Post by: highhunter on May 04, 2010, 09:22:23 AM
PS. I thought E-Burg was windy!
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on May 04, 2010, 09:38:02 AM
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on May 04, 2010, 09:39:55 AM
Post by: haus on May 04, 2010, 10:13:40 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on May 04, 2010, 10:14:32 AM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on May 04, 2010, 10:29:49 AM
Post by: KimberRich on May 04, 2010, 10:41:37 AM
Post by: blmathis12 on May 04, 2010, 05:13:58 PM
Post by: highhunter on May 04, 2010, 05:38:23 PM
blmathis12- The Penn. Wilderness areas are open this year to the High Buck Hunts (as usual) for modern rifle and muzzleloader, Sept. 15-25, with a 3pt. min. regulation in place. Can't speak for each Wilderness area during the other general seasons, as they fall within various GMU boundaries. Other areas that are open and fall west of the Cascade Crest are parts of the Henry Jackson and ALW. I've hunted both the ALW and Henry on the westside of the crest but have yet to see one of trophy caliber during open season.
Post by: couesbitten on May 04, 2010, 08:20:29 PM
Post by: drbones on May 14, 2010, 01:21:48 PM
Post by: PacificNWhunter on May 14, 2010, 09:16:41 PM
Post by: drbones on May 15, 2010, 04:43:58 PM
Post by: haus on May 16, 2010, 06:27:58 PM
Is it a safe assumption that there will be fewer people, hunters and otherwise, in the peninsula wilderness areas than Alpine Lakes? I'm thinking just because it's more trouble to reach from the I-5 corridor there may be fewer people out there?
Yes there are fewer hunters but the area's are mostly much smaller on the OP compared to the north cascades wilderness area's that are open for the high buck season, and I wouldn't say there are fewer people, just fewer hunters. When you get up above tree line elevation 1,000 acres doesn't seem that big, visually anyway. Joe public will be up there in droves hiking the trails if the weathers decent. Last I was up there was '05, Buckhorn Wilderness Area, 2 of us and one other hunter, plus two or more groups of hikers both days. We could still hear them chatting it up when they were just a spec in the distance. 1 group had a dog with them, nice loud bell around its next. Fk that was annoying :chuckle:
We split the opposite direction from the other hunter both days, 44k acres didn't seem so big at all for the 3 of us, the other area's are much smaller too. Below tree line it gets really thick, bayonet type of thick.
It's worth a shot, maybe you can catch one in the open as its moving from valley to valley. You'll likely be able to hunt most of the area just by sitting in one spot. Better have some long distance accuracy too, and of course bring good optics. Just be prepared to have your hunt foiled by hikers.
It seemed that if the hikers saw us they would tend to chat it up a little louder, very kind of them :rolleyes:
Post by: Chesapeake on May 17, 2010, 06:06:36 PM
#1: If its on a trail that horses can use you'll get to deal with outfitters.
#2: If its on a trail that is less than 5 miles from the parking lot you wont be alone.
#3: If its not far off trail and it looks good on a satelite photo, it probably gets hunted.
#4: If the trail goes to a nice peak, small lake, or any other interesting feature and can be hiked in and out in a day you will likely get day hikers.
#5: Weekend trail traffic is highest with mid week usualy lowest.
#6: If it on or near the PCT (pacific crest trail) it will see lots of traffic.
What your looking for is a decent little area that is somewhat off trail, not neer a horse trail, not too close to the trail head, holds game, has usable water near, isnt too neer any popular hunting spots, has reasonable access, and isnt so large and good looking as to attract attention. Or if your realy slick and do your work you can find a small pocket that is close to the trail head, easy to get to, holds animals, and is just overlooked.
Thats why none of us will talk any details about where to go and what to do. Even thought the wilderness areas are very big, with lots of folds and creases. There are very few places that are good hunting and not crowded. And if you talk specifics on the net you will have company the next season. Also if Washington Hunting News, Eastmans, ect... does an article about a High Buck area it will be crowded that season and maybe the next.
Here is my #1 piece of advice.
You dont need to have a vantage of a large area, you need to have a vantage of the RIGHT area. Often that area is just a small meadow or slide chute or opening. Dont get consumed with being able to glass a large open basin.
Go up in august and scout and hunt for a bear. Pay attention to where people have camped and built fires, meat poles, cut wood, camped off trail in hunter type camping spots. Those hunter type looking camp sites will tell the story of how much pressure the place gets.
Post by: buckmaster_wa on May 17, 2010, 11:38:28 PM
Post by: SkookumHntr on May 18, 2010, 08:24:43 AM
Post by: drbones on May 18, 2010, 12:22:10 PM
Now, I respect that nobody here who hunts the high hunt wants to give away their secret spot, but let me get really general here. Prepare for a dumb question:
This is my first year even thinking about this hunt, so I'm not sure how high up to look. Are the deer likely to be around/above the treeline in September?
Post by: runamuk on May 18, 2010, 12:49:03 PM
Post by: Chesapeake on May 18, 2010, 02:34:20 PM
You will need water to stay and hunt so thats a concern, but there are seeps and springs everywhere, just plan accordingly and bring a filter. You will want to camp where water is not too hard to get, but absolutely do not camp in the middle of the meadows the deer feed in. You will kill your hunting. Hide your camp in a hole somewhere that the thermals wont carry your sent right into the meadows you plan to hunt. Pretty well every year great meadows where we hunt are ruined by clueless hunters.
For the most part the deer's september routine is alot like august except they tend to be a bit more reclusive, stay closer to cover, and primarily go out in the openings for early morning and late evening feedings. You need to glass hard first light trying to catch them up and feeding in the open, then through the mid day you glass cover looking for bedded deer and trying to catch them shifting beds, then for last light its glassing the openings again till dark. The high hunt isnt about seeing alot of animals or hunting alot of ground. Its about long hours of glassing, being low impact/non intrusive, and patience.
We try very hard to not spook them and not enter thier bedding and feeding areas. If you bump them it seems its 2 days or so till they come out again. We tend to stay high up in the rimrock and glass from afar and then plan to shoot long range or stalk closer. If unpressured we often spot the same bucks feeding in the same openings several days in a row.
The bears are there for the berries. Pretty self explanatory there.