Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Backcountry Hunting => Topic started by: yankees2 on September 21, 2023, 07:46:45 PM

Title: Where they at?!
Post by: yankees2 on September 21, 2023, 07:46:45 PM: Looks like the high hunt has been giving everyone a run for their money so far due to the quietness on the forum.

Me and a buddy spent two days (we pulled out early) in a productive spot opening weekend and did not see a deer or sign of deer that was from within the last week. Spoke to 4 other individuals we met on the trail that were on there way out and same story, seeing nothing. Very very dry up where we were has me thinking they moved to greener pastures.

Anyone else experiencing this?
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: LDennis24 on September 21, 2023, 09:03:42 PM: Cousin just got out and said he missed a nice 150-160 class buck and saw it go out and round a high ridge never to return. Saw nothing but small 3 pointers after that and lots of people. He said they were pretty disappointed.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: yankees2 on September 24, 2023, 02:20:59 PM: Dang bummer! Spoke to a guy who had spent the first two days in a wilderness up north and had to evacuate because of the number of hunters.

Thanks for sharing
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: LDennis24 on September 24, 2023, 03:01:12 PM: They went up out of Irongate, from Tonasket side
Title: Where they at?!
Post by: jackelope on September 24, 2023, 04:34:40 PM: Quote from: LDennis24 on September 24, 2023, 03:01:12 PM
They went up out of Irongate, from Tonasket side

I was at that trailhead last year during the high hunt. There was 20-30 vehicles in the parking lot. Your lots of people comment seems legit.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: buglebuster on September 24, 2023, 05:17:22 PM: I know of a few great bucks taken, most of these guys keep this pretty quiet
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: LDennis24 on September 24, 2023, 07:32:47 PM: Yeah he said they spotted 12 other people in the same basin they were in.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: MtnMuley on September 24, 2023, 08:30:12 PM: If you keep name dropping trailheads and spots they're hunting, it's only going to get worse.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: Jimmy33 on September 25, 2023, 06:24:49 AM: Quote from: MtnMuley on September 24, 2023, 08:30:12 PM
If you keep name dropping trailheads and spots they're hunting, it's only going to get worse.
I was thinking the same thing…

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Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: GASoline71 on September 25, 2023, 09:03:42 AM: Irongate ain't no secret...

Gary
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: knob221 on September 25, 2023, 12:10:26 PM: There had to have been at least 40 trucks at our trailhead. As my friend said, "go to where it starts to feel stupid, then go past that." The crowds will thin out.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: Bushcraft on September 26, 2023, 09:39:47 PM: Quote from: knob221 on September 25, 2023, 12:10:26 PM
As my friend said, "go to where it starts to feel stupid, then go past that." The crowds will thin out.

False. Not true.

People will spend the off season believing this idea, pour over maps, look at Google Earth, and then show up to some far flung location that they think no one in their right mind will be...only to find other new arrivals with the exact same idea, or a crew of guys that have been committed to it for many years.

I get the frustration, but going "past that" to find a hunting spot with no other hunters in a state with 7.6 million people is a pipe dream.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: knob221 on September 27, 2023, 06:09:50 AM: Quote from: Bushcraft on September 26, 2023, 09:39:47 PM
Quote from: knob221 on September 25, 2023, 12:10:26 PM
As my friend said, "go to where it starts to feel stupid, then go past that." The crowds will thin out.

False. Not true.

People will spend the off season believing this idea, pour over maps, look at Google Earth, and then show up to some far flung location that they think no one in their right mind will be...only to find other new arrivals with the exact same idea, or a crew of guys that have been committed to it for many years.

I get the frustration, but going "past that" to find a hunting spot with no other hunters in a state with 7.6 million people is a pipe dream.

I'm only speaking to my experience the last two years. I've
never gotten away from people entirely, but it certainly thinned out once I got far enough back and off trail.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: LDennis24 on September 27, 2023, 08:34:55 AM: Yeah I don't believe any of the trailheads are a secret. You should tell the NFS to quit marking them! :chuckle: I believe if you can go far enough you can get away. It might require horses but it can be done.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: highcountry_hunter on September 27, 2023, 09:58:19 AM: Quote from: Bushcraft on September 26, 2023, 09:39:47 PM
Quote from: knob221 on September 25, 2023, 12:10:26 PM
As my friend said, "go to where it starts to feel stupid, then go past that." The crowds will thin out.

False. Not true.

People will spend the off season believing this idea, pour over maps, look at Google Earth, and then show up to some far flung location that they think no one in their right mind will be...only to find other new arrivals with the exact same idea, or a crew of guys that have been committed to it for many years.

I get the frustration, but going "past that" to find a hunting spot with no other hunters in a state with 7.6 million people is a pipe dream.
I think this is everywhere. I packed in on horses 22 miles into the Frank church. Took off from a not very popular trailhead, took a whole bunch of turns onto more and more remote trails. Day 3 a few guys rode by our camp lol

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Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: Kascade_Killer on September 27, 2023, 02:42:36 PM: The real barrier to entry now days is being able to go M-F. You want less company hunt a weekend spot on a Wednesday.

There’s a couple other barriers that will eliminate traffic but those are probably either common sense or not ones you want to share online. Especially in an age where everyone’s a satellite imagery cartographer.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: ganghis on September 27, 2023, 02:53:12 PM: I was just up for the first weekend - not a super popular spot but maybe 6 other hunters in the area. It was so hot that there really wasn't any movement except the first 20 minutes of shooting light each day, and even then we only managed to glass up 1 doe. Plus there was a total blueberry crop failure so no bear sightings which was really unusual. I'm guessing the folks that stayed around for the weather change (like after the first weekend) probably saw more action than we did. As it was I heard zero shots in three days of being out, and there were multiple ridges accessed w different trailheads we should have been able to hear shots from.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: knob221 on September 28, 2023, 09:36:44 AM: I cant imagine getting it done on a two day weekend.
Title: Re: Where they at?!
Post by: JFowl36 on October 02, 2023, 08:30:38 AM: I have seen a couple good bucks taken this year. Seemed like the weather that moved in during the hunt got some bucks on their feet.