Copalis Unit Hunters

[tman24]

I was up in the Copalis unit for my spring bear hunt and seen a several vans that were in the unit picking brush.   I don't mind having them in the area but when I did see them i got worried. Every person that I saw in the brush and around the van all had black rain gear from head to toe.  Just be careful and beware.  I don't want to see another incident like what happened in Shelton a couple of years ago. 

[bankwalker]

They are out in force right now. Every morning there's a caravan of then driving through Matlock.

[bowhunterty]

Been that way since the 80's.

[Rusty II]

Thanks Tman. I'd hope they'd be more at risk from a territorial bear than a human with a gun but these days you never know.

Are they at least in poor hunting areas or all over?

[buckhorn2]

It might look good to hike in behind locked gates but the game warden said they have keys to about everywhere so keep an eye out there everywhere.

[pianoman9701]

It's also morel season. Watch out for the flatlanders picking shrooms.

[hunterrcc]

A few questions... Should one beware of the brush pickers?  What happend in Shelton?  Second are the guys you seen suppose to be on the property are there hired or on contact to pick?  they are the ones leaving the garbage at each dead end of a road too I assume!  Since it seems to be their left over lunch garbage and drink cups.  I picked up over 150 cans two sundays ago and there was so much trash out there it was sad to see. 

[carpsniperg2]

Yes one should always have a idea of whats in the area around where you are hunting.

If I remember right a couple of kids "maybe brothers" were out messing around and though they saw a bear. Throws up and pops it and it turned out to be a brush picker in a darker jacket.

I am not a 100% sure if they need permits. I would think if on private ground or gov ground they would need a permit.

[hunterrcc]

Thanks for the heads up...

[bobcat]

A few questions... Should one beware of the brush pickers?  What happend in Shelton?  Second are the guys you seen suppose to be on the property are there hired or on contact to pick?  they are the ones leaving the garbage at each dead end of a road too I assume!  Since it seems to be their left over lunch garbage and drink cups.  I picked up over 150 cans two sundays ago and there was so much trash out there it was sad to see.

In my experience, when brush pickers eat their lunch, they leave all the garbage on the ground. It's that way up in Capitol Forest. Plastic bags, sandwich wrappers, cups, etc. I don't understand why the state lets them pick brush up there. It certainly can't be a money maker for the state. Yes a permit to pick brush is 3 or 4 hundred dollars, but that can't possible bring in enough revenue to make up for all the garbage they leave out there that someone has to be paid to pick up.

[mpetersen]

Whats a real drag is when they get around to berry picking.  They will overrun a berry patch and stay there for the whole day.  Have screwed up more than one bear trip to the upper berry fields were we like to set up and glass. 

[mrgoodwrench]

The brush pickers in Copalis are legal.  A company leases the rights, and then they hire the immigrant pickers.  This company also runs security on the operation, garbage from the pickers is a problem, and it doesn't piss anyone off more than it does me.  Watch out behind locked gates, becasue they do have keys, as they are 'contractors', but also be sure of what you are shooting at, since they are often dropped off by van, and picked up in the afternoon, so there is no gaurantee that you will see a vehicle in the area.  But of course, you always need to be sure of your target.

And please....for F***S sake do not target practice in the middle of my roads out there.  I have seen places lately where people have been shooting targets down the long straight stretchs of the mainline roads.  I'd rather not catch a bullet through the windshield because someone is an idiot.