Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 10:03:05 AM

Title: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 10:03:05 AM: I have always gone to alpine for the high hunt. Is anyone willing to share any info about chelan rec area high hunt. What's the hike like. I'm willing to hike way back. Is it slammed with guys hunting or seattleights hiking? Thanks
Bob
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: mebco09 on May 02, 2012, 03:03:24 PM: Steep country. Started hunting up there 20 years ago. Saw no-one up there in the early 90's, now it is marginally crowded, but with a lot of greenie hikers who even say to your face "I hope you don't get anything". Most of the folks that go up there to hunt only do it once, and they realize it is a bitch getting there and the deer density is pretty low. Access is also a bitch, you are either going to take the Lady of the Lake or a private boat and it is up from there. Daytime temps in the high season can be in the 90s (80s for sure) with nighttime temps near freezing. Good Luck.
Title: Re: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: 75johndeere on May 02, 2012, 03:24:30 PM: Quote from: mebco09 on May 02, 2012, 03:03:24 PM
Steep country. Started hunting up there 20 years ago. Saw no-one up there in the early 90's, now it is marginally crowded, but with a lot of greenie hikers who even say to your face "I hope you don't get anything". Most of the folks that go up there to hunt only do it once, and they realize it is a bitch getting there and the deer density is pretty low. Access is also a bitch, you are either going to take the Lady of the Lake or a private boat and it is up from there. Daytime temps in the high season can be in the 90s (80s for sure) with nighttime temps near freezing. Good Luck.

That's funny we had some hikers tell us good luck but they kinda hoped we didn't see anything at least they where somewhat nice about it. it was better with deer in our packs was surprised that a few even wanted to pet the 2 dead deer most if them haven't ever seen a deer that close

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Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 05:55:12 PM: Nice :yeah: Sounds like you don't want me to go there.... Do you really have to take a boat to access it?
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: mtman on May 02, 2012, 06:04:45 PM: You can get in there off the twisp river road. Lots of hiking to get in there.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 06:12:29 PM: Thanks man helps a lot I might just switch to the rec area hippies are in alpine too. They told me it wasnt open one year and got a big the f it isn't ! I've heard of good hunting there and am gonna try it in August for bear see ya there mebco!!!! :chuckle:
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: hirshey on May 02, 2012, 06:24:55 PM: Saw some nice animals there during my scouting... had my wolf encounter up there 2 days before the season started... glassed for 8+ hours that morning and didn't see a single deer; aside from the dead one they had interest in. The hike was moderate, the terrain is certainly challenging in terms of spotting and stalking. Best of luck.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 09:03:56 PM: Thanks. So you hunted up there last year? Nice animals means nice bucks? Maybe an August bear? Ill probably stick to alpine country cause I know it. The hike is kinda rough but worth it. Just wondering if it's worth the extra drive if I was missing something special that's all.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: mebco09 on May 03, 2012, 03:35:19 PM: Quote from: mtman on May 02, 2012, 06:04:45 PM
You can get in there off the twisp river road. Lots of hiking to get in there.

Yup. Taking the boat allows you to hunt right away (more-or-less). I have not tried to come in from the Twisp River Rd. I thought of coming up from South Navarre...briefly... but that haul is even farther. I have to believe that there are better high country areas.

I have said it before, and call me a wuss, but I would NOT try going uplake in a small boat with the idea of leaving the boat tied up somewhere (other than Stehekin) Pay the $ and stick to the Lady or the Lady Express.

Bear hunting up there should be OK, but you wouldn't be restricted to just the rec. area like you would during high buck. I worry about the warm days in August on your bear meat though.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: bullcanyon on May 03, 2012, 03:50:54 PM: Would you take a bigger boat and tie it up? Or would it get messed with? Been thinking of taking the boy up there bear hunting this year. Thinking that would be a more memorable experience than shooting one off a road.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: bullchaser on May 04, 2012, 02:24:09 PM: Last year my dad told a few hikers that we had just passed a big ass bear and they should have their guns out and, the whole group said they were not prepared for that and turned back. It was awsome ( their was a bear warning sign at the trail head)

I also had a lady tell me she wished me bad luck so i pulled my bucks head out of the back of the truck and told her to late.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: bobcat on May 04, 2012, 02:37:38 PM: Quote from: bullchaser on May 04, 2012, 02:24:09 PM
I also had a lady tell me she wished me bad luck so i pulled my bucks head out of the back of the truck and told her to late.

:chuckle: :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 04, 2012, 03:05:49 PM: Nice. August bear it is and I I can fill my tag early achery I'll be showing a deer head to the seattlites too. Is that the twisp river road trail head. I think I'm gonna check it out in August.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: Maverick on May 05, 2012, 04:03:35 PM: To any of the hippie hikers up there that say "I hope you dont get anything" if i were you guys id just tell them "well I hope a wolf or bear eats you, lots of them up here.." might give them a scare. Haha
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: hirshey on May 06, 2012, 02:26:44 PM: Quote from: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 09:03:56 PM
Thanks. So you hunted up there last year? Nice animals means nice bucks? Maybe an August bear? Ill probably stick to alpine country cause I know it. The hike is kinda rough but worth it. Just wondering if it's worth the extra drive if I was missing something special that's all.
A few nice 3's and 4's.... And a few bears. Remember if you boat up there is a looot of elevation to gain. I ended up choosing the pasayten in the end.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 06, 2012, 08:11:00 PM: Quote from: hirshey on May 06, 2012, 02:26:44 PM
Quote from: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 02, 2012, 09:03:56 PM
Thanks. So you hunted up there last year? Nice animals means nice bucks? Maybe an August bear? Ill probably stick to alpine country cause I know it. The hike is kinda rough but worth it. Just wondering if it's worth the extra drive if I was missing something special that's all.
A few nice 3's and 4's.... And a few bears. Remember if you boat up there is a looot of elevation to gain. I ended up choosing the pasayten in the end.

Thanks again! Did you take a boat? The twisp river road trail head looked like the best bet to get back there. Have you ever hiked that trail. I hope my elks in the freezer on the opener then I will be heading east on the 14th.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 08, 2012, 05:56:01 PM: Should I just go pasayten? Not tryin to be lazy and not scout. Google earth has helped a lot and same with this forum. I've been reading about both. Both look like nice country. It's hard to find an exact border of the chelan rec. any good links? Is it Manson and alta? Is the pasayten unit the border of the pasayten wilderness? Thanks for all the help.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: bobcat on May 08, 2012, 08:35:14 PM: I'm not that familiar with Lake Chelan, but the Pasayten GMU is the same as the Pasayten wilderness. So yes, the wilderness boundary you see on the forest service maps is the boundary for the high hunt.
Title: Re: Chelan rec area high hunt?
Post by: Branden on May 08, 2012, 10:53:50 PM: Quote from: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on May 08, 2012, 05:56:01 PM
Should I just go pasayten? Not tryin to be lazy and not scout. Google earth has helped a lot and same with this forum. I've been reading about both. Both look like nice country. It's hard to find an exact border of the chelan rec. any good links? Is it Manson and alta? Is the pasayten unit the border of the pasayten wilderness? Thanks for all the help.

The rec boundary is pretty simple it looks like.

Starting on the East shore of Lake Chelan, go almost directly E from Flick Creek campground, until you hit 7076 high point. Follow that ridge line NE then directly north until you hit the Chelan Co-Okanogan Co line. Follow the county line N until you come to the NCNP boundary. Follow that W-SW until you run into the GPW boundary. Follow the GPW boundary S-SE until you are just barely past Riddle Creek. Head NE across Lake Chelan until you run into the starting point on the E shore.