Margaret Unit

[Huntbear]

You know.. just had a thought...

I wonder how long it would take to turn the area into a WILDERNESS AREA....   It is critical elk habitat, and is part of the blast zone from the eruption in 1980.   That would kill any building in that area..  keep any cabins or lodges from being built..

Hmmmmmmmm.... just tossing ideas around as I sit and think on this.......

I wonder how Mr. Agnew would like the tree huggers turned loose on him?? 

Strange bedfellows, agreed...  but, to a common goal??  why not??? 

If we hunters are gonna lose it all, why not anyone that owns the land as well.

Be carefull what you wish for.  As Bobcats artical states there is a big push for PARK status.

The park status was and is something the FS screwed up on and did not pass...

I am thinking more Wilderness Area designation.. stops all building, all logging and bough cutting.. but hunters and fishermen and campers and hikers still have access....

[mpetersen]

It will be interesting to see if wdfw changes the status on the Margaret Unit, they changed it to a bull permit from a quality hunt this year. If it gets changed to a general hunt then the owner of the high lakes area will be having his own elk paradise for himself and his well off cronies ! I ran into a crew of eighty migrant workers picking noble bows last elk season and nobody seemed to concerned about getting shot, all wearing green slickers. Sounds like some real bs coming down in the furture. Again, it will be interesting to watch as I probably won't get drawn for this hunt again anytime too soon. To me anytime I can separate myself from the crowd (only saw two other guys the day I shot my bull) that is a quality hunt. This year I will be taking part in the Winston Unit cluster f--- !  Opening the gates all season, what kind of crap was that !

[Branden]

thanks. Not talking about any permits he or his buddys can hunt it with a depredation tag if and when an elk eats a nobel fir or does any damage to said property and in some cases does not have to turn in harvest reports or anything to the department. Not saying this will happen but some people are worried that it could. Hope you get a bear looks like there moving around now.

When I said permits, I meant building permits to see if they were planning on building a structure up there.

Branden, you are not getting the full story. Most of the land in question was originally Forest Service land. After St Helens blew, Weyerhaeuser logged all the blown timber from their lands near the mountain. The USFS and Weyco then did a land swap. The Weyco lands became the Volcanic Monument and the USFS 'High Lakes' became a part of Weyco vast holdings. Weyerhaeuser made $ out BIG TIME!! Harvest $ and real estate $. On good authority, Weyco offered several prime lots to their executive board members, long before it was ever offered on the open market.

I have recreated and hunted this area for nearly 40 yrs.  I hold the USFS AND Weyco accountable for this travesty played on the hunters and recreationalists of this state. As a young kid, my parents took me on campouts and fishing trips to this wonderful area. I will never get that opportunity to do the same for my family. Yes there are nice bulls in that area. I have 14 pts and hope to draw a m/l permit for the Margaret this year. If I draw, you DAMNED bet I will do WHATEVER it takes to hunt where I want. Branden, please take the time to do a little research before you start spewing your rhetoric.

Rhetoric as in the sky is falling its a private hunting resort bs? Sounds like weyco made out great because the forest service wanted to preserve what they thought was important. Its hard to blame an entity that is in the business of making money, not to make that swap if it is going to make them more money.

Also, I can't believe that I ask privet landowners on both west and east side for permission to hunt there land.  After all, what i want to hunt is a public resource.

Are you asking them for permission to hunt? Or are you asking for access to private land? That they maintain, pay taxes on, pay insurance on, paid and worked for? The wdfw grants you a hunting license that allows you to hunt. The landowner allows access to his own personal property.

[280ackley]

Also, I can't believe that I ask privet landowners on both west and east side for permission to hunt there land.  After all, what i want to hunt is a public resource.

Are you asking them for permission to hunt? Or are you asking for access to private land? That they maintain, pay taxes on, pay insurance on, paid and worked for? The wdfw grants you a hunting license that allows you to hunt. The landowner allows access to his own personal property.

I was being sarcastic.  It was in responce to people complaning about the current owners not giving access to there land to hunt elk.

[bullcanyon]

It will be a general tag within a few years. Than open season for their guided super hunts. Sure glad our buddies in the Wdfw were able to draw one last time before we got shut out. Good timing........

[skidynastar33]

is there anyway some sort of lawsuit could get involved?

[fireweed]

From a Status report published Sept 18, 2012 on the USFS advisory committee recommendations.

Recommendation 4: We recommend through a land trade on GPNF the USFS acquire the High Lakes Area from willing sellers.
Recommendation Status
The acquisition of the High Lake Area on the northwest side of the Monument boundary would provide greater recreational activities, including a site for a potential campground within 30 minutes of the Johnston Ridge Observatory.73
The Gifford Pinchot National Forest submitted a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) proposal for acquisition of 2,000 acres to provide public and administrative access to four lakes and to the west side of the Mount Margaret backcountry. The LWCF program provides governments with matching grants for the acquisition of public outdoor recreation areas.74 The proposal was submitted to the Forest Service regional process, but it has not been forwarded to the national office because of other competitive LWCF projects that better fit the national criteria.75 It is unclear at this time what additional steps the GPNF will take to acquire the land.
Some progress made in acquiring High Lakes Area.
(P.S. USFS again submitting for LWCF for purchase of High Lakes this year, but funding unlikely.)

[elk247]

Any new news on this? Just trying to verify rumors.

[kalamasasquatch]

I believe anybody can look and see if any permits have been pulled for that area to build a house, lodge, ranch, etc. Big money isn't taking away hunters rights. That is private property. Hunters have been allowed to hunt on it it the past. Not anymore. It was a privilege, not a right.

Yes I hunt. Sorry but I would rather not say where I hunt on a public forum. If I get a spring bear I will post a pic just for you. Nodak is short for North Dakota. I work 2 weeks in North Dakota, and fly home to Washington on my off week. Repeat 2 weeks on, 1 week off.

Serious question. There is no way to access the public property? It is land locked? My maps don't show the private/public very well.

The only "FACT" I do know is that the current land owner has built up there WITHOUT permits. I know this because I personally know the building permit cordinator for the county. He had to hike into the site and post a cease and desist notice on it. As for my feelings on the subject....... I spent 20 years roaming that country and its part of my being.

[Bluesdude]

I believe anybody can look and see if any permits have been pulled for that area to build a house, lodge, ranch, etc. Big money isn't taking away hunters rights. That is private property. Hunters have been allowed to hunt on it it the past. Not anymore. It was a privilege, not a right.

Yes I hunt. Sorry but I would rather not say where I hunt on a public forum. If I get a spring bear I will post a pic just for you. Nodak is short for North Dakota. I work 2 weeks in North Dakota, and fly home to Washington on my off week. Repeat 2 weeks on, 1 week off.

Serious question. There is no way to access the public property? It is land locked? My maps don't show the private/public very well.

The only "FACT" I do know is that the current land owner has built up there WITHOUT permits. I know this because I personally know the building permit coordinator for the county. He had to hike into the site and post a cease and desist notice on it. As for my feelings on the subject....... I spent 20 years roaming that country and its part of my being.

I heard that Rumour also.  I just looked on Google Earth, which was updated in August 2012.  There appears to be some construction activity just south of Fawn Lake, at 46 19 06.6 N and 122 15 23.06 W.   Couldn't find anything else but I didn't scour every inch of aerials.

[Greg Mullins]

All the big bulls are down by the river year around,If you dont think theres any big bulls in Margaret your eating bad mushrooms.The deal with that unit is thers so many elk its hard to wait for a big one.If the gates are closed think of it as a good thing load your pack and dont go back to the truck till dark.

[fireweed]

The effort to get some sort of acquisition or easement to and through the High Lakes area is still alive.  The USFS and Trust for Public Lands, as well as a coalition of other groups, are still working on the process, but no breakthroughs yet. 

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

For the record Dan Agnew is the father of Paul and Sam.  I know both sons and they do not hunt.  That being said can't a guy hike in off the highway and boarder the tree farm and hunt? Anyone know how to get a map of the boundaries of the farm?

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[Annette]

But they are not true Roosies by P & Y or B & C boundries.

They are considered Cascade Roosies...  But still, you get into some of that backcountry, there are some monsters...  I have personally seen a 9x7 that I am sure would have gone 1000 + lbs.  His legs looked really short, because he was so thick from front to back...

Sorry man, there's no such thing as Cascade Roosevelt's, It was a term coined for a book that would hold bulls that wouldn't make the true record books...

[chester]

But they are not true Roosies by P & Y or B & C boundries.

They are considered Cascade Roosies...  But still, you get into some of that backcountry, there are some monsters...  I have personally seen a 9x7 that I am sure would have gone 1000 + lbs.  His legs looked really short, because he was so thick from front to back...

Sorry man, there's no such thing as Cascade Roosevelt's, It was a term coined for a book that would hold bulls that wouldn't make the true record books...

Ouch, that was cold, absolutely correct but cold.


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