Who is going to VAIL TREE FARM Opening weekend Modern?

[Yelm hunter]

Just seeing who all is going to Vail Tree Farm for Opening Weekend?

If you are lets post your pics of deer you have got in there in previous years!

[actionshooter]

everyone   

[bankwalker]

ill be there with the family. look for the lifted 2001 black chevy....with the nothing runs like a deere sticker in the back window.

[fc2038]

Same here, I will be there with my boys 5 and 6. They have fun and it is close to home. 

[alinrut]

Everyone that can walk, crawl, and breathe  oh yeah, throw in the aunt, uncle, brother, sister and the whole family and friends that will be there.  When they open the gate's it looks like a Nascar rolling start!!!!!  I honestly have never hunted any place as packed as the vail tree farm.  Good luck to ya'll who go there, be careful, be safe and I hope for nothing but success for ya'll.

al


"if I see you on the hillside or in the woods.... It's my fault for not getting far enough away from the roads!!!"

[chongo469]

dont know if this is still in effect but...
http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/Company/Media/NewsReleases/NewsRelease?dcrId=09-07-28_WeyerhaeuserClosesallTreeFarmstoPublicAccessinWAandOR

[Yelm hunter]

IT'S OPEN EVERY YEAR!! They will probably never close that gate on the weekends during Deer Season!!

[wsucowboy]

I'm not going there, I've herd that it is packed thought, tons of people.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I wouldn't set foot in there on opening day.  You will see more pumpkins on opening day than deer year round.

[Screaminreelz]

There were something like 5000 people opening weekend last year and only 125 deer came through the checkpoint. What they need to do is shut it down for a few years and let them little toe heads grow up instead of having everyone pack them out. just my 2

[PolarBear]

I live a couple miles down the road from the main gate and wouldn't deer hunt during the rifle seaon in there if you payed me!  I get sick of seeing one after the other gut shot spikes and does with 4,5,7 bullet holes in them.  An old friend of mine has been working the check station for many years and every year he swears is going to be his last.  He has some really sickening stories and pictures of some of the junk that goes on up there.  No thanks!

[wsucowboy]

Why is this such a crowded place? I know it's close and an easy drive but are there enough deer there to justify having that many of people there? From what other posters have said it's a zoo there.

[PolarBear]

No there are not enough deer to justify that many people.  It is just a lot of logging roads conecting one clear cut to another with some timber in between.  It is mostly "hunters" from the city who roadhunt and make a mess of the place.  It is like the combat fishing at Bouy 10 but only with trucks and guns.  If it is warm for the opener you might as well stay home.  They do take some nice bucks out of there but usually during the late season.  There are a lot fewer people during the late hunt and some of the bucks are in the rut.   Hike into a good patch of timber, sit and wait and you have a much better chance.  I know a bunch of loggers who pull dandys out of there every year but they work their butts off for them.

[cossacksam]

I'll be on the east side for opening weekend but will be there this weekend w/ my oldest boy who drew the early youth tag.
He drew it 2 years ago & we saw tons of deer before he shot his buck. Went last year for opening day & it was crazy & we only saw a few does.
Did anyone elses kids draw the early youth hunt?

[jason4429]

Congrats to your son, that is a pretty good tag for the kids

[monster10]

Just seeing who all is going to Vail Tree Farm for Opening Weekend?

If you are lets post your pics of deer you have got in there in previous years!

  Everbody but the deer

[cossacksam]

Thanks Jason, he is pretty excited.
It's a great youth hunt, no big bucks but gets the kids on the deer.
I'll try to attach a picture of his little buck he got 2 years ago.

[Bofire]

  I'll be there, great mushroom hunting there, and I always see people I know, but I will not be hunting deer. It is fun to look at sides I logged and see whats going on up there.
Carl

[grousetracker]

my family has a burial plot up the hanaford,so i go in there every year for one day to have a beer with the family. went in lucas last year and saw 6 spikes in about a three mile stretch,where did all the big bucks go? i did get a kid driving bye to shoot at one of the spikes but he missed three times. goodluck to everyone and hopefully the weather is bad.

[blackveltbowhunter]

I used to archery hunt it every year and see  a TON of deer. and several large bucks in late season. Last year I covered 15- 20 miles on bike with snow up high. Saw 3 sets of tracks and TONS of cat sign. The first time ever I have been downright depressed in the woods. Longing for what used to be.

[Hunterman]

I use to hunt in there when you could camp. Before people shot the place up.. Our camp killed quite a lot of deer in there..Now I wouldn't hunt it to save my life..

Hunterman(Tony)

[actionshooter]

I grew up huntin in Vail, out of Ranier. I miss the guys, can't say I miss anything else. 

[Rdnkgirl88]

I will be there...

I have been hunting Vail for 15 years with my dad. Before that he hunted with his dad up there. My grandpa used to work up there logging. For me it is the history of it all. If you know the country there is a lot of places to get away from the lines and lines of people.

[madmack76]

vails a good place for the kids but won't find me there

[cossacksam]

My boy got his deer this morning.
Another spike.
Saw 30 deer, 8 bucks, 5 shooters.
Pretty windy & wet but the deer were moving around.

[Alan K]

The youth hunt is great for kids.  Letting them in there the week before almost assures them a buck, and certainly assures them a deer period. 

Congratulations to your son cossacksam! How about some pictures?

[Yelm hunter]

cossacksam>> how big were some of the bucks that you seen? How far in were you and did you go to the right or left at the Y??

Are you going there next weekend?

[cossacksam]

I agree, its a great opportunity for the kids.
We were back in about 8 miles to the right.
We saw a 3pt. a 2pt., several spikes & a few buttonheads.
Weren't able to get on any of the larger bucks in time but the kid did a good job taking his spike.
We'll be hunting Foster Creek & St. Andrews next week for my 10 yr. olds first hunt & for his brother to try & fill his second deer tag.
If there are still tags to fill we will be back to Vail for the 30th & 31st.
Good luck to everyone next weekend.

[Yelm hunter]

cossacksam >> By chance did you see any cougar or bear scat? Any sign of any cougar or bear either? Would like to give my 12 year old nephew a chance to fill his tag!! Know of any where to get a bear? I'd be willing to offer some sausage to you for a good spot.

[PolarBear]

I'd be willing to offer some sausage to you for a good spot.

Hey now, this isn't THAT kind of site!   

[deerhunter_98520]

I'd be willing to offer some sausage to you for a good spot.

Hey now, this isn't THAT kind of site!   

now that is funny!

[toothfangclaw]

It may be a great place for just kids. But that gmu is the biggest producing gmu in state for blackies.

[gasman]

Congrats to the "great white hunter".........

Vail is not place for trophy deer, there are some big deer that come out of there but the numbers are low. Most of the deer are spikes and toad heads, that come out of there.

It is one of the highest producers of blackies, and that is because it is closed all year except for durring deer season. The small bucks taht are taken are dumb and young, that why they are the easy target to fill a tag. The older bucks are wiser and hunker down untill the coast is clear. They used to give out 200+ doe tags a year, but they cut that out. I don't know why  there are a ton of deer in there.

As for me being there  hell no. that place is a nut house  gonna have to take the wife some time, so she can experiance the madness 

[Woodja]

I plan to stay in the city, get shot at less that way!
I hunted it twice in years past, first time should have cured me, but I went back with my brother in law. That cured me.

[bobcat]

Most of the deer are spikes and toad heads, that come out of there.

Toad heads? Wow, sounds good! I think I'll change my plans and head to Vail. I'd like to shoot a real toad this year!