I hunted 14 last year and I’d say it was moderate pressure. I would see about 20ish hunters walking up and down the atv trail I was set up near. However, once I got a mile or two into the woods I ran into 4 other hunters over the 6 days I hunted.

With regards to pressure these units see quite a bit of it. Does that mean there is no chance of success? Of course not. These units are fairly large with large plots of public land. Including wilderness. However their access points are very concentrated so expect to see plenty of people. They also have plenty of places to ride ATV’s and motorcycles so expect to see road hunters Except in the wilderness where you will see plenty of backpackers. Not just hunters but photographers, nature lovers, as well as dedicated hunters who are trying to get away from people… These units have been affected by beetle kill, large fires, and blow down. Cross country bush whacking is nearly impossible in most areas. There are several outfitters who work the area. None that you need to stay clear of but know that using them will not get you away from people or into prime country. As far as using them for meat hauls they will not commit to doing them. Their answer is if they are free the day of they may be able to help you but don’t count on it.

With the biggest elk herds in the country closeby, it is a zoo of people in every corner of public land. With plenty of outfitting and horse packing going on, long hikes won’t guarantee solitude by any means either.

There will be a ton of people. You could probably find somebody with horses in a campground or on the trail that would want to help you pack your meat out. Expect company though. Sucks walking in 7 miles just to glass up other people all day.

Busy area, lots of hunters and hikers, especially on the weekends… more and more guys are bivy hunting, spike camping every year so it’s proving to be near impossible to get in remote areas away from people.