads this time of year, they're priceless. I've slid backwards many of times with quality chains, but never with the V-BARS. Priceless on ice.

luvtohnt · « **Reply #28 on:** November 24, 2009, 08:15:23 PM »

Kind of off subject, but last christmas during all the bad storms on I-5 I stopped (when it was safe) and picked up chains on the side of the freeway. I think I have about 4 or 5 sets of v-bar chains and about 3 full sets of regulars. I still have to peice them together but I saved myself allot of money.

The roads can be nasty up there, I remember in 2000 I think we could barley get anywhere, but I saw allot of nice bucks that year.

Brandon

DOUBLELUNG · « **Reply #29 on:** November 26, 2009, 11:14:17 AM »

Quote from: luvtohnt on November 24, 2009, 08:15:23 PM

Kind of off subject, but last christmas during all the bad storms on I-5 I stopped (when it was safe) and picked up chains on the side of the freeway. I think I have about 4 or 5 sets of v-bar chains and about 3 full sets of regulars. I still have to peice them together but I saved myself allot of money.

The roads can be nasty up there, I remember in 2000 I think we could barley get anywhere, but I saw allot of nice bucks that year.

Brandon

The worse the driving, the better the hunting for sure.

huntnphool · « **Reply #30 on:** November 26, 2009, 11:33:34 AM »

I would imagine that after the first fatility up there due to ice they will gate it and make it foot traffic only, its only a matter of time.

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Author Topic: GMU 250 Late season? (Read 10441 times)

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