New to the forum and need some elk help

[Bowbe8]

Hi everyone just looking to see if anyone could help me out. I bow hunt and my area has been closed due to fire danger. So I have decided to hunt around mt st Helens. I have never hunted there and will be going to scout this Monday. I have hear that the clear water drainage is hard to get into but there is a lot of elk that get pushed into there. I just looking for a place to get away from the crowds and have a good shot at an elk. Im ok with packing in long distances and was wondering if anyone had hunted around there could give some info or pointers. Thanks so much.

[DARKTIMBER]

You live in woodland and are having a tough time finding a place to hunt? Find that hard to believe. Little too close to the season to try and learn a unit.

[elk247]

Woodland you might be right. But lets see if we can help the guy out. There is a few different units around st. Helens. Some are 3 pt. Min. And some allow harvesting of cows.  Its a little too late to learn a unit but if you specify what your after or ask about a specific gmu we could try and point you on the right direction. Its hard to go wrong with any st. Helens gmu. That is as long as you have access. Fire danger, private timber co. , and what left of public access being crowded being the parameters you will have to work around. Its not new to us bowhunters but its going to be worse this year it looks like.

[Bowbe8]

well I was going to hunt a great place in the coweeman but it got shut down because of fire danger. So I have decided to hunt the lewis river unit and stay close to the mountain. ill find a spot, I just thought if anyone had any tips that would be great. I plan on backpacking at least six miles and getting up above everyone and letting them push the elk to me. This used to work for me on the east side of the state but this is my first year in woodland. That's why I was looking for some tips. And DARKTIMBER, you don't always have to learn a unit to kill a good bull you just have to work harder than everyone.

[DARKTIMBER]

Right right. Walk into a unit blind. Smart hunting

[Bowbe8]

I already have parts mapped out and ready to go in the lewis river but when your first option gets shut down you don't have to much choice. Obviously you must get your elk every year.

[elk247]

sounds like you have a solid game plan bowbe8. If I was hunting that unit I would go steep and deep. Thats a big unit with a reputation for a lot of road hunters. Good luck. 

[Bowbe8]

That's a great way to put it steep and deep is the plan.

[Bowbe8]

Does anyone on here hunt the lewis river unit?

[elk247]

  search lewis river unit on here  years of info. Do you have help getting an animal out of the backcountry in this heat?

[Bowbe8]

Ya I have some help

[wormfood]

Yup, hunt it every sept.

[Bowbe8]

hey wormfood so do you see a lot of other hunters. that's pretty much what im trying to get around. and what part of the unit do you hunt?

[Crunchy]

I would go for a drive and look at a few maps for places that have little vehicle access.  Then hike in and look around.  Decent elk numbers in that unit so it shouldn't be hard to find some.  Don't think you need to scout a unit for weeks prior to the season to get lucky. 

[wormfood]

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