big bulls and Dayton

[trophyelk6x6]

Here is a pic of my muzz bull from washington.  Also a pic from my buddy new mexico bull 2008 just in.  My dad drew Dayton bull tag rifle with 3 pref points. we leave in 4 days. I put him in for this tag as his fourth choice hearing it was a great tag but I lived in ellensburg and know clockum, manashtash, taneum,uptaneum,naches, quilomene, and down to rimrock quite well. But I am lost for Dayton. I have not been there nor do I know the area well outside of big bulls, rough country and of course the gov tag etc etc. Anyone know it, and know it during rifle tag season like oct 20?  Not bow hunting season or oct 1 muzz. There is a difference. Anything would be much appreciated. I am trying to get Dad who is 62 and just retired a good bull but know it is rough country. I am new here to the site but I am starting to enjoy it! I like the positive attitude and info sharing unlike some of my past hunting partners

[bow4elk]

Nice bulls!  There is a lot of Dayton knowledge on this site.  I'm green for that area but with 8 pts now, I'm starting to get pretty damn interested. Welcome!

[Slider]

Beautiful Bulls!!! I'm sure someone will hook ya up!!! Congrats

[270Shooter]

Dang, those are some great elk . Sorry I don't Know anything about the Blues though.

[smiley895]

I hunted in the blues above Dayton for about ten years. I saw at least 5 big bulls every year, mainly up high. If you go up by Godman at the top, that's where I had the best luck. It's ironic because I live in Ellensburg now and I have hunted the Naneum canyon for about three years now. The Blues are a different style of hunting than here. The terrain is very steep. The best way to find herds is to find a nice open finger that you can go sit on and glass all around, something will usually walk out. I haven't been successful here yet. I'm still trying to figure the patterns of the elk out. I have seen many outside of the season, but only cows during the season. Any advice?

[Broken Arrow]

Archery hunted there for years.....know you don't want that info....but may have some info, you may be intrested in. Took my son on his first deer hunt this year, started off on the snake breaks and after a couple of days he wanted to try hunting in the woods. Headed to unit 162, where i have archery hunted for years....I can tell you what we saw:

With out a doubt, the biggest bull i have ever seen... EVER...I counted from swords back and counted 4 per side. Long tines and very symmetrical....now comes the weird part...saw him litterally chase a smaller bull off the mountain. My son and I listened to 3 hours straight   7 different bulls...challenge bugling...Bulls were herded up with cows.

Now I don't rifle hunt or claim to know much about elk behavior during this time of year, but I do know a great deal about the rut...and as weird as this sounds, they are either in a second rut, the rut is late....or something really weird is going on.

We stalked one herd to 40 yards, just so he could see elk close up. 1 big bull, 20 some cows.

And just so you don't think I'm completely crazy with my rut theory, we also came upon easily, 30 fresh rubs, days old...not a month. Also found a fresh wallow, currently being used and pissed in.

If your intrested PM me...have no problems putting you right where I found him.

[bowsandhose]

broken arrow knows 162 i would take him up on his kind offer 

[BLUEBULLS]

the bulls off of the beaten path in Dayton are pretty much always bugling into rifle deer season, I believe it's the rifle hunters and gunfire that shuts them down. If you get far from the road on the opener you will still hear an ocassional bugle.

[Ihookum]

Seen one bigger than both those this weekend. Dayton area.

[bowsandhose]

trophyelk6x6 thats a nice muzzy bull what did he score?

[NW-Eric]

man those are a couple of monsters

[MuleySniper]

Great bulls! Man that's a really nice looking mount too.
MS