Lake Chelan, in Washington state

creepingdeath · Mar 20, 2006

Dose anyone have any experience around lake Chelan. I was thinking of trying to spot deer from my boat and then make a stalk. Not sure if this is a good productive way to hunt this area or not. I've never shot a mulie but I'm becoming crazed at the thought . It's all I can think about. Help me on washington mulies!!! Thanks CD

Shane · Mar 20, 2006

I know they do there winter counts in the Manson by boat on Lake Chelan but I don't think they get down there in any kind of numbers until after the rifle season most years. I would like to run it in late December on a flat calm day with my spotting scope.
Shane

Craig · Mar 20, 2006

Never hunted up there but it sure looks like some good country. It's mostly all up hill from the lake.

creepingdeath · Mar 20, 2006

Shane, It looks like the greatest mulie hunting. I have to beleive that there's local year round deer. I wonder if a monster buck that's just starting to get past his prime might be to lasy to migrate back to his sumer range. I don't know. They gotta be there. It's the second deepest gorge in the USA. Very remote along the lake. What is it that makes them migrate back to summer range. Cooler weather and food. I'm confused. Thanks CD

creepingdeath · Mar 20, 2006

Hey guys, I can't find this post. I keep having to go to search to get back here. Is it under muledeer? How come I don't see it? Whats with the little blue body where I think this post should be ? What am I doing wrong? Thanks The new guy

kilowatt · Mar 20, 2006

You better lay off that "whackie tobackie"...........

Brian

BCBOY · Mar 20, 2006

Hit your refresh button. Maybe your puter is just not updating for ya. Other than that, I don't know why you can't see it.

muleracks2 · Mar 20, 2006

I know that country but never actually tried to spot, stalk and hunt from the boat during hunting season. There is not much good habitat along the water (the glacier was pretty active as it dug that valley). There are some canyons that you could hunt such as More Point(Fish Creek) and Prince Creek on the Manson Side and Domke/Lucerne on the 25 mile creek side. You may find other spots or even spot deer from the water.

In December the trip is really fun looking at goats and sheep as well as mule deer in their winter range.

ridgerunner · Mar 20, 2006

Follow muleracks advice, that is not the first time I've heard about those areas, I think you are on the right track to finding yourself a mule deer. The best thing about hunting the lake by boat is if your not finding the deer just head up lake a few miles till you run into them, they migrate along that ridge to their wintering grounds in Manson, you'll find them eventually.

polarbear · Mar 21, 2006

LAST EDITED ON Mar-21-06 AT 07:45AM (MST)[p]We use to hunt the Prince Creek area by boat and hiked up to Cub Lake. Shot my biggest mulie (29 1/2") there. Not a lot of folks hut it by water, bu it can be a great way to cover a lot of territory and spot them for a good stalk.

Eric

fletch · Mar 21, 2006

Ive spent most of my life on or around the lake...you see alot more deer from november to april along the lake than say sept-oct. The lake is almost never perfectly calm so using binocs and spotting scope is tough...NOt to say a nice buck couldnt be killed along there but I would say its more of a needle in the haystack type of thing unless you hike in and camp and hunt like polarbear has done. I personally would say there are more productive areas in the county than that accessible by the lake. Just my .02

shadowstalker · Mar 23, 2006

Not only can it be good for deer ,it can also be good for bear

fletch · Mar 24, 2006

Definitely a great possibility of bear along the lake especially from Graham harbor on up...either side

creepingdeath · Mar 24, 2006

It would be nice to be able hunt bear and scout deer. Are there any berry feilds? I was wondering if a guy was to see some bucks in sept. Would they still likly be in the area come hunting season. Or do they travel alot. Thanks CD

Bob D. · Mar 24, 2006

In September I don't think you will see many deer down by the lake. They ought to be up at 5000-6000 feet at that time of year. The berries should be at the higher elevations as well.