Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Yelm hunter on October 07, 2011, 07:35:19 PM

Title: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 07, 2011, 07:35:19 PM: Hi I've been a member on here for quite sometime now. I'm just trying to see how many members from this website are going to be hunting Vail Tree Farm for opening day of Modern FireArm on October 15th?
I'm NOT wanting your honey holes cause there are so many deer in Vail its crazy but also alot of people. I've volunteered at the check out station a few times and have seen some BIG DEER!!

So are you hunting in the tree farm?
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: madmack76 on October 07, 2011, 07:38:22 PM: why does this have to come up every year :sry:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 07, 2011, 07:41:26 PM: Oh because I just wanted to know!! We can talk about anything on here it's a public forum... If you don't like it WHY do you respond? To all of the other hunters out there GOOD LUCK!!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: bankwalker on October 07, 2011, 07:46:33 PM: Vail threads are like a herpes outbreak. You know they are bound to happen, and once they do you never know how bad they are gonna be. :chuckle:

Personally though i like hunting vail. Even with all the people. I just let them push the deer to my spots
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: madmack76 on October 07, 2011, 08:12:20 PM: sorry yelm i wasn't trying to pick a fight or any thing its just every year some one asks the same thing and it starts an uproar i know its a good area and has good deer in it good luck and hope ya find a big one if you do make sure you post it up
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Alan K on October 07, 2011, 08:21:43 PM: Big ones are in there, that's for sure. Usually taken by employees during the week though. Bucks don't get big in there by being anything but some of the smartest bucks around with all the people.

Get in the timber if there is any left in there, I know they've been raping the heck out of it like every other big timber company to keep their quarterly numbers up in this down market. I'd say 95% of the people in there just drive and glass, which is the best way to do it for the first hour or two and last hour or two of the day, but mid day hop in the timber and you'll be into them.

Also, if you've got a few people up there with you, you can do some pushes, which have worked very well for us in the past. Find some 6' or so reprod with deep fireweed, fan out, and walk through it. Just make sure theres some contour to the area so you can actually see and get a shot at any bucks you bump up.

I hunted Vail for my first 10 years or so of hunting, and always had a good time. Growing up though, I've become less and less tolerant of seeing other hunters every 30 seconds so I've moved on. :chuckle:

Good luck to everyone up there though! :tup:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: heavy hauler on October 07, 2011, 09:29:07 PM: whats the real numbers of hunters in vail? i hear hundreds or several thousands. that place is nutty for sure.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: TheHunt on October 07, 2011, 09:35:03 PM: There is usually 1,000+. Figure 500 of them are road hunters. Lots of land so it i snot that bad
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: bobcat on October 07, 2011, 09:41:23 PM: The main reason I won't hunt there is because I can't scout it out ahead of time. I like to have a plan of where and how I'm going to hunt. I'd guess that's why so many people just "road hunt" up there.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: grousetracker on October 08, 2011, 05:34:11 AM: i remember going in on the old rail grade when there was no real roads, now the official number that went through the vail gate was 6412 hunters according to wdfw, count me out, lots of deer but the big ones are shot late in the season.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 08, 2011, 06:30:59 AM: Honk as you go by! Your best bet is to friend a Weyco employee, some of them get to stay in there all week and hunt with their families. A lot of them have already been in there elk hunting and know where the bucks are.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Arteman on October 08, 2011, 07:10:29 AM: :yeah: my old man has worked for Weco for 40+ years and its worked as a advantage for us many times. He is retiring this year, but many years especially in the Winston when the gates are all locked and people can't get in to scout elk he knows where the bulls been hanging out and right where to go opening morning. Consider it a perk I guess.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Martinhunter on October 08, 2011, 07:34:28 AM: Who's NOT going to vail tree farm opening day? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: singleshot12 on October 08, 2011, 07:45:46 AM: :yeah: Good place to stay away from if you're not into high stress combat hunting :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: dawei on October 08, 2011, 03:39:47 PM: Quote from: Martinhunter
Who's NOT going to vail tree farm opening day?
I'm not going to hunt it - it's as crowded as shopping at Walmart® on Black Friday! I would rather hunt an area even with less deer and far less hunters. If you go, good luck to you.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: gasman on October 08, 2011, 04:17:54 PM: I quit hunting there about 8 years ago. That is a mad house and most the der tha comeout of there are small bucks, spikes and 2 points. The bigger bucks don't come out untill late season and the amout of people that are in there is insane. It wasn't bad wen you camp in there and did not have to be herded through one gate.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Hunterman on October 08, 2011, 06:16:32 PM: Quote from: gasman on October 08, 2011, 04:17:54 PM
I quit hunting there about 8 years ago. That is a mad house and most the der tha comeout of there are small bucks, spikes and 2 points. The bigger bucks don't come out untill late season and the amout of people that are in there is insane. It wasn't bad wen you camp in there and did not have to be herded through one gate.

:yeah: When a person could camp in there,,I killed some real nice deer..Now I'll hunt dang near any place,,but Vail

Hunterman(Tony)
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: gasman on October 08, 2011, 06:20:27 PM: Quote from: Hunterman on October 08, 2011, 06:16:32 PM
Quote from: gasman on October 08, 2011, 04:17:54 PM
I quit hunting there about 8 years ago. That is a mad house and most the der tha comeout of there are small bucks, spikes and 2 points. The bigger bucks don't come out untill late season and the amout of people that are in there is insane. It wasn't bad wen you camp in there and did not have to be herded through one gate.

:yeah: When a person could camp in there,,I killed some real nice deer..Now I'll hunt dang near any place,,but Vail

Hunterman(Tony)

My sentiments exactly......
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on October 08, 2011, 06:32:40 PM: Ya my idea of hunting is peace and quite hiking a walk in not seeing hundreds of hunters. If thats what your into then have at er cause Im not. Its a joke up there bunch of road hunters that kill and thing with atleast a legal nub.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: deerslyr on October 08, 2011, 10:19:58 PM: Ive hunted it the last 10 years and cant say I had the same experience as most. Theres so much land up there to get up away from people, you can get to alder lake to the steam plant to morton. Nearly everyone road hunts up there, hints why there are so many spikes and 2 points shot, the only ones that are dumb enough to stand next to the road. I find that awesome because no one gets out of there truck and you have the timber to your self. There was only one time I was up there and didnt see a deer that I can remember.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 09, 2011, 02:26:16 AM: If you look at previous years photos of deer taken at the check station... You will see a mighty nice 6x4 BlackTail - (200lbs) that I took up there during the first week of modern firearm a few years ago. However it was over at the end of Sorensen Road (baldhills rd) if you know were that is at. I tried posting pics but it won't let me. But I will try to get pics of him up here. I had a full head mount done at Rainier Taxi. and boy did Zach do a nice job on him...
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: MAVsled on October 09, 2011, 09:47:29 AM: if eastern WA muley season doesn't produce for me, its always November late season to Vail.
i've hunted this area many years, predominantly in late rifle season, taken a couple bucks. And in that time, passed on several spikes or small two points, only to watch another hunter(s) take them.

3 years ago, I took a small 2 point. Parked my truck on the push out and waited an hour for just before shooting light. After daylight, I had been watching the buck from my stand 120 yards away for nearly an hour. The buck was 20 yards from the reprod line & safety when another hunter suddenly walked right up to where I was sitting and stood next to me!!
It only took seconds for him to see the small buck. He moved to remove his rifle from his pack's scabbard. By the time he pulled his rifle off his pack, my one shot had the buck down. And he still looked at the buck through his scope.
I wasn't going to sit there and watch him shoot that buck, so I punched my tag. At least it was a Sunday, last day of late rifle season and the little buck took up some freezer & dinner table space.
The other hunter just looked at me, never said a word and stomped off.

With the deer population in Vail; I wonder what kind of buck hunt Vail would be producing in the future if it was 2 or even 3 point minimum in this area. Let the young bucks grow for a year or two and perhaps more trophy blacktail opportunity would prevail.
but, so no one gets too upset: keep the youth special tags as is.
its nice to see pics of those young smiling faces and their does, spikes and two points. Makes me think back to my first blacktail buck as a youth, a nice spike.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 09, 2011, 09:55:05 AM: Vail has some great genetics. If it were shut down for 5 years. went to 3 pt or better or was limited access by permit, we would see some B&C bucks come out of there every year.
A couple of the Weyco guys that I know find a brush choked drainage away from the main roads, hike in to a spot and sit for hours and wait for the bucks to be pushed into them.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: deerslyr on October 09, 2011, 10:19:08 AM: :yeah: I completely agree with this PB. All of the guys I hunted wanted to see the same thing happen, or have it at least go to a 2 point minimum. The only problem is the deer herd has been decling quite a bit over the last few years due to the cat and bear pop.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 09, 2011, 10:22:23 AM: Yep, I would love to see it happen, I live 3 minutes away from the main gate.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 09, 2011, 12:11:45 PM: Big Cat crossed the road in front of me last night just after the maingate around 1am... I came back by later about 4 hours later and the news paper delivery car said he just seen the cat cross back in front of him?? I've shot at 2 cats last year and missed cause they were running but got a bear year before last just down the road from the checkpoint. Sorry no pics!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: 340bill on October 09, 2011, 01:34:06 PM: hunted there a couple times with a friend and his dad, many years ago in my teens. thought about going this opener. but having second thoughts after reading the posts :yike:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 09, 2011, 02:00:14 PM: If you avoid road hunting and glassing the same clearcuts as everyone els, get out and quietly into the timber you will see deer and not just those dinks that show up at the check station with anywhere from 5-18 bullet holes in them.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: heavy hauler on October 09, 2011, 06:30:14 PM: i saw last year that weyerhauser had a big chunk blocked off in between the 150 and the 130. i dont know if that was for employees to hunt and camp or what :dunno:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Stilly bay on October 09, 2011, 09:17:00 PM: I have never had the pleasure of hunting in vail for modern, I have always done archery... until this year. I am a little apprehensive to say the least.

do they leave the gate open just for the weekend or is it open weekdays also? what time do they usually open the gate?
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 09, 2011, 10:48:28 PM: Gates are ONLY open on Saturday and Sunday during modern firearm deer, early and late season. The mainline gate is supposed to open at 6:00 am but usually opens sooner. Instead of taking the right at the first Y keep going straight and go until you can"t stand it any more. Find a spur road with a good drainage and timber on it, park, hike and sit. Wait for the deer to come to you. Once the shooting starts the big bucks hole up and are gone from being in the open for the rest of early season. :twocents:
Oh, and if you are the type to park yor rig in the middle of a side road to block it off, be prepared to have your rig messed with. I went grouse hunting in there last year and some *censored* parked sideways in the road so he could have about a mile of private hunting. I gave his nice shiny rig a good mud bath and blasted my horn on the way out. Don't be that dude!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 09, 2011, 11:25:24 PM: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Thefisherman83 on October 10, 2011, 09:01:13 AM: Quote from: heavy hauler on October 09, 2011, 06:30:14 PM
i saw last year that weyerhauser had a big chunk blocked off in between the 150 and the 130. i dont know if that was for employees to hunt and camp or what :dunno:

Its closed due to multiple wash outs.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: mrmoskillz on October 10, 2011, 11:55:28 AM: does anyone know can you stay the night in there saturday? I have yet to get a buck I would be happy with a spike or fork horn :tup:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: buckmaster303 on October 10, 2011, 12:32:55 PM: that would be a negative if im correct no staying over night kinda sucks.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 10, 2011, 12:50:56 PM: There will be Weyco employees camping out all over Vail as prt of a "security" measure. No public overnighters allowed. I thought about renting out one of my pastures as a camp ground for weeked hunters going to Vail but they would probably shoot our pet deer that wander around the place. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on October 10, 2011, 01:19:33 PM: Out of the 14 GMU's I've hunted for blacktail, not including Oregon, I probably hunted Vail the most just for ease of access. I did take a 3x4 there one year and passed on some bottle-nipper's, like everyone else I also had deer shot out from under me, guy's hunting too close, all to be expected at Vail. I won't be there this year but I did make it down there one day last season and there were literally only two deer taken by the time I left for 800 rigs, just awful hunting.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: mrmoskillz on October 10, 2011, 01:51:05 PM: can you stay the night outside the gate friday night?
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: gasman on October 10, 2011, 03:55:57 PM: Offut Lake Resort is like 15min from Vail. You can camp there is they have availablity.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 10, 2011, 06:52:27 PM: We always go up Friday around 10pm or early Saturday around 2amish... There will a line that forms on Vail Rd outside of the gate. I've seen people camp there over night before. But if you don't wake up when the gate opens that your S.O.L and people will pass you by... The Weyco Security opens the main gate at about 5:00am depending on how many cars are lined down Vail RD... Then I've seen people stay in there before...BUT DON'T GET CAUGHT!!! READ ALL SIGNS AND OBEY THEM!!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: hawksfan75 on October 10, 2011, 08:37:32 PM: I kind of want to go up there just to experience the madness. It sounds like Black Friday, but for hunters, lol...

Is it pretty country up there at least? Or would I just be adding to the problem if I went up there on say, Sunday?
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 10, 2011, 09:40:50 PM: Alot of pretty country... Alot of different clear cuts and timber to hunt... I've got a deer out of there every year since i've started hunting. 6x4 is my biggest, 3x4, 3x3, 2x2 and 2 spikes. Only been hunting 7 years this year.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: buckmaster303 on October 10, 2011, 09:42:17 PM: lets see a pic of that 6by4 i want to see that monster :tung:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: deerslyr on October 10, 2011, 09:50:49 PM: :yeah:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 10, 2011, 10:16:19 PM: I'll try and get one on here tomorrow. Its saved on one of the memory cards in the safe at my parents. So I'll do my best and get it on here soon. If not you can always look for a picture of him at the Vail Tree Farm Check Station... Its on there a 4x4 photo of me!!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: bobcat on October 10, 2011, 10:52:16 PM: "4x4 photo"??? I thought it was a 6x4 buck? Or do you mean the size of the photo? If so, 4 inches or 4 feet?
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Yelm hunter on October 10, 2011, 11:00:24 PM: 6x4 blacktail buck...but the photo is 4x4 inches!!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: gasman on October 11, 2011, 04:53:56 AM: Quote from: hawksfan75 on October 10, 2011, 08:37:32 PM
I kind of want to go up there just to experience the madness. It sounds like Black Friday, but for hunters, lol...

Is it pretty country up there at least? Or would I just be adding to the problem if I went up there on say, Sunday?

You should.........It should be added to every WA. hunters bucket list :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Rooster1981 on October 11, 2011, 07:49:11 AM: I'm taking three teenage boys out hunting this weekend and thought of trying vail. I have never hunted vail and dont know a thing about it other than what I have heard from other hunters. I think I'll take a differant route and hunt prodject 13 instead. Alot less deer compred to vail but I know the area very well.

Good luck to you guys hunting vail, make sure to post those vail deer pics :)
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Dmanmastertracker on October 11, 2011, 09:43:49 AM: When it comes down to it Vail is no worse then anywhere else I've hunted with a high density of hunter's. I've met some of the worst character's up in Hancock, even worse than Vail, absolutely brain-dead. Anywhere you get a lot of people it's bound to happen. Snoqualmie Tree Farm -same number of weirdo's, tweaker's, etc.. That's why I've always' predominantly hiked or biked in to less accessible area's. You can hike in all around the perimeter of Vail and do just fine.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Elkpiss on October 11, 2011, 10:27:34 AM: Quote from: Yelm hunter on October 10, 2011, 10:16:19 PM
I'll try and get one on here tomorrow. Its saved on one of the memory cards in the safe at my parents. So I'll do my best and get it on here soon. If not you can always look for a picture of him at the Vail Tree Farm Check Station... Its on there a 4x4 photo of me!!
:yike: 6x4 on 4x4 picture.. I am going to vail this year to see this picture... Yelm Hunter Lets see this Hog... :yike: :yike: :yike: :yike: You have killed 7 bucks in vail in 7 years... :yike: :yike: :yike: Yelm Hunter!.. :kneel:
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: PolarBear on October 11, 2011, 10:30:46 AM: I.ve seen the pic at the check station. It has been in their "wall of fame" section on the board for a while. Great buck!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Huntboy on October 11, 2011, 10:52:02 AM: I'll be in there, just try to get away from everybody.
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: kglacken on October 11, 2011, 11:24:05 AM: I may run up there on Saturday evening just to see what is going on and maybe walk a deep dark patch of timber. I would not go there but since I cant hunt in the morning, I may run up there just for the evening. Me and Dad have multis so we will only be shooting a 3 point or a big two because of the big bucks we have on our properties. It is always fun to see what is taken out of there and lots of grouse too keeps it fun for sure!
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: Bofire on October 11, 2011, 11:29:50 AM: I like Vail. Where I go I never see more than one or two rigs. always see deer and mushrooms. I will not put on here where I go but if you PM me I'll point to an area. :)
Carl
Title: Re: Who's going to Vail Tree Farm on opening day?
Post by: BackStrappin on October 13, 2011, 06:45:21 PM: Vail is great for the fact that it is a huge area open to the public to hunt and it holds a ton of animals . I hunted it for 3 years . I Think there was only one day I didn't see an animal . Since it's public , Of course you are going to see a ton of Orange . But there is so much land up there , kinda stinks its only open on the weekends . It took me 2 season's to really get a feel for the area I hunted . You can drive for days up there . If you want to see animals be patient and glass glass and glass some more . I don't recall how many times I ve spotted deer as the road hunters drove right past em . The Repod is also a good place to hit up . Find some patches of repod and you will find deer . The hunt in Vail is what you want to make it . How hard do you want to work . Towards the end of the early season the weather can get pretty nasty up there and most guy' s won't get out of their rig's . I say if you are hard up for some land to hunt then sure head out to Vail just be prepared for what it is .