Winston first year hunt

[cwebsterdeerhunter]

Went up this year and talked to a guy that said the game department had shot 642 elk with hoof rot. They shot everything that they saw limping. It was an attempt to stop hoof rot from crossing the Columbia River into Oregon. Its too bad because there has been some great elk hunting there for many years. I know I am going to find a new spot for sure next year.

[kglacken]

Im always one to give others advice, but its media and sites that cause everyone to crowd into these areas. Back when I was younger my dad and uncle and all their friends would hunt up there for a week every year and they got bulls every single year! Then people started writing articles about all the elk here and putting the info online and now people crowd the area. Just the same way that you found out about it. Do a search and you will find Winston everywhere. Now everyone and their mother is up there hunting. Its really too bad that it has gotten to this point. There are tons of elk there but with the amount of people there, it isnt even fun anymore. Unless one runs out in front of you, you cant really hunt them. We worked our way down in the bottom of an over grown clear cut on the second day and when it got light, we were surrounded by orange and had someone look at us from up above, then had the nerve to walk down 100 yards in front of us and sit down. All of our "honey holes" are crowded with people now its stupid. I hope Weyco goes pay to play there next year! I think it will help.

[ELK SHOT]

I have hunted that unit for many years with my brother and another hunter that has since passed and we have always came out with a few Bulls. This year I went to another place but my bros camp still came out with 2 Bulls and cow out of 4 guys, just gotta know where to go.

[HntnFsh]

Went up this year and talked to a guy that said the game department had shot 642 elk with hoof rot. They shot everything that they saw limping. It was an attempt to stop hoof rot from crossing the Columbia River into Oregon. Its too bad because there has been some great elk hunting there for many years. I know I am going to find a new spot for sure next year.

I dont believe it for a minute 

[billythekidrock]

Went up this year and talked to a guy that said the game department had shot 642 elk with hoof rot. They shot everything that they saw limping. It was an attempt to stop hoof rot from crossing the Columbia River into Oregon. Its too bad because there has been some great elk hunting there for many years. I know I am going to find a new spot for sure next year.

I dont believe it for a minute 

 

[SFD2015]

I saw 19 Elk in the Winston. 17 Cows, 1 Spike and a 1 that was probably a shooter, but couldn't tell so didn't take the shot. It did seem to be allot slower this year than any of the previous 6 years I have been hunting down there. Allot of road hunters and once again Weyco shut down a HUGE portion of the unit. The WORST part was running into some local Weyco Families who gave us tidbits of rumors.....

Rumor 1: That in cooperation with the Weyco, the WDFW and/or DNR euthanized approximately 600 Elk in the Winston to deal with the spread of the Hoof Rot. 60% were supposedly Bulls.

Rumor 2: Weyco in their grand wisdom is going to charge approximately $300 Per PERSON (not vehicle, but person) to hunt their lands starting next year.

A couple of points, first has anyone done a FOIA request or know how to do one with regards to Elk being euthanized in Western Washington over the course of 2013? Second, Weyco is SURROUNDED by DNR land, but in order to access it, I have to go through Weyco Gates. So I have to pay Weyco in order to access a State Resource? Since the amount of access permits will be limited, the amount of money will be limited as well. How much are they really looking at making off of this endeavor or does it seem to anyone else that the State and everyone else wants to price the working stiff out of the ability to hunt?

Back to the Winston, this year, the rumors and in fact 9 of the Elk I saw were all up High (and not on Weyco land.....). It's a matter of knowing the area and getting to it. By the way, I can now CONFIRM that the Weyco Gate at the 2500 Road off Spirit Lake Highway (headed into the Margaret) IS privately owned and the cheesy sign nailed to a tree on the Hwy is telling the truth. The gate was open in the morning, but locked by a private person (per Weyco security) that eve, leaving a long way back to camp. The 4 other trucks that followed us out can also confirm it! I suggest everyone Head to the Blues next year and stay outta Weyco land 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

The Winston used to be my favorite area to hunt Elk.  Always saw 3-4 herds a day and sometimes more. Were always legal bulls around every corner.  Then it was opened to cows and the gates were opened, and they gave out 100 cow permits to modern firearm hunting.........next year, very few elk and worse each year.  I don't even make the drive down there anymore.  Not saying there aren't elk, just not like the good old days, aka 6-7 yrs ago.  It Was nice being able to bike into an area and not bump shoulders with people.

6-7 years ago.. 
I hunted it back in the early 90's when my EA Elk tag was good during late season, we used to have the place to ourselves. (or so it seemed)

[bobcat]

Rumor 2: Weyco in their grand wisdom is going to charge approximately $300 Per PERSON (not vehicle, but person) to hunt their lands starting next year.

This rumor- I would be shocked if this was not true. And, $300 is about what I would expect. I would also think Pe Ell and Vail will be increased to the same.

Margaret and Toutle elk permits should be an easy draw next year.  Or, what's more likely is that both units will be open for the general season next year.

[duckmen1]

It seems to me that if the state shot 600 elk we would have heard about the rumor before hunting season started. Someone probably would have seen something. And that's a lot of state employees trying to roam those woods to find the elk and it would have looked like modern season in there to do so.

[HntnFsh]

I would put money on rumor #1 being pure B.S.

Where is Weyco surrounded by DNR? Havent seen it. There are patches of state land in Weyco. A big patch that usually has access available out of Toutle.

[bobcat]

I would put money on rumor #2 being pure B.S.

Why would they not charge for access? They already are for Vail and Pe Ell. Why would St Helens be any different?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HntnFsh]

I would put money on rumor #2 being pure B.S.

Why would they not charge for access? They already are for Vail and Pe Ell. Why would St Helens be any different?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your right! I had one of those DUH moments. Meant rumor #1. About killing all the hoof rot elk. I guess the UFOs flew them out so nobody would find them. I wouldnt be a bit surprised if St. Helens tree far goes to fee access.

I'll go back and edit my previous post.

[Ductsquatch]

reading this thread I find a common thread.
Lots of hunters.
Decreasing number of animals.
Lots of people looking for a new area.

I went down for opening day, it was my first time there. My Dad went with me, but had to bail early due to medical reasons, leaving me on my own in a new area. I hunted 2 clearcuts, never saw a thing other than more hunters. Then the weather went crazy and I ended up going home without setting up camp. Two days later, I decided to go where I got my deer. (whole different area). There were not a lot of hunters....and there were FRESH clearcuts within 5 miles. (access only clear cuts of course). Drove up, and hiked  about 2 miles down one of those chopped up roads that have been abandoned........Found a herd of elk........didn't see them.......but they were RIGHT there.......fresh tracks in snow.....scatt with no snow or ice on it..........
Next year..........next year. Mountain Bike Pack In.

[SFD2015]

Where is Weyco surrounded by DNR? Havent seen it

One of the dudes in our hunting party had a chip on his GPS that gave Land Ownership information. We were VERY surprised to see allot of DNR off of  Mountain (By the way, Roy Boy, saw your mailbox... COOL) as well as a number of private party parcels. We noticed allot more DNR than we had ever known. That Chip was worth every cent that he spent on it! 

The Elk seemed to be VERY scattered this year (Ran into some good ol boys that had some GREAT luck hunting their first year in the Coweeman) and I was actually surprised at the number of hunters. Some said that there seemed to be allot of hunters (I did notice an uptick in Road hunters and rigs parked on some clear cuts) but had the majority of the unit been open for access off the 500 I think allot of that would have thinned out. and the numbers would have at least seemed not as bad. The weekends as usual were the worst.

There will be allot of people looking for new grounds next year. I am still having difficulty imagining how they are going to enforce this, if I go in on DNR and cross into Weyco through the forest and not necessarily through the road. Also wondering exactly how they are going to work permits. Not sure that Toutle Bull Tag is going to worth that price.

We did see a number of elk carcasses but you can't tell how bones die! A few cows and some missing heads so I can imagine those were bulls taken by hunters. Other than the rumors from the locals, I haven't heard anything to substantiate it.

[bigsads]

we found several bone piles with heads in the timber off the 1100, and a younger guy in our camp found 8 total bone piles on the 1108.  Something was very different up there this year, I hunted everyday accept 1, and only bumped 8 total elk, not including the group I glassed on the Port Blakely 300 rd, where a logger drove into a clear cut that I had worked my way to in the dark and shot one and loaded it with his shovel loader.  BTW, I spent more time on my boots and in the timber, swamps and brush each day rather than in my truck driving around.