probably last day for me - Ashlu river area

[DLP]

I went up to the Ashlu area today and even though i got there late i was the only truck around so i picked a beautiful mountain and started my all day hike from the river all the way to close to the top. I started on a decommissioned fsr with a huge squamish ditch that keeps vehicles out, then veered off into the bush after finding a game trail and headed straight up. Right at the beginning i found a recently skinned fairly big deer. Why would someone leave the hide? Dont get excited, i didnt shoot anything today just a basic report here. i did however find many signs of both big deer and elk and only one coyote track. the deer sign were fresh. I could even smell them but i didnt see any. It was a perfect day for armed hiking anyway. Sad to see that polluters make it even way up to these areas. Why would someone hike up into the bush off the main path over 200m to dump a heavy plastic bag full of plastic pails and containers. Seems ludicrous. I took a few beer cans out but that is all i could manage.

On my drive out on the Squamish valley road just before it turns to pavement, there were two hunters walking the main road in the dark. One was kneeling near the ditch aiming across the road, looks like he was stalking something and scared the shite out of me because i only saw him last minute. the other was a native guy walking with his rifle near the reserve. there are all kinds up there reminds me of port alberni.

On a separate note, here is an interesting american report about trendy leftist hunters:

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2012/12/hunting_by_liberal_urban_locavores_is_a_trend_good _for_the_environment.2.html

[doubled]

PLastic pails and containers???? Grow up remnants. Don't be surprised to find that stuff anywhere. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself so that is what counts.

[albravo2]

I've run into a few old grow ops up there. Never far from the road because they don't seem to enjoy hiking. I always find it a bit ironic when the hunters clean up after the hippies. Sort of turns the stereotypes around.

Sadly, it wasn't me that left the gutpile there. We've spent quite a bit of time in that area and have only seen the hind quarters of one deer. Not too much hunting pressure, probably seen 6 hunters up there all season. They seem to prefer the Elaho b/c I see plenty of trucks around first light but nobody heads up the Ashlu.

Going back up tomorrow early for one more chance.

[DLP]

albravo
we find it a hard area to hunt. there are just so few open areas to get an advantage with. same goes for elaho value. that being said i tracked two deer today by tracks in the fresh snow. they headed straight up the mountain beyond our hiking abilities. and never showed themselves. im giving it one last try friday. good luck.

[fishingguy44]

Im new so excuse my ignorance but what would you normally do with the hide?

[blackford]

I have the same question. Lol

[biggyun68]

Sounds like another great day in the bush DLP... baring the guy shooting across the road. I like the Ashlu and was up there at Thanksgiving week-end with my good friend Squamishneil and my kids for their first grouse hunt. It was warm and we did not see any sign Grouse or Deer. Thank-you for taking more out than you did in my friends and I try and do the same thing. I was out Saturday above Britannia mine looking for the buck we have seen up there found some tracks but they went into some terrain I wasn't prepared to go into. Unlike you there where at least 7 other hunters up there - I ran into a party of 5 twenty somethings and I seemed to always behind another two hunters on the South slopes.
I enjoyed your article post: I still do not see a Lefty-Righty hunter dichotomy... I see more of Urban and Rural dichotomy... we all seem to have the same hunters values?