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, no GPS, no ONYX. Just plastic covered USFS maps and compasses. We did have VHF radios though.
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!

 

[.284reaper]

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, no GPS, no ONYX. Just plastic covered USFS maps and compasses. We did have VHF radios though.
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!

Would be stoked if my high buck turns out a fraction as good as yours, the 2 cases of beer in Winthrop is the only inevitable.

 

[mavinwa2]

Would be stoked if my high buck turns out a fraction as good as yours, the 2 cases of beer in Winthrop is the only inevitable.

the beer went to the horse packers for their assistance.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

the beer went to the horse packers for their assistance.

Was it Vitamin R?

 

[mavinwa2]

Was it Vitamin R?

2 horsemen preferred vitamin Oly

 

[Ridgerunner]

Pics would add to the story for sure.

 

[TheDoublR]

Deer hunting with my dad a long time ago in the high country. It began raining. I mean really really raining. Dumping on us. Somehow we found a cave. I remember splitting a red bull with him in the cave avoiding the rain. For many hunts after that we would stop at the cave just to have a red bull in. Cheers and good luck.

 

[Clark33]

A few years back I shot a buck opening morning of the high hunt in some cliffy stuff. Made the dumb decision to try and take a short cut down instead of going out the way I came/stalked in. Got cliffed out in a pretty sketchy spot with a boned out buck on my back. Lesson learned

 

[Middle_Ridge]

This was my first hunting trip. Really hard, but fun if you enjoy the zone you're in and get good weather.

 

[HDwild]

Picked a random basin to scout a couple July's ago, hiked in at night and it was a painful 4,000' gain in a short 3 miles. Camped in the first meadow we came to once we reached the alpine, setting the tipi up so we could glass and have coffee in the morning. Up at 4:something to beat the sun, unzipped the tipi and put the glass up and immediately saw 9 bucks. That'll make you feel good! The guy I scouted with and planned to hunt with ended up bailing right before the hunt and I decided against going in solo.

Fast forward a couple years and I'm actually going to get up there during the season, looking forward to it!

 

[JustEffort]

Picked a random basin to scout a couple July's ago, hiked in at night and it was a painful 4,000' gain in a short 3 miles. Camped in the first meadow we came to once we reached the alpine, setting the tipi up so we could glass and have coffee in the morning. Up at 4:something to beat the sun, unzipped the tipi and put the glass up and immediately saw 9 bucks. That'll make you feel good! The guy I scouted with and planned to hunt with ended up bailing right before the hunt and I decided against going in solo.

Fast forward a couple years and I'm actually going to get up there during the season, looking forward to it!

Awesome! Best of luck keep us posted

 

[PanhandlePilgrim]

Be expected to get hit in the teeth by extreme weather. I've seen lighting, 60+ mph winds and snow in the same trip. About 5 years ago we got hit by a big storm in the middle of the night and the wind was blowing so hard the tipi pole was bent like a fishing rod. My buddy and I stayed up and drank our flask of whiskey and held the pole in place listening to the trees falling all around us and his brother slept through the whole thing.
I talked to an outfitter in the area and he said all the mature bucks become Canadian deer once the hunting pressure starts. That statement held weight with me because I have scouted the area and found some really nice deer that I was never able to relocate. Also, if you want a nice bear that is a good time to find one.

 

[JustEffort]

Almost that time!

I’ll be hiking in on the 20th and have till the last day. Couple bucks scouted on a hot hot trip in mid August. Nothing I saw I’d be willing to hang the tag on but there’s definitely more bucks in the area, excited to see what turns up. Praying for good dry weather. Goodluck to everyone

 

[HDwild]

Almost that time!

I’ll be hiking in on the 20th and have till the last day. Couple bucks scouted on a hot hot trip in mid August. Nothing I saw I’d be willing to hang the tag on but there’s definitely more bucks in the area, excited to see what turns up. Praying for good dry weather. Goodluck to everyone

Looks like a nice buck, go get him and return with pictures!

 

[wabowski]

Glassed up this old regressed buck this past week. Noticed him when he was bedded, originally thought he was just a 2x2. After trying to put a legal third point on him for a while... we finally did. Not able to get the job done though. He dipped into thick cover and never surfaced again. Look at the nose on this guy! Thinking he was a real solid deer back in his day. Also thinking this could be his last winter... Gonna go back for him during modern season..

 

[JustEffort]

Glassed up this old regressed buck this past week. Noticed him when he was bedded, originally thought he was just a 2x2. After trying to put a legal third point on him for a while... we finally did. Not able to get the job done though. He dipped into thick cover and never surfaced again. Look at the nose on this guy! Thinking he was a real solid deer back in his day. Also thinking this could be his last winter... Gonna go back for him during modern season..

View attachment 937911

Old buck for sure! Big bodied sucker too.

 

[Jtb.kfd]

Just got back from high buck with my kids. Had success but the hot, dry, smokey conditions made things harder this year. Went into an area we had been watching/bear hunting as we had seen some nice bucks with one being an absolute giant I had seen on an early morning trail run. But, we didn’t see any of those deer during the 8 days we were back there. Of the bucks we were seeing, one was unique and I decided to make a move on him day 3. This year was interesting as smoke would roll in during the afternoon and get heavy. Watching the deer while conditions went from clear to smokey in a short timeframe was fascinating. Once the smoke hit a certain level the deer would get up and move about quickly, very nervous like and bed in areas you wouldn’t normally see them utilize. On the morning of day 3, I spotted the buck we wanted at 6:20am and started the longest stalk of my deer hunting career. Each morning would begin with a 5am wake up, roll out of the tent, shoulder the pack and begin a straight up 45 minute hike to our glassing point. So this stalk began with a drop of all that elevation I had gained just 30 minutes prior. From the drainage bottom I had a very steep and long hike up the other side. Taking a slightly longer route than I wanted due to rising thermals and swirling winds, at noon I was above him about 300yds. I dropped my pack, went down to socks and crept down the remaining distance closing to within 40yds. And there I sat….for hours in the blazing sun on a rock ledge. The deer bedded in a spot so tight and thick I couldn’t get a clean shot when he stood and readjusted throughout the day. At 4pm I was kicking myself for not brining a water bottle with me but I had expected this to be over hours prior. The smoke started rolling in and the buck got up quickly and trotted across an open finger towards a narrow thick alder filled drainage. I knew what he was going to do and so I made a quick move across the rocks to get into a clean shot position. He caught my movement at one point and decided to get out of the country. I shouldered the rifle, gave a quick grunt and he stopped for a brief second to look back, slightly quartered away downhill at 70yds. I sent round into him and he made it about 20yds before rolling downhill. This was my son in laws first backcountry deer trip and he got to watch the whole thing play out. He took a pic of me in the afternoon on the rock ledge with the deer 40yds below in the brush. I think it was harder for him to watch all day than for me to do the stalk, I know how that feels having three kids who all hunt. Anyway, we had a great time, another great high hunt and look forward to next year.