three sister wilderness elk hunt

baltz526 · 01-31-2009, 07:21 PM

7 to 12 miles in from trail head is an area i would like to hunt. but packing in camp, packing out elk would be very difficult for a small group with backpacks. completely non-do-able alone. camp would be off trail system about 1/2 mile near remote lake. a couple summer trips to stash camp gear and scout would be required. since it is a general tag, it is a sure thing tag wise. could get snowed out is the biggest downfall of the hunt.

No Fences · 01-31-2009, 07:38 PM

Sounds like fun.

rem721 · 01-31-2009, 07:54 PM

I might be interested, not sure where you are thinking, I ran into a bunch of elk around nash lake. long hike and if it dumped snow, could be a bummer...

baltz526 · 01-31-2009, 08:43 PM

3 1/2 miles south of nash

rem721 · 01-31-2009, 08:58 PM

well, this past year was the year to do it... this season it'll probally snow like crazy. going in from mirror lakes trailhead, that shouldn't be more than 4 or 5 miles. I saw alot of elk two summers ago just past wikiup plains, going into that old growth fir. nice country. even a pack mule or two would be good. I have heard horse hunters can hit that area pretty hard.

Rank Amateur · 01-31-2009, 09:14 PM

Ahh, hunting some of my old stomping grounds. Hunted deer in that country, before they took the big winter hit. Did see a dandy bull in there and quite a bit of sign . Always fun to bring a mule deer home on a westside tag.

Richard is right, might be really tough with just packboards, we had stock. 4 miles to the top, another 4 down to Nash. I've hunted to the north and south of Nash, some big ground in there. Didn't see much in the way for pressure for deer, but did see signs of elk hunters using the area.

Great fishing too!

baltz526 · 01-31-2009, 09:35 PM

it would be an expedition. with lots of prehunt preparation.

Rank Amateur · 01-31-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

it would be an expedition. with lots of prehunt preparation.

Getting all in might not be a problem, but getting all out might!

baltz526 · 01-31-2009, 10:02 PM

watertite plastic boxs and a shovel. plastic tarp tent with lodgepole frame. stashed on GPS mark could allow some freedom of stocking camp, preseason. geocashe style.

baltz526 · 01-31-2009, 10:03 PM

wilderness cashe for gear storage could be looked at by some as unethical. i'll say this: get old with bad joints and reducing pain is fairly important to quality of life. a clean operation will be completed, everything packed in will be packed out. it just may take time

Benny · 02-01-2009, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

wilderness cashe for gear storage could be looked at by some as unethical. i'll say this: get old with bad joints and reducing pain is fairly important to quality of life. a clean operation will be completed, everything packed in will be packed out. it just may take time

That's good to know, and I completely understand the necessity for pre-planning and packing gear in. However, you should know this: USFS Policy on abandoned/cached gear is that after a period of 3-5 days (i'm a little rusty and can't remember) your gear will be considered abandoned property and seized and packed out. It will be posted in the regional news paper for one full month and if nobody claims it, it will be taken to the dump.
I don't say this to be rude or condescending, just want others to know so their feelings aren't hurt when they barely hid their tarps in a tree by an obvious camping site in the backcountry and its gone when they come back. When I worked wilderness in the Eagle Caps for a few years we used to pack all sorts of crap out, but it really was abandoned. For those that appreciate what wilderness has to offer I would think they would agree that crap starts to pile up pretty fast out there when hunters cache their wall tents every year.
Anyway, with my land-steward ethics aside, it sounds like a sweet trip!

hilclimber · 02-01-2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benny

That's good to know, and I completely understand the necessity for pre-planning and packing gear in. However, you should know this: USFS Policy on abandoned/cached gear is that after a period of 3-5 days (i'm a little rusty and can't remember) your gear will be considered abandoned property and seized and packed out. It will be posted in the regional news paper for one full month and if nobody claims it, it will be taken to the dump.
I don't say this to be rude or condescending, just want others to know so their feelings aren't hurt when they barely hid their tarps in a tree by an obvious camping site in the backcountry and its gone when they come back. When I worked wilderness in the Eagle Caps for a few years we used to pack all sorts of crap out, but it really was abandoned. For those that appreciate what wilderness has to offer I would think they would agree that crap starts to pile up pretty fast out there when hunters cache their wall tents every year.
Anyway, with my land-steward ethics aside, it sounds like a sweet trip!

All true points about the regs, but i know from experience (working for the agency myself) that things only get packed out if they are Easy ie near roads, or a high number of complaints come in. THe reality is, a geocache well hidden will not only never be found by anybody, and definitely not be packed in. I saw one by one of the trailheads at WALDO lake all last winter that was chained to a tree for a group that was doing snowhsoe and x-country ski trips all winter. That never got removed, and it was obvious to anybody who drove by it...

My

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 08:24 AM

no one will see the cashe if we can get a trip together. horse creek drainage is the area i'm looking at, on my new three sisters wilderness map. C. geo-graphics 2001. i picked it up yesterday at bend REI

ehunter · 02-01-2009, 08:32 AM

Have you consider getting packed in by a outfitter. 7-12 mile is a long trip to take in a camp and haul a elk out. I can see packing in and then contacting a outfitter to haul camp and elk out. If 2 elk are shot that can be a real deal breaker.

Benny · 02-01-2009, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hilclimber

All true points about the regs, but i know from experience (working for the agency myself) that things only get packed out if they are Easy ie near roads, or a high number of complaints come in.
My

Most definitely. We have even confronted some bureaucracy issues when it was cache items from pack stations that help support wilderness funding. I know Chris Sebo out in that forest has had serious problems with funding and staffing, and I imagine they don't get around in the sisters as well as we did in Wallowa-Whitman. I don't think they even run packstrings anymore.
We couldn't wait for complaints on our forest, if it was late in our 14 day hitch and we had some mules to spare we'd just load 'em up. Poor ******** thought they were going to have it easy with empty panniers and now they've got bedsprings and wall tents tied to them. Tough making a balanced load on an old set of deckers with wall tents. Lots of props to the guys that pack in stoves

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 08:44 AM

yes we would need to be able to get elk out. i know there are IFISH people with pack animals. i know maverick maxcat had a couple mules he was feeding a couple months ago, might get him to work them. it will depend on who gets interested. if the trip happens. i know if i do not at least attemp to get a group together for this hunt, i'll miss hunting an area i really want to hunt.

oregonmuley · 02-01-2009, 09:15 AM

This sounds fun - not sure I could commit to the hunt but I could be up for the scouting/packing gear into and back out part. If you get enough interest keep this thread going with specifics and if time allows I would be happy to help pack in gear. What are the actual hunt dates??

bigjake_888 · 02-01-2009, 10:33 AM

I did that two years ago and got my butt kicked by the weather. Over two feet of snow. We only made it back five miles with the two of us so we did not make it to the sub alpine. The guys on horses did.

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 11:39 AM

which trail number did you use

rem721 · 02-01-2009, 12:02 PM

once there is any snow accumalation, Odot closes the road past Mt. B... could pose a problem.

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 01:18 PM

i have been looking for closure date but i have not found it. the gate at deschutes bridge on 46 is about 6.5 miles from elk lake trailhead.

rem721 · 02-01-2009, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

i have been looking for closure date but i have not found it. the gate at deschutes bridge on 46 is about 6.5 miles from elk lake trailhead.

There is another gate right at Mt. B

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 01:55 PM

i would plan on getting dropped at trailhead 16th, then being picked up after 24th. season is oct 17th-23rd. elk lake resort has snowcat and snowmobile shuttle for hire. it may be possible to rent cabin if we wanted or have a base camp in campground for support

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 04:37 PM

if you wonder why i'm interested http://terraserver-usa.com/image.asp...58&Y=12189&W=3

SuperX · 02-01-2009, 04:53 PM

I've pack in a bit southwest of the horse creek drainage during deer season, lot of elk in where. Heard a lot of bugling too, not much deer thou, so pulled the camp. I've packed into wilderness area quite a bit over the years. A few guys could pack in light enough and not have to drop a camp in. The biggest problem is safe water, depending on the year you might not have water where you think should be. Getting the elk out would be a chore; you're looking at about 5-7 hours for 7-8 miles round trip depending on how good the trail is and how much weight. You might think about cutting you trip a little shorter say 4 miles and drop the camp and hunt from there, my experience is anything over 2 mile every few hunters even at that. Beside the access is so limited, the elk just moved around you anyway, they just have had that much pressure and don't move that far. I've ran elk out (or thought I did) and had them back in the same area the next day, something to think about. Something else to think about, you want to know the elk are still in there and haven't move towards their winter ground. In the high country what you see during the summer usually move by the time hunting season starts. Most the elk I've see in there are in small herds spread out over large areas, so it can be tough catch them. The Elk can still cover the ground just as fast even with all that down timber. Also, early enough (weather dependant) you can still call them in too during general (they haven't had the pressure).

I've packed with a tee shirt (no snow on the ground), and had my tent collapse the next morning from the snow during the night. Other times had rain come in over a few day, I could hardly get a fire started, had to shave wood and use a candle couldn't get enough heat to the wood long enough to get it to burn. But I must say... best time I've ever had hunting, really something to see and worth every bit of effort. I hope you can make the trip work for you. Live stock is the way to go if you can find someone who is willing and has the animals. A Horse can carry 150lbs, man 50lbs are considered normal average pack weights, a course people pack more than that.

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 05:00 PM

camp? http://terraserver-usa.com/image.asp...71&Y=12182&W=3

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 05:23 PM

with a camp elevation of about 4600ft i'm not worried about a donner party ordeal in october, but it could get ugly for days. that is hunting. i think getting elk from camp to trailhead is the big issue, with camp at about 5 miles in, 4/5 guys can pack a nice camp in with a fairly good food selection. getting 3 bulls out to the trailhead is a pack animal deal. a couple of things to deal with is split of meat, should be equal. my garage is good for hanging cutting/grinding. we will all have a lot of sweat invested so if we do succeed all should benefit equally. i hope this can work, but like all long term planning this is just a begining

Santiam338 · 02-01-2009, 05:42 PM

My dad made that hunt years ago,back when the elk hunt was in November...Him and 2 buddies went in by horse on the Horse cr trail...I remember him talking about Nash and lots of snow...They all killed bulls...

I have always wanted to get back in there just to see the things my dad saw...Last year I was going to go,just take the horse and spend the weekend...I just didn't make it...

This year for sure...

Sirzonkalot · 02-01-2009, 06:15 PM

My dad and his family spent several decades hunting that area. They had a camp every year in the Cedar Swamp area. Back when the hunt was in November they killed bulls every year. They continued to hunt the area since it has been an October hunt with limited success. In fact, the last few years have been so poor they quit packing in. I made a day hike in the Horse Creek trail in late Oct. 2007 looking for elk. There was snow on the ground at the time. I made it all the way around Cedar Swamp, went over toward Dillon Lake, headed the other way out toward Nash Lake and crossed one set of elk tracks. Saw two different sets of cougar tracks and a sow track with one cub in tow. One area had some deer sign but the elk were no where to be found. I'm sure a few elk cruise through there but I don't think the hunting is what it used to be since the season dates changed.

rem721 · 02-01-2009, 08:13 PM

So Baltz, you have thrown a wrench into my hunting plans for this year. I would draw my deer tag and would spend a full week in pursuit. But, I am intriuged by this somewhat crazy notion of a backpack hunt for elk as falls window is closing. I once backpacked 8 miles out of Jasper Nat Park when an early season blizzrd dumped on us. And, I am mad at myself following last elk seasson. Spent three days scouting some wildeness areas and came away thinking there were more elk in the sahara desert. saw no sign. A guy I know killed a nice 5 pt. right in one of the areas I had scouted.

One week vacation time to hunt and a choice must be made.

baltz526 · 02-01-2009, 08:52 PM

before you commit, lets make sure we have a group. a trip like this takes a bit of a flexable schedule

tailwalker · 02-02-2009, 08:19 AM

I packed in there this year for mule deer with horses...it rained so hard for the first threee days 5 guys left camp and never returned. I stayed and killed the biggest buck of my life!!!! We call it Cry Baby Ridge now

. Neat area...we left some stuff geo-cached and did see alot of elk in some areas up there... I would consider it for elk depending on the group. When the boys left us high and dry....or high and wet....it made it a chore just to get my buck out of there.....That is some tough country and we all know how much an elk weighs.....I would want to use stock for sure....That is man country in there and if some guys really got into the elk you could bite off more than you want to chew. My buck was 14 miles truck to truck and I was glad to get there.....

baltz526 · 02-02-2009, 08:31 AM

yes, it would be a no wimping out hunt. if just one hunter left, it could ruin the hunt for everyone. it is an ALL IN hunt