WA High Hunt Stories

[Pistolpete28]

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.

Very cool buck congrats!

 

[ActivelyDying]

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

Big Trojan nosed SOB

 

[wabowski]

Big Trojan nosed SOB

He'd make a roman god jealous

 

[JustEffort]

I’ll start by saying thanks to everyone who has already joined on this thread. I dream all year of alpine bucks so hearing stories helps fight the itch during those upcoming winter months.

I decided to go back into a place I scouted in August. I saw 3 bucks back in August but didn’t think any of them were really worthy of hauling out of this nasty country. It was super hot on that short 2.5 day scouting trip and it’s giant country so I figured I probably missed a few.

Day 1: I got to the trailhead around 11am and was the only car in the lot, pretty encouraging. I left the truck around noon and made it up to camp that evening. I cut off about an hour of hiking time from the previous trip so the legs were feeling good.

Side note: I will add this hunt motivated me to take training a little more serious. I hate running but I started running 3 times a week in April, most sessions were primarily walking to start and pretty short 2-3 miles. By August I was running about 15-17 miles a week plus an extra day of rucking. I had gotten my 5k time to sub 27 minutes. Nothing even close to bragging about but it was cool to see the improvement and I know it helped on this hunt. I hope to improve on those numbers going into next years high hunt.

Anyway, when I got to the camping spot from August the wind was RIDICULOUS. It’s hard to put a gauge on just how windy it was because I had never been in winds so strong. It was to the point with my giant pack still on if I wasn’t facing directly into the wind it would spin you around 180* like a sail. I opted to drop 400ft elevation and found a clearing for camp just before dark.

Day 2: I woke up to ice in the tent and my boots frozen solid. The weather called for lows in the high 30’s but it definitely dipped into freezing temps. I made the trek up to the glassing spot by daylight and didn’t see anything until about 8:30. I spotted two does down low. This was encouraging because it kinda proved my thoughts that I hadn’t seen all the deer in this area (I never saw any does in scouting). Shortly after I picked up a tall narrow 3x3 not a buck I had not scouted either. He wasn’t something I wanted to chase but fun to watch. I saw a small bear sort of mid day and didn’t have any other action till the evening. Around 5pm I happened to be glassing in the right spot at the right time. I saw a buck stand up out of some jack pines to stretch his legs and then laid back down in seconds. Some smoke from the fires had started to roll in so any pictures/video of this buck are horrible at almost 1.5 miles through my 85mm razor. Looking through the spotter I could tell he was well past his ears and had at least average mass. He had me at least interested to this point. He got back up an hour later and gave me a still fuzzy but good view of both sides before going back to the same bed. He was a solid big bodied 3x4 that I’d be looking for in the morning to chase.

Day 3: I ran back up to the glassing point at daylight and picked up the 3x3 off the rip. I glassed and glassed all day for the better buck through the haze of smoke and never turned him up again. The smoke really ruined any chances of seeing this buck again. The smoke had worsened from the day prior and was supposed to get worse the next day. I decided I’d hike a mile back towards the truck to glass a smaller drainage in the morning before heading out the many miles to the truck.

Day 4: Uneventful. I woke up, broke down camp, and climbed about a mile up the trail to glass a separate drainage. I spotted just a doe and fawn before taking the long walk back to the truck.

Things I learned or were reinforced.

• I enjoy the solitude and hunting solo. I’d rather see few deer and no hunters than a bunch of deer and a bunch of people. I didn’t see another person the whole time.
• The dead times during the days and nights are longgg.
• You are always at the mercy of the weather.

Pic 1 is the 3x3
Pic 2&3 is the 3x4

 

[HDwild]

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.

Nice buck! It was interesting this year with the smoke, it really rolled in thick in the afternoon and made glassing difficult. Way to get it done!

 

[HDwild]

Unsuccessful this time but here's a little recap for those interested:

Background:
I usually prefer solo hunting but a group of buddies from work were wanting to do a group camp, 2 guys were bowhunting elk while me and another guy were on the hunt for bucks or bears. I didn't have a chance to scout but 3 of the guys scouted an adjacent drainage and found shooters of all species. We hiked 8.3 miles to get to camp near the target drainage.

D1: Big hike with pretty heavy packs (~60-65lbs, still working on lightening the load while keeping some comforts in place). Target basin looked like PERFECT habitat, really thought we were going to find some reclusive bucks. Sky was clear in the morning and weather was great but smoke rolled in thick in the afternoon everyday. It made glassing from a distance challenging. Glassed all afternoon until after dark, saw nothing. Heard 2 shots around 5:30pm but didn't see or hear anything else. Camped in my new Durston X-mid 1p for the first time, great little tent but confirmed the benefit of having a 2p tent as my shoulders and quilt were touching the nest portion that was wet with condensation in the am.

D2: Up at the glassing point before light, glued to the glass all morning. First thing I spotted was a hunter in the middle of the basin, he kicked up a smaller buck and a doe. While watching the buck through the spotter he dropped ass and sprinted out of view and then we heard the shot. Must've been a miss because the hunter slowly packed his rifle away and left in the opposite direction. Hiked further in at mid day and stopped off at a lake to refill water and air out the feet, Sawyer Squeeze failed me for the third time, even after a complete flush with fresh water after last season the filter would not allow a drop of water through it. The Sawyer Squeeze has now failed me more times than it worked. Ran into the hunter who shot the night before and he was a good dude, admitted to missing a nice buck at 200yds due to buck fever. Luke if you're on here, it was good to meet you and talk to another hunter who isn't a turd. Glassed all evening and into dark, saw nothing.

D3: Glassed all morning, saw nothing. Assuming the basin is now blown out from the pressure and misses. Throughout this whole trip we saw VERY little sign. Mostly bear and doe/fawn sign but not enough to tell me that these animals actually live in there. It was surprising to me because the habitat was exactly what should be holding animals, all the boxes were checked however, there simply weren't many living in there. Decided to head home that night to buy time for more hunting later in the season (I've got 2 young kids and a wife to answer to so sometimes its worth it to head home early if it buys me more days later in the season). One elk hunter stayed behind and decided to chase one random bugle down in the bottom. Next I heard from him was 2 days later when he sent me the picture of the bull in the back of the truck. He ended up relocating and got lucky on a day hunt on the last day of the season.

Hike out: On the way out, Luke (the cool hunter) flagged us down and showed us where the other hunter (guy who missed the buck we were glassing) had camped in and under dead timber, had a fire (above 5,000ft), threw his mountain house and garbage in the fire and left it burning for close to 24 hours. When we got there it was already smoldering inside buried logs and duff to the point that we (Firefighters) couldn't put it out, we had to call a DNR helicopter in and I believe they ended up dropping a hand crew out there to get it out. Real bummer there. Guys like that are the reason we lose access to places and have so many damn rules and regulations in "wilderness" areas. Don't do that shit guys.

Overall a fun trip but I left with questions. Why does such great looking habitat not hold more animals? How much pressure does it take to blow out a high mountain basin and for how long? Also, how close to your target basin do you guys camp? Both hunters we saw were camped right at the bottom of the basin just inside the edge of the timber.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Hike out: On the way out, Luke (the cool hunter) flagged us down and showed us where the other hunter (guy who missed the buck we were glassing) had camped in and under dead timber, had a fire (above 5,000ft), threw his mountain house and garbage in the fire and left it burning for close to 24 hours. When we got there it was already smoldering inside buried logs and duff to the point that we (Firefighters) couldn't put it out, we had to call a DNR helicopter in and I believe they ended up dropping a hand crew out there to get it out. Real bummer there. Guys like that are the reason we lose access to places and have so many damn rules and regulations in "wilderness" areas. Don't do that shit guys.

Wow, what a d-bag. Wonder if the authorities could get the guy's info from the wilderness area sign-in card things.

 

[Jtb.kfd]

Unsuccessful this time but here's a little recap for those interested:

Background:
I usually prefer solo hunting but a group of buddies from work were wanting to do a group camp, 2 guys were bowhunting elk while me and another guy were on the hunt for bucks or bears. I didn't have a chance to scout but 3 of the guys scouted an adjacent drainage and found shooters of all species. We hiked 8.3 miles to get to camp near the target drainage.

D1: Big hike with pretty heavy packs (~60-65lbs, still working on lightening the load while keeping some comforts in place). Target basin looked like PERFECT habitat, really thought we were going to find some reclusive bucks. Sky was clear in the morning and weather was great but smoke rolled in thick in the afternoon everyday. It made glassing from a distance challenging. Glassed all afternoon until after dark, saw nothing. Heard 2 shots around 5:30pm but didn't see or hear anything else. Camped in my new Durston X-mid 1p for the first time, great little tent but confirmed the benefit of having a 2p tent as my shoulders and quilt were touching the nest portion that was wet with condensation in the am.

D2: Up at the glassing point before light, glued to the glass all morning. First thing I spotted was a hunter in the middle of the basin, he kicked up a smaller buck and a doe. While watching the buck through the spotter he dropped ass and sprinted out of view and then we heard the shot. Must've been a miss because the hunter slowly packed his rifle away and left in the opposite direction. Hiked further in at mid day and stopped off at a lake to refill water and air out the feet, Sawyer Squeeze failed me for the third time, even after a complete flush with fresh water after last season the filter would not allow a drop of water through it. The Sawyer Squeeze has now failed me more times than it worked. Ran into the hunter who shot the night before and he was a good dude, admitted to missing a nice buck at 200yds due to buck fever. Luke if you're on here, it was good to meet you and talk to another hunter who isn't a turd. Glassed all evening and into dark, saw nothing.

D3: Glassed all morning, saw nothing. Assuming the basin is now blown out from the pressure and misses. Throughout this whole trip we saw VERY little sign. Mostly bear and doe/fawn sign but not enough to tell me that these animals actually live in there. It was surprising to me because the habitat was exactly what should be holding animals, all the boxes were checked however, there simply weren't many living in there. Decided to head home that night to buy time for more hunting later in the season (I've got 2 young kids and a wife to answer to so sometimes its worth it to head home early if it buys me more days later in the season). One elk hunter stayed behind and decided to chase one random bugle down in the bottom. Next I heard from him was 2 days later when he sent me the picture of the bull in the back of the truck. He ended up relocating and got lucky on a day hunt on the last day of the season.

Hike out: On the way out, Luke (the cool hunter) flagged us down and showed us where the other hunter (guy who missed the buck we were glassing) had camped in and under dead timber, had a fire (above 5,000ft), threw his mountain house and garbage in the fire and left it burning for close to 24 hours. When we got there it was already smoldering inside buried logs and duff to the point that we (Firefighters) couldn't put it out, we had to call a DNR helicopter in and I believe they ended up dropping a hand crew out there to get it out. Real bummer there. Guys like that are the reason we lose access to places and have so many damn rules and regulations in "wilderness" areas. Don't do that shit guys.

Overall a fun trip but I left with questions. Why does such great looking habitat not hold more animals? How much pressure does it take to blow out a high mountain basin and for how long? Also, how close to your target basin do you guys camp? Both hunters we saw were camped right at the bottom of the basin just inside the edge of the timber.
View attachment 940799

View attachment 940800
View attachment 940801

I will give my thoughts on your questions. I have been doing the WA high hunt since the early 90’s. Surprisingly it hasn’t changed much as far as the animal numbers go, lots more pressure though.
- One thing I think people don’t understand is the high country is a transition zone. The animals go up with the snowline, then back down a thousand foot or more once the summer heat kicks in and their velvet comes off. Once it cools again, they go back up. Many times during the high hunt people are above the animals, hence the old sign.
- As for pressure blowing out an area, I haven’t seen that. But, bucks will not tolerate people either. They will move down into thicker cover and not come out during daylight hours.
- Camping in the basin is a huge no. I pack water in most years to a secluded camp spot so we don’t have to move much. If they see you moving about you won’t likely see them ever. If I have to move about I make sure its behind a ridge or through cover. If I hunt a basin and see people camped in it I would just as quickly move along.
- Patience is key during September. Last year my son and I saw a buck (first one) on day five. I knew they were there but the heat kept them from moving during daylight much. Took another two days to see him again and get the job done. Pre season scouting (July) is key. You would be amazed at how many big bucks you will see. Knowing they are there helps with the patience part a lot.