652 Muzzie

[Dbax129]

Anybody have any tips for getting into some elk for muzzie in 652?  I won't have a ton of time to hunt, but I will have quite of bit of time to scout.  Are the elk in this unit migratory or there all the time?  Since my time will be limited (I can't complain too much, because my wife is due in september, so i'll just be hangin out at home with the new little one as much as possible), I was thinking I would try calling in a bull, but would take a cow without too much hesitation.  Is there a ton of pressure in there durring muzzie?  What can I expect? Thanks!  Going to scout later today, Easter Sunday. If anybody wants to join me for the day send a message.  Will scout again next weekend as well. Again, thanks for any hep with my questions.

[Bullkllr]

652 has gotten to be a pretty tough gig- unless you have access to private property.And since a lot of the private property is in smaller parcels, even if you have access to any particular piece their is no guarantee the elk will be there.
Definately some elk. Not migratory at all. Used to hunt it a lot before Weyco parcelled out almost everything North of the Nisqually.
Landowners and buddies of landowners who can monitor and respond quickly when elk are present definately take the majority of the animals.

Good Luck.

[Dbax129]

What about that white river part of Hancock land? I saw some sign near by, several road crossings. There is also Mud Mountain dam areas up there, and I saw one area not gated, but I'm not clear on all the boundaries.  There is all that land down south on the unit though, and I see some state land there on the map. I'll get down there and see next weekend. Burned 350 miles last weekend scouting for areas to try and hike or bike in. I'm hoping to find areas closed to vehicles. Thanks for the input Bullkllr!

[Bullkllr]

Dbax,

Mud mtn area could be worth checking out. It is firearm restricted if not mistaken. Only been in there a couple times and it was like 20 years ago. There are elk in there and some closed-gate land open to hunting. There was a few or more hunters in there when I was last in there.

White River part of Hancock?- I believe you're talking about the part in the White River Unit ? If so you need to draw a permit to hunt elk there.
There used to be a smallish part (like the NE corner) of the Kapowsin Tree Farm that was actually in GMU652.  You could hunt in that small section under regular season regs for elk. If my memory's correct this was when it was owned by Champion. It was weird because 95% of the tree farm was 654- and open only to permit holders for elk. I don't know if this is still the case- you'd need an annual access permit from Hancock.

State land in the south is likely Pack Forest. It's all gated.  Worth checking out. There are elk. Awfully grown up last time I checked it out.

Good luck. Being a new dad can make time for hunting a pretty rare commodity. Our youngest is 15, and its still a struggle to find exclusive hunting time. Enjoy!

[Dbax129]

Ok, cool. I'll go check out that Pack Forrest area next weekend.  as for white river, I saw signs for hancock thier management while I was scouting by mud mountain, and when I got home I checked their site and saw on the vicinity map that the land i was looking at was part of their white river area.  That is permit only for elk? Here is the link to their map
https://hancockrecreationnw.com/sites/default/files/Vicinity%20map%20KAEVWR%20%28old%20version%29.pdf

Is that just a hancock rule that you need special draw to harvest elk there? I didn't see anything on their site about it, but I've heard similar things about other areas of theirs. 

Thanks again for the advice.  I'll post up my progress on scouting this unit.  When searching for info on it on this site there was next to 0 talk about it on any previous threads.  nothing useful anyways.

[Bullkllr]

OK- the hancock "White River" tree farm is their name. Most of Hancock WR TF falls in the White River GMU which is permit only for elk (state draw).
There is a small part of the Hancock's WR TF that is in GMU 652 and is open for general season. (Between 410 and White River near Mud Mtn Dam). I'm not positive, but I don't think you need any access permit from Hancock for that area. And as far as I know is walkin only.

Here is the description from the regs (its one of the more complicated boundaries- NASA scientists are figuring it out):

GMU 652-PUYALLUP (Pierce & King cos.):
Beginning at Redondo Junction on the shore of Puget Sound and Redondo Way S; SE on Redondo Way S to State Route (SR) 509; E on SR 509 to Pacific Hwy S (Old Hwy 99); S on Pacific Hwy StoSR18atthecityofAuburn;EonSR18toSR164;SEonSR 164 to SR 410 (Chinook Pass Hwy) at the town of Enumclaw; E on SR 410 to the second set of power transmission lines near the Mud Mountain Dam Rd; SW on the power transmission lines to the White River; NW along the White River to SR 410; S on SR 410 to SR 165; S on SR 165 to the first intersection with a power transmission line at T19N, R06E, Sec 21; SW on this power transmission line to Orville Rd E at the Puyallup River; S on Orville Rd E to SR 161; S on SR 161 to the Mashel River; down the Mashel River to the Nisqually River (Pierce-Thurston county line); NW along the Nisqually River, along the Pierce-Thurston county line, to the Nisqually Reach in the Puget Sound; NW along the Thurston-Pierce county line in the Nisqually Reach to a point on the Thurston-Pierce county line southeast of Drayton Passage Channel; NE through Drayton Passage and Pitt Passage to Carr Inlet; E and S around McNeil Island to a point southwest of the Tacoma Narrows (including McNeil, Gertrude, Anderson and Ketron Islands); NE through the Tacoma Narrows to a point on the Pierce-King county line northeast of the main channel of the Tacoma Narrows; E on the Pierce-King county line to the point where the county line turns southeast, north- west of Dash Point; E to Redondo Junction on the eastern shore of the Puget Sound and the point of beginning.

[bigtex]

There is a small part of the Hancock's WR TF that is in GMU 652 and is open for general season. (Between 410 and White River near Mud Mtn Dam). I'm not positive, but I don't think you need any access permit from Hancock for that area. And as far as I know is walkin only.

There is a very small part of the White River Tree Farm in GMU 652 BUT starting in 2012 you needed an access permit for ALL access. You can however get daily walk-in permits, instead of the annual.

[Bullkllr]

Well there you go...

Thanks, Tex!

[Dbax129]

good to know. Thank you.  Hhmmmm. They say the annual is 75 but if you add it to cart its only 45.  I might need that huh? I'll go scout it on a day pass maybe... Question is will those gates stay closed for non motorized only for hunting season...

[6.5swede]

The mud mountain/enumclaw portion of 652 is pretty much all hancock land and is gated.  I have spent a lot of time in this area and there are elk in there at times, but its pretty hit or miss during hunting season.  There was quite a bit of pressure in there in the past before the walk in was permit only, but missed last season so not sure how it went.