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.