Glacier Peak Wilderness High Buck

[Skyvalhunter]

nwalpineguide, Mike very nice buck. That area where you go in GPW is a popular area and access point along with Trinity. There are animals out there but as you know they are not behind every tree and a person has to work for them. Also their habits have changed from the high hunt time to the regular season hunt period. Plus you have been hunting that area of the GPW for sometime.

[nwalpineguide]

Yes, exactly.

The interesting thing is that observation you astutely make about the change in habits between the high hunt time period and the regular general season. As short a time period as that is between those two different hunt periods, it is my opinion that there is an observable difference in behaviors. That goes for both the deer and hunters!

By the general season those 170+ class bucks are hunkered down, barely move 200 yards over a two week time period and are almost nocturnal in behavior. That 2007 buck, and the 176 3/8ths buck Colton killed were taken in their beds at 40 and less than 30 yards, respectively. We were simply forced to...well, "hunt" for them.

Hunting the area off and on since 1990 has helped my knowledge of buck habits in that area, more importantly learn the habits of the very few guys that go after them there. The only limiting factor now is that at age 48 it feels harder (punishing) difficult to get to those places than when I was 27. I think the mountains got taller, the pack heavier and the oxygen in the atmosphere has decreased. It can't be that I have aged. It just can't be!

[Skyvalhunter]

But Mike as you know if you hike to the top of the ridge where you hunt and look down into that Shangra la Valley shooting a deer is icing on the cake The views are awesome up there.

[nwalpineguide]

Yes, icing on the cake. I tip my hat in memory of and clink a shot-glass full of grog in honor to Gordon Stuart.

MQ

[WAmuleyHunter]

Thank you for posting these pictures and congrats on the awesome bucks.  I have always wanted to get into this country!! i gotta learn to do this hunt.  Im afraid i wouldnt want to ever leave haha.   Love hunting and watching these bucks down on the winter range would love to see them in their summer hidiing places.

[CJ-5]

Those are great bucks and awesome pictures nwalpineguide! That is gorgeous country!

[sooperfly]

so are any of them dead or what? lol

Umm.. unfortunately no... on that trip that pic was taken about 3 or 4 pm on the last day of our hunt.. and according to google earth, those deer are 1,977 yds away.   
Besides the line of sight distance, it was straight down a loooong ways and then straight back up a looooong ways to get to them.   

[nwalpineguide]

Everett,

The only cramping you  will find in some of the more remote, rugged and austere spots of the GPW during the high hunt is in your quads, calf muscles and hamstrings. As you probably already know a little conditioning goes a long, long ways brother.

To prepare for my September hunt this year I've been, since November 15 or so, lap swimming 4 days a week, for a 1/2 hour, non-stop wearing a pair of Force Fins my NAVY SEAL kid brother gave to me and that he used for 18 years as a spec ops warrior assigned to SEAL TEAM 3 in Coronado, Calif. Once I've got my metabolism racing at the end of the swim I start hitting the weights. I lift that damned infernal metal for 1/2 an hour and call it good.

I'll do this very simple workout regime until May when I stop the gym workouts and simply start backpacking and humping a training load pack around. This, 2-3 weekends a month from May to November. Yes, I have a patient wife and children. They haven't left me yet.

A long injury free mountaineering background has also served me well over the years, and has made the transition to hunting, where I do, alot easier.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nwalpineguide/sets/72157603792844745/

Now, I understand that what works for me may not work for you and everyone else. Thus, you may need to modify your physical fitness regime to suit your needs and lifestyle. My lifestyle is hunting trophy class mulies. So, I sacrifice allot to that end. No, I don't harvest allot of bucks. I go season after season sometimes without punching my tag. It's not that I am not observing trophy bucks each year in the backcountry, because I am and others are too. I'm just not killing them every season.

Good luck in your scouting and come share a cup of hot coffee with me in my camp sometime should you stumble in.

nwalpineguide

[Everett]

I've thought about what the climb is going to be like.  I think I'll do as you've suggested and get into better shape before I head up.  I don't need to get back in there and wind up pulling something or hurting myself.  I look forward to going up in September though.  See you up there! 

[nwalpineguide]

Everett,

An excellent demonstration of  GOOD JUDGEMENT on your part! Well done.

The high hunt is not for everyone, and I respect and admire your decision making ability.

P+O =C or, Planning plus organization equals control. Safety first!

I've been on one too many alpine rescues. The Glacier Peak Wilderness doesn't need any more. Again, good judgement on your part.


nwalpineguide

[Everett]

Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt your hunt because you have to come rescue me.    I've been doing a lot of research for this hunt, so hopefully it will pay off, but to tell you the truth it will just be nice to be up there. 

[JackOfAllTrades]

Nwalpineguide,

In this photo, http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=64888.0;attach=132486;image , do you have a source for those pants?  I have two pair that I've abused for many years that I'm also growing out of. (I thought I stopped growing when I was younger!)

Anyway.. I'd love to get a couple more pair of those 100% wool pants from WWII. What do you suggest as a base layer? To be honest, I've done well with a loose fit pair of cotton sweats, (yes, I said cotton -because they breath really well, are more comfortable than long johns -as long as I stay dry), but I'd like your input.

-Steve

[Bearhunter]

Steve, the old Northern Sales in Mt. Vernon used to carry them but as you know they are gone now.  Army surplus store in Downtown Seattle had them when I was in there last summer, I think the one in Everett closed down as well....

[JackOfAllTrades]

Dang it... I was in Seattle last Saturday. I try to stay out of that goofy place!

Is that the last surplus store left in the I-5 corridor?

-Steve

[Bearhunter]

I think it is the last one.  I try to stay out of those musty smelling army surplus stores myself as well, but what else is there to do in downtown seattle, following my wife into the shoe stores started getting old