Sinlahekin Late White-tail

[Seabeckian]

In putting in for this hunt I did it blindly not ever having hunted this area prior. I selected it based upon hunter success rates, harvested buck size, and location (I always do my research even if it's not always in the field). I know a lot of people complain about that, but I gratefully look forward to the opportunity to spend some time in a foreign area where I know odds are good of harvesting a great deer.

So while I'm not very concerned in finding an area to get in, my question is as follows; Given the drastic elevations deviations within the unit, is there a lot of deer migration come November 1st? I worry that between my preseason scouting and game time, the possible snow level may shoot down all my hard efforts to get on deer. Or if any of you have any other info, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance! -Scott

[CP]

The whitetail there don’t migrate, they are always low.  That’s a great tag; you shouldn’t have any trouble filling it with a good deer.

[MtnMuley]

Sinlahekin is filled with lesser quality whitetail bucks.  A 130" is a dandy in there these days.  Also, you won't find many bucks down low during your season.  I'd plan on hunting a good ways above the valley floor.

[Seabeckian]

Although two very contrasting replies, one low country and one high, thanks for the input! I would be very excited with a 130" whitey. I have shot nothing but mulies my whole hunting career and would be ecstatic to get a fair whitetail. This is my first special deer permit so I'm really hoping to get that great buck that has eluded me during general season.

[saylean]

Just head into the sinlahekin, get out and hike about some good looking areas....the edges of the valley are pretty dam steep in most spots, as you will see. It should be a blast to hunt. I love that area. Most people I've seen during general season are road hunting....but that could have been just my experience and not par for the coarse.

Good luck!

[Seabeckian]

Just head into the sinlahekin, get out and hike about some good looking areas....the edges of the valley are pretty dam steep in most spots, as you will see. It should be a blast to hunt. I love that area. Most people I've seen during general season are road hunting....but that could have been just my experience and not par for the coarse.

Good luck!

Given your past experience, would you suggest coming in on the 97 side and getting in deep? Thanks for the input! 

[highcountry]

PM sent....

[MtnMuley]

Just head into the sinlahekin, get out and hike about some good looking areas....the edges of the valley are pretty dam steep in most spots, as you will see. It should be a blast to hunt. I love that area. Most people I've seen during general season are road hunting....but that could have been just my experience and not par for the coarse.

Good luck!

Given your past experience, would you suggest coming in on the 97 side and getting in deep? Thanks for the input!

I'm sure he is referring to the Sinlahekin Valley.  Valley floor on the bottom with steeper walls on both sides.  Whiteys throughout.  You can access it of the South Pine Creek/Fish Lake Road off of 97 from the south or through Loomis from the north.

[Seabeckian]

MtnMuley- Thanks for the input. I have been eyeing the valley on google maps and I'm pretty excited to get over there and start putting some miles on my boots.  Definitely going to have to do some research on gohunt or whatever else to establish whats all public.

[NWWA Hunter]

I had the tag last year and it was tough to find bucks not on private.  I would recommend staying low and knocking on doors or hunting low in the wildlife area.  And if you go high into the forest service my experience was that there are a few whitetails but dont go to far as in my experience they were fewer up there and only just on top of ridges of the bottoms.

[CP]

PM sent

[backyard bucks]

i'm with mntmulie on this one.. the valley floor is amazing whitetail county but the nicer whitetail bucks will be up where you would think the mulies would be. look off the valley floor and up into the canyons/draws that go up to the top.

[FishBio31]

Very fun area to hunt, hope for weather! Father in law shot a really nice buck out of there a few years back when the snow moved in. It was his first day out and shot it within 30 mins of hunting. There were a lot of bucks that year out in the open due to the weather. Other years you have to work for them a little. Work the whole valley, top to bottom.

[Seabeckian]

I had the tag last year and it was tough to find bucks not on private.  I would recommend staying low and knocking on doors or hunting low in the wildlife area.  And if you go high into the forest service my experience was that there are a few whitetails but dont go to far as in my experience they were fewer up there and only just on top of ridges of the bottoms.

Good info. Thanks! How did you end up doing last season while you were there? And/or did you see many other successful hunters? Last season it shows the success rate to be just above 50% for the draw.

i'm with mntmulie on this one.. the valley floor is amazing whitetail county but the nicer whitetail bucks will be up where you would think the mulies would be. look off the valley floor and up into the canyons/draws that go up to the top.

Those nicer wt's are what I'm hoping for . I want to have to spend a lot of money at the end of the season with a taxidermist. And I really don't care what it takes out of me for hiking and scouting.

[Birdguy]

Send a PM to Oren at TW Guides, he is a sponsor on this site and has lived within a few miles of there his whole life. I would expect he will be able to give some good advice. We drive through there every year several times after hunting season as it is a great drive and we generally let the dog out to chase a few quail as well. The weather is different each year some years there is a fair amount of snow other years there is none. Either way good optics, GREAT boots, and some time is what you will need. If you can get access to the private land in there even better, but I would bet you can get a pretty decent deer just putting  in the time and effort. By the way it is a great area to scout in all summer long. Looking forward to seeing your success photos with the story in late November.