Post by: fishwhackin on November 10, 2010, 08:39:25 AM
Post by: Wazukie on November 10, 2010, 08:41:33 AM
Post by: fishwhackin on November 10, 2010, 09:36:40 AM
Post by: zackmioli on November 10, 2010, 02:11:52 PM
Post by: fishwhackin on November 10, 2010, 02:18:10 PM
Post by: longstevo on November 10, 2010, 02:27:04 PM
Haha, great advice, huh?
Post by: fishwhackin on November 10, 2010, 02:52:18 PM
Post by: bowhunterty on November 10, 2010, 07:17:56 PM
Post by: zackmioli on November 10, 2010, 07:43:44 PM
i didnt see any bear sign.
Post by: fishwhackin on November 10, 2010, 07:51:40 PM
Post by: Thorny a$$ on November 12, 2010, 10:43:43 AM
This thread kicks tail by the way.
I cannot wait for the Gifford National Forest hunting and exploring in the future with my sons. Fun for me of late has been confined to keeping my ol' Ford 4WD pick-up in working order, dreaming of future freedom.
How is the 'brush factor' in GPNF?
Can you walk off roads and trails effectively? I about convinced myself last fall cruising Weyerhauser and DNR land that it's about a waste of time walking off trails with all the tight tree growth, shrubbery and logging debris in W. WA. I grew up big game hunting in E. WA and having a tough time learning W WA big game tactics. I love E WA National Forest land, but don't like the regs and distance from home.
What are your thoughts on hunting traveling off roads (either closed or open) or trails? Is it effective? Is it safe? Is it wise?
I'm dying to learn more about GPNF forest in general & brush & tree factors.
Logging still going on? I've heard some reports from jaded hunters saying due to logging inactivity in GPNF, numbers have decreased and hunting is tougher?Truth to that?
Thorny a$$ out!
P.S.
Oh yeah, I got a really bad fishing habit too! : )
Post by: tshoote30 on November 12, 2010, 12:32:39 PM
in the area we were at there was and has not been any clear cutting at all for wuite some time. the timber is TOUGH but there are a lot of elk up there just have to find them and be quick about making sure you have a legal one and a good shot. I seen alot of Cat tracks, bear tracks and bobcat tracks.
I saw alot of elk but could never tell if they were legal shooters, and could never really go after them because of the thick timber/brush, i could have been belly crawin and they would have been miles down the road. most everyone that i was and saw all headed up torwards the Indian haven area where alot of success from what i saw. when we left late last night we had about 4" of snow on the ground and there was about a foot up above.
this was our first year up there so we just were learning the land ect. my little brother got a nice little 4x4 opening morning and Almost a cougar but he got to excited and missed the shot.
not sure if that helps at all. good luck!
Post by: RuttinWapati on November 12, 2010, 01:05:46 PM
Just my :twocents:
Post by: Thorny a$$ on November 12, 2010, 02:19:01 PM
Post by: tshoote30 on November 12, 2010, 02:28:29 PM
It's sounding thick, brush wise ?
Yes very hard to get thru alot of the areas undetected. there are a few open areas that i was able to find BUT far and few between. the snow really helped to find the fresh tacks ect. but always led to a wall of nasty wall of thick brush....... I really hope they are able to do some logging up there.
Post by: logger on November 12, 2010, 06:05:01 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on November 12, 2010, 09:53:43 PM
Post by: couesbitten on November 13, 2010, 06:57:17 AM
Yes very hard to get thru alot of the areas undetected. there are a few open areas that i was able to find BUT far and few between. the snow really helped to find the fresh tacks ect. but always led to a wall of nasty wall of thick brush....... I really hope they are able to do some logging up there.
No logging in a wilderness area.
Post by: Basket Rack on November 13, 2010, 08:51:21 AM
I would like to know when logging operations will start again.
As long as we have the Endangered Species Act there will be little to no logging. I would like to see a major fire that starts say just south of hwy 12 on the USFS prop. line and burns clear to Mt. Adams.
Post by: logger on November 13, 2010, 09:11:41 AM
Post by: elksnout on November 13, 2010, 10:31:06 PM
Post by: haus on November 14, 2010, 07:24:58 PM
I'd summarize hunting the Adams herd as being damn difficult until you put in a lot of time scouting. Sometimes just finding an elk is difficult let alone one you can put a bullet in.
In the GPNF there is a lot of area to pick through and all of it might hold some elk now and then, but it takes a lot of scouting to find the concentrated pockets. The Adams herd isn't very big and they have a ton of area to hide in.
We didn't have any luck this year but we came close several times, unfortunately we had to leave on Thursday just when I'd narrowed down a couple holding areas that I was confident could produce some success, since on Wednesday we chased they hell out of them. The snow hit hard on Tuesday and the elk locked up most of the day until late evening. I managed to sneak in on a herd, but I only got to stare frustratingly at a spike through my xhairs at 50yards. Wednesday was exciting, I was kinda like a Lab in the middle of a covey of quail, too many tracks going every which way lol. I got close to lots of elk all morning, but never got a legal bull in xhairs.
One thing I've learned about that area recently is that you have to be at the right elevation, which I applied this year and I was able to get close to elk every day. Though its hard to pinpoint them without a good snow. That's why it got so good for us on Wednesday. Without the snow they're scattered about and you can end up covering a ton of ground to no avail.
The Adams herd has been beat up bad by the amount of elk taken over last few years in the any elk units south of 560. Thankfully the WDFW ended that this year. They gave out many cow tags this year but at least there is a cap on the total take now. Poaching has done a lot of damage too, talked to some hunters that caught some brush pickers with elk stuffed under a heap of bear grass in their hauler in August. :bash:
I've never seen much sign of cougars being around the area I hunt once the deer move out in September, but the bears are around in solid numbers.
Cut track of two bears on Wednesday within a few hundred yards of each other. Tailed one that I found mid day but the temps shot up and the snow was melting, lost him as he dropped elevation :'(
As for logging.....they're logging on the 23 south of the 90 junction and down the 500. 6x feller bunchers. Bout damn time too, this is the first active logging I've seen in the area we hunt in many years.
Those guys looked like they were bustin butt everyday to get done before the snow pushes them out.
Hope this helps
Post by: logger on November 14, 2010, 08:07:45 PM
Post by: fair-chase on November 14, 2010, 08:20:10 PM
yep those guy's are bustin ass, we are on schedule to do a sale up by baby shoe in the future, I drove the 23 on average of 4 times a week except when it was snowed out,and only saw an elk a couple of times and never up high either, I would like to see them do several small sales all over the gpnf, without habitat we have nothing and I am also with haus when those elk come down into the troutlake valley during muzzleloader they can get hammered, hopefully there will be a better qauility hunt in the future. :twocents:
I've found myself in the middle of those shootouts on more than one occasion. Seems like everytime I get into the elk over there so does the rest of the country. Has gotten to be worse than modern rifle the last 5 years. I hope the new three point min will bring some balance back to that area. It's a step in the right direction anyways. Now just need to get some trees cut. What are you waiting for get to work logger. :chuckle:
Post by: logger on November 14, 2010, 08:25:18 PM
Post by: fair-chase on November 14, 2010, 08:28:46 PM
Post by: Wazukie on November 14, 2010, 08:36:29 PM
Post by: GooNiEs on November 14, 2010, 10:01:18 PM
Post by: Rdnkgirl88 on November 15, 2010, 09:06:06 PM
Post by: Magnum_Willys on November 16, 2010, 08:45:51 AM
Post by: longrangehunter338 on November 06, 2014, 06:02:32 AM