Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?

[Yelm hunter]

Hi I've been a member on here for quite sometime now. I'm just trying to see how many members from this website are going to be hunting Vail Tree Farm for opening day of Modern FireArm on October 15th?
I'm NOT wanting your honey holes cause there are so many deer in Vail its crazy but also alot of people. I've volunteered at the check out station a few times and have seen some BIG DEER!!

So are you hunting in the tree farm?

[madmack76]

why does this have to come up every year 

[Yelm hunter]

Oh because I just wanted to know!! We can talk about anything on here it's a public forum... If you don't like it WHY do you respond? To all of the other hunters out there GOOD LUCK!!

[bankwalker]

Vail threads are like a herpes outbreak. You know they are bound to happen, and once they do you never know how bad they are gonna be. 

Personally though i like hunting vail. Even with all the people. I just let them push the deer to my spots

[madmack76]

sorry yelm i wasn't trying to pick a fight or any thing its just every year some one asks the same thing and it starts an uproar i know its a good area and has good deer in it good luck and hope ya find a big one if you do make sure you post it up

[Alan K]

Big ones are in there, that's for sure.  Usually taken by employees during the week though.  Bucks don't get big in there by being anything but some of the smartest bucks around with all the people. 

Get in the timber if there is any left in there, I know they've been raping the heck out of it like every other big timber company to keep their quarterly numbers up in this down market.  I'd say 95% of the people in there just drive and glass, which is the best way to do it for the first hour or two and last hour or two of the day, but mid day hop in the timber and you'll be into them. 

Also, if you've got a few people up there with you, you can do some pushes, which have worked very well for us in the past.  Find some 6' or so reprod with deep fireweed, fan out, and walk through it.  Just make sure theres some contour to the area so you can actually see and get a shot at any bucks you bump up.

I hunted Vail for my first 10 years or so of hunting, and always had a good time.  Growing up though, I've become less and less tolerant of seeing other hunters every 30 seconds so I've moved on. 

Good luck to everyone up there though! 

[heavy hauler]

whats the real numbers of hunters in vail? i hear hundreds or several thousands. that place is nutty for sure.

[TheHunt]

There is usually 1,000+.  Figure 500 of them are road hunters.  Lots of land so it i snot that bad

[bobcat]

The main reason I won't hunt there is because I can't scout it out ahead of time. I like to have a plan of where and how I'm going to hunt. I'd guess that's why so many people just "road hunt" up there.

[grousetracker]

i remember going in on the old rail grade when there was no real roads, now the official number that went through the vail gate was 6412 hunters according to wdfw, count me out, lots of deer but the big ones are shot late in the season.

[PolarBear]

Honk as you go by!  Your best bet is to friend a Weyco employee, some of them get to stay in there all week and hunt with their families. A lot of them have already been in there elk hunting and know where the bucks are.

[Arteman]

  my old man has worked for Weco for 40+ years and its worked as a advantage for us many times.  He is retiring this year, but many years especially in the Winston when the gates are all locked and people can't get in to scout elk he knows where the bulls been hanging out and right where to go opening morning.  Consider it a perk I guess.

[Martinhunter]

Who's NOT going to vail tree farm opening day?

[singleshot12]

    Good place to stay away from if you're not into high stress combat hunting 

[dawei]

Who's NOT going to vail tree farm opening day?

I'm not going to hunt it - it's as crowded as shopping at Walmart® on Black Friday! I would rather hunt an area even with less deer and far less hunters. If you go, good luck to you.