Alpine Lakes High buck hunt help

[pyroducksx3]

I'm new to the high buck hunting. I know I'm a little late with the planning phase but what I'm looking for is some help deciding where to start. I had originally been planning on hunting out of the Beverly camp ground ( a friend had told me it was only a mile or so up trail and then you can hunt) but after a call to the ranger station I was told it was more like a 5 mile hike till you can get to the wilderness area. Other areas I'm looking at are the salmon la sac and the Ingalls area. So basically this year is an investigative trip into high buck hunting and I will be day hiking in. Hopefully backpacking in and staying in the field next year. Any help would be appreciate and info about hunting pressure/crowds. I understand this might be best done through PM or email so anyone willing to help please do. Also I realize this is my first post here ,just came across this site recently really like it, but you can check me out on longrangehunting same name if that helps. Thanks again

[johnnyaustin44]

I've gone up outta salmon la sac up to lake waptus.  good looking area. bout a seven mile hike but the further u are the better in my opinion

[pyroducksx3]

I agree with that, even where I hunt locally I hike 2 miles in.

Also I was trying to get good resources for maps or books. I will pick up some maps at the ranger station but I also found these
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alpine-lakes-wilderness-mt-baker-snoqualmie-and-okanogan-wenatchee-national-forests-washington-usa-outdoor-recreation-map-national-geographic-maps/1029607673?ean=9781566955072&itm=2&usri=alpine%2blakes%2bwilderness%2barea
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hiking-washingtons-alpine-lakes-wilderness-jeff-l-smoot/1100432275?ean=9780762711765&itm=3&usri=alpine%2blakes%2bwilderness%2barea
If anyones also knows of some good materials in addition to the other help I need please feel free to share, thanks.

[MtnMuley]

Skip the reads, and spend as much time in the area your thinking about hunting.  Books can't give you the true lay of the land, and what it's going to take for you physically to accomplish this hunt.

[johnnyaustin44]

Skip the reads, and spend as much time in the area your thinking about hunting.  Books can't give you the true lay of the land, and what it's going to take for you physically to accomplish this hunt.

I agree completely.books help but the best is to be out where u wanna go.  that way you don't run in to a bunch of surprises like no water or a good are to concentration your efforts especially when your away from town for a while

[pyroducksx3]

I agree, the book/maps are to help me find a start. I'm going scouting this wed and thurday.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Back in the early '80s I used to hunt up there, Salmon La Sac. We would spend the summer hiking in and scouting, then pack into a lake and camp for a week of season.
But we actually were getting deer on the hike in and out.
We started camping at Fish lake (Tucquala ?) and day hiking to top of ridge, then following ridgeline, eventually finding a way down the side.
several trails in area.

[highhunter]

I've posted this pic before and it's poor quality (couldn't hold the camera still -shaking too bad) but it does exemplify the quality that exists deep in the ALW a long ways away from any trailhead (in this case trail as well). My Brother took the pick last year a week before the high hunt opened. My only advice is to get in excellent shape so you can be near the top of a ridge in the rocks before daylight (this means you have to know the area well enough to hike cliffs in the dark and still have lots of energy to hunt all day and pack an animal out) in a location that there is usually/always a buck or two. Granted, some people just get lucky and an unsuccessful trip in the mountains beats a day on the couch, but...

[johnnyaustin44]

That'd be a shooter for sure

[grizzlyadams]

OMG...what a rack    I'd be back in that area opening morning if I were you!!!!

[pyroducksx3]

So I just got back from scouting a few areas and stopped at a couple trail heads. What I learned.... To me it appears that dayhiking will use tremendous energy, even the trail that start close are switcbacks and just plain steep for the first couple miles, this brings me to the other realization it's almost a must to overnight in the wilderness if you want to hunt. So I put on about 16 miles in the last 3 days with my 3 yr old on my back most of the time and found one possible area, but it was a steep hike almost 3 miles to the wilderness and almost 2000 ft elevation gain, maybe it would have been easier without the 40 live weight pack on but still I was pretty tired, coming down was easy and only took about an hour though

[Rhinoron247]

Back in the early '80s I used to hunt up there, Salmon La Sac. We would spend the summer hiking in and scouting, then pack into a lake and camp for a week of season.
But we actually were getting deer on the hike in and out.
We started camping at Fish lake (Tucquala ?) and day hiking to top of ridge, then following ridgeline, eventually finding a way down the side.
several trails in area.

Saw a couple nice bucks up past Hyas lake this lake week.  Not a bad hike.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

go over mt davis.  DSown to lake terrance the backside of the lake has a nice draw wher them bucks feed.

[jess]

my only advise would be get up high your not going to find a huge buck in the trail you got to go above timber line and above the deer then come down on them...

[pyroducksx3]

Has anyone seen many bear in the alpine lakes area. I talked to a few hikers while I was scouting and they said they have never seem a bear in this area. I am thinking since they are hikers they may be leading me astray I got a few wierd looks and question because I was carring a pistol so I dont believe everyone was entirely supportive of my quest for bears or asking about deer

[3nails]

Has anyone seen many bear in the alpine lakes area. I talked to a few hikers while I was scouting and they said they have never seem a bear in this area. I am thinking since they are hikers they may be leading me astray I got a few wierd looks and question because I was carring a pistol so I dont believe everyone was entirely supportive of my quest for bears or asking about deer

No matter where I go bear hunting in the high country I run into scads of hikers. When they see my gun and ask what I'm hunting I'd say 90% of them are flat out shocked when I tell them bears. "There's BEARS up here?!?!" Hear it all the time. To answer your question, yes, there are lots of bears there.

[YellowDog]

I personally didn't see any but in one area we hunting back in the mid '90s there was one monster black bear.  My brother and hunting buddies got short glimpses of him climbing an opposite ridge about 1000 yards away.  Said he looked like he as about as big as a VW Bug. 

Yeah, hikers would come by our camp from time to time with their little bells on to scare the bears away too.  Funny stuff.  They didn't like seeing our rifles either.   

[yojimbo]

Hi. I was camped near Rachel Lake last Sept. and woke in the middle of the night to hear some shuffling and snorting and grunting right outside my little tent. It's amazing how still one can be while simultaneously reaching for a flashlight and a trigger...
Not sure what it was, but when it brushed the side of the tent it seemed bigger than a chipmunk.
After a minute or two it shambled away. I stayed still for a few minutes longer then peeked outside. There was not a trace of anything and no sign of any disturbance.
Maybe it was the trophy buck that got away that trip.

[colockumelk]

Sounds like sasquatch to me.

[JimmyHoffa]

The bears and the squatch are probably not too friendly this year.  With the late snowmelt, I'm finding lots of soggy ground up high.  With tons and tons of bugs.  Probably driving the squatch nuts, he'll probably be climbing in tents to escape them.

[pyroducksx3]

The bears and the squatch are probably not too friendly this year.  With the late snowmelt, I'm finding lots of soggy ground up high.  With tons and tons of bugs.  Probably driving the squatch nuts, he'll probably be climbing in tents to escape them.

I noticed the same thing when I was scouting, so many bugs! As this was my firsdt time I wasnt sure if this was normal. All I could think was why would I want to bone-out a dear in all these bugs! So hopefully this isnt always the case then?

[cjensen]

When there is a good freeze most of the mosquitoes will be gone.  Doubt they'll be gone by the opener next week though! 

[KopperBuck]

Man I hope so... I'm bringing the heavy artillery in preparation. 99% DEET baby.

[cjensen]

Has anybody been up in the last few days?  Are the mosquitoes gone yet?  I'm going with a face net if they're still there.  I bathed in deet last time I was out and came back with more than 100 bites on my back alone. 

[wehunt]

They were not gone last weekend, still terrible. I saw the deer laying out in the snow fields so they could try to get away from the bugs. Lot of deet is right.

[boonerboy]

just came out last night, Lots of bugs still.

[Shed Stud]

Can't wait to find out tommorow how bad the skeets will be. Going deep!

[frogman]

Okay new to the "high buck hunt" and wanted to ask the old timers a question:  If in the rare event I shoot a deer.  What is the best advice for getting the sucker out?  I have shot deer before but always had the truck within a mile.  I assume we just gut it, quarter it and start hiking.  skin it?  leave the hide on? 

[JimmyHoffa]

Okay new to the "high buck hunt" and wanted to ask the old timers a question:  If in the rare event I shoot a deer.  What is the best advice for getting the sucker out?  I have shot deer before but always had the truck within a mile.  I assume we just gut it, quarter it and start hiking.  skin it?  leave the hide on? 

How much can you lift and for how long?  Or do you have a horse or team of buddies?
Here's what I do:  Field dress immedialtely.  Then start cooling it off.  Use creek water and shade.  Then I full out butcher it.  I put the meat in the cotton game bags.  If needed to cool it off even more, you can put in a waterproof bag (or trashbag) and dip in the creek or stuff under snow.  Then hike out.  I find that hiking at night/early morning will keep it cooler.  Also, you need one antler to show it was 3 pt or larger.  The game bags I use can hold quite a bit, last deer I think I had 80 lbs in one bag and 20 lbs in the other.

[Skyvalhunter]

Bone it out and pack it out!!

[frogman]

thanks!!!
Well not sure if this is good news or bad news.  Weather warning for cascades snow level dropping to 5,500.  LOL

[Hoyt204]

Weather sounds good to me.  I'm heading up there this next week for a couple days.

[JimmyHoffa]

thanks!!!
Well not sure if this is good news or bad news.  Weather warning for cascades snow level dropping to 5,500.  LOL

I'd call it great news.  Get them moving.  Good for packing out and hiking.

[SpotNStalker]

Hey,

Any of you guys been up since this thread? I'm trying to plan some summer scouting hikes and would love any "lessons learned" from you guys that have hunted up there. I've hiked some of the ALW going in from the Cle Elum area, but haven't seen deer.  I'm curious of some good areas to check out, especially coming in from Cle Elum area as I live down by Vantage. I'm curious if any of you have noticed deer populations moving since the fires, and if any of you had areas you wouldn't recommend based off of last year or 2012. Thanks for any input you guys might have!