Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Bean Counter on August 11, 2008, 09:42:45 PM

Title: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: Bean Counter on August 11, 2008, 09:42:45 PM: That darned new wilderness took away one of my good bear areas :-( I took my coworker out for his first hunt on Sunday and what do I find early in the morning but the USFS road I need blocked off. Another veteran hunter came down the hill and said it was due to the new wilderness act. Trail blocked about 2.5 up a 4 mile hill. I thought of hiking it but that steep 1.5 would just be to the base of another hike. I guess they don't have enough roads closed due to storm flooding.

Fortunately we were able to stay in the area and I found several good piles of bear poop in a good huntable area. I'm thinking I may sneak out of work early Thursday and try to catch him before sunset. I've never worked and hunted in the same day...
Title: Re: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: klikboom on August 12, 2008, 08:36:18 AM: It sure is tough finding non-gated roads these days on the west side. The wild sky is good in intent though it does guarantee you bear/deer hunting area for many years to come as long as you are willing to hike :o
Title: Re: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: DeKuma on August 12, 2008, 01:38:29 PM: I hunted up there Sunday too, never did see you. I was more frustrated by all the hiker and mountain bikers. They were everywhere. Add to that the campers spread out all over the place and every area with water having a guy fishing! Do not get me started on the guys target practicing!

Not sure I want to go back up that series unless I can find a good area to hike. It was tough hiking about a mile or more, only to find a guy and his girlfreind camped out in the middle of nowhere in a little two man tent. Not hunting, just hiked in and camped. Not that I blame them, it was a nice area, just frustrating is all.
Title: Re: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: klikboom on August 12, 2008, 01:52:37 PM: DeKuma, I bailed this weekend, because the guy i was going with bailed... I'm heading up towards Mt Baker to check out a friend's spot.

I have a couple hiking books that i picked up, and they are what i am using to check out the Wild Sky area. Ive been going over a book called "55 hikes around stevens pass" and most all of those hikes are in the wild sky area. The only forest road that i found was open had a BUNCH of target shooters couldn't believe it, it was directly off of HWY2 can't remember the number.

I'm heading to up north this coming weekend, but the weekend after that I will be going out HWY 2, one of the pictures in another book talked all about the berries that line the trail and that you can eat on the way up, so that sounds promising to me.

That is the same methodology I'm using for the Alpine buck hunt, choosing a backpacking trip from the book and hoping to see a buck :dunno:
Title: Re: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: Skyvalhunter on August 12, 2008, 01:57:42 PM: Well if you guys want some ideas on where to hunt bear up there drop me an IM. I grew up there and know every inch of that area.
Title: Re: The Wild Sky Wilderness
Post by: Bean Counter on August 13, 2008, 09:08:45 AM: Quote from: DeKuma on August 12, 2008, 01:38:29 PM
I hunted up there Sunday too, never did see you. I was more frustrated by all the hiker and mountain bikers. They were everywhere. Add to that the campers spread out all over the place and every area with water having a guy fishing! Do not get me started on the guys target practicing!

+1 on the target shooters :(

I'm only going back tonight after work bc I saw plenty of bear poop on this one road. It was only 1/2 mile behind a gate so I'm hoping there wont be a lot of road noise tonight--and that it cools down by late afternoon.