Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Boonedog12 on August 12, 2018, 09:16:52 PM
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Anyone been up in the goat rocks wilderness. I think im might hike in for ten days mid September for archer elk or a deer if a good opportunity comes up. I am experienced in the backcountry but I have never been in the goat rocks. any info, tips, or stories would be appreciated.
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Keep an eye on the Miriam Fire. Might have to change your plans.
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Some big country. Have buddies on standby for packout. Theirs elk in there. Just gotta find them. Their always right where you find them. Least that’s what I learned over the years.
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Bring the best mosquito repellant you can find. I was up there years ago and they ate me alive.
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definitely watch the fire which side are you trying to access I think in the west side you can still get to some of it up through walupt lake but the east side all the access points are closed down. and with the clear fork fire now on the westside that may change that access depending how the fire grows in the next few weeks.
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I spent a fair amount of time up there last summer and fall. Never did see an elk. I saw sign in only one location and that was down in the timber. With that said I spent zero time looking for elk. I saw 1 deer up in the higher country at treeline. We saw 2 guys elk hunting, and if I remember correctly it was muzzleloader season.
Flies and skeeters were bad in August and September.
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I killed a bear with my bow in there 3 years ago while elk hunting(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180813/936345df3c115d1489864afa1c291ad5.jpg)
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What everybody else said and when I was up there last we saw quite a few other hunters and camps around. Lots of folks with there own horses..
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thanks for the in put im still undecied were im going to go I might try to get up there for a night next weekend to check it out
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If you're considering a 10-day trip to the Goat Rocks, I'm going to assume you know what you're doing in the backcountry and have all the basics covered :chuckle:
Access may be tough. There's very limited access from the east side, especially considering the Miriam Fire and the Rd 1000 closure (I have not heard a recent update; USFS website says reconstruction is scheduled for now-ish so :dunno:).
Best advice anyone could give is to get out there and get boots on the ground. And pray for a west wind so you don't have to suck smoke the whole time :chuckle:
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I scouted in there a few weeks back. Entered on Potato Hill Trail. There were black flies like crazy. As soon as you stopped moving, they would swarm in. Had to keep wiping my dogs face, they were covering is nose. As soon as the sun went down, the mosquitoes took over. About an hour and a half after the sun went down, everything calmed down. Was the quietest woods I've ever slept in. Almost eerie feeling.
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Be prepared. Bug repellant is understated! Horrible! Try Coleman weedpatch(Walupt lk) :twocents: for access to crest trail and good hunting grounds. Short hike to trail from end of road.
