Scouting...

[bobcat]

if you want to hope to get an elk to then Vail is not the place for you. very minimal elk in that tree farm. check out the Minot Peak area down near elma, deer, elk and bear. Kitsap pen is full of critters as well.

Yeah Vail is off my list at this point anyways. I might check out Minot Peak area, but I hear that gets pretty crowded, and with the hoof rot to boot... I might look for deer on Kitsap, but there's no elk here

No hoof rot in Minot Peak that I've heard of.

[zackmioli]

if you want to hope to get an elk to then Vail is not the place for you. very minimal elk in that tree farm. check out the Minot Peak area down near elma, deer, elk and bear. Kitsap pen is full of critters as well.

Yeah Vail is off my list at this point anyways. I might check out Minot Peak area, but I hear that gets pretty crowded, and with the hoof rot to boot... I might look for deer on Kitsap, but there's no elk here

No hoof rot in Minot Peak that I've heard of.

down in the valley near elma ive heard there is some but up in the hills i havent seen any. anywhere in western wa gets crowded during modern seasons, just gotta find areas to get away from the roads.

[BowForElk]

if you want to hope to get an elk to then Vail is not the place for you. very minimal elk in that tree farm. check out the Minot Peak area down near elma, deer, elk and bear. Kitsap pen is full of critters as well.

Yeah Vail is off my list at this point anyways. I might check out Minot Peak area, but I hear that gets pretty crowded, and with the hoof rot to boot... I might look for deer on Kitsap, but there's no elk here

I wouldn't mark it off your list. If your hunting archery you'll likely not see very many people but the gates are closed and your either hiking or biking. I hunt vail and the whole skookumchuck area every year (for archery) and I generally don't see people. I do however see their rigs parked behind mine when I go to leave.

As for elk. There ARE elk in vail/skookumchuck It might not be a ridiculously huge herd but they are in there just gotta scout em out and figure where they are. Also the place is loaded with deer.

I personally have never stepped foot in vail during modern. Although I hear the stories and I think thats why the place gets such a bad rap but the archery season is nothing like modern.

[Pappy]

if you want to hope to get an elk to then Vail is not the place for you. very minimal elk in that tree farm. check out the Minot Peak area down near elma, deer, elk and bear. Kitsap pen is full of critters as well.

Yeah Vail is off my list at this point anyways. I might check out Minot Peak area, but I hear that gets pretty crowded, and with the hoof rot to boot... I might look for deer on Kitsap, but there's no elk here

No hoof rot in Minot Peak that I've heard of.

down in the valley near elma ive heard there is some but up in the hills i havent seen any.

my mistake, thanks for clarifying.

[Pappy]

if you want to hope to get an elk to then Vail is not the place for you. very minimal elk in that tree farm. check out the Minot Peak area down near elma, deer, elk and bear. Kitsap pen is full of critters as well.

Yeah Vail is off my list at this point anyways. I might check out Minot Peak area, but I hear that gets pretty crowded, and with the hoof rot to boot... I might look for deer on Kitsap, but there's no elk here

I wouldn't mark it off your list. If your hunting archery you'll likely not see very many people but the gates are closed and your either hiking or biking. I hunt vail and the whole skookumchuck area every year (for archery) and I generally don't see people. I do however see their rigs parked behind mine when I go to leave.

As for elk. There ARE elk in vail/skookumchuck It might not be a ridiculously huge herd but they are in there just gotta scout em out and figure where they are. Also the place is loaded with deer.

I personally have never stepped foot in vail during modern. Although I hear the stories and I think thats why the place gets such a bad rap but the archery season is nothing like modern.

thanks for the extra info - i'll consider visiting there after all.