Alpine Lakes High buck hunt help

[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!!