anyone hunt the lake cavanaugh area???

[dannysdaddy]

and if so is there very much public land??  looking to do some scouting as i have never been up there other than walker valley orv.  just curious if its an area worth looking into....

[kbrowne14]

I am by no means an experienced hunter, as last years was my first year hunting.  However, I did deer hunting near Lake Cavanaugh.  I didn't get anything but there is a lot of sign in the area.  The area as you know, has a lot of clear cuts and logging roads. I called all of the private timber companies in the entire area as well as DNR and they all say that hunting is allowed on their properties, no motorized vehicles, don't drive through open gates, and signs will be posted if area is being logged.  I spent hours and hours looking at maps and property parcel maps to ensure that I wouldn't be tresspassing on any private lands, so you don't need to worry about that up there.  As far as the hunting goes, it was alright, not a lot of people hunt up there, I saw 1 spike and that was it.  It was not the best hunting in the world but it is local and it is easy and nice to just get out into the woods. 

[D-Rock425]

I shot my first deer up there I was 12 years old.  I have deer hunted up there very little since then but I'm sure they are still there.

[Skyvalhunter]

I take it you are talking about the Lake Cavanaugh up FS rd 62. There is alot of people that go up there in the evenings and wouldn't be a bit surprised about poaching going on. That is quite a drive for poeple to come in from the Spur 10(I think thats what its called) entrance. I know they are doing quite a bit of logging up there and plan to do more this summer so that will have an effect.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Yep ... but everything is gated... along walk to get to the game !!!

[Skyvalhunter]

Yes it is but its also a great place for me to take my dog and my mountain bike for a ride into the Tolt. There are a fair amount of bears in there but havent seen a whole lot of deer but then again I don't go in there during the rut time frame. But alot of road hunters outside of the gate especially for bears. If you go in there and the gate is opened just prepare for the potential to get locked behind the gate by the loggers leaving for the evening.

[D-Rock425]

There is no such thing of bears in that area. 

[Skyvalhunter]

It's ok since you don't hunt up there anymore!!

[D-Rock425]

I shot my first deer up there I was 12 years old.  I have deer hunted up there very little since then but I'm sure they are still there.

I have deer hunted very little since then.  I have maybe bear hunted more since then.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well maybe I will see you up there sometime when we are NOT bear hunting.

[D-Rock425]

Ok sounds good.  I like to take my rifle for walks on those early August mornings 

[kbrowne14]

I don't go up FS rd 62.  There are way to many people there.  I go to the other smaller gated roads and walk in pretty far, Maybe a 3 or 4 miles.  I like to go really early in the morning and walk in, in the dark.  I have seen a lot of deer track, both in the clearcuts and in thick woods.  I walked in a few miles every day for about a week and a half, I saw a lot of fresh bear sign and some good deer sign.  I only saw 1 spike though, so this year I will be going to Colfax to hunt on my wifes families wheat farm for the first 3 days of the season.  If I don't get anything, I will be going back to cavanaugh area.

[Skyvalhunter]

So you will be hunting in the new APR area then?

[Special T]

I was unaware that there was a Lake Cavanaugh near Tolt.. The only lake by that name i know of is in Skagit county E of Mount Vernon, Kind of inbetween Mt Vernon and Darrington...

[kbrowne14]

I was thinking that the fs rd 62 was just on the eastern side of walker valley ORV, but it is not.  I don't know where fs rd 62 is.