Alpine High Buck Hunt

[fireguy459]

Hi, i am new to the forum and i am going to be hunting during the early high buck hunt. I have hunted mule deer around washington, just never in the alpine area. I was inquiring info about possible entry points, weather during that time, elevation, how far do i travel in? any success stories, what to wear, or any other possible information. I am not looking for your hunting spot i am just looking for a productive direction to head. Any help would be great. Thanks alot!

[huntnfmly]

welcome to the site.I cant really help you with the area your going to hunt.but some one on here will probably be able to send you in the right direction.this is a great site.

[fireguy459]

Thanks alot. I have been looking for quite a few months for a good washington hunting forum and i think i have found it. If there is anything i can help ya with please let me know.

[Ridgerunner]

There are lots of areas open I would pick one wilderness area and then focus on it, there is a thread going about the Pasayten already that has some good information on it. 

Bottom line is get up high no matter what wilderness are you are in, thats where the bucks are, also don't expect to be alone, although its nothing like the general season.

[fireguy459]

Thanks for in the info. but i am going to be hunting the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area. I have done some studying and have found some points of entry from the south through cle elum, and north through levenworth. Are these good places to enter? highly populated by people? i appriciate any help!

[Ray]

Yes those general areas will hold some critters. Take a look at places along 97 as well.

[boneaddict]

These, along with most entry points tend to have lots of folks as everyone is bottlenecked in.  The country spreads out pretty quickly though, and if you have a good set of legs and lungs, and intend to do a couple overnighters, you can find some solitude.  What ridge says is true.  Don't expect the romantic view of not seeing a living sole like you might read about in a Cameron Hanes book.  The area just isn't that big.  Remember, there are several layers of folks, and its no secret to try to find spots in between them.  You have the trailhead hunters that hike in and hunt, those that go in about a days worth then camp, and then all of the outfitter fellas on horseback that really penetrate.  Remember this is the first season of the year for hunting for these guys, and they make their living off of how many they get in there, like the Icicle outfitters.   They also offer drop camps to folks, etc.  Again, its gorgeous country, and just like the Pasayten, the deer are widely scattered into little pockets. I believe the deer density is a bit higher in the Alpine than in the Pasayten.   I don't know what the bear population is, but I imagine its similiar to the north country....and lets see be prepared for all weather, from hot as hell to darn right frigid.  The alpine has lots of Giardia, so unless brave as hell with a tough gut, make sure you take some sort of filtering device.  This is coming from a microbiologist that tends to think mountain streams have to be cleaner than what comes out of the faucet. : )

[fireguy459]

Thanks for the info. this is a great forum. I am in pretty healthy shape and i work out quite a bit. so the hiking shouldnt be that big of a problem. I hunt in the eagle cap wilderness of oregon. (which i drew a tag for this year) So i was hoping hunting might be comparable in the alpine and i would be able to run from some of the weekend hunters that typically hunt the general season. Thanks for the info on the water filter. that could have turned my trip bad real quick.
Could anyone tell me about how far the outfitters go in. i wanna stay our of that area. A buddy of mine is an outfitter and he hates it when other hunters or other outfitters crowd his area and for good reason in the fact that it is his career and he must provide or he doesnt get repetitive customers.
does anyone have any success stories from this area?
Thanks!

[Ridgerunner]

I would call the outfitters and find out where they are dropping guys that particular year.  From my conversations with outfitters, the Icicle creek boys stay out of the southern Alpine lakes area, they are more up in the Glacier peak country and northern Alpine lakes.  3 peaks outfitters hunts the southern end of the alpine lakes area but doesn't have many drop camp clients from when I talked to him at the sportsman show last year, I really think the outfitters are a non-factor in the Alpine lakes wilderness area on the high hunt.

[fireguy459]

sounds great. definately dont wanna make the outfitters upset.
how is the deer population? or quality of this area? is it better toward the west?north?south?east? i am not so much looking for quantity as i am quality. like i said i drew a wilderness tag in oregon. so meat shouldnt be a problem. is there a good chance for snow in sept? thanks alot.

[jackelope]

while i been looking into it for a few years now, i've not been on a high hunt yet, so with that said, out of all the high hunt stories i've heard, i've never heard many success stories...nor have i heard many stories of lots of deer. i've heard lots about deer being few and far between, and pockets of deer that are hard to find, but not much in the way of success. one outfitter i talked too, maybe early winters? rings a bell...told me you do the high hunt for the experience of being in that country and the scenery, not to kill a deer. i thought that was kinda wierd, but understood what he was saying.
i can't wait for the opportunity to go on the high hunt...maybe in the next few years.
shank may chime in here as he's done it a few times, but i think they  got snowed on on that hunt a couple times.
there was a thread last year on MM about a guy that killed a deer and a bear or maybe it was him and his buddy or something, and then the guy  who killed the big 3x3 that boneaddict posted on here(i think).

[fireguy459]

Yeah i asssumed that much. i have heard that the deer are very spread out and are kinda hard to find. Hunting success is till rougly 10-20% which is not terrible. but its not great. i am jus looking forward to getting away for a week or so. i would really like to find some quality animals without lots of people (i know every hunters dream). who knows one day i will find it.

[Shank]

You got me Jackelope, I'll chime in.  The first High Hunt I did in '03.  We were packed in out of the White Pine area off of Highway 2 in to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness I belive they packed us in about 6 miles, we were there furthest camp in the area.  Sunny and about 65-70 on the way in, the next day the same, day three and four snow and rain day five (last day) sunny and about 65-70 again. There were no campfires allowed which made drying our wet clothes and staying warm hard.  We saw deer every day just no bucks (our first high hunt and were not aware that we needed to be right around the tree line to find the bucks.) We had a chance at a bear on day three, close enough we could hear it grunting and snorting and moving the bushes just down from us we opted not to go for it because we were beat (not prepared for the weather and terrain) that has been my only chance at a bear to date  .  We ran in to only one other hunter the rest of the people we talked to were just out hiking.  Towards the end of the trip we gave up on the deer and started Grouse hunting that was alot more productive, ever try to hit a grouse with a 44 black powder pistol? not easy, but lots of fun. Now I'm ruined all I want to do are back country hunts, had plans on doing the high hunt this year but the people who were thinking about going with me decided to have kids this year 

[fireguy459]

Shank your awesome.. thanks for the info. that gives me an idea of what the weather is going to possibly be like and what type of atmosphere to expect. too bad on your bear that would have been a great addition to the trip. So the tree line is the place to hunt? are there any granite or shale outcroppings in the area? well thanks again and good luck. sorry to hear about your friends having babies.

[jackelope]

but the people who were thinking about going with me decided to have kids this year   

dude i know, i know. i'm real sorry about that.
i have some pic's of shank's hunt country somewhere...i'll see what i can drum up.

[jackelope]

these are pics shank took on a high hunt...not sure where though.

[Ridgerunner]

I've been there, beautiful country that holds quite a bit of deer too.  Can't believe the high hunt is only 2 months away!

[huntnfmly]

Nice pics.
jim

[jackelope]

those pics are from the glacier peaks wilderness, not alpine lakes wilderness FYI.
shank and i and my pooch will be in that neighborhood in a couple weeks looking around.

[boneaddict]

looks like bear country to me.

[Ridgerunner]

In the second picture I can still spot where I glassed up a heavy 2 point the week before the high hunt one year, he had bladed tines, held his mass throughout was about 26" wide, just lacked that 3rd point.  I can still see him standing there in that pocket if I close my eyes.

[jackelope]

looks like bear country to me.

i haven't been up there but i understand there's lots of bears in that country.

[Vek]

Boneaddict, if you feel so led and still have the pictures, go ahead and post what two overweight weaklings can do in less than 24 hours up high, roundabouts Sept 16/17 of 2006, in a place with real easy access...

(btw, I'm not being completely truthful about physiology or access...)

[Ridgerunner]

Vek -

Good to see you are still around, are you in AK yet?

[Vek]

Yup, just bought a house - I move in next week.  I haven't yet had time to do much except fish a bit and hunt for houses.  As such, fall plans are somewhat sketchy.  There's always boneaddict's moose hidey-hole (I know a thing or two about that place), but I really want to get a raft and do a fly-in / fly-out moose float.  That seems like the ticket. 

Much to do, and not too much time left this summer to do it!

[boneaddict]

Here are those pictures from Vek last year.  You've seen his buck before as I had it in the thread about three points.

[boneaddict]

[boneaddict]

Here is his previous years pictures from that years high hunt. 

[boneaddict]

[boneaddict]

[shag]

Awesome!!!  I can't wait.

CD

[Bobm]

Bone,

Is this Jerry?

[Ridgerunner]

Yes, those are Jerry's bucks, aka Vek.  I love seeing the pictures, only 2 months to go.

[fireguy459]

well no luck on the draw... at least soo far. so its looks like i will be hunting the high buck for sure!!! i cant wait i am sure it will still be a blast. i wish there was some type of explanation for getting drawn. my friend applied for special permits for the first time this year and drew the multi season tag and a deer permit. i didnt draw squat! i am aggrivated!

[boneaddict]

The multi season tag is easy, as there are few with little points.  In a couple ears it will also be hard to draw.  As for deer permits, its jus plain luck.  Sort of like me drawing in NM in a unit which takes folks almost always at least 10 years.  Only difference is that in NM there are no bonus points.  Everyone has one chance at it.  I sort of wish that was the way of this state.  having max points, I can't say they have done a darn thig for me, and in another 10 years, there wil be guys with 20 points.  kind of crappy.  Idaho want to go to bonus points.  I pushed really hard for them not too.  So did a few other folks. I hope they listen.

[fireguy459]

Hey guys thanks for the help with all the information. i appriciate it! after all the studying and anticipation for the high buck hunt. The first draw let me down and i was destined for the high country. However, after re-evaluation and a second draw i drew a akali A late buck tag. so now i am stuck. i think i am going to do both. Hunt high for the experience (only shoot a huge one) and hunt late becuaes the first one probably wont get me what i want. Again thanks for all the information.