105 Kelley Hill

[Lazzwarbird]

Just wondering if anyone gets up into unit #105? I live over on the wet side and have mainly hunted blacktail with the exception of one Okanagon trip and one trip below Pullman. I have hunted mule deer the last 6 years out of state with some good success, so I should have a fairly good idea what's going on. I was just wondering what type of terrain and if there are any decent bucks running around. Plannin on cruising around that area this summer just to check things out but any info would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.

[CAMPMEAT]

The 105 unit looks pretty much like the westside. Alot of thick timber and cover to fairly open areas. Fairly rugged too. You have the Colville National Forest in that area. I've hunted there and it reminds me of the westside alot. It's not full of sage brush and open like what you might think. I think the best time to hunt there is the rut. I've seen some nice whitetails come out of there. You have Moose, Elk, Bear, Grizzly Bear and Deer in that unit.

[deerslyr]

theres a good amount of paper company land too I beleive...been a long time since ive been that far north.

[TeacherMan]

theres a good amount of paper company land too I beleive...been a long time since ive been that far north.

I could be wrong but I believe the papermill company is farther south. Good area, lots of hunters, lots of private land in the valleys. Not to hard to get access to if you knock on some doors in the summer and are willing to buck some bales for the day to show your gratitude. There is forest service land that has nice animals as well but like I stated lots of hunters, especially withing 1/4 mile of the rd.

[Lazzwarbird]

Thanks a lot everyone for the info. Sounds like a road trip is in order. Bad news is I think I'm gonna end up hunting in Wyoming at the same time season is over there. Still gonna go check things out and try to find a good area to start hikin when I do get a chance to hunt. My only question is, are there many mule deer in that area? I would rather hunt mulies than whitetail. If not, what unit close by is more of a mule deer unit? Thanks a lot again guys and thanks a ton for the info, should definitely save me some gas.

[rb2506]

last time i hunted kelley hill the deer were everywhere hundreds but right next to a 4x8 sheet of plywood saying NO HUNTING, course that was ten years ago   turkeys too

[CAMPMEAT]

last time i hunted kelley hill the deer were everywhere hundreds but right next to a 4x8 sheet of plywood saying NO HUNTING, course that was ten years ago   turkeys too

The plywood is still there. I know the owners. It's 1500 acres of private cattle grazing land right uo to the border.

[deerslyr]

I could be wrong teach, last time I was up there was 6 or 7 years ago and we were camped across the river from northport. My brother ended up getting a spike that trip on paper company but I cant remember if we were in 105 then or if he got it off the alladin high way (I think that was the name of the road anyways) I cant beleive how long its been time flys.

[bobcat]

I'd head just a little more to the west if you want to get into more mule deer.

[rb2506]

it was fun watching the turkeys fight the deer, we quit counting deer at two hundred, are the deer still there? heard the was some bad winters and the numbers aren't there

[Camo]

105 is getting a makeover and not a good one in my opinion. They were cruising the timber when I was there the first weekend of late season and the story is that the entire portion of the Nat. Forest is going to be clear-cut leaving 18 trees per acre, if I remember correctly. Most of the cutting is going to start in the spring and is on a very aggressive schedule to be done in approx. 18-24 months or less. They're hogging all the brush and there will be virtually no habitat left to winter the deer. I wouldn't mind some cutting up there as it is very thick and that always helps reestablish new food sources, but to cut the entire north half of the unit seems like an irresponsible decision. I had hoped past logging practices had taught us something?

[bobcat]

Actually that should make for some great mule deer habitat. If it were left up to natural processes, fire would burn it up, and provide great deer habitat, but this way the trees are being used instead of burned up. One of the major reasons for the decline of mule deer in the NE is because of a lack of fire. So at least some logging can be used to make up for that. I think it would be great if the Forest Service would start doing more logging in the National Forests.   

[bearpaw]

105 is getting a makeover and not a good one in my opinion. They were cruising the timber when I was there the first weekend of late season and the story is that the entire portion of the Nat. Forest is going to be clear-cut leaving 18 trees per acre, if I remember correctly. Most of the cutting is going to start in the spring and is on a very aggressive schedule to be done in approx. 18-24 months or less. They're hogging all the brush and there will be virtually no habitat left to winter the deer. I wouldn't mind some cutting up there as it is very thick and that always helps reestablish new food sources, but to cut the entire north half of the unit seems like an irresponsible decision. I had hoped past logging practices had taught us something?

This will make for much better habitat for nearly all species.... glad to hear.

[Devinshoe]

I was just up there today and saw tons of cougar tracks and found a fresh cougar kill deer barried under pine needles and brush. I know theres lots of cats and rattle snakes and lots of houses in lower 105 and watch out for funny looking green plants there's a bit of that up there also.

[huntnnw]

Logging= More habitat=more animals it can susutain.  Unless they spray it! A few areas up there that are still dead 3 years later!! not good for wildlife