Vail, Sunday, desperate

[Angus]

Looks like I have Sunday and maybe 1 more day to try to avoid tag soup this winter. Out of desperation and not seeing many deer in the units I've been elk hunting (Winston/Ryderwood) I'm kicking around the idea of checking out the Vail tree farm, like I said, desperation . Anyways, I've never hunted here, anyone know if the gate(s) will be open Sunday or have any suggestions of a better unit/area within an hour or so of Kelso? at this point I don't need horns. I'm open to anything and appreciate any help, thanks .

[salmonslayer1]

pretty sure the gates in Vail will be closed to drive in.but you can hoof it in there.i looked around Morton and cinebar today theres a few areas to hunt there if you look around. saw a few does today I'm still hold in out for a buck.good luck.

[bobcat]

I'm not sure Vail will be any more productive than the Winston and Ryderwood GMU's you've been hunting. I think you might want to try some different areas in those same units, maybe where there are fewer elk. Possibly even the Coweeman or Battleground GMU's might be worth a shot. Vail just seems like quite a long drive, and you'll be going by a lot of area that's probably just as good, if not better.

[Angus]

I wish Coweeman was open for late archery, I saw alot of deer there during the early season and my neighbor who muzzy hunts there has been seeing quite a few.

So its not likely the gates will be open in Vail? ok, might go take a look at a couple spots in the Toutle unit and scout for the any bull tag I'll probably draw there next year.

Thought about Battleground since its still open for elk but the only spot I knew to hunt (private property) was sold over the summer 

[grousetracker]

if you want an elk in vail,goodluck! if you want a deer in vail, i will garantee you i could show you a ton of deer, walked in there last saturday and saw atleast 50 of them. dont go there during rifle season. goodluck!

[madmack76]

if your going to vail walk in opelt its a good area for deer and the ocasional elk

[Angus]

Thanks, I got a good lead I'm looking forward to checking out tomorrow, I would be more then happy at this point with a deer but I've still got an archery elk tag thats about to become soup as well, I'm not picky

[Dmanmastertracker]

 I thought about going to Vail as well, I just may before the 31st. I've been hunting a piece of thick timber trying to pry this one good buck I know is there out of it. He was trailing two does during the last snow storm. It's the thickest crap I've ever hunted but I can't give it up knowing he's in there, his track is 3 1/2" x 4 1/2". I might try Vail if I can't catch up to him in the next week.

[Angus]

I made it out for a few hours this morning, put about 4 miles on the boots and saw 4 deer, a nice 3 point at 120 yards that unfortunately saw me before I saw him, then on the walk back out a doe with 2 young-uns with her stopped in the road and looked at me at 40 yards, tried to get there picture but they didn't stick around long enough. Hope to get another day in before the end of the season.

[muleyslayer#1]

I'm going up there Sunday and hopefully I'll see something and blast it but I'm not sure if the gates are gonna be open Good Luck