Bethel Quality Elk Draw - Buyer Beware!

[Goldy79]

I just got home from a 10 day hunt and could not be more disappointed with the quality elk tag I drew for the Bethel unit. "Lower than average hunter numbers"... what a joke. There was a pickup around every corner and we were bumping into hunters in every place we had scouted. We had two people set up tree stands withing 50 feet of our stands that had been up before the season opened. There were bulls to be had but with all the pressure we could never get one to stand still. We also encountered some of the ultimate road hunters... lawn chairs strapped down to the truck bed with a guy riding with an arrow nocked. Quite a few folks treating the unit like their private 4X4 park....

If you want a quality hunt avoid this unit.

[MLBowhunting]

Sorry it didnt go as planned.  Google earth that area and find some thick nasty and go there.  No pressure and no roads.  Go get your bull.

[bobcat]

With only 37 quality permits, and no antlerless permits at the same time, I also would have thought the area would be relatively un-crowded. How far off the roads did you get?

From last year's statistics it definitely doesn't appear to be an easy hunt. Out of 35 permits issued there was only one elk reported to be killed.

You still have five days of the season left to hunt. You haven't given up already, have you? The best of the season is yet to come.

[northcoast]

You coming back to hunt it this year? I know where a bull is that hasnt been shot yet. He is not big, but it is meat in the freezer.  There wasnt too many hunters that I saw between redrock and microwave the last week. Only ones really were along the 1500 between the road to timberwolf and cash prarie.

 

There is a nice 7x7 and a 5x5 right by Microwave.



I'll be camping just west of Cash Prairie from Friday to Sunday if you want to stop by and get more specifics.

[jackelope]

With only 37 quality permits, and no antlerless permits at the same time, I also would have thought the area would be relatively un-crowded. How far off the roads did you get?

From last year's statistics it definitely doesn't appear to be an easy hunt. Out of 35 permits issued there was only one elk reported to be killed.

You still have five days of the season left to hunt. You haven't given up already, have you? The best of the season is yet to come.

Some good points here. You're in one of the most popular elk areas in Washington state. I would go in fully expecting crowds and everything else you described except the lawnchair thing....that's a little crazy.
Did you cover some ground or just sit in tree stands? Get off the roads a little? There's good country in there to get away from people.  You've still got time if it's in the cards for you. The late part of the season will be the best.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

No nothing about you or physical condition. Get in the deep nasty and your luck will turn....  If you have to be close to roads then yes it is no secret about what you witnessed....

[Goldy79]

With only 37 quality permits, and no antlerless permits at the same time, I also would have thought the area would be relatively un-crowded. How far off the roads did you get?

From last year's statistics it definitely doesn't appear to be an easy hunt. Out of 35 permits issued there was only one elk reported to be killed.

You still have five days of the season left to hunt. You haven't given up already, have you? The best of the season is yet to come.

I got off the roads at least a mile but still ran into people... I got into some deep stuff as well but I think the bulls were getting really pressured. I was able to get one to come in to range but it spooked when another hunter started walking in about 50 feet off of my left shoulder. I couldn't escape the "competitive" feeling and booked it to a neighboring unit... didn't see another hunter in the field even once.  Filled my tag and I'm picking up my meat this week. I hunt for the experience and once I was out of the Bethel I really enjoyed it. Even got both of my son's in the field a few times to see all the Elk. Successful Elk season for sure! Now it's time to fill that deer tag.

[Practical Approach]

With only 37 quality permits, and no antlerless permits at the same time, I also would have thought the area would be relatively un-crowded. How far off the roads did you get?

From last year's statistics it definitely doesn't appear to be an easy hunt. Out of 35 permits issued there was only one elk reported to be killed.

You still have five days of the season left to hunt. You haven't given up already, have you? The best of the season is yet to come.

WDFW harvest report is very inaccurate.  Reporting rates are probably around 60%. 

[jackelope]

With only 37 quality permits, and no antlerless permits at the same time, I also would have thought the area would be relatively un-crowded. How far off the roads did you get?

From last year's statistics it definitely doesn't appear to be an easy hunt. Out of 35 permits issued there was only one elk reported to be killed.

You still have five days of the season left to hunt. You haven't given up already, have you? The best of the season is yet to come.

I got off the roads at least a mile but still ran into people... I got into some deep stuff as well but I think the bulls were getting really pressured. I was able to get one to come in to range but it spooked when another hunter started walking in about 50 feet off of my left shoulder. I couldn't escape the "competitive" feeling and booked it to a neighboring unit... didn't see another hunter in the field even once.  Filled my tag and I'm picking up my meat this week. I hunt for the experience and once I was out of the Bethel I really enjoyed it. Even got both of my son's in the field a few times to see all the Elk. Successful Elk season for sure! Now it's time to fill that deer tag.

I'm so confused right now.

[curtdiesel]

Goldy,

So you basically gave up your quality Bethal tag and went into Rimrock, Nile, or Bumping and took a cow or spike?  I have a cousin and friend who also both drew Bethal Quality archery tags and have yet to fill them.  I helped my cousin scout one day though and know his trail cameras were not nearly as far from the road as mine would have been.

[Goldy79]

I did. I started hunting about 4 years ago and only have the holiday week available to take off of work... I'd still be over there if I didn't need to be this side of the mountains. When I reviewed the regs I thought that the Bethel would be a good draw because I'm used to the terrain and the hunter numbers would be low. The terrain is the same but it was packed.

I'm not lazy... I used a pedometer and walked about 7 miles a day on average. I almost feel that the quality draws are only useful if you hire an outfitter... am I off base here? I'm DIY for now, not only because of the expense but I want to improve my skills on my own.

[270Shooter]

The bethel unit is pretty big and with 37 tags I wouldn't expect to see many hunters, were you hunting right off the 1500 rd area? That is a very popular camping area and lots of people from naches and Yakima go up there and mess around in that area. I'd probably focus on the north side of the unit or even down lower in the sage brush just above the feeding station.

[Fish4Fun]

We have rifle hunted the Bethel for over 40 years, I say you gave up to easy on a good tag. Even during rifle season we don't see hunters in some of our places. Just need to learn the area better, then you will not compete with the others as much and will be in elk all the time.

[curtdiesel]

Good job on getting an Elk, even if it wasn't the bull you wanted.  At least you will be eating Elk Steaks and burger this winter.  Got pics of the Cow or Spike?

[Goldy79]

The bethel unit is pretty big and with 37 tags I wouldn't expect to see many hunters, were you hunting right off the 1500 rd area? That is a very popular camping area and lots of people from naches and Yakima go up there and mess around in that area. I'd probably focus on the north side of the unit or even down lower in the sage brush just above the feeding station.
[/quote

I was working the Northeast side of the unit primarily... trying to avoid the 1500 road traffic. We also found several great areas (occupied) near the Wilderness border at the top of the ridge.

[SuperX]

I just got home from a 10 day hunt and could not be more disappointed with the quality elk tag I drew for the Bethel unit. "Lower than average hunter numbers"... what a joke. There was a pickup around every corner and we were bumping into hunters in every place we had scouted. We had two people set up tree stands withing 50 feet of our stands that had been up before the season opened. There were bulls to be had but with all the pressure we could never get one to stand still. We also encountered some of the ultimate road hunters... lawn chairs strapped down to the truck bed with a guy riding with an arrow nocked. Quite a few folks treating the unit like their private 4X4 park....

If you want a quality hunt avoid this unit.

this post is not adding up.  The season in 360 isn't even open for early archery this year.  The season hasn't even been open 10 days yet.  Have you called the poaching hotline to report the mass of hunters in this closed area?  I'm on the 1500 and there were zero trucks and camps on the road where it is passing through the 360.  Maybe you we're in bumping instead... Read the boundary description to be sure.

[Fish4Fun]

SuperX, there is an early archery season in 360

Bethel  Sept. 2-14   Any bull   GMU 360   37 permits

I am guessing he was in the Bumping unit and not in Bethel

[Karl Blanchard]

SuperX, there is an early archery season in 360

Bethel  Sept. 2-14   Any bull   GMU 360   37 permits

I am guessing he was in the Bumping unit and not in Bethel

. I think what he meant was no general season, its permit only, meaning there are 37 hunters max in the whole unit.  I'm betting he was in Bethel as well or there are a bunch of guys in 360 who need to brush up on their game regs

[Goldy79]

SuperX, I agree this post isnt adding up. I counted only two camps actually on the 360 side up the 1500 between mjb trailhead and cash prarie and the other was on the whitepass side. . The rest were up the 1500190 (timberwolf) which is in the bumping unit. 

I did meet a guy up there last week who was complaining about how he hasnt been seeing elk .

I'm not referring to the camps and know the boundaries quite well. I saw maybe 2-3 trucks during the time I scouted but when we hunted it I could not get away from people. We also ran into folks that were cutting in their tree stands a day after the opener.... with a gas limber. My perception of this unit has really changed... I will hold out for a "quality" hunt with less tags available. Plenty of Elk moving around our normal spot... all of us got a shot and half of us filled tags.

[SuperX]

SuperX, there is an early archery season in 360

Bethel  Sept. 2-14   Any bull   GMU 360   37 permits

I am guessing he was in the Bumping unit and not in Bethel

. I think what he meant was no general season, its permit only, meaning there are 37 hunters max in the whole unit.  I'm betting he was in Bethel as well or there are a bunch of guys in 360 who need to brush up on their game regs

yes, I'm not sure how much space 37 hunters take up, but 360 is a big unit.  Bummer for the OP to not fill a prime tag, I'm sure it's frustrating not to have the place to themselves.  We try to get as far off the road as necessary to avoid the random campers and hunters scouting for rifle or muzzy.  There were a dozen scouts out last year in peaches driving in and out of every road.  That sucked as the kept bugling out the truck window at every road end or fresh rub on the shoulder.  We never saw any of them in the woods, thankfully

[liljozie495]

Congrats on filling the tag but I'll have to agree with these guys here if you really get off the rd n have a gps possibly you can go along ways in there and not did people, been there a few times and have hiked a bit in there, there's a lot of places to get lost but being ya filled your tag already I'll keep my peeper shut 

Pretty good tho to draw a prime elk tag with only 4 yrs hunting aswell.

[PlateauNDN]

I was in there 2 days last week and didn't cross any hunters while walking. I seen 5 vehicles the whole time and 2 were leaving. Seen  a 5x5, 5x6 and 6x6. Nobody around, nobody calling or pushing them around where I was. Was in another area scouting and came across 1 other hunter but seen about 7 or so camps. Not as much camps or pressure as I've seen in the past. And no I didn't harvest anything.

[Opportunist]

I don't buy it. I was just up there wednesday and drove the ridge road from the tower to Oak creek and saw three camps and one group was just camping. My wife and hunting partner had the muzzle tags in 09, with 10 other permit bull hunters and I think 20 cow hunters let alone the general season spike hunters it was a great hunt. We were into bulls every time we got out of the truck. Hell one of the best bulls we saw on the hunt was from the truck. My wife missed 3 bulls and buddy got a nice 6 point, can't wait to draw the tag archery. It's no Blue Mountain tag which are true 'quality' hunts but a good tag for the points to draw. 

[CP]

Currently looking at a bull through the binoculars. He is in the wide open and I do not see a single vehicle in sight. Sometimes you have to go to the driest part of the unit .

This post is useless without GPS Coordinates

[CaylenW]

Getting off the roads a mile isn't going to do you much good at all.

[ctwiggs1]

Currently looking at a bull through the binoculars. He is in the wide open and I do not see a single vehicle in sight. Sometimes you have to go to the driest part of the unit .

Wait a minute.... Can you clarify if you are looking at an elk?  Bull isn't very specific... For all I know you're a bovine enthusiast!

Curtis

[Goldy79]

This is the response I received from the WDFW, primarily in response to the use of firearms in a unit that is open for early archery.

"GMU 360 is a “front country” unit (i.e., is not a wilderness unit).  As such it receives a fair amount of public recreation, including hunting and non-hunting recreation, especially early in the fall when the weather is usually still very nice.  About ˝ of the unit is Forest Service land.  All of the public land in the unit is open to diverse public recreation."

I saw a handful of bulls and 2 shooters... but never going to put in for that draw again. Friend of mine from work drew the same tag and hired an outfitter... was able to get one on the ground but nothing I would consider even close to a trophy. For DIY this tag is crap shoot at best. But one tag is filled.. time to chase down some blacktail. Best of luck to you all.

[buddy01]

Had that tag last year. 7 different bulls on camara. put up tree stand there. and never saw a bull after that. GROUSE hunters in their everday. pretty hot last year, Motorcycle also everday saw 1 bull killed,little 4x4. Just got from rimrock NEVER going back ,Saw 3 bulls not 1 COW, people and hunters everwere  even got my truck BLOCK in by another hunter.Reported it to fish&game and forst service They put his licence plate on file,said if happens again they would respond. I never went back. BS

[jimkrueg]

Ive been hunting 20 miles in behind the feeding station for a week now and I havent seen a branched antler bull yet. Ive seen a few cows and 2 spikes.  Lots of vehicles on the roads and lots of wood cutting going on.  Ive walk behind a few closed gates and even seen a camping trailer way up a gated locked gate.  Havent even heard a bugle yet. Im heading back tonight for one last chance miracle.

[thomasmx]

There should be no issue hunting a bull in the bethel or goose prairie unit. I hunt right near cash prairie and have for the past 16 years straight during rifle season. I drew the Quality elk tag for goose prairie rifle in 2010 and shot my 6x6 on the 2nd day of hunting. If you get off the road away from the campers you will probably find yourself all alone. Not too many people get off that road and actually hunt. There is a ton of very good advice on this topic for you. If you need any help please get ahold of me. I have lots of info for that place and would really hate to see that quality tag go to waste since I know what the potential of it is. Good luck my man!

[trophyhunt]

The guy that was in a chair in the back of the truck, is there a chance that he was a disabled hunter?? My dad is a disabled hunter, he had the little naches archery tag for any bull.  We had him in the back of the truck in a strapped down chair, his crossbow was locked and loaded.  I promise he is not or was never a lazy hunter, it kills him to not be able to walk 80 yards down or up a small incline.  I'm not saying the guy in the chair you saw was a disabled hunter but mabey he was?  They should have had an orange sign in the windshield. 

[trophyhunt]

Yes, he almost shot a spike but the arrow (bolt) was a hair too far forward, which doesn't allow the safety to be taken off! It was damn cold in the mornings, 26 degrees the day we killed his 5 point.


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[buglebuster]

I saw a nice rack looked to be a 6x6 on a 4 wheeler in the back of a red ford on the 1500 rd today. There has definetely been wuite a few elk dropped this year.

The guy that was in a chair in the back of the truck, is there a chance that he was a disabled hunter?? My dad is a disabled hunter, he had the little naches archery tag for any bull.  We had him in the back of the truck in a strapped down chair, his crossbow was locked and loaded.  I promise he is not or was never a lazy hunter, it kills him to not be able to walk 80 yards down or up a small incline.  I'm not saying the guy in the chair you saw was a disabled hunter but mabey he was?  They should have had an orange sign in the windshield. 

saw that setup.  Thought it was cool. Did you put the chair facing forward so you could have easier contact with your dad?

That was my buddies. they were on elk every day in there. I called a 5x5 in to him earlier in season with no shot

[Goldy79]

There should be no issue hunting a bull in the bethel or goose prairie unit. I hunt right near cash prairie and have for the past 16 years straight during rifle season. I drew the Quality elk tag for goose prairie rifle in 2010 and shot my 6x6 on the 2nd day of hunting. If you get off the road away from the campers you will probably find yourself all alone. Not too many people get off that road and actually hunt. There is a ton of very good advice on this topic for you. If you need any help please get ahold of me. I have lots of info for that place and would really hate to see that quality tag go to waste since I know what the potential of it is. Good luck my man!

Thank you sir! I will take you up on that....

[Goldy79]

The guy that was in a chair in the back of the truck, is there a chance that he was a disabled hunter?? My dad is a disabled hunter, he had the little naches archery tag for any bull.  We had him in the back of the truck in a strapped down chair, his crossbow was locked and loaded.  I promise he is not or was never a lazy hunter, it kills him to not be able to walk 80 yards down or up a small incline.  I'm not saying the guy in the chair you saw was a disabled hunter but mabey he was?  They should have had an orange sign in the windshield.

My father-in-law is a disabled hunter and I'm aware that it's legit in those situations, but the guy in back must have been around 18 years old and far from disabled.

I'm having trouble downloading my pics from the field but he is one good one from yesterday... THE MEAT PICKUP!!!! The steaks and roasts filled up two full size coolers and the processed stuff (summer sausage and ground) filled up 1 large and 1 medium cooler.  Freezer is full and I can't wait to grill up tenderloins!

[bobcat]

I thought that quality permit had already "gone to waste."