Yakima Training Center

[sagerat]

Anybody been in there lately? I'm considering trying for a cow there sometime soon but it's been a few years since my last time. Are there any new restrictions? Is it closed down for fire hazard? I have a new rifle now, can I still register it and hunt with it immediately? Any input would be great.

[bobcat]

Did you draw a permit? There is no general season for elk in that unit.

[270Shooter]

Master hunters can shoot cows in there without a permit but that's it. I have a bull tag and as far as I know it's not shut down but I'm not sure on what units are open right now. You can register and hunt same day but I'd recommend not taking your rifle with you to register as they can search your rig and having a gun out there without a permit could get you in trouble

[sagerat]

No permit, just want to hunt cows on the master hunter hunt. I've done it before but it's been 4-5 years. Last time I hunted in there you didn't have to pay for access.

[bobcat]

Oh sorry, I didn't realize it was open for master hunters, and even if I did, I didn't know you were one! Good luck. I do know there is, or was, a fire in there somewhere.

[270Shooter]

There was a decent sized fire in the northeast corner. It's 10 dollars for a rec card. Just go to the gym to get it. No video to watch anymore.

[shootem]

We hit it hard for a few days in 2011 and had trouble finding deer. No one mentioned anything about elk. Might be different this year but I would try every other place first.

[sagerat]

I know the elk can be very hard to find. I just like the experience of being out there, it's a cool place if you like sagebrush country like me.

[Bob33]

There have been fires on the unit but none are active. As of yesterday all training areas were open except 11 and 12. It can change daily.

Right now you will not find many elk on the center. They do tend to wander on and off around the edges during the summer but there are few resident elk.

[sagerat]

Thanks. Is anybody sure about the rifle situation? Will there be any trouble if I show up with my new rifle for a 3 day weekend? Do you have to pre register?

[Badhabit]

I drew a ML permit a few years ago. Had to register it with the center police, check in everytime at the front gate then check in and out with the range master, had to show him all documents and sign in what units I would be hunting and have a hunters orange vest. No vest no entry. When I harvested my deer I had to go to another building and fill out the harvest data.  Cool thing that day was a father and daughter both got nice 6 pt bulls together.

[Bob33]

Thanks. Is anybody sure about the rifle situation? Will there be any trouble if I show up with my new rifle for a 3 day weekend? Do you have to pre register?

Any firearm you wish to take on the center must be registered with YTC police. They are open 24x7.  If you show up opening day without pre registration you will lose valuable time.

[adamR]

You can take your rifle the first day you are there just tell them you need to register it, takes 20 min.  You will read a slide show binder at the gym and pay $15 (unless you are military).  You no longer go to range control to check in.  When you first get to the gate and tell them you are hunting they take you to the guard shack and you pick your units and go... In my opinion it's not as much of a pain to hunt as it used to be.  However, the elk are few and far between.

[sagerat]

Thanks for all the input, now I just need a little luck!

[Karl Blanchard]

Its ten dollars to get your rec card.  You need to pre-register your weapons annually.  Also, just an fyi, there is a ton of training on the schedule this fall so a lof of units will be getting shut down.  They are wanting to keep vehicle travel off of the burned areas so no training in those areas means they will be using unburned areas to train.  Good luck, elk can be hard to find out there but there are always a few to be had.