WA High Hunt Stories

[shootnrun]

That’s an awesome story! Too bad on the big guy, sadly it seems like the more guys I run into, they have had similar experiences.

Watching headlamps going into the basin in the dark will crush your soul. And thats if you dont have tents set up in the basin meadows. Good luck!

 

[dirtytough]

I used to spend a lot of time in the high country. Even during the summer it was hard to turn up 3 or more big bucks.

My personal opinion on lack of big deer is just too many deer getting killed overall. You have archery, the high hunt, muzzy, general rifle, late rifle, late archery, etc. Add in predators and the natives and those deer are lucky to make it to the next year.

If you look at what the special late hunts produce that’s about what you can expect top end wise on the high hunt.

Even if you do find a good buck scouting, it’s tough to kill from all the other hunting pressure blowing stuff up.

 

[.284reaper]

I used to spend a lot of time in the high country. Even during the summer it was hard to turn up 3 or more big bucks.

My personal opinion on lack of big deer is just too many deer getting killed overall. You have archery, the high hunt, muzzy, general rifle, late rifle, late archery, etc. Add in predators and the natives and those deer are lucky to make it to the next year.

If you look at what the special late hunts produce that’s about what you can expect top end wise on the high hunt.

Even if you do find a good buck scouting, it’s tough to kill from all the other hunting pressure blowing stuff up.

Well said. Once that velvet comes off ghost mode activated.

 

[mavinwa2]

Few years back, mid 1990's, hired an airplane to fly us into the Paysayten.
Landing on the strip, in the big meadow, was quite the experience. Plane almost didn't fly that day due to wind conditions. Landed, I was a bit nauseous, and we unloaded packs & gear. Carrying camp on our backs for the next 7 days. Back then no cell phones, no satellite comm devices.
Plane took off, 3 of us looked at each other with a look of "what did we get ourselves into?"
As mid-30 somethings, those mountains seemed to go straight up from the landing meadow.

Started hiking out the meadows lower end, where the plane flight path on take-off went. Up we started, switch backing many times and 5 hours later made 1st camp with 2 days until opener. Next day covered another few miles and set base camp. Our 2 basins of focus, we had entirely to ourselves...or so we thought.
The weather went from sunny 70's, to rainy 40's, and even snowed once. Lots of deer, buck groups of various ages and with plentiful huckleberries = lots of black bears.

10 min into opening morning, 3x4 buck down. Next day another buck down, a 29" 4x4.
I was patient, waited until the 4th day to tag a 5x4, respectable 28" buck.
Between sliced venison, grouse cooked over the coals, fresh ripe huckleberries, chanterelles, was a great memory to look back on.
The 3rd day, buddy got bored and took a big black bear. He regretted that later on during the pack out. With 3 bucks, bear, it was a ball buster!
The colder weather was a blessing, able to hang venison until plane returned.

Thankfully we came across 2 horsemen hunters, not outfitters, in the meadow after 1st pack out. They too were going back in and offered to pack out the bear meat & hide.
2 days later, best 2 cases of beer we ever bought in Winthrop!