High Buck Hunt & Wilderness Areas

[Bill W]

The high hunt is open to archery, muzzle loader and modern firearm.   In the past I've had all three methods in camp.

[jstone]

You also can hunt up there September 1st archery

[7mmfan]

You also can hunt up there September 1st archery

Not necessarily true. The Pasayten for example, is not open for early archery. It is only open for High Buck and the general modern firearm season. You can hunt with a bow during those seasons, but there is no archery specific season in there.

[jstone]

Yes sorry.

[Skyvalhunter]

Mum's the word on the high hunt

[Mtnwalker]

Mum's the word on the high hunt

Almost time for another "it's the hardest hunt ever and there's no deer" thread 

[7mmfan]

High Hunt in a picture. Pretty much sums it up.

[predatorG]

For example: The Salmo-Priest Wilderness area is very inaccessible, and also very high in elevation.  So why is it not part of the High Buck hunt??

There’s also very low deer #’s In the Salmo. I do agree that years ago it was probably more than worthy of being deemed into the high hunts. I’ve been in twice. First was the coldest night I have ever spent in the mountains. Waking up to just shy of 10” of fresh snow. The second was one of my least favorite bear experiences.
[/quote]

They probably don't want to have to keep sending rescue groups in because people thought it would be a fun adventure and ended up almost dead...
Never hunted in there but I've heard it's the real deal.

[Jonathan_S]

High Hunt in a picture. Pretty much sums it up.

And that was a drought year.

[7mmfan]

High Hunt in a picture. Pretty much sums it up.

And that was a drought year.

2015 to be exact.

[mjustice79]

I had the same question (and a few others) last year and I reached out to WDFW and they had the "Ungulate Manager" reach out to me. He and I had a good conversation on the other topics, but even he didn't know why the high hunt is limited to certain wilderness areas.

[Skyvalhunter]

There's a chance that the HH was started before some of these Wilderness areas were formed . While some of the Wilderness areas don't fit the typical designation of untrammeled by man or you can practically drive in them. Some wilderness areas shouldn't be included in the HH 

[Bill W]

there was a high buck area somewhere around Tonga Ridge that was in the high hunt in the mid-late 70's.  This was not in a wilderness area (then).

[Knocker of rocks]

there was a high buck area somewhere around Tonga Ridge that was in the high hunt in the mid-late 70's.  This was not in a wilderness area (then).

Tonga Mountain is a border of the Wilderness, and became a Wilderness in 1976

[Bill W]

there was a high buck area somewhere around Tonga Ridge that was in the high hunt in the mid-late 70's.  This was not in a wilderness area (then).

Tonga Mountain is a border of the Wilderness, and became a Wilderness in 1976

That is now and it was a hunting area prior to that.