Mount St. Helens National Monument

[Chesapeake]

I had a cow tag for muzzleloader. We hiked in miles from Coldwater, and there were tons of elk in the little off limits area at the end of the lake. Yes, of course there is elk in the unit if you want to hike 7 miles in, and take a week to pack out an elk. To me it wouldn't have been worth it. If you like a challange, than this is definantly a hunt for you! I think the boundaries are poorly managed as forementioned, access is terrible, and there are too many rules. Furtheremore, we caught a guy up there who was camping illegally down by the lake which rubbed me wrong! It's also very dense, and steep past the lake. Yes I knew most of this heading into the hunt, but I still think it's a joke...

I'm with you on the cow tag part. I dont think I'd do that much work for a cow myself, though I've been know to have no feer of packing elk.

Access is great though.....there are paved roads to the trail heads, groomed and maintained trails, maintained camping areas, ect..... What do you mean by "access is terrible"? Did you want to drive up to your dead elk?

[chad s.]

I had a cow tag for muzzleloader. We hiked in miles from Coldwater, and there were tons of elk in the little off limits area at the end of the lake. Yes, of course there is elk in the unit if you want to hike 7 miles in, and take a week to pack out an elk. To me it wouldn't have been worth it. If you like a challange, than this is definantly a hunt for you! I think the boundaries are poorly managed as forementioned, access is terrible, and there are too many rules. Furtheremore, we caught a guy up there who was camping illegally down by the lake which rubbed me wrong! It's also very dense, and steep past the lake. Yes I knew most of this heading into the hunt, but I still think it's a joke...

I'm with you on the cow tag part. I dont think I'd do that much work for a cow myself, though I've been know to have no feer of packing elk.

Access is great though.....there are paved roads to the trail heads, groomed and maintained trails, maintained camping areas, ect..... What do you mean by "access is terrible"? Did you want to drive up to your dead elk?

Yes the trails are nicely groomed. I was refering to the fact that you have to hike in numerous miles before you can even begin hunting.

[sirmissalot]

I had a cow tag for muzzleloader. We hiked in miles from Coldwater, and there were tons of elk in the little off limits area at the end of the lake. Yes, of course there is elk in the unit if you want to hike 7 miles in, and take a week to pack out an elk. To me it wouldn't have been worth it. If you like a challange, than this is definantly a hunt for you! I think the boundaries are poorly managed as forementioned, access is terrible, and there are too many rules. Furtheremore, we caught a guy up there who was camping illegally down by the lake which rubbed me wrong! It's also very dense, and steep past the lake. Yes I knew most of this heading into the hunt, but I still think it's a joke...

I'm with you on the cow tag part. I dont think I'd do that much work for a cow myself, though I've been know to have no feer of packing elk.

Access is great though.....there are paved roads to the trail heads, groomed and maintained trails, maintained camping areas, ect..... What do you mean by "access is terrible"? Did you want to drive up to your dead elk?

Yes the trails are nicely groomed. I was refering to the fact that you have to hike in numerous miles before you can even begin hunting.

Aren't there a ton of elk in there though? Seems worth it to me, and seems like you would have known its a bit of a hike before you can get into your unit when you applied for it. I have heard thats where the bigger bulls are at within the margaret/mudflow area.

[bobcat]

You need to do your homework before applying for hunts.

This is on the WDFW website:


Special Permits

Pumice Plain, Mount Whittier, & Upper Smith Creek Special Permit Hunts

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) have worked cooperatively to develop the Pumice Plain, Mount Whittier, and Upper Smith Creek elk areas and corresponding special permit hunts. These hunts are part of the implementation of the Mount St. Helens Elk Herd Plan, which calls for a general reduction in elk numbers.

Please be advised that these hunts will be very strenuous and only hunters prepared for such a challenge should apply. You are strongly encouraged to scout options for accessing the areas before the hunts begin.

[Chesapeake]

Yes the trails are nicely groomed. I was refering to the fact that you have to hike in numerous miles before you can even begin hunting.

I guess its more personal experience/expectations. Where I hunt I generaly have to walk/bike a few miles or several back behind a locked gate or up a trail to get to where I want to hunt. Sure, the entire area is open and I could hunt at the gate, but generaly there isnt very good hunting in those areas. So to me, the fact that you have to walk 3 or 4 miles before you can hunt isnt of concern.

What would keep me out of there for a cow is the terain and that you couldnt use a game cart, bike, ect..... and you would have to carry it on your back. Not that I couldnt do it, I just know of easier places to get a cow.

[sirmissalot]

Yes the trails are nicely groomed. I was refering to the fact that you have to hike in numerous miles before you can even begin hunting.

I guess its more personal experience/expectations. Where I hunt I generaly have to walk/bike a few miles or several back behind a locked gate or up a trail to get to where I want to hunt. Sure, the entire area is open and I could hunt at the gate, but generaly there isnt very good hunting in those areas. So to me, the fact that you have to walk 3 or 4 miles before you can hunt isnt of concern.

What would keep me out of there for a cow is the terain and that you couldnt use a game cart, bike, ect..... and you would have to carry it on your back. Not that I couldnt do it, I just know of easier places to get a cow.

It would be kind of a fun hunt though, with about 4 buddies 

[chad s.]

Did my homework partner, and like I previously stated I knew what I was getting into, I just didn't know the extent of the brutality. The main reason I applied for the permit was because I drew an Upper Smith Creek cow tag the year prior, so I had one point for the draw. Statistically, this is one of the easiest cow tags to draw. This tag would be gold, if they extended the boundary all the way to Coldwater lake where tons of elk are found year round. Last year when scouting with google earth, it seems like it's pretty open from the end of Coldwater heading up into the mountains, but that just isn't the case, until you get quite a ways in!

You need to do your homework before applying for hunts.

This is on the WDFW website:


Special Permits

Pumice Plain, Mount Whittier, & Upper Smith Creek Special Permit Hunts

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) have worked cooperatively to develop the Pumice Plain, Mount Whittier, and Upper Smith Creek elk areas and corresponding special permit hunts. These hunts are part of the implementation of the Mount St. Helens Elk Herd Plan, which calls for a general reduction in elk numbers.

Please be advised that these hunts will be very strenuous and only hunters prepared for such a challenge should apply. You are strongly encouraged to scout options for accessing the areas before the hunts begin.

[Chesapeake]

Yeah, google earth is like that. Old pics and it doesnt really give indication that the brush and alders your looking at are 10 feet tall or better.

How'd you do with the Upper Smith creek tag? It is easier, you could drive the 99 and look down for elk. But you likely still had to haul one up out of the hole.

Sirmissalot,
 Yeah, if a guy had 4 buds lined up with nothing better to do and no elk in the freezer, it would be a one day grocery shopping trip.

[fireweed]

The problem isn't the terrain.  There are plenty of good elk areas just as steep and rugged.  The problem is the red-tape.  Tiny area, limited places to camp, permit needed, no hiking off trail areas, no horses, no carts (that sounds like it changed), only stay three nights--and all of this stupid nonsense that goes against hunting, where you need flexibility due to weather etc.   These hunts were designed to fail.  The scientists don't want hunters there, even though it is required by law that the WDFW manage game.  So the scientist figure they will "manage it to death".  Only SEVEN people even applied for the cow tag!!!! In an area filled with elk!  When I pushed for the Whittier to be open I figured it would just be annexed to the Margaret.  No idea that they would create a stand alone unit here. 

[gotcha]

You will need more than four guys to get an elk out of there in one trip.  There is to much bashing going on here. Let everyone figure it out for themself. It is a great hunt. If you wish to go in there to get an elk great. You will find out what packing a heavy pack is for four to five miles. Just treat the elk the way they should and be prepared. It will be a lot of work. Good lick to whom is willing. It was a blast. Scott

[chad s.]

First off, this was a modern rifle tag. The guys that were up there on opening day "Monday" got them pretty close to Windy ridge; however, I didn't make it up there until the following weekend. One guy who shot his cow less than 1/2mile from the trailhead was still packing his cow out five days later. Another guy who had one of the bull tags shot his pretty close, and had help with him, so he got it out relatively fast. A lady I talked to was up there by herself, and shot one in the morning way down by the river. I know it would have taken her at least a week to get it out without help. I could have shot numerous cows way down in the hole, by the river, but the weather was very nasty, and 10" of snow on the ground. Wasn't worth it to me! My wife had this tag last year, but we only made it up the last day, and saw nothing! 

Yeah, google earth is like that. Old pics and it doesnt really give indication that the brush and alders your looking at are 10 feet tall or better.

How'd you do with the Upper Smith creek tag? It is easier, you could drive the 99 and look down for elk. But you likely still had to haul one up out of the hole.

Sirmissalot,
 Yeah, if a guy had 4 buds lined up with nothing better to do and no elk in the freezer, it would be a one day grocery shopping trip.

[Killercolin]

Here's the ironic part about my Whittier tag.  I'd been pushing the Monument and WDFW to open up more land to hunting, and I pointed out this rugged sliver  in the Loowit that was between the USFS "closure" and the Margaret Unit--no reason it shouldn't be opened up, along with that side hill above Coldwater and the DNR land above the No. Toutle.   Miracle of miracles they actually listed (some)...and I drew the tag.  Now I'll be paying for it.  I plan to keep pressure on the USFS, and will give them a blow-by-blow on ways to improve the hunt.

I couldn't agree more. I had a whittier tag last year, and told myself there is no way anyone has ever shot an elk out of here. They all must poach them in that small sliver at the end of the lake that isn't open. What a stupid tag, and a waste of time! When they called and asked me what I thought of the tag after the hunt, I let them know all about it! Just goes to show the WDFW wants your money, and doesn't want you shooting their animals! I was so discouraged I didn't purchase any tags this year for the first time in my life.

The Whittier was one of the most fun hunts Ive ever been on. To call the people all poachers is kinda brassy of you. If you cant handle it, dont apply. Thought thats not a hard thing to do. 

[Killercolin]

Oh and we came out with a nice bull too. Plenty of elk if you put in a good effort. We got the bull down around 9 am and got out right at dark. It was work, but the 4 of us will never forget that hunt.

[chad s.]

Of course you didn't poach yours. Obviously it was just a figure of speech to get my point accross. If you got your entire elk out in one day, then you had a stout group of helpers! I knew when I made my initial reply I would get jumped on, and I think you're missing my point. Would you rather have the Whittier boundary extended all the way to the lake? Maybe not, perhaps your in better shape than the 99% of us, but it eventaully will catch up with you. Do you really think the WDFW is on the side of the sportsman? I hate this stupid liberal state!

[sirmissalot]

Oh and we came out with a nice bull too. Plenty of elk if you put in a good effort. We got the bull down around 9 am and got out right at dark. It was work, but the 4 of us will never forget that hunt.

Care to share a picture? I'd love to see it.