How crowded will the state land be this year?

[huntingbaldguy]

Taking best guesses.  This is my first archery season, and the spot i scouted from early spring and found elk in is not looking like it's going to open.  So i'm going to have to turn to state land or forgo early elk season.  I'm talking southwest Washington.  My wife wants to give it a shot regardless and head to state land.  I am fine with this and we have scouted a few areas.  Not great sign but some sign.  I have this funny feeling that state land will be completely overrun though.  Maybe people will chase elk to us, maybe people will bust our hunts up.  Guaranteed there will be lots of bugling.  If you were in my position (and i'm sure a good amount of you are), would you head to state land knowing there's probably double the amount of people there typically is on opening weekend?  If we do it we will be in the deepest ugliest holes we can find, and i'm probably going to have to give up a blacktail day this weekend to go do some more scouting.

Opinions?

[4fletch]

I hunt east but it's going to be crazy out this year  the more area you learn the better the chance you have find the ugly bull pen or poop hole where they had been using before would be a good place if your going to wait for some animals to get pushed I to or a trail leading into the P hole get in there soon after daybreak and wait would be a option. Good hunting good luck

[bobcat]

I'm not sure it will be much worse than normal on state land. What is still closed on the west side? I know all of Weyerhaeuser's land is open. I have a Weyerhaeuser permit so that's all I've really been paying attention to. What about Port Blakely? Rayonier? Hancock? With all this rain I can't imagine why they'd still have their lands closed.

I'm thinking the deer seasons are likely to be more crowded. Lots of people go east for mule deer or whitetail and much of the best areas are burned, burning, or closed to access. So I could see a lot more people hunting blacktails this year who normally wouldn't.

But elk? The main elk hunting areas on the east side are open and weren't affected by fires. And besides, people who already bought an east side tag and applied for permits, cannot trade for a west side tag.

[stryker]

Hancock is open.

[huntingbaldguy]

Sierra Pacific is closed. I've talked to them and they have no plans to open before the elk season.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I think Bobcat is right about deer season, and it will be really true for the modern season. Lots of east side deer areas burnt, so there will be lots of displaced hunters looking for a new area to hunt Muleys, or stay home and hunt blacktails.

[JimmyHoffa]

If you think state land will be too crowded, could look at different tree farms.  Here's a link for Rayonier, still have permits.
http://property.rayonierhunting.com/Permits/PermitsHome.aspx