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Author Topic: Chelan County elk prospects?  (Read 7028 times)

Offline yakimanoob

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Chelan County elk prospects?
« on: April 12, 2017, 01:08:15 PM »
Any Chelan County elk hunters out there?  I live in Yakima and will most likely focus my efforts on getting another spike close to home, but I'm tempted by the extended season and cows or branched bulls option in GMUs 245-247 and 250. 

Am I understanding correctly that these GMUs are the northern range of the Colockum herd, or is there another herd in the area? 

Mostly I'm just curious if the opportunities are worth the drive from Yakima, in case I strike out getting a spike and want to keep hunting until Nov 15th :).

Offline bobcat

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2017, 01:13:02 PM »
It's not worth the drive. If it was, everybody would be going there to hunt elk. Look at the harvest reports.

Offline grade-creek-rd

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2017, 01:27:18 PM »
Those hunts are mostly to kill any stray elk that cross Hwy 2 to the north...and includes the Alpine Unit which is pretty much a high altitude hunt, again to cull any elk that stray to far west as well...very low opportunity to even see an elk...but yes, there are some small pockets of lands that have a few herds on them. Heck, Gordon Stuart killed two bulls in his lifetime in the Upper Entiat...but he lived and trapped there for 50 years!

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Offline yakimanoob

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2017, 01:34:42 PM »
It's not worth the drive. If it was, everybody would be going there to hunt elk. Look at the harvest reports.
Heh.  Yeah, I should have checked the harvest reports before posting.  A grand total of TWO elk harvested from all four GMUs in 2015.  Oddly enough both animals were 6+ points though.

I guess depending on my mood, hanging out in those mountains may be worth the drive even if I don't find any elk ;).

Offline yakimanoob

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2017, 01:37:28 PM »
Correction, grand total of 6 in all four units.  I didn't see the 245 and 246 numbers somehow... 

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2015/reports/elk_combo_dist_all.php

Offline hunter_sean08

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #5 on: April 12, 2017, 02:53:45 PM »
Ran into a guy in the Chiwawa once who had shot a spike up around Lake Wenatchee back in the mid 90's. I've heard of one small group up the Chiwawa, but it'd be a needle in a haystack trying to find them (and that's one thick haystack up there). You're more apt to catch them dropping into the upper Icicle from the south. Stay in the high country.

Offline WAcoueshunter

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2017, 03:06:06 PM »
I spend a good amount of time in Chiwawa.  I've cut elk tracks twice.  I've seen more moose tracks.

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2017, 01:54:45 PM »
I spend a good amount of time in Chiwawa.  I've cut elk tracks twice.  I've seen more moose tracks.

Agreed. I've seen some elk tracks, but definitely more moose tracks. I've actually seen 4 different moose in the Chiwawa GMU the last couple years. Seen a bull and a cow during modern deer season a couple seasons back and then a cow and a calf on the road up to French Corral last spring. Pretty cool..

Offline yakimanoob

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2017, 05:43:04 PM »
I spend a good amount of time in Chiwawa.  I've cut elk tracks twice.  I've seen more moose tracks.

Agreed. I've seen some elk tracks, but definitely more moose tracks. I've actually seen 4 different moose in the Chiwawa GMU the last couple years. Seen a bull and a cow during modern deer season a couple seasons back and then a cow and a calf on the road up to French Corral last spring. Pretty cool..

Pretty cool indeed!  Glad to hear moose are making a showing in that area.  I had in mind they were only in the NE corner of the state.

Offline luvmystang67

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2017, 05:50:44 PM »
I'm always interested in the "hard to find" animals and oddball spots.  Its always interesting when you find some sign.

I saw a bull moose on the top of the mountains to the east of lake chelan... running the ridgeline.

Lots of elk tracks in certain areas around icicle creek, certain times of year.

I dont elk hunt there, but its always fun to see things where they're not really supposed to be.

Offline mountainman

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2017, 09:00:34 PM »
Actually, several nice pocket of elk around. Just for to know where they hang out😉
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Offline DOUBLELUNG

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2017, 02:34:46 PM »
It's not worth the drive from Wenatchee to hunt those elk, but it is worth the drive to bear hunt.  My advice is to bear hunt those units during that elk season, and if you see an elk shoot it. 
As long as we have the habitat, we can argue forever about who gets to kill what and when.  No habitat = no game.

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2017, 02:42:21 PM »
It's not worth the drive. If it was, everybody would be going there to hunt elk. Look at the harvest reports.
Heh.  Yeah, I should have checked the harvest reports before posting.  A grand total of TWO elk harvested from all four GMUs in 2015.  Oddly enough both animals were 6+ points though.

I guess depending on my mood, hanging out in those mountains may be worth the drive even if I don't find any elk ;).

I hunt and camp in these areas a lot and have never seen an elk.  I wish it was not open for elk at all....I have heard many peple squack about people that shoot big bulls elsewhere and claim they shot them there to make it legal.  Can't prove it, but makes me sick to think it gives poachers a way to make something legal on paper. 

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2017, 06:10:16 PM »
I have seen 2 elk in the Entiat Valley, both 20 some years ago, a huge bull, and a cow standing in the road at silver falls. There are a few around, but not worth the effort to try and hunt them IMO

Agree on the moose numbers increasing in the county. I have seen 1 bull and 2 cows now  Hoping to retrieve a couple cams Saturday that may have a moose on them.
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Offline crabcreekhunter

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Re: Chelan County elk prospects?
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2017, 07:55:36 PM »
Saw one really nice six point bull in the entiat about five years or so ago, probably 330-340 id say.  Season wasnt open.  Only elk ive ever seen personally in those units.
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