Glacier Peak Wilderness Opinions?

[MichaelJ]

Hello, I'm looking for a new area for my father and I to hunt this year. I don't really want to hunt the General in October, way too many hunters for us. We've had ZERO luck the last 3 years, and haven't seen hardly any deer for that matter. We hunted hard, down in the Blues Mnts for a couple days.

Anyways, we're wanting to hunt the early high country buck season this year, and I was looking at the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area. It looks like a good area on a Topo Map w/ not a whole lot of roads, but enough to be able to hike real deep in.

What I need to know, is, has anyone been in this area before? What's the terrain like? I won't be able to get up there for another week, but any opinions would be great! I'm not really looking for a big buck, mostly something legal for right now. Once I get to know the area better, than I'll try for something bigger. Thanks for any and all replies.


Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed
potatoes and gravy.

PS: Please don't take this like I'm asking for someones honey hole. Just any info I can get would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[KNOPHISH]

It has been a long time since I was hunting up there. They used to have goat tags up there but not now. I heard after we were there the road washed out & they were thinking of not fixing it. I don't know if they ever did. I think that was up the Suiattle river &or Whitechuck river & it made the hike to the trail head longer. We hiked in 5 miles to Kennedy hot springs. Kinda cool to sit in the warm water at the end of the day. Was not alot of deer but did see 1 very nice 4 point with a bunch of does about 10 miles in. Horses are the way to go. This area is pretty steep. We've taken alot of nice bucks down in the Blues but it's too far for a week end hunt.

 

[Muleyslyr]

I hunt the Glacier Peak High Hunt every year. It's a large area though....where do you plan on coming in from. I come in from the Lk. Wenatchee area and up? Usually only see maybe 2-4 other guys up there.

 

[Colville]

It's ALL steep. I've never hunted it before but will for a brief piece this year. I've done some hiking from the lake Wenatchee side. Huge expanses on east and south faces with scrub and little else and then tough timber and thick stuff on the north/west slopes. There's miles and miles of ridges.

Muleyslr, could I send you a email to tell you where I'm headed and ask a couple Q's without doing specific locations here? I have a couple general Q's on approach as well. The open areas are huge and can be glassed easilly, but based on Temps seems unlikely that they'll be on those faces and more likely to be on the north and west slopes in the day for shade. Some of those areas are all but impossible to spot into or effectively still hunt. Should a guy focus on spotting the open faces at first light, or is working timber edges real slow the ticket? Affraid come sept we could still be in the 70's to 80 up there some times. The area is so awesome though I'd go for a week and not care if I saw nothing but my shadow and the country. Deer would be nice, but I'll settle for a good scout/learning experience in the area. PS: I have all the requisite gear for this kind of hunt. thanks in advance.

 

[MichaelJ]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-12-04 AT 12:46PM (MST)[p]Knophish,
What area of the Blues were you hunting? I know we hunted Sawtooth Ridge a couple times. Weather was terrible last year. Windy as hell! And cold too! Also what method of hunting did you use? Were you sitting all day glassing? Or were you walking the Timber thickets?

Oh ya, MuleySlyr, you got mail!

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.

 

[MichaelJ]

I was also looking into the Pasayten Wilderness Area. What are your guys' opinions on that area? It's a little longer drive, but I'm pretty sure there's a lot of deer in that area.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.

 

[Muleyslyr]

Pasayten you gotta go waaaayy back in there. Diffenetly recommend horses. I went in 22 miles when I was 18 my a.. was sore for 2 days. IMO wasn't worth it, I like the Glacier hunt alot better! I like hiking in with my camp on my back.

Michael I'll go check my mail.

Colville....go ahead send my an email. Sounds like we head up in kinda the same area. I'm going up there in 2 weeks for a little scouting trip and to check on my grandpa, his ashes are up there over looking some of the sweetest country around.

 

[MichaelJ]

Thanks for the Tip. I wasn't too excited about the Pasayten anyways. Too far from where I live to do any good scouting and such.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.

 

[Muleyslyr]

Michael....check your in-box.

 

[Colville]

considering the size of the area I'd bet we're miles upon miles from each other this year. That and I'm doing a starter easy in and out this year so I'll not be where I'd like to ideally. Sent you a email, thanks.

I've been running all summer to have my legs/lungs where they need to be. Everything is steep and seeing a deer and getting to him aren't the same thing. I'll be thrilled to just spot a buck this year.

 

[ridgerunner]

I concur with what has been said, its steep country and the hunting is tough that time of year in there, but it can be good.

 

[ridgerunner]

Some more advice from a seasoned GPW hunter. Stay away from the main trails, there are some that get very heavily used by hikers, from what I've seen there are lots of better spots to go that get less human pressure. You have to be willing to work the ridges and hunt hard, it took me approximately 5 years to figure out how to hunt the high country its probably the most challenging country to hunt, some spots it can be fairly easy to spot a deer but actually getting to it is a whole different story. When it is hot the big open basins that look good generally don't provide very good hunting, the deer seem to pull into the heavy timber. Hope that helps, Michael J and Colville you have p-mail.

 

[KNOPHISH]

Michael, We usually are hunting the south side but saw deer all over. I'm not a guy who can sit in 1 place all day. so I might glass for awhile & move. Still hunting the draws or spot & stalk. I didn't go down last year but cold & windy conditions I like.

 

[Colville]

like anything else worth doing, this takes time. The best and worst things about the high hunt for me is the remoteness. No people, but not as easy to just pick a day or two and scout. Takes solid time scouting and hunting to do it. So I figure to be getting good in about 10 years! Or when I retire, which is substantially longer than that. PM returned ridge and thanks. I really would go anyway deer or no. I'll have my bear tag as an additional in caser. I'll have to count on whitetails to fill my freezer till then.

 

[MichaelJ]

I will also have my bear tag. RidgeRunner, shot you a PM back. Thanks.

Thanks everybody, you've all been a great help. I'm looking forward to the hunt, and have been running every night for the past 4 days in hopes to start getting ready for the upcoming hunt.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.