Is the chehalis area good for blacktails?

[duckhunt]

I have been looking at the chehalis area on the back roads map book And I was wondering if this is a decent blacktail area?I like that there is a lot of road to travel. I am also wondering what the terrain is like.

[Steeleco]

The whole south coast area has good Blacktail hunting if you know where to go. The problem with Chealis is the access. About 18 months back there was a huge land slide on the west side of the lake which won't be opened any time soon. One area I was starting to learn, was not far from the top of the slide, had some big deer in there :frown::frown:

It's now gated just past the south shore rec site as well as ever the mystery creek end. They even logg boomed the lake to stop boat access to area.

Google "Chealis slide" and look for the forestry pictures taken by helicopter, you'll see what I mean.

[bsa30-06]

Oh boy the blacktail threads are starting.
Steeleco, have you tied one to a tree for me yet!!

[lip_ripper00]

[quote=Steeleco;404345]
It's now gated just past the south shore rec site as well as ever the mystery creek end. They even logg boomed the lake to stop boat access to area.



Not for those who dare:tongue:

[Steeleco]

Saw 5 in a farmers yard two weeks back, only blocks from Fort Langley.
All you need to do is buy the million dollar property.

Sorry Lloyd, only the animals know all the secrets!!

[Steeleco]

I wish I still had the picture my buddy took. He and his brother lifted their quads over the gate and went for a drive. The first boulder was the size of a Mack truck. They walked the slide and figure it took out 1km of road.

[bsa30-06]

I remember seeing the news photo's that was a nasty slide, and did lots of damage.

[sneg]

2 years ago, there were some nice deer spots on north side of the lake ,turn rigth just after camp site.I would assume due to slide they were left undisturbed ,so should be fine.

[lip_ripper00]

2 years ago, there were some nice deer spots on north side of the lake ,turn rigth just after camp site.I would assume due to slide they were left undisturbed ,so should be fine.




Ummm, the campsite is GONE!:shock:

[guest]

That area along with Harrison towards Pemberton hold some mighty fine BT.
That said like others it does get pounded and some areas are better then others, one word of advice, well ok a couple words, Opening, Rut or the later the better. My dad has one in the Book from there.
CT

[longhairmtnman]

If you have a bike you can get by the gates. The fsr site at the north end is only washed out at the lake. The rest is fine. The south end site is being rebuilt. I was a little po'd last fall when we went up and found the gates locked. The ministry was heli-lifting the debris from the lake and we biked in and went fishing anyway. They never said boo! As for blacktail, awfully thick in the timber, maybe the cuts may provide some spots. I'd like to try coming in from the harrison lake access, as I could see guys in 4x4''s playing around at the north end and couldn't get by the slide or log boom on the water to check it out.
Good fishin' though!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v464/longhairmtnman/fishing%20pics/aug13fishing012.jpg

[longhairmtnman]

The slide

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v464/longhairmtnman/fishing%20pics/aug13fishing001.jpg

[CRS]

I went for a day hunt back in the Mystery creek end in end of Nov. Set up on a cut. Saw a sow and a cub, a few deer tracks, and a TON of quads. That's the one thing I found about that area, is you REALLY gotta make an effort to go beyond. Lot of quad groups go those places "beyond" where the average 4x4 user will go. Went and did some scouting in July of an area beyond there. Went till the truck said "no more". Then walked in about 6+kms.(by GPS) It "looks" like the geography would be good for late season, but I gotta take someone in with me.......it'd be a long solo drag back out!:tongue:

[TIKA 300]

I went for a day hunt back in the Mystery creek end in end of Nov. Set up on a cut. Saw a sow and a cub, a few deer tracks, and a TON of quads. That's the one thing I found about that area, is you REALLY gotta make an effort to go beyond. Lot of quad groups go those places "beyond" where the average 4x4 user will go. Went and did some scouting in July of an area beyond there. Went till the truck said "no more". Then walked in about 6+kms.(by GPS) It "looks" like the geography would be good for late season, but I gotta take someone in with me.......it'd be a long solo drag back out!:tongue:

That area up mystrey creek can be a real pig in snowy conditions,got turned around up there once.... thankfully i had bought a compass the week prior.... but i tell ya,when you think you are facing north and the compass said SOUTH !!!!! :redface: :frown:

Seen many sets of tracks in that area but never a deer attached.
Same with Harrison west,but that must be a tough hunt as you get near the end of the lake,being so steep.

[Tarp Man]

Blacktail Hunting Lessons
Lesson #1: The steeper the better (for the deer)
Lesson #2: South Facing is best (for the deer)
Lesson #3: Horseshoes up the a$$ help lots.
Lesson #4: Good Blacktail haunts are closely guarded secrets
Lesson #5: Good scouting requires time in the hills and in your boots. You can only scout so much from the seat of a truck or quad.

I am still working on these lessons, but blacktails are often poo-poohed by mulie hunters as they are "tiny". Yeah, but you don't get many 200-300 m shots at blacktails cause they tend to hide in thick, steep, nasty terrain and you gotta go in there and kick them in the butt to get them out. If you find the spots they are there, but it always helps to get the conversation going by offering your prior experience with areas you have already tried so guys (and girls) know you are serious and have put in the time.

Good luck and happy scouting.

[Steeleco]

Lesson #3: Horseshoes up the a$$ help lots.

See Lloyd that's what your doing wrong, LOL

[rollingrock]

BTs move up and down on a daily basis. No matter how deep the snow is or how hot it is, they still move like that. Find an area where you can see that pattern and set up, you don't need to go too far. I've hunted really early in the morning in that area and generated less results than hunting in mid morning. They love south facing steep slopes. Still hunting in bush like that in early morning really sucks. Dress well in the morning and bring a big backpack so that you don't sweat like a pig by the time you walk out.

[Elkhound]

Lloyd told me balcktails don't exist. Must be true

[Wild one]

Best places I have found for BT are spots that are straight up over looked . With chehalis be ready to work hard for your deer as it is a spot every one knows.