Peaches Ridge info for you tag holders from Rtspring

[rtspring]

First of all Congrats! I will try and give out some knowledge here for those that need a little help.

1. If your not in shape, get started! the animals you are hunting do not stand on the side of the roads
2. Get a good map of the Area, ( I buy mine at Whistlin Jacks lodge on hwy 410).
3. this should actually be #1, Scout, SCOUT and SCOUT some more. Boots on the ground will never replace my advice of any others that know the area well. Elk for the most part like to hang out in ELK COUNTRY. If it looks like ELK COUNTRY then there will be elk there.
4. Your holding a tag where a 350 plus bull is very possible! Ask yourself this question. AM I going to pass up a 300 bull if he steps out knowing there are bigger bulls? you had better figure that one out before you go on your hunt. If your looking for a nice raghorn bull for meat you should have no worries.
5. Get away from the roads, elk are smart, they know come modern deer season in the unit that it is time to hide or hole up in a hell hole.

I have found in 28 years of hunting that elk hunting is some of the most challenging stuff to do in life. YOu have to be the guy that wants it more than the rest. Get up early and be in your hunting spot by before sunrise. Save the drunk nights until after you have killed your trophy.  When you feel like you have been beat, dont run back to camp. ELk dont get killed in camp, stay in the woods all day long no matter what.  IF you put in the time your bound to get a bull or atleast have several chances at closing the deal.

I'm no pro, far from it! But my no quit attitude and knowledge of the unit has got me a long ways from my rookie elk hunting days. 110% usually pays off in the end.

is there a 350 bull on every corner? NO but they do exist and I believe that there are more than alot of people know about, you have to be willing to go in and get them.

I was taught this last year by a couple guys that know a little about elk hunting! be aggressive!!!! get in the bulls kitchen and do your best do kill him! you will never know unless you try, that crap about putting them to bed and waiting until the next day is hogwash, get in there and make something happen...

Keep it simple, see elk? hear elk? then do your best to put one down. If your not seeing elk or hearing elk you need to have them boots cover more ground. The elk don't disappear they just move and can do it in a flash.


As always I will be around there during each of these hunts, always willing to lend a hand.  2014 Silver tundra with hunting stickers on the back..

STEEP AND DEEP! ONE STEP AT A TIME, GETSUM....

RTSPRING
elsegunda@gmail.com

[Dutchie]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I live in the coweeman close to the toutle boundary and have chased elk here for 20 years, first year chasing them on the east side. Just like to get your thoughts on a few things, if you don't mind. Elevation? calling aggressive or passive? Best rut days for eay archery? Oh and anything else you would be willing to share.  Thanks in advance, hope to see ya up their.

[deerhunter_98520]

All you rookies should listen to rt....he's a hunting machine....look up his thread from last year.....hope we get another great rt elk hunt on here again....that was a fun one to follow 

[Rob]

RT, thanks for posting this!  After several years of trying I drew a Peached Bull tag.  Very excited!!

I was just resigning myself to being "that guy" who posts the thread "I drew this tag, anyone have any advice?"  I have experience in some of the other areas but most of the Peaches region is not my area of expertise.  I have some time during the general rifle season in the Diamond Peak area of Little Naches, but that is about it.  I prefer the Blues, but I hear there are no elk over there.... I just picked up a mess of maps of the area to pour over. 

I plan on several trips to that area to get to know the land before the opener for my tag.  I figure they will be pretty jumpy by then given all the hunting that has happened before that date.  I have been doing a lot of climbing and hiking as of late so I am not afraid of getting out in the woods and burning boot leather - in-fact I prefer it.  A long haul out is fine with me to should I get that privilege!

I will take any advice on where to start my scouting work, and gladly buy dinner for anyone willing to help me pour over a map!

[Odell]

Thanks RT, sounds like great advice! I can't wait to get over there.

[vfilbert]

Great advice. So so pumped for my hunt this year

[Jolten]

Only thing I can add is hiking the terrain is the best excerise you're going to get for this area. And it also helps you familiarize yourself.

[teanawayslayer]

Well put rt! Can't wait!

[Instinct]

Awesome words. Just did my scouting trip this last weekend gonna try an shoot up there every weekend

[coachcw]

I'd suggest also scout from a distance and don't call . no sense in educating them .

[wildmanoutdoors]

This is very general to most areas. Were is the actual "Peaches" info?

[rtspring]

This is very general to most areas. Were is the actual "Peaches" info?

Go up that one road 3.5 miles, get out of your truck, reach down and grab your big toe on the right foot, off in the distance you will see a pine tree, exactly 75'3" tall. Hike over to it, pull off four limbs. The longest limb where it breaks will point to a meadow. Hike to that meadow and as loud as you can sing kum ba ya!!! When it starts raining head for true north not relative north but true north, go 5.5 miles and you will come to a small pile of a 330 bull elk poop!  Sniff it? Then walk backwards 200 yards up the ravine and just under the cedar tree you will find the 390 bull i have named (fat arse).

Any other questions? 

[Rainier10]

This is very general to most areas. Were is the actual "Peaches" info?

Go up that one road 3.5 miles, get out of your truck, reach down and grab your big toe on the right foot, off in the distance you will see a pine tree, exactly 75'3" tall. Hike over to it, pull off four limbs. The longest limb where it breaks will point to a meadow. Hike to that meadow and as loud as you can sing kum ba ya!!! When it starts raining head for true north not relative north but true north, go 5.5 miles and you will come to a small pile of a 330 bull elk poop!  Sniff it? Then walk backwards 200 yards up the ravine and just under the cedar tree you will find the 390 bull i have named (fat arse).

Any other questions? 

C'mon man you are going to get labeled as a guy that doesn't help anybody on Hunt-Wa. I already got a PM about one of my posts. Good info at the beginning and very funny response to the request for more information.  I think that what you put in the first part is more than enough to get guys a start in the area.  You don't need to be putting road numbers or landmarks on the worldwide web for all to see, that stuff is better in a PM with someone that you trust a little.  There are trolls everywhere you know. 

[Rainier10]

 I think the real problem is people wait a long time to draw these tags especially this one and there is only so much time to scout and they have all week at home and on the computer to try to figure out how they are going to hunt it.  It is a long time until the hunt and they want to make sure they have every bit of information they can about the hunt.  I think your post is great and really says what most already know, scout hard, hunt even harder and if you are in area that doesn't have elk burn more boot leather.  If you are in an area with elk do something about it don't wait for it to happen.  All great advice.  There is no secret "go to road X, under the twin pines and shoot 375" bull".

Think about the years you have spent putting in for this tag, you don't want to just go out opening day pull up to a switchback in the road and shoot one that crosses from the downhill side and onto the uphill side so you can shoot it and roll it into your truck.  That would have it's benefits but I don't think that is the hunt that you have been waiting 6-10 years for.

To all those that drew this tag congratulations, get out there and hunt hard but enjoy the hunt also, for many it will be a hunt of close calls and what could have beens, just look at the success rates and for the lucky few it will end with a bull on the ground.  Hopefully for all it will be a hunt they remember forever.

[Karl Blanchard]

I'd like to add that if someone leaves pepperoni sticks in your camp then for the love of god DON'T eat them!!!!!

[Rainier10]

I'd like to add that if someone leaves pepperoni sticks in your camp then for the love of god DON'T eat them!!!!!

That may be one of the best parts of last years thread for those on the outside reading and I think for the guy that dropped off the pepperoni, I am sure that guy is still laughing about that....Plat, any comments?  I know Rt is going to chime in on that note.

[Karl Blanchard]

I'd like to add that if someone leaves pepperoni sticks in your camp then for the love of god DON'T eat them!!!!!

That may be one of the best parts of last years thread for those on the outside reading and I think for the guy that dropped off the pepperoni, I am sure that guy is still laughing about that....Plat, any comments?  I know Rt is going to chime in on that note.

I cannot put into words how happy I am that I had not made it to camp yet!

[deerhunter_98520]

I think the pepperoni sticks need to be brought to the next hunt Wa get together   

[lostbackpacker]

This is very general to most areas. Were is the actual "Peaches" info?

Go up that one road 3.5 miles, get out of your truck, reach down and grab your big toe on the right foot, off in the distance you will see a pine tree, exactly 75'3" tall. Hike over to it, pull off four limbs. The longest limb where it breaks will point to a meadow. Hike to that meadow and as loud as you can sing kum ba ya!!! When it starts raining head for true north not relative north but true north, go 5.5 miles and you will come to a small pile of a 330 bull elk poop!  Sniff it? Then walk backwards 200 yards up the ravine and just under the cedar tree you will find the 390 bull i have named (fat arse).

Any other questions? 

Now that's funny stuff

[bowhunter]

This is very general to most areas. Were is the actual "Peaches" info?

Go up that one road 3.5 miles, get out of your truck, reach down and grab your big toe on the right foot, off in the distance you will see a pine tree, exactly 75'3" tall. Hike over to it, pull off four limbs. The longest limb where it breaks will point to a meadow. Hike to that meadow and as loud as you can sing kum ba ya!!! When it starts raining head for true north not relative north but true north, go 5.5 miles and you will come to a small pile of a 330 bull elk poop!  Sniff it? Then walk backwards 200 yards up the ravine and just under the cedar tree you will find the 390 bull i have named (fat arse).

Any other questions? 

  now that's my type of info 

[rtspring]

Do Not eat the pepperoni sticks! Hell hath no fury and you will never wanna poop again! Them days were bad and I still get sweats at night thinking of how bad my butt hurt!!! 

Stay the hell away!

[coachcw]

if the area your looking at looks really ugly go there ! stay there till dark and then go back again . There's two places I will be next time I hold that tag neither will be fun getting a bull out of . remember what elk like at stick to it . don't get lazy always hunt the wind because it will even screw you went it's right .

[rtspring]

On a serious note. I think that when people draw their tags, they just are so stoked they wanna talk about elk hunting. Hell who wouldn't!!

Let me draw that tag! Huntwa will need another server upgrade from all my posts!! And yes I would even ask advice.  Thats what hunting is all about to me.

I dont give gps coordinates out, I give general info and tag holders go from there.  I thought thats what huntwa was all about? A source of info. 

If i knew where every bull elk was in the unit I damn sure wouldnt be on here! I'd be out killing elk

[rtspring]

if the area your looking at looks really ugly go there ! stay there till dark and then go back again . There's two places I will be next time I hold that tag neither will be fun getting a bull out of . remember what elk like at stick to it . don't get lazy always hunt the wind because it will even screw you went it's right .

And bring hornet spray next time we go!

[Mr Mykiss]

Good job RT. You're basically told tag holders to not be lazy hunters and you're getting flamed for it.
So in contrast if you were to give tag holders specific instructions to 300" bulls and they just walked in there opening morning and shot one, what would that make them? Lazy hunters.

[BAR C3]

if the area your looking at looks really ugly go there ! stay there till dark and then go back again . There's two places I will be next time I hold that tag neither will be fun getting a bull out of . remember what elk like at stick to it . don't get lazy always hunt the wind because it will even screw you went it's right .

Coach I believe I know where one of the places you are referring to. When I draw again, I to will be going where Bigfoot lives!
I shot a 336 bull in the unit in 2005. Very good tag if your willing to work for an elk.

[coachcw]

There's one place I found last year that was incredible. The bulls where there and a Strom pushed them out . The next day RT and I took a hike to remember through hell and beyond. Looking forward  to another of those days

[wildmanoutdoors]

Good job RT. You're basically told tag holders to not be lazy hunters and you're getting flamed for it.
So in contrast if you were to give tag holders specific instructions to 300" bulls and they just walked in there opening morning and shot one, what would that make them? Lazy hunters.

Flipping fun is one thing, flaming is another. RT is a great guy who did some awesome stuff last year. If you don't think I recognize, your wrong. People take stuff too serious sometimes. Lighten up dude...

[willapawapiti]

Thanks RT, you know I will need the Peaches elk encouragement like that!  Keep up the positive vibe you add to the forum. 

[4fletch]

Excellent write up RT. Can t believe these ungrateful people

[Labs07]

Trust RT...he knows the area like the back of his hand.  He has put many people on bulls including myself...he is a heck of a guy!

[matlockmike]

Thank you to anyone willing to share their knowledge of this area.  I hold this tag and will be scouting every chance I get.  But i live about five hours away so any information I get ahold of I appreciate.

[rtspring]

Trust RT...he knows the area like the back of his hand.  He has put many people on bulls including myself...he is a heck of a guy!

We sure gotter done!!  Looking forward to next time buddy!!!

[coachcw]

Never forget what elk like and the wind . most guys will get wore down and try to short cut it on elk for sure way to fail . get hi and use the wind . remember in sept it could be 80 plus degrees out and a fury 800 lbs animal want to stay cool . one can eliminate about 75% of a unit just with this advise .

[Mr Mykiss]

This is not a joke, this is serious. Lazy hunters are an epidemic and we need to nip this in the bud. However...when I draw the Peaches rifle tag I expect full RT/Coach cooperation in scouting out an area with plenty of raghorns and 330-360" bulls in it for me...I'd hate to have to go up there and do any scouting myself.

[coachcw]

No problem ! I'm sure we could sent you on a wild goose chase 

[brianb231]

Hey Coach and RT,

I remember meeting you guys at the top at the trailhead with the Peaches tags last year. Quite the comical crew. Weren't too many of us down in there. LOL. 

This year our Uncle who is 73 years old finally drew the peaches archery tag.  BUT we cannot take him into the steep and deep that we know. SO we are on the lookout for areas with easier access for him. He will shoot a spike if presented. I am guessing we should not have too many problems other than dealing with his abilities. But if you have any flatland, raghorn heaven that you would like to share for him please feel free to PM myself or BrianMTSinc. We are going to pass on our hunting until we get him a bull and are looking forward to every minute of it.

Thanks guys,

Brianb231

[coachcw]

I'm sure there's one around 

[Mr Mykiss]

No problem ! I'm sure we could sent you on a wild goose chase 

I think you might have misunderstood. This will be a wild elk hunt, goose season won't start for several more months...

[Odell]

Brian, I know some areas down low in little naches where we have always seen bulls. Happy to exchange some information. I have this tag and want to hunt up high but I'm not familiar with it up there. PM if you want to talk more or coordinate a time to meet up/scout.