Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: nileboy on August 05, 2009, 03:16:46 PM
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Anybody know anything about hunting in this area? Anything in the Sinlahekin area?
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Easy access around Palmer is all private. The Sinlahekin has plenty of public access...and with lots of public access comes LOTS of public. Too many westsiders for my tastes.
Lots of whitetail in that area. Just north of Palmer on some private land I saw an absolute monster last night about 1 am. Tons of deer out, but only that one big one.
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hunted that area about 40 years what would you like to know. What are you after, whitetail, mulies, chuckars, grouse, bear,, fish?
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Deer mainly...Read some good things about the Sinlahekin in a magazine a couple of years ago. I'm after a trophy muley. Dad had a stroke about two years ago and he can't go anymore. I think I need to give him something to admire on the wall.
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Been 20 years or so. Used to be good hunting on Palmer Mt. Lots of private to get around now. Lots of good country on the west side of the Sinlahekin. Get above the valley. East side is a climb :yike: Never hunted it up myself, always down from Lemansky :chuckle: Don't forget Chopaka.
Hunt it hard enough, the big one is there.
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When I was a kid (30+ years ago) we used to be able to drive up on Grandview Mtn., there was alot more deer up there back then. My dad and I once borrowed a row boat and went across Palmer, then hunted up the mountain. Saw lots of deer.
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spent a lot of time fishing up in the sinlahekin and chopaka areas. tons of good ground to cover, but im sure it gets flooded with people come hunting season.
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Its sure muledeer country up there, and big sheep!
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I bought some lakefront on Palmer in 1984. Lots of private now as a orchard owner has leased most of Palmer Mountain to a outfitter. I used to rattle in dandy whitetails up there but don't want to pay the trespass fee so I bugged out!! Got a great place now that has some crusher whitetails to rattle. Missed a monster last year that was 170+!!! Ya, he was that big!!
The mule deer hunting is great in November but walk a ways to get away from folks. If you do this you will see some stud mulies!!!!!
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I'm doing a photography trip up there for the winter range. I am hopeful for some studs.
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--Tons and tons of people :(
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There is a pile of sheep in this area. We travel the west side of Palmer and watch the sheep (from our boat). If you want some good sheep rut activity just go to Loomis and park your rig. Folks feed 'em and they are in there yards and you can watch the sheep in ther yards from the rig!!!! I heard through the grape vine that these sheep are used for transplant stock and that is why there are no permits. I see bands of 10-20 mature rams, and can show you at least 6 groups like that at any givin' time, summer or winter!!!!
For big muletails :chuckle: in the dead of winter I would concentrate up on the Chopaka grade and up the Toats Coulee Creek Road and glass the big open open south slopes!! You will not be disappionted.
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My inlaws have a house on Wannacut so I have a cheap hotel. Thats sure gorgeous country between there and Palmer.
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Your in-laws have any more daughters!!!!! :)
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:chuckle: Yep, 3 more, but they are all taken. All four gals are quite cute and were snatched up quickly.
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Hey, was just up that way last week and the new plans for a new chow place/bar are just waiting for permits @ Sullys old store there in Gloomis :chuckle:. The place had some great history if you new the old owners from way back when it used to be in Nighthawk. We used to ride motorcycles up there to get ice cream back in the day. Hell, we used to ride up the Old Chopaka road at the north end of the lake and go to Penticton in the 70's. My how times have changed. Good luck with the photo trip this winter, O ya' and the three sister-in laws too!!! ;)
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ok so ya want to get into some monster mulies. I like the chopaka side of palmer lake but come at it from chopaka lake. canoe is helpful but not mandatory. the ridge between palmer and chopaka doesn't get a lot of pressure and there are some nice deer in there. For even bigger better and harder to get deer Big Chopaka Mtn. Hunt high on the mountain and work down the fingers. Plan on spending a bit of time hunting. Juniper point is good too later on. It is rugged and can be dangerous. I have seen nice bucks up on Rattlesnake. That is the small mountain to the left as you come up the chopaka grade. Good luck :hunter:
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This thread is making feel old and homesick :'( :rolleyes:
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Thanks for the info.! I think no matter where I go anymore i'm going to run into people... A lot of road hunters...I may head up that way labor day weekend to check the area out.
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Im curious where thes big sinlahekin bucks are??? In the fishing and hunting news???, i've hunted around douglas and blue goat since about 1991 and ive never seen any buck that would top 140 on public land, none the less get one in my crosshairs. From what i know the area was at its best in the 70's and early 80's before the cattle started running all over nad eating all the deers food, call me sinical but if anyone has pics, with some background view of the area for reference, that would be nice
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I dont see how deer and cows compete for food............I usually see them eating different types forage.... :dunno:
Just my opinion......also that place is overrun with road hunters during general season.....
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Since the 70's and 80's there has been a lot of acreage sold off in 10's, 20's, 40's. Hell, you used to have to hike across Palmer. Tough to get near Lemanasky, same with Cecile Cr. Didn't mind hunting thru the cows back then. It's the damn goats now :dunno: :chuckle: Come to think of it, it's happened to the entire county. :dunno:
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If you have never even SEEN a buck that would top 140, I would venture out from your traditional areas in the Sinlahekin. Hell, there are 140 whitetails around, let alone muleys. I mean no disrespect Scotty, but your tone in your response was not necessary. Perhaps you should respect the people who posted for their ability to find good bucks and be graced with insight rather than scoff at their claims.
I have hunted/guided/traveled Palmer, Aeneas, Grandview, Little Chopaka, Chopaka, Rattlesnake, Joe Mills, Iron Gate, Blue Goat and various places in between for several years, both on private and public, and would tend to agree with most of the previous posts. I could scan some pics and then post to verify, but that is more trouble then its worth.
Sounds like a good trip Bone, good luck and let me know if you need any tidbits on where to go....you probably know the area though. Saw a beautiful high and heavy 5x5 on Palmer in the winter of 2007 that would probably have gone 170+.
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The tone in my response? I was just asking a couple of questions, and stated my knowledge of the area. Last time i checked I was able to state my own opinions. Maybe I havent been as lucky as everyone else, but i have for sure put in my mileage around that country since i was 13 years old to be exact. I never said i wasnt successful, to be exact i shot a mulie every year i hunted up ther with the exeption of 1995 when my grandma and uncle passed away both the week before the opener. I just never came across anything of size, just seemed to read about it all the time in the magazines :dunno:
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My mistake then, it just sounded as though you were scoffing at the fact that they were discussing trophy mule deer in the sinlahekin....and blaming the devil cattleman for their demise.
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So, how does one get to Chopaka 'via public roadway'? I have wanted to hunt this area for a long time. Overrun with road hunters? That does not bother me. They can stay on the road all they want.
I read somewhere that 90% of Deer hunters seldom venture more than one mile from the road. I'm banking that most people on this forum are of the other 10%. I know I am. So, to get to good territory, how do you get around the private land to 'good hunting' public land. I had often thought of boating across Palmer lake but now that it's indicated here that that's all leased out to outfitters I'll bag that idea.
-Steve
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According to my maps most land around Chopaka Mt., and beteen Palmer Lake and Ckopaka Lake is BLM or DNR land. There is private land along the grade, and the base of the mountain. Get a map. :dunno:
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Any of the roads to/through the DNR land gated?
-Steve
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You can access most of it if you go to Chopaka Lake and rock and roll from there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Im curious where thes big sinlahekin bucks are??? In the fishing and hunting news???, i've hunted around douglas and blue goat since about 1991 and ive never seen any buck that would top 140 on public land, none the less get one in my crosshairs. From what i know the area was at its best in the 70's and early 80's before the cattle started running all over nad eating all the deers food, call me sinical but if anyone has pics, with some background view of the area for reference, that would be nice
--I agree, 140 would be huge in the sinlahekin and there just arnt the big bucks like the chelan county units! I would hunt the entiat!
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:chuckle:
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I agree Skookum, I'd hunt the Entiat!! :chuckle:
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Three years ago there were 2 170 class gross muleys in the Sinlahekin Valley. We had watched the bucks for several years, and normally they would move in during late December. Heavy snow pushed them in during the late archery hunt, and they both were harvested. I havn't seen a buck in there since that would go 140 (muley or whitey). Gradually over the last 20 years the quality of the bucks in that valley has went to hell. Way over-pressure in my opinion. Basically from bear hunting August 1st, to late archery until December 8 (not to mention permit hound hunting through February) over the last several years, gives the animals constant pressure to stay out! Quality even in the Palmer Mtn, Chopaka area has drastically declined. Sure, there are still some nice bucks every now and then, but not even close to the numbers there used to be. :twocents:
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Three years ago there were 2 170 class gross muleys in the Sinlahekin Valley. We had watched the bucks for several years, and normally they would move in during late December. Heavy snow pushed them in during the late archery hunt, and they both were harvested. I havn't seen a buck in there since that would go 140 (muley or whitey). Gradually over the last 20 years the quality of the bucks in that valley has went to hell. Way over-pressure in my opinion. Basically from bear hunting August 1st, to late archery until December 8 (not to mention permit hound hunting through February) over the last several years, gives the animals constant pressure to stay out! Quality even in the Palmer Mtn, Chopaka area has drastically declined. Sure, there are still some nice bucks every now and then, but not even close to the numbers there used to be. :twocents:
Yea but thats true everywere in this state.....Sign of times i guess
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Unfortunately you just nailed. Yes, there are some still out there, but with the amount of pressure this state has and the management style, they certainly are not easy to come by.
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There are a few areas that continue to hold a fair amount of good deer, but I've found that you better plan on being in top shape and not afraid to spend a night or two. Not new news to many of you, I'm sure.
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i have hunted the toats coulee, juniper point, quarts mtn, gold hill and rattlesnake mtn, area as well as chopaka, little chopaka, iron gate etc. there are big deer in there. if they where easy to get then you could send in your girl friend but you have to work for them. good luck. Get a good map and look up the names of the area's i just mentioned and you are in monster country. :archer: :hunter:
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Three years ago there were 2 170 class gross muleys in the Sinlahekin Valley. We had watched the bucks for several years, and normally they would move in during late December. Heavy snow pushed them in during the late archery hunt, and they both were harvested. I havn't seen a buck in there since that would go 140 (muley or whitey). Gradually over the last 20 years the quality of the bucks in that valley has went to hell. Way over-pressure in my opinion. Basically from bear hunting August 1st, to late archery until December 8 (not to mention permit hound hunting through February) over the last several years, gives the animals constant pressure to stay out! Quality even in the Palmer Mtn, Chopaka area has drastically declined. Sure, there are still some nice bucks every now and then, but not even close to the numbers there used to be. :twocents:
--Again, I would Hunt the entiat! Isnt that where the raffle guys hunt every year! Hint! 215 sucks!
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How about the whitetail in that area? What is the general consensus on there size ranges. I have never spent much time inthat area, but one day I would like to.
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I have seen a few 3 points.My buddy saw a nice 5x5 runny with 11 does last year way up on top of a mountain.Thats about it for the 4 years ive hunted it.But i dont normally hunt the whitetail areas either.
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I agree with scottystyle, when you read the beginng of this thread, its like you have landed in the wilderness of Colorado :chuckle: This state blows for mule deer, to see a 175" muley buck in this state is a frickin miracle and so far in between, I dont even bother hunting muleys here, takes alot to get me excited about a muley. This state does have excellent BT and WT tho
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thanks for the love shane...lol Im not bashing the unit, its been good to me, i just havent personally been lucky on anything big. Im sure there are some brutes around there, but you have to put in the work and get away from the roads and the pumpin patch. With that said, i am looking forward to see what comes out of that late sinlahekin muley tag, should be ineresting.
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I started hunting Blue Goat, Douglas, Cougar, Twin Peaks,Wood Pile in 86, Been there just about every year since. Camped at Blue Lk. campground every opening weekend for most. Seen some decent deer there. Start coming in from Coconully side and camping just below the pass. Am not albe to hunt hard cause of health issues but I know they are there. Bad thing is all the logging on top and now the ORV's everywere. Don't know we'll be going back! Like the area but been down hill since 96. See WTs on top alot now! If fall scouting dosn't turn up anything more promising though I know the area :twocents:
