Westside tactics

[Optimusprime]

Hey gang. I went scouting over in the Naneum yesterday with a buddy. Man that place is a wasteland from the fire last year. We still found a couple cows and a calf though so that was neat-o. Too bad it's a TSO GMU So I was also planning on instead hunting over here on the westside since last year, my friend had a monster bull and a bunch of cows on his property and the thousands of acres of public land behind it last year, so not quite sure about this year. I am planning on scouting it in the next couple days. Can anyone who has had success over here give me some pointers/tactics for thick forest hunting? The open areas are very far and few between, pretty thick for the most part, game trails throughout the forest, a small creek with a surrounding wetland swamp that would make a horrible place to walk/wade through, and some ATV trails through part of the area. There is little elevation gain, maybe 100-200 feet. Last year there was sign everywhere. I will see what this year holds.

[Broken Arrow]

go find the nastiest, thickest, wettest, darkest, hardest place to get to, you can find....then wait....good chance you will shoot an elk.

[bowjunkie]

set up by the swamp

[PolarBear]

Find tiny isolated patches of big timber that are surrounded by clear cuts, sneak into it at least an hour before daylight, sit quietly near a trail and wait.  We have arrowed some dandy bulls in secluded timber patches that were less than 10 acres in size.   

[Optimusprime]

There are no really isolated patches of big timber. The only isolated places of timber stands are only isolated by the small overgrown roads, then surrounded by more timber on the outsets. There is really only a 5-10 yard open space around it.

[deerhunter_98520]

You need to set up some trail cams to see how often they frequent the area