Quality Elk Hunt Special Permit

[MikeC]

Hell, not only will I skin and quarter, I  will bring my brother if we include him in the draw with US and between the two of us, you wont have to pack a thing! We'll set up camp, pick you up and drive. You just need to draw the tag with us, aim, and pull the trigger... We'll even supply the food and drinks   Seriously, if you know what your weapon of choice is, find the right hunt that starts without the pressure of general season hunters for the first 5 or so days... Or of  course one of the rare rifle rut hunts and find a good guide.Best of luck, and let me know if you need a pair of brothers to hunt with 

[sirmissalot]

Good on you for turning him in, sounds like a real loser. Have you actually been awarded your points already?

[jackelope]

You'll want to use Western Life Outfitters in the Blues. Dave, the owner, is mtncook on here. He's the top 3.

[trophyhunt]

I would head east like most have said, but just because you have 17 points don't expect to be drawn. I also have 17 and have been applying in the blues for many years with no luck, I just keep seeing guys with lesser points drawing. I would think if you have the coin your best option for not knowing the area is  to contact Western life Outfitters like jackelope said. Good luck, and remember just because it's a quality tag doesn't mean sure success on a big bull. I know a guy that hunts for cougars during the winter for wdfw and he knew the tuccannon very well. He drew the quality tag, hunted his ass off the entire season and ended up with a 300ish bull, he didn't see any BIG bulls the entire time. He was slightly disappointed. I would tell you good luck in the draw but since I've been waiting 17 years w/out poacher points, my selfish side of me hopes I draw before you. 

[MikeC]

First thing we should do is put in as partners

I will call for you  skin and quarter  and help pack
I think it is an opportunity you can't pass up.  Once you agree I will tell you what unit WE should put in for.

Just curious...how do they conduct the draw if I have 17 points and you have say 3 points? Do they take the higher of the two or an avg?

So it is an average of the total... I have 5 points plus your 17 equals to 22 divided by 2 would be 11...

Nice work turning in the poachers

As far as weapon of choice, My brother and I always hunted modern until a few years ago when we finally got tired of the crowds... We switched to muzzy and have had a blast the past few seasons...  The general season tends to run right at the end of the rut, we have seen alot of animals and had a few opportunities on general season tags...  Muzzleloaders are quite inexpensive so my advice would be to go pick one up and start shooting. If you lke it, go for it!

[poopooheaddad]

Interesting post, I too have been sitting on quality and any bull points (14), much confusion on my part, do I go Archery ( only been useing 2 years) muzzle loader ( 16 years, and love) or modern (20+ years)
I havent had the best luck with hunting partners, lost 2 good ones, and current one is a great guy but in poor shape and refuses to get in good shape. Solo? I would like to hike in or pack in..Some of the offers on here dont sound that bad, J Phelps offer sounds pretty good.....Just trying to plan for my 2013 hunt also tired of tag soup....

[JPhelps]

I forgot to tell you, I only have 6 points 

[dvolmer]

We drew 5 of the 13 permits in 2006 in the Dayton area and filled 4 out of the 5.  317, 335, 358, and a monster 398 7X8.  In 2007 my Buddy with 2 points drew Dayton and shot a 330 7X7.  My hunting party has drawn 4 Watershed permits since 2005 and shot four 6x6's with the largest being in the 310 range.  We have drawn 4 Observatory permits since 2003 and shot A 2x2, 4x4, a nice 6X6 scoring around 285, and didn't fill one of them. 

With all of this I would not settle for anyting but a Dayton tag.  Access is easily found in the Nat Forest and the elk are huge.  Blue Creek and Wenaha would be my second choices but Blue Creek is mostly private and Wenaha is Nat Forest but you need horses for good access.  Watershed is OK but not as good as Dayton.  The Blues is where you want to be.  We have hunted above Ellensburg in the Manastash area with the Observatory tag and found the hunting terrain much easier but the quality of animals not even close to the Blues.  Now I know someone will get upset with that comment and show me some picture of a monster taken out of their in the past, but bull for bull the Blues are way bigger.  better get in good shape because the Dayton area can eat your lunch with some monster canyons but if you want a 350 plus animal its the place to be and with 17 points I wouldn't settle for anything less!

[Antlershed]

First thing we should do is put in as partners

I will call for you  skin and quarter  and help pack
I think it is an opportunity you can't pass up.  Once you agree I will tell you what unit WE should put in for.

Almost tempting...if I didn't have 16 points 

[Kowsrule30]

if you put your time in any of the quality tags should be good . I think guys expect to shoot a toad just because the permit say quality. most of the gmus are decent but in my opinion arn't true quality tags (maybe with excetption to the rut tags )

Exactly.
Quality can also mean limted access or extended days. It does not always mean quality animals in the way we want it to.

Or "quality" could mean 1 day before general season opens like when my Dad drew... The "quality" category means squat... IMO... Some of the "bull" hunts offer better "quality"... But to each their own... As said before scouting is more then key to success...

[270Flat]

BTW... There are no elk in the Blue Mountains!!   

[Archer45]

If you go archery try getting the Clockum rut tag!! It includes three great units and a lot of opportunity to get a 350 plus!! If I had that many points it would Early Archery Clockum for sure!!

[nwhunter]

Sent you a pm. nwhunter

[400out]

Sent you a pm. nwhunter