Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: logan on July 25, 2011, 01:29:51 PM

Title: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: logan on July 25, 2011, 01:29:51 PM: This year a few friends and I are planning on doing the high buck hunt. We are planning on hunting the lake chelan recreation because we hunt the twisp area and its familiar to us. We are planning on going scoutting in a couple of weekends and are not sure what trailhead would be best to get up to the wilderness boundary. I'm also wondering if those trails are full of snow and if they are how bad is it. Lastly, I heard that there is a lot of people that come in from stehekin?
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: HighCountryHunter88 on July 25, 2011, 01:56:54 PM: quite a few guys come in from stehikin and alot of hikers. there was still a good amount of snow up high. a hiker brought down a shed to the history center there when i was up there a couple weeks ago. coke can base, no tine length to speak of but just massive webbed mutant antler. it was pretty neat. they had a few more laying around that all seemed to be from the same genetics. pretty cool..
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: logan on July 26, 2011, 04:58:48 PM: finely got some one to call me back from the methow ranger district and they said that most if not all of the trails are still full of snow.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: Axle on July 26, 2011, 08:39:04 PM: Quote
finely got some one to call me back from the methow ranger district and they said that most if not all of the trails are still full of snow.

Pray for global warming! Otherwise we will be living in snow caves real soon! :bash:
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: IBspoiled on July 26, 2011, 09:56:05 PM: Oh your in for a good time. I went up south creek trail to hidden meadows camp back in september 2006. the trail was about 13 miles long and I left out of twisp river horse camp. my horse and I stayed four days in the snow. saw very few deer but I dont think I was up high enough.the trail going up was fine until just before south pass it got a little hairy. Saw lots of bears which my horse didn't appreciate at all, and heard a wolf howl for the first time in my life not 60 yards from my tent. Makes the hair on the back of your head stand up.heres some pictures from south pass and hidden meadows.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: kbyers on July 27, 2011, 01:45:49 PM: That is absolutely beautiful country
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: WA hunter14 on July 27, 2011, 02:07:36 PM: Quote from: kbyers on July 27, 2011, 01:45:49 PM
That is absolutely beautiful country

x2
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: wsucowboy on July 27, 2011, 02:12:12 PM: Quote from: kbyers on July 27, 2011, 01:45:49 PM
That is absolutely beautiful country
:yeah:
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: high country on July 27, 2011, 02:31:04 PM: I have done it. take lots of money. it cost me $100plus to park, and get dock permits. I saw nobody back there. I passed jb olsen on his way down from dropping off some hunters. take LOTS of water up. it is a ways before you can count on water. once you gain the 3k feet it becomes beautiful. tough country, be careful.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: high country on July 27, 2011, 02:37:08 PM: ps, take a pole. I had these for dinner two nights before the opener. right off the docks at the camp.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz16%2Fgyonemura%2Fhuntingchelanrecarea023Small.jpg&hash=9cf8fde3b37684f2f5d7c7796d9900e1bb8a8c63)

this guy broke down, I towed him up to stehikin. I tried to not take his $$, but he insisted.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz16%2Fgyonemura%2Fhuntingchelanrecarea012Small.jpg&hash=00f96c4865678e54990c9d4c04058dcedddaf7fe)

typical views

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz16%2Fgyonemura%2Fhuntingchelanrecarea053Small.jpg&hash=98a19bcc95130cf799eb2e146efe6d5c6496af2d)

pack light.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz16%2Fgyonemura%2Fhuntingchelanrecarea044Small.jpg&hash=562da48683a93a8ac23c30676e94a11ce795a147)
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: Utah on July 28, 2011, 03:45:50 AM: We will be in there.. 3 of us
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: Miles on July 28, 2011, 04:03:31 AM: Quote from: Utah on July 28, 2011, 03:45:50 AM
We will be in there.. 3 of us

Utah,

Have you guys taken any bucks out of there? If so, got any pictures that you care to share?
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: dupedc on July 28, 2011, 06:37:53 AM: Beautiful country...nice pics!
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: hirshey on July 28, 2011, 11:22:01 AM: Quote from: Utah on July 28, 2011, 03:45:50 AM
We will be in there.. 3 of us

x 2.

Perhaps this will be the first year I actually meet a hunt-wa member. :chuckle:

A lot of the trails still have snow on them, but are walkable. Hiked into Louis Lake a few weeks ago and there is plenty of snow in the trees still and avalanche chutes... and that is only at about 5400 feet.. you could still make it to the lake though if you don't mind postholing a few times.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: high country on July 28, 2011, 11:23:49 AM: get ready to suck wind, every step is higher than the last for a loooong time. like 3-5k feet.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: Skyvalhunter on July 28, 2011, 11:57:36 AM: There will be plenty of water this year. The snow level now all depends on the exposure. Seen some areas melted at 6500 on southern exposure but 5000 on North exposure. Check the road conditions with the Funny Service as some have washed out and won't be fixed this year.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: hirshey on July 28, 2011, 12:04:37 PM: Quote from: Skyvalhunter on July 28, 2011, 11:57:36 AM
There will be plenty of water this year. The snow level now all depends on the exposure. Seen some areas melted at 6500 on southern exposure but 5000 on North exposure. Check the road conditions with the Funny Service as some have washed out and won't be fixed this year.

Very good point. And invest in a forest map and green trails maps. Most roads that are washed out right now have alternate routes of access if you're familiar with the area. (ex: War Creek, Libby washouts.)
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: logan on July 28, 2011, 07:31:03 PM: thanks for everybodys advise, like i said i haven't done this hunt yet. the great part is that there's only one way to learn this hunt and that's to do it.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: high country on July 28, 2011, 09:44:55 PM: All this talk about roads.....I did mine from my boat.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: pope on July 28, 2011, 09:52:30 PM: IBSpoiled, that 3rd image is incredible art. I hope you have that in high-res....I suspect you could make a $ with that photo.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: logan on July 30, 2011, 09:31:34 AM: would any body know were the war creek road is washed out at? hope fully its not to far from the trail head
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: hirshey on July 31, 2011, 06:18:26 PM: Quote from: logan on July 30, 2011, 09:31:34 AM
would any body know were the war creek road is washed out at? hope fully its not to far from the trail head

War creek is washed out in two spots about a mile before the trailhead... they fixed the third one that was lower. You can walk it fairly easily but I haven't heard of any plans so far to fix it.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: Skyvalhunter on July 31, 2011, 07:10:46 PM: Heard a USFS report they are getting funds to fix it next summer.
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: hirshey on July 31, 2011, 08:17:49 PM: Quote from: Skyvalhunter on July 31, 2011, 07:10:46 PM
Heard a USFS report they are getting funds to fix it next summer.

Thanks for the info... honestly I don't really know why they would bother; I hiked into the War Creek waterfall today for some swimming and it is really not washed out that far from the trailhead... (if you're going to go hiking, I think its a non-issue to have to walk another 3/4 mile or so... especailly for the money it will take to fix the road... its in pretty bad disrepair in two locations) :dunno:

To answer my own question, I suppose one of the main reseasons to fix it would be parking... there's really only room for 3 or 4 vehicles to park at the washout... but boy that project is going to take significant funds and time!
Title: Re: lake chelan recreation high buck
Post by: RidgeRunner_07 on August 02, 2011, 12:27:12 PM: Plenty of pictures of awesome country!! but....Where's all the critters? I too have been hung up on the idea of hunting this high buck hunt but from what I hear most of these areas are jam packed with pumpkins....I see enough of that nonsense here in the NE corner come late buck. Mtn turtles and pumpkin patches..