High Hunts

[FishEKat]

I am fairly new to hunting, 2 years experience, but I am planning on doing a high hunt this year. I am debating on either the Olympic or the Alpine wildernesses. I am planning some hiking/backpacking/scouting trips and would like some advice from people who have done either of those places.  Thanks.

[JimmyHoffa]

What are you wanting to know?  I've been in 3 of the olympic ones.  I'll try to help when it comes to roads, trails, camps, etc.

[FishEKat]

Access points would be a starting point. I live in Puyallup so getting to know how to get to some trails that lead up into the wilderness areas would be great. Also sharing your experiences on what it is like up there? Temp, weather, etc.  I plan on going with 1 or 2 others. What if 1 of us gets an animal; do we have to stop the hunt and pack the animal down or can we hang it up and keep hunting?

[JPhelps]

Depends on the weather and if you guys are comfortable with one of you packing the deer out while the others continue hunting?

Google earth and maps are your friend when it comes to looking at new spots

[JimmyHoffa]

weather can be all over the place.  Last year it was hot (close to 80) most days.  Also the snow melted out late and the flies/mosquitoes hatched late.  So where the years before it was relatively bug free, last year was bug nightmare.  Year before it was cool and had fog come in on a few days; the visibility was reduced to about 75 yards for half the day.  Night temps were usually in upper 30's.
As for access (for olympic units):
Buckhorn north has good roads (and a short drive from the highway) to two main access points.  The other popular one is high up and requires a long drive, and the road condition can vary due to winter.
Buckhorn South has at least thee accesses from the same road that would get you to the north unit.  Then there are other trails that come in from Mt townsend and the quilcene river.  The southern access would be from the dosewallips road.  the south unit is popular with hikers so expect company (lots go there because the trails to the alpine and dogs are allowed).
The brothers can be accessed from dosewallips road too.  It comes from the north and follows an old road over a bridge (dosewallips rd washed out and probably won't be repaired).  You have to walk to the bridge now before going to wilderness.  Then there are accesses at each of the main rivers.  Right now the duckabush access is closed.  They had 1300 acres burn along the trail and then a blowdown, so the trail is closed (and the FS says they will fine violators).
Col Bob is steep, but the roads are good.  The one along Lake Quinault is better but the trail has a little more climb.  The other road is a FS road to the wynoochee.  That area had a bad blowdown a few years ago, most of the trail is cut out now but the woods are still a mess.
Wonder Mtn doesn't have fancy trails into it (so hardly any hikers).  Access is spotty from the roads, but there is a small flagged route.  Most I know go in from the national park to get to the alpine and then follow a ridgeline then a creek into the area.  You can pack your stuff through the park, except an animal.  So you can go in and if unsuccessful out thru the park, but an animal would have to go out the little flagged trail.

[Alpine Mojo]

You can pack your stuff through the park, except an animal.  So you can go in and if unsuccessful out thru the park, but an animal would have to go out the little flagged trail.

No packing meat allowed through the park??  Where did you get this from?

[JimmyHoffa]

Heard it from the rangers (real rangers--leo).  They told me I could camp there while hunting and even access places going through the park, but if I got an animal it couldn't be brought into the park.  They said it was allowed to transport in a vehicle on Highway 101 through the park as long as I didn't stop.  They said if I even pulled in to use the restroom at Kalaloch or by Lake Crescent I would be in violation.  There were a couple of other roads that you could pass through because the park didn't want to restrict access to those other areas.  There are a few areas around ONP that are easier/quicker to access use park trails and then crossing over to the wilderness areas--just have to exit a different way if you have an animal.

[Alpine Mojo]

That's good to know.  I wasn't aware of any transportation restrictions in that area.

[rb2506]

Might be a dumb question but why?   Do they not want certain people seeing a dead animal?

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[JimmyHoffa]

I didn't ask why, but would assume it has to do with proving where the animal was taken.  My guess is that if you legally shot a deer in the adjacent wilderness area and then drug/carried it out through the park they would assume it was killed in the park.  Then someone else could kill animals in the park and claim they did the same.  Then the park would be using manpower trying to determine kill sites and check stories.  Just a guess.  It could be about not offending hippies, there's plenty of them there (visiting and employed). 

[CP]

The rangers were feeding you a line of bull.  Never take legal advice from LE types.

[JimmyHoffa]

http://www.nps.gov/olym/parkmgmt/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=387482

36 CFR §2.2 - WILDLIFE PROTECTION
(d) The transporting of lawfully taken wildlife through the park is permitted under the following
conditions and procedures:
6
Wildlife taken lawfully outside of Olympic National Park may be transported through the Park on the
following Park roads only, stopping while enroute is prohibited except for emergencies.
Heart O' the Hills Parkway to the intersection with the Little River Road
U.S. 101 at Lake Crescent
Camp David Junior Road at Lake Crescent
East Beach Road at Lake Crescent
Lyre River Road at Lake Crescent
Boundary Creek Road at Lake Crescent USFS
Road No. 2918 at Sol Duc
LaPush Road at Mora
K-1000 Road at Kalaloch
RY-1430 Road at Ruby Beach
RY-1324 at Kalaloch
Hoko Road at Ozette
North Shore Road at Quinault
Four Stream Road at Staircase
Clark Spur Road at Quinault
South Shore Road at Quinault

[CP]

Well, I stand corrected.  I’ve probably violated that regulation in the past: probably will violate again in the future.

Just shows the federal government is out of control.