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W@ h!gh buck

We actually stomped through that basin the next day in route to another area. Almost zero sign. I mean occasionally a deer walks through it but nothing is living in it. Generally the deer are living lower in the burn. Eating new Willow growth for the most part.
Probably alder. Willow brush bark is generally bitter and medicinal (literally). Chokecherry gets hit very hard by ungulates. Find a grove of that stuff and you will find deer, elk, and moose hitting it regularly!
 
I might also mention, going deep does not necessarily improve the odds of success. This was 14-ish miles in.
That is a hell of a backpack hunt. How old is that burn more or less? Are you going back next year?
 
That is a hell of a backpack hunt. How old is that burn more or less? Are you going back next year?
2015 (but I had to look it up, I swear it was 2018)
Probably not, but maybe. I wasn't planning on hunting it this year. This was the "shorter" plan b. And yes, in actually pretty thankful we didn't shoot anything. The suck would have been... sucky
 
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If you are like me. Backcountry Journal will add insult to injury by having a cover pic next issue featuring a guy packing out his High Buck.
:confused:
 
2015 (but I had to look it up, I swear it was 2018)
Probably not, but maybe. I wasn't planning on hunting it this year. This was the "shorter" plan b. And yes, in actually pretty thankful we didn't shoot anything. The suck would have been... sucky
No kidding! Fourteen miles out with a big buck and camp on two guys' backs? What were you guys thinking? That would be a helluva trek in just a track suit. Is there a horse packing outfitter in the neighbourhood who could help with the pack out? I guess you've ruled out the more distant Plan A after this experience?

This brings to mind an experience back in the 80s in similar country up the Swan. I came down off the mountain early and ran into an out of state guy and his kid on the road as I was leaving.
"Seen anything?"
"Just one big muley buck and his does." (I was elk hunting.)
"Where?"
"Doesn't matter. Can't get him out of there."
"We can! We'll pack him out in pieces if we have to. You don't know us! I'm a college football coach from BlahBlah University."
"You're right, I don't know you. But I know this country and I know what time of year it is [November]. I also know only a wasteful fool would shoot anything up in that place ... even in September. You may think you're bulletproof because you play football but you'd kill yourself packing an animal out of there even a hamburger at a time." Of course, the hamburgers weren't what he was after and I knew it.

Many times I would hike to the top and look down into that big beautiful inaccessible basin and watch game. The west facing opposite side was a particularly favourite grazing ground, especially for mule deer. A couple of elk wallows were down in the bottom. Occasionally I could glimpse them moving around down there. Once on opening morning a five point and his cows walked out into the scree slide 300 yards straight down below me. Would have taken all day and half the night to get around to to where I could drop down and make my way back to gut him. If he was only hit and wounded, he'd be lost for sure. I never actually saw the wallows myself but the backpacker greenhorn who told me about the place camped down there once ... and was chased out by three grizzlies. Over twenty years hunting the other side of the mountain I never saw a grizz and only rarely signs of one. Perhaps God sent those three on a special mission to chase that game wasting fool out of there. I would like to hike up to that spot one more time to see if it is still left in its virgin state. I doubt it. Some nimrod horseman probably built a trail into it by now. I had horses myself and could have manufactured a trail for them but that would have ruined a perfectly good game sanctuary.
 
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No kidding! Fourteen miles out with a big buck and camp on two guys' backs? What were you guys thinking? That would be a helluva trek in just a track suit. Is there a horse packing outfitter in the neighbourhood who could help with the pack out? I guess you've ruled out the more distant Plan A after this experience?

This brings to mind an experience back in the 80s in similar country up the Swan. I came down off the mountain early and ran into an out of state guy and his kid on the road as I was leaving.
"Seen anything?"
"Just one big muley buck and his does." (I was elk hunting.)
"Where?"
"Doesn't matter. Can't get him out of there."
"We can! We'll pack him out in pieces if we have to. You don't know us! I'm a college football coach from BlahBlah University."
"You're right, I don't know you. But I know this country and I know what time of year it is [November]. I also know only a wasteful fool would shoot anything up in that place ... even in September. You may think you're bulletproof because you play football but you'd kill yourself packing an animal out of there even a hamburger at a time." Of course, the hamburgers weren't what he was after and I knew it.

Many times I would hike to the top and look down into that big beautiful inaccessible basin and watch game. The west facing opposite side was a particularly favourite grazing ground, especially for mule deer. A couple of elk wallows were down in the bottom. Occasionally I could glimpse them moving around down there. Once on opening morning a five point and his cows walked out into the scree slide 300 yards straight down below me. Would have taken all day and half the night to get around to to where I could drop down and make my way back to gut him. If he was only hit and wounded, he'd be lost for sure. I never actually saw the wallows myself but the backpacker greenhorn who told me about the place camped down there once ... and was chased out by three grizzlies. Over twenty years hunting the other side of the mountain I never saw a grizz and only rarely signs of one. Perhaps God sent those three on a special mission to chase that game wasting fool out of there. I would like to hike up to that spot one more time to see if it is still left in its virgin state. I doubt it. Some nimrod horseman probably built a trail into it by now. I had horses myself and could have manufactured a trail for them but that would have ruined a perfectly good game sanctuary.
Do you have to ruin everyone's threads with bs stories of how great you are? You clearly know nothing about this hunt or the area in general, and then judging the OP about things you don't understand. This is a wilderness only hunt, almost every spot is nearly 5 miles in just to the wilderness boundaries. The density of deer is very low, and as you see the terrain is extremely difficult. I think only about 60 deer were killed on these hunts in the whole state last year. The OP knows all of this and made an informed decision that you are going to second guess from your armchair. Start your own thread if you want to tell stories about yourself.
 
Do you have to ruin everyone's threads with bs stories of how great you are? You clearly know nothing about this hunt or the area in general, and then judging the OP about things you don't understand. This is a wilderness only hunt, almost every spot is nearly 5 miles in just to the wilderness boundaries. The density of deer is very low, and as you see the terrain is extremely difficult. I think only about 60 deer were killed on these hunts in the whole state last year. The OP knows all of this and made an informed decision that you are going to second guess from your armchair. Start your own thread if you want to tell stories about yourself.
Exactly. This is a bucket-list hunt, not a meat hunt. Every high buck taken is a trophy, with the legitimate potential to actually find a trophy (see Lampers success).

I'll likely never draw a mountain goat tag, but I can draw an unlimited deer tag and try to find one in an amongst the mountain goats every September, and will likely continue to do so until I can't anymore.

Side note, this is the first year I haven't actually seen any goats on this high hunt, and we were within the core range of one of the mountain goat units. I'd hate to have draw it)
 
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Do you have to ruin everyone's threads with bs stories of how great you are? You clearly know nothing about this hunt or the area in general, and then judging the OP about things you don't understand. This is a wilderness only hunt, almost every spot is nearly 5 miles in just to the wilderness boundaries. The density of deer is very low, and as you see the terrain is extremely difficult. I think only about 60 deer were killed on these hunts in the whole state last year. The OP knows all of this and made an informed decision that you are going to second guess from your armchair. Start your own thread if you want to tell stories about yourself.
So you're saying there's a lot of people (60+) hiking into that country every year to hunt deer and carry them out ten plus miles on their back? Well, okay. Very interesting. Not judging anyone but the OP seems to have judged himself. The scenery and solitude were undoubtedly worth the hike. However, sounds like shooting something in there would not have been a good deal ("sucky"). I guess things have changed a lot. In my day no one would think about hauling a deer out of an inaccessible spot on their back even five miles in. Managing oneself in that kind of blowdown post burn mess and steep country is dangerous enough. Throw a seventy pound pack on your back and it's an accident begging to happen. I'm sure the OP won't disagree after experiencing it.
 
Exactly. This is a bucket-list hunt, not a meat hunt. Every high buck taken is a trophy, with the legitimate potential to actually find a trophy (see Lampers success).

I'll likely never draw a mountain goat tag, but I can draw an unlimited deer tag and try to find one in an amongst the mountain goats every September, and will likely continue to do so until I can't anymore.

Side note, this is the first year I haven't actually seen any goats on this high hunt, and we were within the core range of one of the mountain goat units. I'd hate to have draw it)
Well, that explains a lot. Thanks. Certainly goat hunts often involve the same sort of insane effort and risks to be successful. You are essentially doing a goat hunt in pursuit of another kind of trophy purely for the experience. Understandable and commendable. Again, is there an outfitter in the area who could assist in getting the meat out quickly? So early in the season spoilage must be a concern. Or perhaps you were high enough that evenings were cold?
 
I’ve never understood why people worry so much about meat spoilage on lower 48 September hunts but don’t worry about meat hanging for several days in the same type of temperatures in Alaska in August. I’ve taken two days to pack out an elk with temps getting almost into the 70s during the day. The meat was absolutely fine. There’s nothing unethical about it if you know how to take care of it.
 
I’ve never understood why people worry so much about meat spoilage on lower 48 September hunts but don’t worry about meat hanging for several days in the same type of temperatures in Alaska in August. I’ve taken two days to pack out an elk with temps getting almost into the 70s during the day. The meat was absolutely fine. There’s nothing unethical about it if you know how to take care of it.
I've been trying to just ignore him. Heaven forbid I fail to mention it was below freezing at night, or that we hiked that 14 miles out in just over 4 hrs. Yes would it have taken longer with a buck but not that much longer. And meat spoilage was not going to be an issue no matter what.

Funny side note, we're cruising out, I'm trying to keep up with the 12 foot stride length of ole wa_archer, and we see two dude below us, hunched over, really leaning into their packs. Immediately I'm like, "Damnit, those guys found one." But we catch up, they're off on the side of the trail, bent over at the waist, breathing hard. So I ask as we approach, "Looks like you got some heavy packs. Congrats!" They respond with, "Not heavy enough..." and I realize they're not actually hauling meat, all that shit on their backs is just their gear. I wanted to ask WTF they thought they were going to do if they actually shot one! Eat it? I mean seriously they looked like they were packing 70 lbs on the way OUT!
 
At least the deer have a great way of making you/us see new country every year. Was one of the best "hikes with gun" i have done for scenery for sure.
 
In the same vain as @SnowyMountaineer mentioned in another thread I find I'm getting more hesitant to talk about my hunts. Even the horribly unsuccessful ones (which, spoiler alert, this is). So there's not much story, other than @wa_archer and I can't crack this early season business.

Dusting up high on the hike in.
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The "trail"
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The area
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Ptarmigan
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Purdy
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Stared at this till my eyes bled
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Peaking over
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Big country
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No bucks spotted.
awesome pics! which wilderness area is this? My brother and I go into the eastern side of Alpine Lakes for high buck.
 

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