Late Muzzle Loader - Wind River

[Skyvalhunter]

Born and bread and how about yourself?

[Chesapeake]

No he isnt!!

In our camp we usualy have myself (Rick), and another Rick, Greg, Travis, John, and a few other straglers. We are usualy traveling in a green/grey Dodge diesel 4 door wth RAL Const. on the side. You'll likely see the rig parked at various gates around the area during daylight hours. In camp we usualy have few toyota's parked, and maybe a cherokee or an older F150. Swing on in if you see us.

[shag]

If I'm over there I'll stop by for a beverage.!!

[Fishnclifff]

We hunted all the named areas during modern rifle season, didn't see 1 single elk.
We camp over by 4 corners in sioxson and hunt all over.

[1bowhunter1]

Sounds like a party!!  I'll bring my sleeping bag....lol!!

[Dry creek]

fishn you need to get of the road and hit the brush. my brother past on 3 Branch bulls opening day.

[Chesapeake]

We hunted all the named areas during modern rifle season, didn't see 1 single elk.
We camp over by 4 corners in sioxson and hunt all over.

I dont know you man, but it sounds like you need to slow down while hunting. Huntin "all over" isnt an effective method. You need to settle on an area and learn it inside out, and learn how and when elk utilize that area. In my mind there is no way to effectively hunt all the named areas in a 10 day season. I've bean hunting elk in this particular area of Washington for 12 years, and I draw on my 2 fathers combined experience of some 40+ years in this area. All this time in the woods and I still only realy know a few small sections of the mentioned areas.

I can honestly tell you that there is no less than 3 local herds (I call them herds, but WDFW considers them all part of one herd) that stay year round in the mentioned areas. Given a few days I have pretty well always bean able to locate atleast one of these herds. Now closing the deal with a smoke pole is a different story. But I will say that in the last 8 years my hunting party of 5 has killed 13 elk in those areas with muzzle loaders. I myself have killed 4 elk in the mentioned areas in the last 8 seasons with a muzzle loader.

They are there. In a week I'm going to go make my best effort at killing one of them.



 

[Fishnclifff]

AHH GEE. I feel all warm and fuzzy now.
Lets see. There is a spike with eye guards in the black creek herd.
There was a 4 point up on the old handicap road, but he is gone somewhere else.
There was a herd in the Grassy Knoll wrea, but they headed down to private lands.

My wife and I put about 4 - 6 miles on our boots every weekend. There is so much pressure that the elk are scattered, and I think the bad winter has them spooked.
I didn't reveal my secrets but I didn't have any luck.

I've taken my share of elk in the years. I am pretty secure in my methods. I appreciate seeing new stuff too.

Thanks for the kind words and advice.

[Chesapeake]

Glad you feel warm and fuzzy!

The places you just mentioned are pretty well the oposite direction from 4 corners than South prarie. Thats alot of area to cover.

No need to feel offended, I was just trying to give you a little advice and tell you that people do have success in that area.

Your the one that jumped into the middle of the conversation with the negative comment.





 

[Fishnclifff]

Wsn't a negative comment, just a note to say how we did.

Guess I'll just read and not write anymore.

Good luck all

[blacktail luv]

Don't like to be a bus-kill but that area is going to be crowded as hell and not many elk.  I have lived here(white salmon) my whole life and you are better of hunting the east side probably. I know a lot of guys that muzzle hunt and not many that ever fill there tags on the late hunt.  Pray for snow, it will be your only hope, try to cut fresh tracks.  Good luck

[Tegantunadog]

Any Reports coming from Wind river or Klickitat
Thinking of heading there on Turkey Day

[Dansk]

Any Reports coming from Wind river or Klickitat
Thinking of heading there on Turkey Day

My party has been down there for awhile for both the Deer and Elk muzzleloader seasons.  Unfortunately there's no snow yet.... so it's slow going.    I might join them later and go down for the weekend, but if it doesn't snow I think I might hit 503 in December and notch my 'put the christmas lights up for the kids' tag this weekend.... and maybe kill a nice Boone and Crockett Noble Fir.

Snow is key in the Wind... unless you know it very well or have spent time scouting the local herds.

[Chesapeake]

Back from West Kilickitat. There wasnt any snow to speak of so the hunting was a little slow. We got into elk pretty much everyday but they were in the thick stuff and neer imposible to get a clean shot at. I spent the weak feeling for the archery guys. I was inside 30 yards of elk 6 times and wasnt able to make it happen. You cant spend much time inside 30 on elk before the gig is up and they blow out.

We ended the season up there with one bull for 5 hunters. We had one hunter shoot a log and a tree. No one else even pulled the trigger except for a few grouse. We still have 15 days in a few other units, and one of the guys hase a late season cow tag that we've had great success with, so the fat lady hasnt bellowed yet.

This season wasnt the best for quality, but it was the best for quality since 1996. My father in law got a very nice 4x6 the first sunday of the season.




I almost forgot to mention. Nobody from the board stopped by our camp, atleast not while we were there.

[Dansk]

Wow - congrats!  That's a decent bull chesapeake- glad to hear someone had success.

My buddy and I didn't go down this year.  His dad was down there Friday and talked to a few of the camps around and on the way to 4 corners area of the Wind.... usually something hanging in a few camps by 11/28... but not a thing this year. 

None of the old-timers had seen anything let alone taken any animals.

That's great that you were into 'em every day- at least it kept it exciting!