Chiwawa 245

[WildBear]

Hey guys.

    Anyone here hunt much in the Chiwawa Unit #245? Much success?


Been hunting there last 5 years, with minimal success. Nothing to brag about last few years....

[Branden]

I know of a guy that shot a 213 buck out of there a few years ago on the late hunt, but I have never hunted it for deer so can't say myself.

[bankwalker]

ive seen some big bucks in that unit but never got anywhere near close enough for a shot. but never really seen alot of deer in the area i had hunted, just good quality

[Skyvalhunter]

Best bet for the Chiwawa is a late permit. The area is quite large. Of coarse there are some year round deer there but like the Entiat it is best in the migration hunt time frame.

[Muleyslyr]

I've hunted it a few times.  My Dad, Uncle, Cousin, myself, we've all drew late permits in there in the last 5yrs.  I would say it's an OK unit.  Very hit and miss and weather dependent.  Huge area, probably one of the largest units in the state with a ton of roads.  Can hunt the Fish Lake, Lake Wenatchee side or the Entiat side....take your pick.

As far as general rifle season goes.....way too many roads brings way too many people.  Would not suggest it for a place to go during general.  Unless you like to have big camps and put a lot of miles on your rig.  All a personal preference.

I have seen some big deer come out of there on those late hunts, one being the biggest deer, body and horns, I've ever seen in my life.  But, since you asked I would say there are better units with just as good a chance if not better to get yourself a decent buck.  My opinion only of course. 

[WildBear]

Good information...

   Totally agree with the Migration idea. Have a trail I know they Migrate on, Just need my late season permit. Weather is way to nice for them to come down from glacier peak and surrounding areas.


     Sighs... Maybe this year I'll get drawn

[muleracks]

The big bucks in the Chiwawa/Entiat all come out of the high country.  There are quite a few deer spending the summer in the burns but they usually get harvested before they develop into anything very special.  For General Season "trophy" hunters the best bet is to pack into the roadless areas (summer range or upper valley migration routes).

With the Methow & Okanogan getting hit by winter kill, you can bet that the Entiat and Chiwawa roads will be packed with blaze orange this October.  Find a spot that "no one in their right mind would go"; away from the roads and you will do well even in areas with road access.  Be prepared to bone-it-out and pack-it-out.   Have Fun.

[Armadillo]

Yeah, Im not really getting too excited to the general season this year. As what Muleracks said, the pressures just gonna be huge on the chiwawa/entiat region. For the general season Ill probably just tag along with my dad and uncle in the swakane along with many other hunters, then come back for late archery when it might just get even more busy lol.. I really need to scout out the chiwawa area once the weather clears up though. Are there many burned areas or clear cuts up that way?

[OltHunter]

ive hunted the chiwawa for the past 10 years.  the first 5 years were great. lots of the clear cuts we hunted were low and open.  pretty good success.  then the clear cuts started growing a little too thick, havent seen any bucks in our cuts the past 4 years or no of any taken, just too overgrown now.  moved to hunt the burn area of dirtyface last season, thought two years out would produce some good conditions for deer.  tons of tracks/sign.  well a store clerk in town told everyone and their brother in town to hunt this place, and we have never seen that many trucks/hunters in that area before.  probably at least 20 rigs and 20-30 hunters. everyone we talked to would ask us if there are any deer around because a store clerk told us to hunt here. seen 5 bucks get taken sat. 2 or 3 more on sunday on that burned ridge all within probably 1/2 mile of each other.  all small framed bucks, 3x3's, 4x3's, i think a 5x4, probably nothing wider than a foot and not much taller than that, although we did get a quick glance in the back of a truck driving down a pretty good rack sticking out, couldn't really tell the size.  lets just say we've closed the books on that place and have moved elsewhere.  lots of area to get away from people in the chiwawa. found most hunters just drive around the roads.

agree with muleracks whole heartedly.  that's what i did huring the high hunt in the chiwawa unit, and had success, so that's going to be my plan now on.  i hate running into people and waiting for hunters to push deer out to me, i prefer to hunt them undisturbed.  the 3 point i shot last season in the high hunt was as big if not  bigger than any deer i've seen harvested amony my hunting crew or from other hunters in the low areas and i've probably seen close to 15.  not great genetics in the bucks that live down low

also agree with the others that say it's a migration unit.  im sure wildbear and i have similar migration trails that we know for bucks coming out of glacier peak, during that late permit season.  but it can still be hit or miss for that migration, it needs about 6-8 inches on the trail down low to get them moving, and when they move, they move.  but nov.1-18 doesn't necessarily guarantee a migration.

armadillo, there aren't a whole lot of huntable clear cuts anymore from the areas that i hunt, and the only burned area that i know of is the dirtyface fire north of fish lake.  if all the bucks werent exterminated out of there from the general rifle, could be a good place to scout for early archery.  bunch of thick deer trails.  all those bucks stay down low during the year, probably wont run into anything huge, but you never know.  i'm a little bitter at the store clerk, but it's no secret anymore so if you need more info, let me know, i'm never returning so i'm happy to help.  don't know of the archery pressure up there, we've always scouted around in sept, up there and haven't seen many rigs.

[Armadillo]

Thanks for the great info. So true about most hunters just driving the roads looking for meat. That store clerk probably used that as a diversion tactic. He probably knows which bowls hold the real bruisers lol.

[WildBear]

Yeah...


   It's kinda funny that unit. I know up the chiwawa river road, everybody and their brother, including cousins are there!  We're not far from dirtyface and not quite the same pressure... Not much to show for it either though.... Now I know why I didn't see any deer the second weekend last year just below the burn, they were all shot!