Ragged wilderness area

[Mofarmboy]

Got a bit of information about this area from a guy who's hunted it the last few years. Just wondering if anyone else had any input about the area. Looks pretty rugged (hence the name I guess) on the topo map. It also looked like the only decent access was an old stock trail that weaved 3-4 miles into the heart of the wilderness area. My thinking is that all the atv activity in that unit (521) might push the elk into the thick stuff. It also looked like plenty of water oak brush and dark timber in the area which should make for good habitat.

[ferris bugler]

I guess it depends a little on which part of the unit you are looking at. It's very straight up and down in the wilderness area parts of the unit. It get's some guide pressure from all sides, but there are elk there. When are you thinking of hunting, and about where are you thinking of entering?

[Mofarmboy]

We are hunting the 7-13 if sept and thinking of entering via the stock trail just north of erickson springs campground and heading in towards lightning ridge and hunting between there and anthracite creek.

[ferris bugler]

Yup. Know it. I have hunted up there before and been into elk. I have also seen some four wheelers and back packers up there, but there is a bunch of country. THe one thing about it is that it is all south facing and by September can be very dry. The creeks sometimes dry up so if you are planning on backpacking you may have trouble refilling. Have fun.

[Mofarmboy]

I thought wilderness areas were for foot traffic only? I also noticed the main ridge runs east to west but it looks like there's a few smaller ones that come off of it running north south such as lightning ridge.