Taking a long walk.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Gentlemen,

I want to take a long walk (a week or better) through good country with a rifle in hand. Not necessarily a hunting trip, but rather going through an area without roads where folks won't mind that I happen to be armed.

Outside of Alaska, are there any places that you might recommend for such a trek?

[powderburner]

central Nevada comes to mind , you could walk for a week in a lot of places and see nobody and not even have to open a gate....Dean

[Brent]

Now there is and interesting question.

I would probably consider the Arizona deserts, but it may take some planning to avoid private ground. I'm also think about the possibility of some of the National Grasslands in Western South Dakota or Eastern Wyoming.

This is a really interesting question. I'll have to think on that some more over the next gazillion committee meetings this week.

Brent

[Brant Selb]

Scott

I once spent 28 days living off the land and wandering in Eastern Oregon armed with my ML rifle and never saw another human being; that was many years ago, but the country hasn't changed much. You could also check into the Shelden antelope refuge in Northern Nevada, that country is beautiful, desolate and well off the beaten path; you will think you have gone back in time two hundred years. If you want to discuss it, Rdnck has my #'s.

Brant

[powderburner]

another nice trip would be up or down the old north trail . It starts in canada and goes along the eastern front of the Rockie mountains ,, there would be a few gates though , Brents idea would be good too as there is more water up in that country,,,,,,,,,Dean

[Dan O]

Scott

Another nice walk would be through the Bob Marshall & Scapegoat Wilderness. You could get dropped off on Hwy 2 on the south border of Glacier National Park. From there you could wander up the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and work your way south through the Wilderness to Highway 200 and come out at Lincoln. But in all truthfulness a week wouldn't be enough time. Or you could walk accross the Bob from the SeeleySwan side to the eastside and come out at Benchmark or Gibson Dam. The would make a great weeks walk and you would cross the Continental Divide doing so. And having Big Nose Kate would be well advised as there are a few Grizzly's and Wolves around. Depending on your route you could view the Chinese wall from the south end on White River pass as you drop down into the Sun River game preserve on the west fork of the Sun River.
So many trails so little time

Dan

[Dan O]

Scott

I forgot to add you would be starting out in the Great Bear Wilderness on the north end off of hwy 2 then into the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat Wilderness's. This is all public land and no roads either walk or horse back you would have over 3 million acres to get lost in. Sounds like fun.

Dan

[Kurt]

Yes Scott I have such a place.
I have not been there since my good friend and hunting partner passed on six years ago.
It is high in elevation 10,000FT +- and some of the biggest Elk and majestic scenery you could ever see.
I spend a lot of time going on walks like you say scratching the dirt and creek bottoms or just getting myself lost for a few weeks at a time than pulling out the GPS to find my way out.
I will say were this place is because I don't think I will ever hunt there again, but I might walk back out just to sit at this place reminiscing my friend ship and good hunts.
This place is in the Routt Nat Forest just west Yampa Co.
Find the Chapman Reservoir and pick up the trail that leads into the wilderness. No motorized vehicles in that place and there are old logging trails you can pack in with Horses or Mules.
We used to pack in during Elk season and never heard a shot, but you better have snow shoes with you because you might have to leave camp behind and pick it up in the spring.
If you have a Topo go to N40*-7'-7.5" W-107*-5"-18." and you will find Chadfield reservoir the water is good you can drink right from it. A good place to set up camp if your just for a walk or 1/4 mile north of the pond if your there for the hunt. This is about 5-6 miles from Chapman.
I would highly recommend you carry something with you and look over head or behind you when your hair starts to stand up on the back of your neck because there is likely to be a cat behind you or over head. Had it happen twice.

Kurt

[Scott Tschirhart]

Kurt and Dan,

Those both sound very interesting. I am not limited to a week, but a week would help work the kinks out.

[Scott Tschirhart]

My last great trip was a month in Alaska. I took a Shiloh Hartford in .50-90 and slept on the ground, alone, for most of the time. That was 10 years ago.

I need to do more of that kind of thing before I cannot do it anymore.

[Kurt]

I made two trips up to Alaska and were going again next summer after the Quigley.
Once by myself in 2000 to Kayak the Yukon River from Eagle to the Dalton High Hy, and I carried a shot gun. You find out in a hurry that your not the top of the food chain up there.
The second time two years ago I took my Wife and spent most of the summer there.
We made some good local friends up there. It's a great place but it's not for every one.
You have to be comfortable in that kind of environment.

Kurt

[bobw]

Might be pretty tame compared to other ideas allready mentioned. South Dakota has a spring turkey season that goes thru the 2nd weekend in May and a Fall season starting 10/1. Nonresident tags aren't all that expensive. The Centennial trail runs from north of Ft Meade by Sturgis to Edgemont south of the Black Hills about a 100 miles thru prime country probably not as secluded as you might want but would be a good walk in rough country and hunts along the way. at nice times of the year. Backpack and small tent and camp outfit would let you eat the turk along the way. I can get you licensing info and Centennial trail map if interested send me a PM. Logistical end and transportation to the start and from the finish back to RCRegional airport NOT hard to arrange. bobw

[mdeland]

A good trip my son-n-law made before he started pilot training was from Gunsight mountain up by Ureka on the way to Glennallen to Talkeetna. It is about 130 miles as the rivers run with no trails except moose and Carabou.
It takes a tough customer about 21 days with many river crossings and alder patched mountain sides. Comes out on the tracks from Talkeetna to Healy. Scott did it a couple of years ago with his college class mates. A couple had to be flown out at one of the food drops with foot trouble.
It was in September and he said there were lots of berries and game. MD

[YoungAndDumb]

I'll second the Bob/Scapegoat/Great Bear as a great place for a long walk, and I'll put on the table the Bitterroot/Selway/Frank Church wilderness in central Idaho as another option. Lot of open space to be had in the northern Rockies.

[ironramrod]

Scott,

Don't have a clue what type of country you're interested in, but if it's prairie type stuff I can recommend the North Dakota badlands (Little Missouri Nat'l. grasslands). Go on Google and type in North Dakota badlands or similar and scan the pictures available. Lots of remote country to wander around in from Marmarth in the sw to the big Missouri River. I would most certainly recommend a rifle along, because there's getting to be enough lions in that country that one should have a serious ace-in-the hole just for good measure. Also, a lot of that country is really rugged with a lot of vertical acres. Quality live water can be at a premium, too.

Regards