Washington High Buck Hunt modern firearm

[Devenk89]

Sorry for the long read, new guy here trying to figure out this hunting thing!

Cliff notes: Friend and I doing the Washington High Buck Hunt from September 15-25 looking for rough guidance

Hey guys, my buddy and I are planning doing the early buck hunt and wanted to know if anyone had experience and some general advice. We're debating on doing either the Alpine Lakes area or the Olympic Peninsula.

We'd like to bring a camper to use as a base camp (one that sits on a truck bed, I don't know if this will allow us to access more places). We MIGHT, camp out in the field one night, but would prefer to hunt from our camper. We are pretty fit so covering some miles shouldn't be a problem.

Really, we're just looking for any info, as there is so little to be found online.

Thanks guys!!

-Deven

 

[connerh04]

Sorry for the long read, new guy here trying to figure out this hunting thing!

Cliff notes: Friend and I doing the Washington High Buck Hunt from September 15-25 looking for rough guidance

Hey guys, my buddy and I are planning doing the early buck hunt and wanted to know if anyone had experience and some general advice. We're debating on doing either the Alpine Lakes area or the Olympic Peninsula.

We'd like to bring a camper to use as a base camp (one that sits on a truck bed, I don't know if this will allow us to access more places). We MIGHT, camp out in the field one night, but would prefer to hunt from our camper. We are pretty fit so covering some miles shouldn't be a problem.

Really, we're just looking for any info, as there is so little to be found online.

Thanks guys!!

-Deven

Not sure how this worked out for you but this is a hunt I tried on a couple years ago. I am nearly certain you can’t base camp this hunt from a trailhead. After all my scouting the deer I started seeing were 6+ miles from the trailhead I was hunting, and trust me when I say I tried real real hard to find things closer. Ended up with a bitter feeling about the hunt and never ended up doing it, it would be something worth doing with a pack string someday maybe...it’s a character building hunt for sure, I got to try my hand at solo backpacking and went through some hard lessons learned on water, and knowing where it is. If it’s something you want to revisit I can pass along some little info I have, I would have to have a lot more free time to want to revisit this hunt.

 

[MO3N]

Sorry for the long read, new guy here trying to figure out this hunting thing!

Cliff notes: Friend and I doing the Washington High Buck Hunt from September 15-25 looking for rough guidance

Hey guys, my buddy and I are planning doing the early buck hunt and wanted to know if anyone had experience and some general advice. We're debating on doing either the Alpine Lakes area or the Olympic Peninsula.

We'd like to bring a camper to use as a base camp (one that sits on a truck bed, I don't know if this will allow us to access more places). We MIGHT, camp out in the field one night, but would prefer to hunt from our camper. We are pretty fit so covering some miles shouldn't be a problem.

Really, we're just looking for any info, as there is so little to be found online.

Thanks guys!!

-Deven

I'm in the process of researching for my first high buck hunt as well. I am looking into a different area so it might not apply directly. From my research here are some things I have heard.

- Most people seem to hunt with camp on their back and spend multiple days away from the truck. This might not apply to the Olympic Peninsula area, I have spent a lot of time on the peninsula and see deer all over, so you might not need to go that far from the trail head.
- Most areas are not an easy day hike and like mentioned 6+ miles from a trail head is recommended.
- Just like most hunting in Washington it can be popular, so finding the places no one else wants to go to can help a lot.
- Like all hunting Burns are a good starting point and find a spot you can glass from a distance.

That's all pretty basic info, but might be a little helpful.

 

[wesGiddingshunt]

I'm in the process of researching for my first high buck hunt as well. I am looking into a different area so it might not apply directly. From my research here are some things I have heard.

- Most people seem to hunt with camp on their back and spend multiple days away from the truck. This might not apply to the Olympic Peninsula area, I have spent a lot of time on the peninsula and see deer all over, so you might not need to go that far from the trail head.
- Most areas are not an easy day hike and like mentioned 6+ miles from a trail head is recommended.
- Just like most hunting in Washington it can be popular, so finding the places no one else wants to go to can help a lot.
- Like all hunting Burns are a good starting point and find a spot you can glass from a distance.

That's all pretty basic info, but might be a little helpful.

There are a lot of bucks on the Olympic peninsula, in town. But in wilderness areas few and far between. Spent my whole life hunting the peninsula and grew up on the edge of the Olympic national forest. The hikes are in there deep as well. The “high country” isn’t right off the road, and there’s less alpine than in the alpine lakes, Chelan, and other wilderness. The peninsula is brushy, picture Roosevelt elk country. Not to say you can’t find those meadows!

 

[Mike7]

There are deer closer to the trailheads where the hunting is archery only, but most of the areas that have deer and allow early rifle hunting seem to be a long walk in.

 

[BCWAID]

Hunted the WA high hunt a few times growing up. Hit the Alpine Lakes area and saw some deer; a few hunters as well. Be prepared for the weather, last time I was in there we got snowed on while hiking into base camp.

 

[Muley_Hunter]

I spent a few seasons hunting the high hunt in the Pasayten Wilderness, was always a fun hunt but got to be too many people hiking/backpacking in the places we were focusing on. Would like to go back again someday.

 

[The Ri Guy]

I have never personally been up to Alpine Lakes or Olympic, but I've heard from a few guys that it's been barren and devoid of deer life for the last couple years. They say there's lots of bear (east of the crest), goats, hunters, and city folk though!

Check the Hunt-WA website, multiple threads every year for each high hunt area.

I'd be going to Chelan if it was me, but you need a boat and it's a long ways in/out.

 

[carsonmcdonald]

I'm planning on trying this hunt out for the first time as well this year. Was able to make it into the Alpine lakes wilderness earlier this month for a quick scouting trip. Only deer I saw were on the trail hiking in. Off trail and back into some big canyons it got very dense, very steep, very quick. Saw some goats, but no muley bucks. I have been researching to little avail wondering if some of that country isn't conducive to holding bucks (to steep/ rocky), unlike areas in other western states where typical summer ranges might be at 8000+ feet. A bit of feedback I got from a local biologist was that the bucks might not spend much time above 4500 feet. I've since refined the area's I want to hunt to bordering wilderness areas with known winter ranges within a 20-30 mile radius. Icicle outfitters website has some pictures of nice bucks taken out of the Glacier Peaks area, but those pack trains can really get deep into the Wilderness. Hunting from a camper you might be limiting as getting into a good glassing spot at first light could require many miles in the dark.
There are options to access the East side of the GPW via Lake Chelan and the lady of the lake shuttle.

Good luck! Post pics if you knock one down on the High Buck Hunt!