GMU 618 - Matheny (Elk and possibly Deer)

[Loco Ken]

Was wondering if anyone here could give me some info on the Matheny unit as I was thinking about it for next year Elk season (muzzy or rifle), like how far can you go before you hit gates (I like to bike back in) and is the whole eastern portion of the unit blocked off, especially that which is in the Forrest area.  Also, is there a great amount of Reservation hunters out there during regular and late seasons to worry about, like is it safe to venture off leaving your vehicle unattended or having difficulty dealing with other hunters behind the gates?  Do the Indians have keys to get past the gates?  If I'm planning on getting off the beaten path, should I be concerned at all up to that point?  I might even slip out there for late season Muzzy if time permits.

Also, how are the elk and deer populations in recent years?  It would be nice to at least see something out there as I haven't seen neither a Bull or Buck in regular seasons.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

 

[Coastal_native]

I've hunted the modern a few seasons with friends.  A lot of traffic this year during elk season.  Pretty good vehicle access throughout the unit with the exception of the ridge that separates Sam's and Matheny River.  Seen a few bucks during elk season.  Haven't had any issues with people bothering my rig. Indians don't have keys to the gates, nor do they spend much if any time out there during modern.  I've actually seen more orange vests on the rez than I have Indians in the matheny during modern. My opinion is that many elk seek refuge in the Park and on the Rez during modern.  Hope this helps.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

My opinion is that many elk seek refuge in the Park and on the Rez during modern.

I always wondered about that.
With the "Free and Unclaimed" access, do they drive elsewhere to hunt?
I know I let the animals that live in my backyard alone, and go at least several miles from my house to hunt.

Indians don't have keys to the gates

That has been my #1 reason to choose GMU's with reduced access.
I believe in the general good in all, and that a few bad apples spoil the whole bushel, and "real hunters" get out of their truck...
I have not heard of abuses of the resource that required any real effort, yet was an actual witness of the devastation of the White River herd in the '80s, and heard about Oak Creek, Colockum, and just about anywhere else that made the news. .
All with road access. I believe that Most over harvest and indiscriminant abuse of our resource is not by the average "Native" yet I still search for areas that require at least 2 miles of actually getting out of a vehicle, or away from any motorized vehicles to eliminate pressure during a large portion of the year.
I would think that an area between the park, and the reservation might be worth a look...
Other than it is probably an evenly spaced out "shooting" line from now until...

And to be clear, abuses from ALL poachers, not just the ones that use a legal loophole to get away with it..

All with road access. I believe that Most over harvest and indiscriminant abuse of our resource is not by the average "harvester" yet I still search for areas that require at least 2 miles of actually getting out of a vehicle, or away from any motorized vehicles to eliminate pressure during a large portion of the year.

[billythekidrock]

Most tribal elk hunting in Matheny happens in August.

[dreamunelk]

No elk or deer in the Matheny and way to many hunters.  Here that it is elk heaven in the Toutle...........

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

The end of the Rainbow in Margaret..

[RC3]

This unit is mostly timber and not what most people think it would be.  If you like to hunt off the road even if it's behind gates it's not a good unit.  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

[dreamunelk]

This unit is mostly timber and not what most people think it would be.  If you like to hunt off the road even if it's behind gates it's not a good unit.  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

Don't forget it is steep and brushy!

[Coastal_native]

This unit is mostly timber and not what most people think it would be.  If you like to hunt off the road even if it's behind gates it's not a good unit.  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

Don't forget it is steep and brushy!

Soooo steep...

[Humptulips]

  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

Is there any other way to hunt elk? OK, yea I guess road hunting. None of that there as all the clearcuts are growed up. Quite a number of roads have been decommissioned and Matheny Ridge is gated about 9 miles from the end.
USFS used to keep the Matheny gate open for the Quinaults but that was a long time ago. I'm not sure how that works now. I don't think tribal hunting has a huge effect because like I said you can pretty well rule out road hunting.
I would suggest you need to spend some time there wearing out shoe leather before season. Pretty tough place to go into cold.
And has been mentioned STEEP Get yourself a pair of caulks and get your legs in shape!
Biggest elk I ever killed was  on Canoe Cr. Pretty much inaccessible now.

[Coastal_native]

Biggest elk I ever killed was  on Canoe Cr. Pretty much inaccessible now.

Some times I peer down into the headwaters of that canyon and daydream about bugleing up a big bull...then I snap out of it and continue driving down the road.  One time coming up out of there empty handed will ruin a man.

[ouchfoss]

Biggest elk I ever killed was  on Canoe Cr. Pretty much inaccessible now.

Some times I peer down into the headwaters of that canyon and daydream about bugleing up a big bull...then I snap out of it and continue driving down the road.  One time coming up out of there empty handed will ruin a man.

My cousin dropped into there last year in August to do some scouting. He said its pretty much exactly what you'd expect. It would take every once of energy and most of the day just to walk back out of that canyon. If you killed an elk...............

[Firedogg]

 Most elk in there will drop down into the Queets corridor as soon as traffic starts moving in.  Now that you can have firearms in the national parks you can camp by the Queets and work your way up from there, just make darned sure you know where the park boundary is.

[Cylvertip]

Two problems with going through the park - 1) you can't bring an animal back out legally( at least not on foot ) through the park, and (2) you can't pack a bow through unless it is a complete take down bow and it's taken apart ( fire arms are allowed, bows are not)
 

Those decommissioned roads suck to say the least.  Just slightly better than going pure cross country.

I've dropped off the ridges to the bottoms a few times in there and come out empty (sometimes by choice).  It's tough on the soul to be motivated to do it again.  Climbing in from the bottom is worse now though, in my opinion (at least on all of the drainages on the interior of the unit.

[Loco Ken]

Pretty good vehicle access throughout the unit with the exception of the ridge that separates Sam's and Matheny River.

So I'm taking it the gates are closer to the Park then from what you are saying?  If that's the case, there must be miles and miles of roads to travel down.  That's a plus.

Haven't had any issues with people bothering my rig. Indians don't have keys to the gates, nor do they spend much if any time out there during modern.  Hope this helps.

I'm glad to hear this as it was something I was a bit worried about.  Thanks for your help, Coastal.

Most tribal elk hunting in Matheny happens in August.

  This is also good news.

No elk or deer in the Matheny and way to many hunters.  Here that it is elk heaven in the Toutle...........

Are you saying you haven't seen any or are you trying to keep others out of the area?     I'm just kidding.  We heard there were elk everywhere in the Lewis unit as well but didn't see a single one the whole muzzy season.  Well, we did see some on our way out day after the season ended in a farmers field just outside of the forest areas.  Sneaky little devils.   

This unit is mostly timber and not what most people think it would be.  If you like to hunt off the road even if it's behind gates it's not a good unit.  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

I don't mind getting off the road a little, nor do I mind getting away from vehicular traffic.  Would you say there are some good bulls in the area that one that is willing could find?

I would suggest you need to spend some time there wearing out shoe leather before season. Pretty tough place to go into cold.  And has been mentioned STEEP Get yourself a pair of caulks and get your legs in shape!
Biggest elk I ever killed was  on Canoe Cr. Pretty much inaccessible now.

Sounds great, Humptulips.  Thank you for the info, and I look forward to the challenge.

Most elk in there will drop down into the Queets corridor as soon as traffic starts moving in.  Now that you can have firearms in the national parks you can camp by the Queets and work your way up from there, just make darned sure you know where the park boundary is.

Is the boundary marked somewhat?  It looks like you really have to know where you're at if not because the border of the unit is pretty choppy.

[floatinghat]

I tracked some fresh sign down from the ridge toward the Sams last year.  In and out 100 yards took almost an hour for the round trip, so slick, thick and steep.  Getting a bull out by one   Regarding other hunters, during late muzzy I counted 14.  There were also a few of others that might have been hunting or just walking in the woods.  It's pretty country but it's my option C this season.  It looked like the forest services was thining the underbrush in some areas.  We need a good fire well behind the gates to help the herds.

[Humptulips]

Biggest elk I ever killed was  on Canoe Cr. Pretty much inaccessible now.

Some times I peer down into the headwaters of that canyon and daydream about bugleing up a big bull...then I snap out of it and continue driving down the road.  One time coming up out of there empty handed will ruin a man.

When I killed it the access rd through the Park was open. When they closed that it pretty well killed any chance at hunting down in that canyon.

[Cylvertip]

Why Stop Bruce?  Its only like a 1600 ft drop from the upper rd to the lower rd/ creek.......  Lots of fun... NOT!

[Coastal_native]

I ran the boundary lines on a lot of those new clear cuts on the reservation side of the area...questioned my career choice a few times.  Going down hill at the end of the day makes my quads quiver.

[_TONY_]

Most tribal elk hunting in Matheny happens in August.

 

[JimmyHoffa]

There's two parts (more or less) to the GMU--Forest Circus and DNR.  The DNR portion isn't all that bad to walk through--flatter and younger timber (but does have swampy parts).  The FS part can get steep or have real old trees.  The FS also did road decoms or abandonments that suck.  The creek crossings if dry aren't bad, but some rain and they are horrible.  But you get miles and miles to go back on.  If you scout and do some trail/road maintenance, you can speed up your access to areas.  The paved roads can be in a state of disrepair that can catch you off guard and do some damage if you aren't careful.  I haven't been there in a while, because it was starting to become a 'crowded' unit. 
The big timber doesn't usually hold big herds of elk, usually smaller/scattered herds.  The DNR section can have bigger herds or mix with bigger herds from the park corridor.
As said, some parts are steep and slick.  Mud and branches on near vertical slopes so you have to go up and down the logs in the draws.  Other parts the trees that have blown down might be 5-6 ft diameter and really slow you down to get over them.
For deer, I don't see lots there...but do see bigger bucks.  Not enough to count on finding one though.

[Humptulips]

Why Stop Bruce?  Its only like a 1600 ft drop from the upper rd to the lower rd/ creek.......  Lots of fun... NOT!

I have 60 reasons why I'm not heading down that hill.

[JimmyHoffa]

Hump have you pressed the park on that?  Especially for disabled hunters.  They have Clarks Fork on the open list with S Shore and N Shore.

[RC3]

  I hunt it every year but if you don't like hunting in the timber and tracking elk not a good place to go.

Is there any other way to hunt elk? OK, yea I guess road hunting. None of that there as all the clearcuts are growed up.

In my opinion no, but 90 % of people don't in my opinion.  Just walk logging roads behind gates which is still road hunting.

I

[NoBark]

Son hunted it  modern this year.  4 inches of rain on the Friday of the second weekend made things a little wet.  You have to be mentally prepared for lots of wet weather there.

[Humptulips]

Hump have you pressed the park on that?  Especially for disabled hunters.  They have Clarks Fork on the open list with S Shore and N Shore.

I have not spoke with them for a number of years. Before it was no way to bringing an elk out that way. Even before the laws changed on guns in the Park you could transport firearms across the Park. They had to be dismantled. The rub has always been bringing an animal out.
Maybe time to talk to them again.

[JimmyHoffa]

I have heard it will likely be crowded starting next year. More so anyways. Talked to lots of rifle hunters that didn't switch over to muzzy that are planning on moving over there. 618 is one of the few that didn't get on the list for additional early muzzy season, so the thought is there will be more legal animals still with the herds if they aren't subject to back to back archery then muzzy during the rut.

[bearmanric]

 matheney aint what is was. done hunting there. Bunch of Winston creek guys moved in and took over. Need clear cuts again that will help.  Been hunting there since the 80's. Had some great times when there was logging. Rick

[mrgoodwrench]

RC3, Humptulips and Coastal Native all gave you good info.  It has very few driveable roads, even fewer clearcuts, very steep and very brushy in many places.  If you want to road hunt or glass, either in the truck or on foot you are wasting your time.  If you can track an elk all day until you kill him, you may have success.  I hunt it every year in late muzzy, I would say the number of vehicles I see have double the last two years.  The only people I run into in the brush are the old farts I run into in the brush in the early season in a different unit, I'm convinced 90% of today's elk hunters can't track an elk.

Hump-  Park Service told us last year no packing meat through the park....specifically asked about Canoe.

[Cylvertip]

I've asked multiple ONP Rangers(Forks office and Quinalt office) about transporting animals and also about archery equipment.  The answers have been the same - no go for either.   

The other kicker is that if you wound/ hit one and it goes into the park, it's off limits.  They will not let you retrieve animals from ONP like they used to.  If it's in the park, it's part of the park.