Post by: Lapua07 on March 03, 2017, 10:35:58 PM
Post by: Jburke on March 04, 2017, 09:09:50 AM
Post by: teanawayslayer on March 06, 2017, 07:08:49 AM
Post by: Eric M on March 06, 2017, 07:14:39 AM
Your not going to get much info reguarding where to go. My advice is to get out this summer and do a lot of scouting. Find a place away from main trails that is not easily accessible. Otherwise you will find more people than deer. Good luck!This is great advice. To add just a little to it, you will find some beautiful places when scouting. Last year I never saw another person for 3 days. If you find a basin right off a main trail that holds deer, other guys know about it.
Post by: Okanagan on March 06, 2017, 07:59:59 AM
Post by: yakimanoob on March 06, 2017, 10:36:18 AM
Your not going to get much info reguarding where to go. My advice is to get out this summer and do a lot of scouting. Find a place away from main trails that is not easily accessible. Otherwise you will find more people than deer. Good luck!This is great advice. To add just a little to it, you will find some beautiful places when scouting. Last year I never saw another person for 3 days. If you find a basin right off a main trail that holds deer, other guys know about it.
This will be my first high buck hunt, and this pretty well sums up my plan. Haven't settled on a spot yet, but I've been pouring over maps and CANNOT WAIT to get out there and scout.
Remember, if you strike out, or don't see a single deer, you're still hiking in the high cascades and by all accounts are a lucky sombitch.
ENJOY!
Post by: HankC on March 06, 2017, 12:11:12 PM
Post by: boneaddict on March 06, 2017, 12:41:18 PM
Post by: Duckslayer89 on March 06, 2017, 12:56:15 PM
If you can, figure out where the outfitters main camps are. Going in deep may just put you next to tent city.
:yeah:
Post by: Bill W on March 06, 2017, 01:03:33 PM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 06, 2017, 01:10:29 PM
If you can, figure out where the outfitters main camps are. Going in deep may just put you next to tent city.That's easy to do all you have to do is contact them and they will tell you. That's what I do. Plan on a nice camping trip and bonus if you see a legal buck to shoot. Be prepared to see other hunters
Post by: yakimanoob on March 06, 2017, 01:13:34 PM
If you can, figure out where the outfitters main camps are. Going in deep may just put you next to tent city.Great tip. I would be my luck to hoof it hard for a day to get to my chosen drainage, only to find 20 other hunters!
Post by: teanawayslayer on March 07, 2017, 07:32:20 AM
Post by: Duckslayer89 on March 07, 2017, 07:36:13 AM
This particular area I hiked in in the dark and trusted the map that there was streams along the way I could fill up with water. Anyhow there wasn't once I started climbing 5 miles ran out halfway. Never been that dehydrated was staggering around when i reached the tarns. Moral of the story, fill up whenever you can don't try to skimp weight when it comes to filling water, don't trust maps in the summer or September
Post by: OutHouse on March 07, 2017, 08:57:04 AM
Post by: Duckslayer89 on March 07, 2017, 09:02:08 AM
Pasayten Wilderness is really nice but if you go there please actually hike all the way in. There have been years when I'm doing archery up near the Wilderness area and there are tons of rifle hunters who were hunting a few miles up the trail and no where near the boundary of the Pasayten. I tried just talking to these people but they were sure they were in the right area (they weren't). Then I call the game department and they wouldn't do anything about it. Pretty frustrating that people can get away with doing a "high buck" hunt anywhere they wanted to.
There was guys one here up in the alpine shooting at rocks down below me and I had hunter orange on. Literally sounded like they were shooting below me from the bullets hitting the rocks and I had orange on I scrambled out fast. Not the first time this certain outfitter has dropped yahoos off up there. Another group shot an arrow over a guys head for "spot poaching". He went with them the year before and hiked in with a friend the next year, alpine drama. Oh ya and that group that shot the arrow was a master hunter
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 07, 2017, 09:07:50 AM
Post by: Duckslayer89 on March 07, 2017, 09:17:00 AM
What about the guys that shot at the rocks below you were they Master Hunters?
Not sure never talked to them it was like 600 yards away around this canyon and didn't feel like confrontation up in the mountains. I highly doubt it overweight wearing blue jeans idk
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 07, 2017, 09:33:06 AM
Post by: bobcat on March 07, 2017, 09:38:17 AM
Post by: OutHouse on March 07, 2017, 09:42:45 AM
Pasayten Wilderness is really nice but if you go there please actually hike all the way in. There have been years when I'm doing archery up near the Wilderness area and there are tons of rifle hunters who were hunting a few miles up the trail and no where near the boundary of the Pasayten. I tried just talking to these people but they were sure they were in the right area (they weren't). Then I call the game department and they wouldn't do anything about it. Pretty frustrating that people can get away with doing a "high buck" hunt anywhere they wanted to.
There was guys one here up in the alpine shooting at rocks down below me and I had hunter orange on. Literally sounded like they were shooting below me from the bullets hitting the rocks and I had orange on I scrambled out fast. Not the first time this certain outfitter has dropped yahoos off up there. Another group shot an arrow over a guys head for "spot poaching". He went with them the year before and hiked in with a friend the next year, alpine drama. Oh ya and that group that shot the arrow was a master hunter
That's ridiculous. I have experienced a fair amount of just bad behavior from other hunters. I think this sight's members are not those type of people, but I always stay away from other hunters in the field for reasons like your story and many others.
Post by: Skyvalhunter on March 07, 2017, 09:44:31 AM
Post by: Duckslayer89 on March 07, 2017, 09:45:56 AM
Pasayten Wilderness is really nice but if you go there please actually hike all the way in. There have been years when I'm doing archery up near the Wilderness area and there are tons of rifle hunters who were hunting a few miles up the trail and no where near the boundary of the Pasayten. I tried just talking to these people but they were sure they were in the right area (they weren't). Then I call the game department and they wouldn't do anything about it. Pretty frustrating that people can get away with doing a "high buck" hunt anywhere they wanted to.
There was guys one here up in the alpine shooting at rocks down below me and I had hunter orange on. Literally sounded like they were shooting below me from the bullets hitting the rocks and I had orange on I scrambled out fast. Not the first time this certain outfitter has dropped yahoos off up there. Another group shot an arrow over a guys head for "spot poaching". He went with them the year before and hiked in with a friend the next year, alpine drama. Oh ya and that group that shot the arrow was a master hunter
That's ridiculous. I have experienced a fair amount of just bad behavior from other hunters. I think this sight's members are not those type of people, but I always stay away from other hunters in the field for reasons like your story and many others.
It sounds like a hard to believe story but charges should be public record for kittitas county court. Found not guilty it was a he said said she said story. Guy did have a witness and they are class act guys he was shooken up when he came by my camp I was pumping water. Felt bad it's a long ass hike in
Post by: OutHouse on March 07, 2017, 09:55:24 AM
Ive seen people hunting about one mile outside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness boundary during the high hunt. They camp right alongside a forest service road and hunt up the hill within sight of their camp. :rolleyes:
During another year, there were tons of guys well within 218 GMU and not at all near the Pasayten and the wardens told some of the reporting parties that going all the way up there would "take a long time" so they didn't investigate. SMH.
Post by: Lapua07 on March 10, 2017, 06:15:29 PM
Post by: Eric M on March 10, 2017, 07:06:31 PM
All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.You can find solitude. It just takes some effort. Some of the wilderness areas are pretty big.
Post by: huntandjeep on March 10, 2017, 08:18:59 PM
All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
Post by: WA1232 on March 10, 2017, 08:29:13 PM
All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
And you are hoping to trade your solitude for company, why? I don't understand why people post so much on a public forum. It sounds like you have a special place, try to keep it that way!
Post by: Eric M on March 10, 2017, 08:48:03 PM
The Pasayten is 530,000 plus acres. Alpine Lakes is 400,000. Add the rest up. You could spend a lifetime trying to figure out this guys honey hole. 8-12 miles into the ride from where?All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
And you are hoping to trade your solitude for company, why? I don't understand why people post so much on a public forum. It sounds like you have a special place, try to keep it that way!
Post by: WA1232 on March 10, 2017, 08:57:11 PM
The Pasayten is 530,000 plus acres. Alpine Lakes is 400,000. Add the rest up. You could spend a lifetime trying to figure out this guys honey hole. 8-12 miles into the ride from where?All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
And you are hoping to trade your solitude for company, why? I don't understand why people post so much on a public forum. It sounds like you have a special place, try to keep it that way!
I disagree. Look at a map, the wilderness is just not that big. Not many areas where you get 12 miles from a trailhead where you are still that distance from a trailhead on the other side.
Post by: Eric M on March 10, 2017, 09:10:14 PM
I guess what I'm saying is he didn't say which wilderness. 8-12 miles in means a swath of ground 4 miles wide in an unspecified wilderness area open to the high hunt. You could probably find it but it's probably going to take awhile. Just in Alpine Lakes how many basins are 8-12 miles from a trailhead? I can think of 3 without looking at a map. Or maybe it's Mt. Baker or Henry Jackson? Or the Pasayten? Of course anyone doing that much hiking is definitely doing their homework and is probably going to find a good spot anyway don't you think?The Pasayten is 530,000 plus acres. Alpine Lakes is 400,000. Add the rest up. You could spend a lifetime trying to figure out this guys honey hole. 8-12 miles into the ride from where?All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
And you are hoping to trade your solitude for company, why? I don't understand why people post so much on a public forum. It sounds like you have a special place, try to keep it that way!
I disagree. Look at a map, the wilderness is just not that big. Not many areas where you get 12 miles from a trailhead where you are still that distance from a trailhead on the other side.
Post by: JeffRaines on March 11, 2017, 12:03:01 AM
I guess what I'm saying is he didn't say which wilderness. 8-12 miles in means a swath of ground 4 miles wide in an unspecified wilderness area open to the high hunt. You could probably find it but it's probably going to take awhile. Just in Alpine Lakes how many basins are 8-12 miles from a trailhead? I can think of 3 without looking at a map. Or maybe it's Mt. Baker or Henry Jackson? Or the Pasayten? Of course anyone doing that much hiking is definitely doing their homework and is probably going to find a good spot anyway don't you think?The Pasayten is 530,000 plus acres. Alpine Lakes is 400,000. Add the rest up. You could spend a lifetime trying to figure out this guys honey hole. 8-12 miles into the ride from where?All advices that I've taken into thought already. Any high country (wilderness or not is always over run) I've changed ground on this theory already. Likely permanently and intend to take horses into some of NW Montana's more remote back country.Don't get discouraged. I've been doing the high hunt in ALW for the past 3 years. Ride in 8-12 miles into our basins and have never seen anyone even close to them. Most people we see are the hikers on the main trail either coming or going from the major tourist destinations . 2 hours into the ride not another sole for 7 days , have never seen another hunter in our area. Plenty of legal deer , one morning we counted 9 legal bucks within 3 hours.
And you are hoping to trade your solitude for company, why? I don't understand why people post so much on a public forum. It sounds like you have a special place, try to keep it that way!
I disagree. Look at a map, the wilderness is just not that big. Not many areas where you get 12 miles from a trailhead where you are still that distance from a trailhead on the other side.
I agree. It would be different if he name-dropped a trailhead or specific basin/etc... who is going to spend time pouring over maps finding all the basins 8-12 miles in(is it 8? 9? 10? 11? 12?), then taking the time to go and visit each and every one? Even if there are only 7 of them, thats weekends spent looking for someone elses honey hole... something tells me they would likely end up finding a honey hole of their own when it was all said and done.
Post by: Jpmiller on March 15, 2017, 12:31:59 PM
Post by: jstone on March 15, 2017, 01:42:41 PM
Post by: muleracks on March 15, 2017, 02:16:10 PM
Post by: Watimberghost on March 15, 2017, 03:35:59 PM
Post by: NW SURVEYOR on March 18, 2017, 08:18:07 PM
Is the distance "As the crow flies" or "trail miles"?
If trail miles, you have now decreased the radius distance from the trailhead, thus effectively enlarging the search area for the elusive "Basin" AKA "Honey Hole".
In my opinion, once you get 3 miles from the road off trail, things get pretty spread out.
Basins can also be defined a drainages, draws, canyons and any other sundry terms.
I have occasionally pointed select people in the general direction that I hunt.
It should be noted that these are areas that someone shared with me 20 years ago.
We all understand that these areas are to be kept secret, but not forever.
We get older and understand that knowledge is to be sparingly shared, not jealously guarded.
Do we not have at least a small obligation to help our fellow sportsman?
In my opinion the ones that we should help are those that did not have the advantage of growing up in a hunting family.
If you grew up hunting, you should have the scouting thing figured out, if not, sorry, you never will.
I was fortunate enough to grow up hunting and fishing since I was 4.
For the last 35 years I have had a job which enables me to get out into the woods.
There is no way in hell that I can hunt all the places that I know hold animals.
Why should I not share at least a small portion of tis knowledge with someone less fortunate.
The success that he may have could inspire him to keep hunting, thus adding another sportsman to our dwindling ranks.
That all said, I am looking for a new "Honey Hole" to hunt elk in for the Westside, any ideas?
You can PM me.
I won't share it with anyone for 20 years.
Later,
Rob.
Post by: Eric M on March 18, 2017, 10:20:50 PM
With regards to the 8-12 miles subject I offer this....My family didn't hunt. I was born in New York City. I've worked hard to find some places to kill deer. But maybe I'm an old softy. But if you find a good elk place I'm willing to help you pack it out to learn an elk area. I would like to kill one in this lifetime.
Is the distance "As the crow flies" or "trail miles"?
If trail miles, you have now decreased the radius distance from the trailhead, thus effectively enlarging the search area for the elusive "Basin" AKA "Honey Hole".
In my opinion, once you get 3 miles from the road off trail, things get pretty spread out.
Basins can also be defined a drainages, draws, canyons and any other sundry terms.
I have occasionally pointed select people in the general direction that I hunt.
It should be noted that these are areas that someone shared with me 20 years ago.
We all understand that these areas are to be kept secret, but not forever.
We get older and understand that knowledge is to be sparingly shared, not jealously guarded.
Do we not have at least a small obligation to help our fellow sportsman?
In my opinion the ones that we should help are those that did not have the advantage of growing up in a hunting family.
If you grew up hunting, you should have the scouting thing figured out, if not, sorry, you never will.
I was fortunate enough to grow up hunting and fishing since I was 4.
For the last 35 years I have had a job which enables me to get out into the woods.
There is no way in hell that I can hunt all the places that I know hold animals.
Why should I not share at least a small portion of tis knowledge with someone less fortunate.
The success that he may have could inspire him to keep hunting, thus adding another sportsman to our dwindling ranks.
That all said, I am looking for a new "Honey Hole" to hunt elk in for the Westside, any ideas?
You can PM me.
I won't share it with anyone for 20 years.
Later,
Rob.