Big bucks will hole up and nibble on lichens for days, before coming down for a real meal.

If you can, use forest-road access to gain elevation and hunt the rocks downhill, with gravity in your favor. Some areas on the steeper slopes can be hazardous, so you need to plan a safe route of descent using topographical maps, and when the terrain gets steep, keep your feet on solid ground. Sinlahekin's gravel-ly ledges can lead to trouble.

Hunting the rocks can be a waiting game. Any time you find a good vantage point, take full benefit by glassing and being patient. A hunter who can just relax and enjoy being outdoors, as opposed to one who's edgy and too eager, will always score bigger bucks. Sometimes it's just a matter of slowing down and letting the deer come to you.

Those who are less nimble will find gentle hunting terrain in the valley. Down low, the odds of seeing a whitetail buck increase so be ready with your binoculars to make correct identification. The sides of the valley rise sharply in most areas, making the transition areas likely places to find deer traveling from point to point. The deer make a network of game trails that make for forgiving footing through the rough spots.

Since the terrain in the bottoms is mainly flat and timbered, a tree stand can become a valuable asset during the hours of prime light. Try waiting it out near an isolated water source, and you might be a winner.

One thing's for sure: Hunting the Sinlahekin Valley will become a part of you. Every year when the leaves begin to change their hues, you'll feel the solitude calling. That distant feeling you get, trekking remote country with the possibility of scoring a really big deer, never goes away.

Put medicine like that in a bottle, and you could name your price!