Elk Hunting Forks 2014

[duggyphresh]

Hi, all.  New to the community and hunting.  Me and a buddy are going to to give the sol Duc gmu  a shot this year for elk.  Was wondering if anyone has any experience in the area?  We scouted out down sportsman club rd and stikum sol Duc rd and found a few spots.  Looking for any help or suggestions during modern season.

[washingtonmuley]

Not really the Ideal first post. Maybe start by introducing yourself with background and etc. Good Luck

[cohocrazy]

Make sure you know what property you're on. Rayonier Timber owns a lot of land in that area and this is the first year they require you to purchase a permit to access their land. The Dickey unit is owned by Rayonier and the permits are sold out. This will push a lot of hunters onto the Forest Service and DNR land in the Sol Duc. Any road with a blue gate is most likely owned by Rayonier.

Good luck! You won't be alone out there, that's for sure.

[2MANY]

Watch out for the locals.

[duggyphresh]

Sorry washingtonmuley.  i guess i'm looking for basics as i'm new to the sport.  This is only my second hunt and the first was painfully slow.  I'm 30 years old and always wanted to get into the sport but never had the time.  I want to learn about the tracking and scouting and some basics of what to look for and how to approach this years hunt.  Eventually i'd like to do deer and elk season but for now i've been only doing elk.  Thanks!!

[fordpowerforever]

Rifle elk out here can be very crazy and populated, the reason i went to archery, both roads you looked at can be very good but will be covered in hunters, i would suggest buying the $65 rayonier hunting permit, this will give you access to a lot more land around here, i would say the goodman and clearwater may hold a few more elk due to no muzzleloader elk hunting down there. Just depends if you wanna road hunt, walk in a few miles, or if your looking to get way off the roads. If you kill something i got a cooler and hanging area if need be, just cost a bottle of booze to use, if you have anymore detailed questions id be glad to help, i pretty much know every road out here way better then ill ever need and rifle elk isnt my thing so you wont be stepping on my toes.

[pd]

Rifle elk out here can be very crazy and populated, the reason i went to archery, both roads you looked at can be very good but will be covered in hunters, i would suggest buying the $65 rayonier hunting permit, this will give you access to a lot more land around here, i would say the goodman and clearwater may hold a few more elk due to no muzzleloader elk hunting down there. Just depends if you wanna road hunt, walk in a few miles, or if your looking to get way off the roads. If you kill something i got a cooler and hanging area if need be, just cost a bottle of booze to use, if you have anymore detailed questions id be glad to help, i pretty much know every road out here way better then ill ever need and rifle elk isnt my thing so you wont be stepping on my toes.

That is perhaps the most generous offer I have seen on this forum in ages.  Good man!   

[duggyphresh]

We aren't worried about hiking in a ways.  With the steep and brush filled terrain what's the usual approach?  Do you stick to the trails or forge your own?  Up in the st Helens area you could creep around without making a bunch of noise but up in sol duc it seems I'd be making a racket.

[fordpowerforever]

some places around here are virtually inpassable, i mean you can do it but its a waste of time and will wear yourself out quicker then anything trying to crawl threw the reprod and brush jungles in the creek draws. i would try to spend time covering ground and look for fresh sign. and hope you can find a herd with a legal bull left, or stumble onto a loan bull...

[Hunting7mm]

some places around here are virtually inpassable, i mean you can do it but its a waste of time and will wear yourself out quicker then anything trying to crawl threw the reprod and brush jungles in the creek draws. i would try to spend time covering ground and look for fresh sign. and hope you can find a herd with a legal bull left, or stumble onto a loan bull...

So true.  Trying to find a herd with a legal bull left.  Lots of people....

[duggyphresh]

Can you help me with identifying signs?  I know what elk poo looks like and I know they rub their antlers on trees.  How can I be sure it's an elk rubbing or know how old the poo is?  I imagine it tastes fresh?  Haha joking.

[chester]

I think he meant fresh tracks where it looks like a herd passed thru recently. November they leave pretty deep muddy trails from time to time.


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[JimmyHoffa]

I'd look for the benches down towards creek/river bottoms and get away from people and roads.  The elk in Sol Duc seem to be well trained for hunting season--bow-muzzy-special permits-tribal hunting all before modern.  As soon as the pressure kicks up they know where to go.  If you walk their trails over time you'll find where the cow seems to like to take them.  A couple of old guys I know that hunt there, found a trail that they use to go hunker down at a fly fishing lodge.  The cow takes the her herd there a day or two before each season, then the stray bulls try to filter in over the next week or so.  They just hunt along the elk trail and seem to get one every couple of seasons doing that. 

[washingtonmuley]

I would watch out for those forks boys.

[JimmyHoffa]

I would watch out for those forks boys.

For Goodman and Dickey I would agree, but for Sol Duc and Pysht seems the ones to watch out for are usually from PA.