Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Ajj828 on December 24, 2018, 04:24:01 PM

Title: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: Ajj828 on December 24, 2018, 04:24:01 PM: I just came across a old post about Washington high buck hunts and I’ve never heard of them until now. Do you have to draw a tag for a high buck hunt or can I just buy a deer tag and hunt the dates of the high buck? I’m interested because I’m looking into backcountry hunting and I really want to get into the wilderness
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: head hunter on December 24, 2018, 04:29:14 PM: Yeah all you have to do is buy your modern firearm deer tag and pick a wilderness
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: savagehunter on December 27, 2018, 05:51:02 AM: Super challange super fun. Great views just go prepared. See the regs for open wilderness areas. Make sure you have good glass. Be prepared to run into anti hunting hikers and other hunters but generally everyone's cool. Get a really nice pack and really nice boots. As nice as you can afford. Getting a deer out in a non load lifter pack in cheap boots will hurt. Been doing it 5 years now with my son. Had lots of advise and help from this forum . Everyone should get above the treeline at least once in their life .
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: boneaddict on December 27, 2018, 06:28:51 AM: Not the highest success rate. Think of it as a really nice camping trip with the opportunity to possibly see and shoot something. Deer are widely scattered in little pockets.
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: OltHunter on December 27, 2018, 07:50:38 AM: The High hunt is referenced in the Regs at the very top of the General seasons. Every year it is Sept 15-25 and only in Alpine Lakes, Mount Baker, Glacier, Pasayten, Olympic, Henry Jackson, and Lake Chelan Rec area....all General, OTC tags for Rifle and Muzzleloader. Archery has general seasons in all those units (edit: except Pasayten) anyways from Sept 1-28 so there isn't anything spelled out for that.

This has become a super popular hunt over the last 5-10 years, especially with the improvements of satellite imagery and cool social media posts about backcountry hunting. Safe to say, anything within a 2-3 mile hike of a wilderness boundary will see pressure. You will also have lots of pressure from our non-hunting wilderness adventurer friends as well so be prepared for activity off of all major trails and trailheads and disgusted looks and lectures about killing animals.

Fun time to be out looking for deer though, bright coats, velvet, bachelor groups. Prepare for bugs if it hasn't had a freezing cold spell for long and sitting behind good optics to locate deer.
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: bobcat on December 27, 2018, 08:02:54 AM: Quote from: OltHunter on December 27, 2018, 07:50:38 AM
The High hunt is referenced in the Regs at the very top of the General seasons. Every year it is Sept 15-25 and only in Alpine Lakes, Mount Baker, Glacier, Pasayten, Olympic, Henry Jackson, and Lake Chelan Rec area....all General, OTC tags for Rifle and Muzzleloader. Archery has general seasons in all those units anyways from Sept 1-28 so there isn't anything spelled out for that.

Except Pasayten.

No hunting season in that unit with an archery tag.
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: Mtnwalker on December 27, 2018, 08:25:31 AM: Quote from: OltHunter on December 27, 2018, 07:50:38 AM
The High hunt is referenced in the Regs at the very top of the General seasons. Every year it is Sept 15-25 and only in Alpine Lakes, Mount Baker, Glacier, Pasayten, Olympic, Henry Jackson, and Lake Chelan Rec area....all General, OTC tags for Rifle and Muzzleloader. Archery has general seasons in all those units anyways from Sept 1-28 so there isn't anything spelled out for that.

This has become a super popular hunt over the last 5-10 years, especially with the improvements of satellite imagery and cool social media posts about backcountry hunting. Safe to say, anything within a 2-3 mile hike of a wilderness boundary will see pressure. You will also have lots of pressure from our non-hunting wilderness adventurer friends as well so be prepared for activity off of all major trails and trailheads and disgusted looks and lectures about killing animals.

Fun time to be out looking for deer though, bright coats, velvet, bachelor groups. Prepare for bugs if it hasn't had a freezing cold spell for long and sitting behind good optics to locate deer.

I'd say anything within 2-3 miles of a trail will see pressure, regardless of how deep into the wilderness. No lack of guys willing to get after it these days.
Title: Re: Information about high buck hunt
Post by: OltHunter on December 27, 2018, 12:04:28 PM: Quote from: bobcat on December 27, 2018, 08:02:54 AM
Except Pasayten.
No hunting season in that unit with an archery tag.

Thanks Bobcat - i edited my post to limit miss-information....that's a weird closure for archers, didn't know about that one.