new to washington elk hunting

[kwalk15203]

I am active duty military, I have been living here for about two years but never tried my luck at elk hunting. I'm originally from Mississippi and have hunted my entire life, private land and public land.

My question to everybody here is, is there some good public land around the lacey, Olympia area to hunt elk in the early archery season about to kick off in September?  I will also have access to base hunting so I can also do that as well just never heard of anybody having success there.

any info would be greatly appreciated I definitely will need it, also I'm not to familiar with the way Washington state does their GMUs and the public hunting land within those GMUs. I have read and researched the areas but still do not have a good grasp on the exact way yall do it up here, I guess that's just the southern in me, its a lot easier down there.

thanks, kyle

PS. if anybody has information on somebody selling a 30-30 lever action for a reasonable price, point them my way please.
 

[WapitiTalk1]

kwalk, you'll need to range a bit farther than JBLM for decent elk hunting (although there are some wapiti that frequent the fringes of some training areas).  You mentioned SEPT so I assume you're interested in the early archery elk season?  I can't steer you in any particular direction but the WDFW regs show the GMUs that are open and OTC.  Have you checked at the NW Adventure Centure on JBLM?  Sometimes they offer some elk hunting camps?  RJ 

[Bean Counter]

Welcome aboard and thanks for your service. WDFW's website will give you harvest info per species and even weapon/season if you want. Great place to start research. I believe most units run about 5-8% success if that tells you anything about what OTC hunting does to elk herds 

[kwalk15203]

thanks guys, ill check out the adventure center

[rover758]

Just a suggestion ... On Rainier Road between Lacy and Rainier just before you get to Spurgeon Creek Road (maybe a quarter mile) is a service road to the right.  It's Ft. Lewis property so if you can get onto base property that may be an area to check.  My girfriend and I were cutting firewood there (with a permit  ) last year and as we were driving in we got in the middle of a dozen or more elk right there a half mile off the main road.  But, as Phantom said, really not much in the way of areas to hunt close to JBLM.

[metlhead]

You can check out the southwest side of Capital Forest-Porter area. Densities are low and it is branched bull only, but there are elk. Bonus is the area is wide open for public, Disco pass is all you need, no fire closures and lots of deer and grouse. 45 minutes from the main gate, you could scout it tomorrow evening. Hint, drop down into Gibson creek.

[kwalk15203]

thanks man just looked up that area, gonna go scout it out

[MarkyMark]

That area off Rainier road will have elk in it frequently. Unfortunately Range Control knows this too I think because they close that area a lot.

[WapitiTalk1]

Sent you a PM kwalk.