Toutle antlerless tag holders?

[Ghost Hunter]

Tried hard but didn't get in done in 3 point area.  Scouting didn't find much sign this weekend.  Any suggestions for public land?
GH

[jeffitz]

Im goin up Rock Crk saturday mornin,shouldnt be a problem whackin one up there on state land.

[gotcha]

Good luck up rock creek. Just not the same. Lot less elk. Good luck

[Bullkllr]

We spent part of the weekend in the northern part on Weyco land scouting for my son's antlerless hunt. Not much sign there either, at least not by Toutle standards.

[jeffitz]

So all the elk have disappeared in the rock crk area...yeah ok

[gotcha]

Just saying good luck. It's Def not the same as 4 yrs ago. Spend lots of time up there. We have 3 tags to fill sure we might see ya if we don't get them on private prop first.

[NachoNasty]

5500.  Saw bulls and cows up there recently

[jeffitz]

Yeah i hear ya, rock crk is where i will start,but possibly not finish.5500 is excellent for sure,or7400,but i plan on gettin one without a weyco permit so...just a little personal challenge i guess

[Ghost Hunter]

Spent Sunday morning up Rock Creek.  Maybe all the deer hunters kept the elk laying low?  Got 2 tags to fill.  Will be hitting it Friday if I get a day off.  Got 1o and 16 points tied up in our tags.  Hope to bring wild meat home.  Not used to eating store bought.  Good luck to all.

[steelhead59]

Drew a ML cow tag in the Toutle area 2 years ago. A logger told me to go the 5500 road. There are steam vents in a old clear cut up there, with a foot of snow on the ground there was still lots of green grass growing in the area of the steam vents. Drove up there, elk tracks everywhere only took around 20 minutes to locate the elk, and put a stalk on them and it was cow down. On the way out in a mile or less saw 3 different bulls. Good Luck!

[Vinomaker]

I was there for my bull tag Nov. 1-12... saw one rag horn bull on day 3 that did not give me a shot... that was the only animal we saw.  No cows and no fresh sign what so ever and we covered all of the north part of the unit including the Weyco permit areas.  Local old timers said the state has been killing the ones with hoof rot off by the hundreds the last 2 years off the mud flow in the winter that may have somthing to do with lack of animals.  Good luck and be safe!

[gotcha]

How did everyone's hunt go today. Pretty quiet.

[jeffitz]

Too busy working,probably wont hit it til saturday.oh yeah dont forget about the powerlines between Aultman Rd and the 8100 just before Cougar.powerlines parallel the hwy for a couple miles    along there and that could produce a cow or two.and anywhere uphill of that powerline but it gets steep

[gotcha]

Thanks. Shhhh. That's a well kept secret. Buddies daughters started there today.

[MuleDeerCrazy]

Ya, he beat us to the gate... least I suspect it was him.  We did the cool thing and moved on though, not like the dork that followed us in last year and then took off in front of us to cut my 12 year old daughter off... boy he's lucky I had her in tow or he'd a had a new hiking buddy for the day

No fresh sign today and we covered a bunch of ground, but we'll keep at it.

Good luck!

[TMortensen]

There's a road before you get to cougar on the left (not sure the road number) but it takes off between two homes before you hit the power lines...anyway that road will take you up on the ridge above the 8100 to the east and speliey creek to the west. Lots of clear cuts and big timber...plenty of area for several people to hunt. Its all walk in access and all up hill......another area to check would be behind merrel lake. Its another walk in only area that holds elk....good luck

[jeffitz]

Muledeercrazy i was workin today so it wasnt me that beat you to the gate today.good luck to your daughter though,i hope she gets one!

[gotcha]

Yes all good spots guys. Thanks for info. Good luck Sam. I know there has been 6 cows hanging down low on the property. They will eventually be there.

[gotcha]

Any luck today guys. Went for hike today on my bday. Saw some fresh sign. They are there just in the brush. Good luck to all.

[jeffitz]

Im still tryin to figure out where the steam vents are up the 5500! ? I thought i knew that area pretty well until i heard that.sounds cool id like to check that out

[workstohunt]

It seems everyone got the memo on the 5500 Ran into all the vehicles on the 5500. My dad and grandson have the permit. Did not see any elk the first two days. Was very surprised at the decline of elk in the unit. Did find a dead cow that was dead for a week or so. No hoof rot--just a bullet hole! I should not have burned their points for this tag but a few years ago there were quite a few elk.

[gotcha]

Not as easy as it once was. Now you have to beat the brush.

[steelhead59]

The steam vents were not visible to the eye or plume when I was hunting there two years ago other than the lack of accumulation of snow in a 10 to 15 year old clear cut that has been replanted.

[MoleyMolson]

It seems everyone got the memo on the 5500 Ran into all the vehicles on the 5500. My dad and grandson have the permit. Did not see any elk the first two days. Was very surprised at the decline of elk in the unit. Did find a dead cow that was dead for a week or so. No hoof rot--just a bullet hole! I should not have burned their points for this tag but a few years ago there were quite a few elk.

Are your dad and grandson running around in a beige Chevy with a topper?  Thinking we talked to them on Day 2 near the 5500.

We were all over the Toutle the first two days and only came across 5 cows.  All of which bolted before giving us a chance.  All were in the timber.  Haven't seen an elk in a clear cut.  Definitely not like it was a few years ago.

[workstohunt]

MoleyMolson--No, in a tan Ford F-150. I was with them. My Dad is 80 and my Grandson is 12 so it won't be my style of hunting, but was hoping to see something!!

[MuleDeerCrazy]

Logged several more miles today behind some locked gates and not even a fresh track in the mud along the roads... and covered six miles or so.  Pretty slim picking the last few years.  Took us 8 days to find our first cow last year for my youngest daughter, looks like it will be the same this year... only we don't get to run on into January - bummer!

No longer the slam dunk cow tag it once was!  Hopefully now that they cut the tag numbers it will build back up some in the future.

Good luck guys, looks like we're actually gonna need it!

[sthd system]

Went out today,what a total disappointing experience. Logged many miles with no sign what so ever. I'm guessing to powers to be might want to start rethinking there game management plans.

[bone collector 12]

I know my buddy got one but don't know any of the details,I just seen his pics on Facebook! Look like a big clear cut, hunt hard boys!

[sthd system]

I was in the 4950 to 5500 area loads of aka prime habitat at least in the past . Been hunting that area most of my life ,worst I've ever seen it for lack of wildlife.

[jeffitz]

So even with the Weyco permit its tough to find cows? I guess ive been overly optimistic,damn its a Toutle rifle cow tag! I cant think of a cow tag id rather have but maybe i applied for the wrong one,got 5 days to find out

[Ghost Hunter]

Seen one elk yesterday in the Toutle.  Didn't have the spotting scope to tell if it was worth the drive to a different drainage to make the 2 mile hike.  Might make the hike this morning.  Anybody miss the herd in the backyard near Cougar? 

[gotcha]

Ya it's just not the same. Sorry guys hope it pans out. This weather should help a little.

[gotcha]

If there isn't a few killed tonight after this rain we all have no hope. Go getem guys.

[jeffitz]

Ok i see what you mean about Rock Crk,didnt see a track up there yesterday so i went with plan C this mornin and cut my tag,i didnt think it would come to that,but whatever.the access is so limted now in theToutle,unless you get the Weyco pass...

[gotcha]

Cut your tag. What was plan c. Saw elk tonight just no shot and too many horns.

[sthd system]

Went on the north side of the toutle saw 3 diffrent groups only a** shots did not take them . Was just plain nasty out , elk were real spooky .

[jeffitz]

State land near Cougar, and a buddy got one saturday on state land near Longview

[gotcha]

Copy

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

Madness.. buddies had 3 bull tags 2 years ago.. we saw plenty of elk.

[MoleyMolson]

We managed to get one Saturday finally.
There's a few hanging out around the 1690/1691.

[CavemantheHunter]

This is very disturbing. I had a bow tag there last year and saw a ton of elk. It is very worrisome that it has gotten that bad in the last year.

[GameHunter1959]

I read the game department made an agreement with Weyco to reduce the St. Helens heard by over 40% over a 3 year period. I think that started a few seasons ago? Not sure..

The game department wants to sell those special permit applications. We have seen this before. They choose a great area and give out way too many special permits and destroy it. Then they will blame it on hoof rot.

[Big6bull]

That's correct but they already did that. Last year was the last of the "surplus" cow tags to accomplish the heard reduction.

But this spring they start eliminating severe cases of hoof rot elk. Witch I expect this number of killed elk be beyond anyone's expectations unfortunately 

[dewandgin]

Had bull tag last year and cow tags two of the previous three years and seen alot of elk. I guess it can change dramatically over a year but....


From the Wetside. like the darkside only Wetter!

[Bullkllr]

Well, when people are hunting the Toutle or Marg for days and seeing few if any animals, a guy starts to wonder...wth?

[GameHunter1959]

That's correct but they already did that. Last year was the last of the "surplus" cow tags to accomplish the heard reduction.

But this spring they start eliminating severe cases of hoof rot elk. Witch I expect this number of killed elk be beyond anyone's expectations unfortunately 

My question is...
They have known of hoof rot and the possibility of having to eliminate the contaminated elk for a number of years; why would they give out all those permits, when there was a strong possibility of having to go in and shoot off contaminated elk?

That is poor game management IMO, unless there is something I am not aware of.

[Big6bull]

That's correct but they already did that. Last year was the last of the "surplus" cow tags to accomplish the heard reduction.

But this spring they start eliminating severe cases of hoof rot elk. Witch I expect this number of killed elk be beyond anyone's expectations unfortunately 

My question is...
They have known of hoof rot and the possibility of having to eliminate the contaminated elk for a number of years; why would they give out all those permits, when there was a strong possibility of having to go in and shoot off contaminated elk?

That is poor game management IMO, unless there is something I am not aware of.

They are trying to squeeze every last penny out of the heard, waiting till the last possibly moment, is what it seems like to me.

[GameHunter1959]

I try and be supportive and trustworthy towards the game department. Stuff like this continues to happen throughout the state, which builds further distrust. Managing money before wildlife. Shaking my head.

[cem3434]

That's correct but they already did that. Last year was the last of the "surplus" cow tags to accomplish the heard reduction.

But this spring they start eliminating severe cases of hoof rot elk. Witch I expect this number of killed elk be beyond anyone's expectations unfortunately 

My question is...
They have known of hoof rot and the possibility of having to eliminate the contaminated elk for a number of years; why would they give out all those permits, when there was a strong possibility of having to go in and shoot off contaminated elk?

That is poor game management IMO, unless there is something I am not aware of.

Don't forget Weyerhaeuser hates the elk and was the biggest advocate for the mass destruction of the herd by over harvesting cows for about the last 10 years. It wouldn't surprise me if we later find out that the hoof rot is caused by some chemical agents that Weyerhaeuser uses in their tree farms after clear cutting the timber. Hopefully we get an honest answer when WDFW gets around to figuring out what the cause is.