West Harrison, Hemlock Valley region still bad?

[CSaw]

Hey everyone,
Anyone gone up to the West Harrison/Hemlock Valley region this year?
Tried for blacktail and bear up at East Harrison but we saw about 20 trucks and 10 quads going up in an hour so needless to say the pressure was on. As a side note the Cogburn and Bear Creek FSR are closed 24/7 due to active logging so that was a bust.

[buckhunter76]

Just came out of that area with two bucks saw 8 bucks and over 60 does as well, who cares about the quads and trucks park and hike find where the pockets of deer are and you'll get on em, the ruts a little easier hopefully later part of the first week of November

[CSaw]

That's amazing! We did some hiking but didn't see anything at all, the road was closed at the 20km so we couldn't go further than that. Tried a bunch of smaller quad trails but couldn't get to any cut blocks without hiking for a few hours. Any suggestions given that Cogburn, Bear and Harrison East FSR are all closed?

[buckhunter76]

I was up west Harrison not that far up either, I have shot a few deer up east Harrison below 20km mark more around 11km mark but later in the year, once east Harrison is open again pine tree mainline and hornet creek are both good areas to try, it's a pain in the ass when, theirs some really good cutblocks not to far up east Harrison road to under the 5km mark, just gotta explore, I like cutblocks a lot but we cut a lot of deer in the mature timber as well
just gotta put the boots to the ground and spend ALOT of time scouting and finding where their at

[ducktoller]

If you were a big old blacktail (and they do get big in there just like everywhere), would you be near the quads and trucks.

Sure you'll find bucks eventually (shot my first ride off the road after still hunting all day), but the big smart bucks certainly get that way being away from the cacophony of trucks and quads.

[CSaw]

Yes of course, the east side was a bust as the main access is closed due to active logging, regardless of the trucks and quads. I haven't gone out to the West side in a few years and it was really rough up there, no sign, tons of deadfall in the slashes and road closures everywhere making it hard to even hike.

[buckhunter76]

West side is rough and steep in some areas but that's what the deer like, we spent 2 years putting boots to ground in their finially found some good spots last year we were in their for 5 days last year saw 140 deer( obviously some duplicates) and between three people shot 5 bucks, also hiked 78km lol closest one to a road was around 4km farthest was about 11km I've seen them on the main roads before mostly when the snows deep or the ruts on just comes down to how bad you want it

[twoSevenO]

West side is rough and steep in some areas but that's what the deer like, we spent 2 years putting boots to ground in their finially found some good spots last year we were in their for 5 days last year saw 140 deer( obviously some duplicates) and between three people shot 5 bucks, also hiked 78km lol closest one to a road was around 4km farthest was about 11km I've seen them on the main roads before mostly when the snows deep or the ruts on just comes down to how bad you want it

You got pics to prove you saw anywhere close to 100 deer on West harrison?

[buckhunter76]

Nope don't carry a camera with me while hunting, but like I said some were duplicates that's deer sightings, maybe next year I'll pack a camera....

[twoSevenO]

I seriously doubt you bushwacked for 11km through the harrison jungle or that you saw 100 deer.

At least post the 5 dead ones to show your story holds some water.