Post by: cowboycraig on April 20, 2014, 10:12:48 PM
Will be doing research on my own, but wondering if anyone knows of public/private land for some respectful Deer hunting?
Also if there are any guides that know the area, would pay to be shown around.
From Colorado and have lived in WA for about 10 years. Getting back into hunting but work is really long hours these days and keeping me from scouting.
Take Care All,
Craig
Post by: justyhntr on April 21, 2014, 05:59:24 AM
Post by: bhawley76 on April 21, 2014, 06:51:13 AM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on April 21, 2014, 07:44:58 AM
Post by: ctwiggs1 on April 21, 2014, 12:17:21 PM
Curtis
Post by: bigtex on April 21, 2014, 11:00:06 PM
Go look around the power lines and sugarloaf. From what I have seen it gets lots of pressure also. Make sure you don't forget your elk tag. :tup:Make sure not to hunt Sugarloaf Mountain itself. The 285 acre forest/mountain was purchased by King County in 2001 and is off-limits to hunting.
Post by: cowboycraig on April 21, 2014, 11:12:04 PM
Get permission to get on the Merlino pit. It backs up to the watershed out past Ravensdale.
Who do I ask?
Post by: bigtex on April 21, 2014, 11:15:53 PM
What everybody has said is pretty much spot on. Here's my insight:
As the urban sprawl really started to move outwards from Maple Valley, King County went nuts and bought a ton of forested land in the Ravensdale area. Now for me this is both good and bad. Good: doesn't develop it, provides habitat, etc. Bad: No hunting or discharge of firearms on King Co lands. So these areas are basically little wildlife preserves.
As far as legal public land to hunt there is DNR land on the east side of Kanaskat-Kangley Road that is open to walk-in/bike access. This area is known as the "McDonald Ridge Forest Block." Basically DNR owns all the land from that point all the way into the Green River watershed. Now up on Courtney Road which comes off of Kanaskat-Kangley Road there is about 400 acres of forest land that about 10 years ago you could access, but dumping and illegal OHV riding has shut it down, the land is for sale and there is a local push for DNR to acquire those lands since they border the McDonald Ridge Forest. DNR also owns some land near Cumberland off of Green River Gorge Road, again pretty well marked.
As you get closer to Black Diamond and Enumclaw there will be a lot of forested land that is owned by Palmer Coaking Coal and the Yarrow Bay Group (Paul Allen.) Palmer has slowly been developing their land, and Yarrow Bay is looking to add 20,000 residents to Black Diamond in the next 10-20 years. Palmer allowed access until about 10 years ago. Both company lands are now closed to access.
If I were you, I would look at buying a Snoqualmie Tree Farm access pass and hunting there. For you it would only be a hop, skip, and a jump from Hwy 18 and there is a lot less pressure and better animals.
Post by: cowboycraig on April 21, 2014, 11:36:54 PM
Cowboy,
What everybody has said is pretty much spot on. Here's my insight:
As the urban sprawl really started to move outwards from Maple Valley, King County went nuts and bought a ton of forested land in the Ravensdale area. Now for me this is both good and bad. Good: doesn't develop it, provides habitat, etc. Bad: No hunting or discharge of firearms on King Co lands. So these areas are basically little wildlife preserves.
As far as legal public land to hunt there is DNR land on the east side of Kanaskat-Kangley Road that is open to walk-in/bike access. This area is known as the "McDonald Ridge Forest Block." Basically DNR owns all the land from that point all the way into the Green River watershed. Now up on Courtney Road which comes off of Kanaskat-Kangley Road there is about 400 acres of forest land that about 10 years ago you could access, but dumping and illegal OHV riding has shut it down, the land is for sale and there is a local push for DNR to acquire those lands since they border the McDonald Ridge Forest. DNR also owns some land near Cumberland off of Green River Gorge Road, again pretty well marked.
As you get closer to Black Diamond and Enumclaw there will be a lot of forested land that is owned by Palmer Coaking Coal and the Yarrow Bay Group (Paul Allen.) Palmer has slowly been developing their land, and Yarrow Bay is looking to add 20,000 residents to Black Diamond in the next 10-20 years. Palmer allowed access until about 10 years ago. Both company lands are now closed to access.
If I were you, I would look at buying a Snoqualmie Tree Farm access pass and hunting there. For you it would only be a hop, skip, and a jump from Hwy 18 and there is a lot less pressure and better animals.
Thanks for all the great info!
These are the passes you are mentioning? https://hancockrecreationnw.com/snoqualmie/about/about-snoqualmie (https://hancockrecreationnw.com/snoqualmie/about/about-snoqualmie)
Those are like $300 but I would pay that for a good place to legally hunt.
Thanks!
Craig
Post by: Ridgerunner on April 22, 2014, 05:59:44 AM
Post by: wooltie on May 05, 2014, 12:21:06 PM
You can still hunt the White River Tree Farm (w/permit) NORTH of 410, correct? That area is 454 and OPEN for elk as far as I know...
Post by: ctwiggs1 on May 05, 2014, 12:22:54 PM
Post by: wooltie on May 05, 2014, 12:25:48 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on May 05, 2014, 12:36:11 PM
Get permission to get on the Merlino pit. It backs up to the watershed out past Ravensdale.
Who do I ask?
Gary Merlino Construction....
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on May 05, 2014, 01:25:55 PM
Post by: Tom Tamer on May 05, 2014, 04:03:22 PM
If you bow hunt you may knock on a door or two around there, but like most these Suburban areas it is growing increasingly anti-hunter.
Post by: wooltie on May 06, 2014, 11:19:01 AM
I'm buying multi deer to using the time before Nov to deer hunt and scout for mod elk.
I'll be biking behind gates fo sho.
Just hope I can get at a gate east of Enumclaw. Hancock shows several "other gates" on their white river map, but I suspect those are PCC or "other" gates, and I wonder how they'd feel if somebody access through one of them.
If 454 is a no go then I'll take my chances in 460.
I'd rather have lower numbers, hunt harder, and deal with fewer people.
Post by: AarowFlingeR86 on June 26, 2014, 09:45:30 PM
Post by: ctwiggs1 on June 27, 2014, 06:21:48 AM
The reality is that hunting in Enumclaw isn't what it used to be. Too much influence now from out of towners and it's almost all anti hunting now. I have done the Hancock permit a few times. Not saying don't get it, but I am saying that you should expect to see a lot of traffic and understand Muckleshoot get access to it way before you do. Deer are hunkered down even by archery up there.
The any deer any elk really appeals, but finding the animals during legal season proves to be tricky
Post by: hollymaster on June 27, 2014, 06:46:20 AM
Get permission to get on the Merlino pit. It backs up to the watershed out past Ravensdale.
Talk about a crowded area last couple years. Ran into way to many people last year.
Post by: Rakkasan00 on June 29, 2014, 09:30:15 PM
Post by: bigtex on July 08, 2014, 10:32:29 PM
Agreed with the above post, I have lived out here for 17yrs, and I used to rifle hunt a mile from the house, got some dandy bucks too now with Yarrow Bay developing it is going awayIt's going to be a sad day when Yarrow Bay gets done "doing their thing" in Black Diamond.