New to WA Hunting

[aclapper]

Hi All,

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this - but since I am most interested in elk hunting it seemed appropriate enough. I am getting out of the Navy this coming summer and it looks more and more sure that I will be moving to WA for my post-military employment in September. With that said, I want to get a jump start on learning about the area, opportunities, and forging friendships if I can.

I grew up hunting elk in Utah and Wyoming with my dad, but it has been a long time since I did that - so I consider myself new to this pursuit. I am not interested in trophies so much as putting meat in the freezer effectively and spending time outside in the wilderness. While elk hunting is my focus, I am also open to deer and bear hunting. Most importantly, I am absolutely willing to help you pack out your harvest in exchange for some hunting know how or access.

I have looked at the Washington and Idaho hunt planners and started looking at which tags I am going to apply for in the Spring, but I am open to anyone's inputs on where I should be looking or focusing my efforts. The early elk tags in Idaho that start 8/1 look most appealing, since I could get a hunt in between my last day in the Navy (8/15) and starting work. Does anyone have any experience with these?

This forum seems like a great place with a lot of helpful like-minded hunters, so I am looking forward to talking to all of you. I hope that I can give back in some way.

Andy

[Blacktail Sniper]

 

Welcome Andy!

Thank you for your service.

Lots of great info to be had from here, and a pretty decent bunch of folks always willing to help out.

Try the search feature and read through some of the existing threads on places, species, times etc., lots of good info to be found.

As far as the where to's and whens, that is going to be dictated by where you are settling and what your chosen choice of weapon will be...

[Boss .300 winmag]

Might want to share your weapon of choice, deadly stare, rocks, slingshot, etc.

Code: [Select]

It will be easier to get help. 

Welcome to the forum, and state.

What area are you going to put roots in?

[aclapper]

Thanks! Weapon of choice will be a rifle. I have a bow but I am a loooong way off from being comfortable with it.

I'll be settling in the Seattle area.

[SniperDanWA]

Welcome.  The regs are really straight forward.  Spend some time looking at Eastern versus Western.  Determine weapon of choice - saw rifle.  If you opt for permits match those to your selected weapon.  Modern is usually a zoo.  The state has screwed up the hunt for animals and you need to draw a permit to get a chance at something good, unless you can connect with someone on here for West side rifle.  I'm at East side guy.  Ask questions...

[aclapper]

SniperDan,

Thanks for the insight, I am trying to avoid some of the 'zoo' of the modern hunts.

I am definitely looking more towards the east for elk.

[SniperDanWA]

I like to hike in a ways and that gets rid of a few guys.  Funny thing, the lazy ones go in far too and leave their trash out there as well.  I get tired of hauling out other guys crap.  Depending on the terrain you want to hunt and your rifle, the east side gives a lot of options.  I'm usually off of Hwy 410 from the pass down to Naches - right or left side.  For this area it is spike or draw, unless you go a different weapon.  I was in cows every day until my cow tag went active, then only awkward long shots left.  I saw one spike during season, but before opening I seen multiples.  Where I was this year, I saw 5 spikes taken and it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

[hunterofelk]

I apply for the special permits in Washington state east side, but hunt in Montana if I don't draw.  My advice hunt in Idaho. 

[dvolmer]

I don't mean to sound negative, but if your previous experience in elk hunting has been in Wyoming and Utah, prepare yourself for a major let-down.  This is coming from a guy that is born and raised in Eastern Washington and has hunted elk and deer for many years here.  It is also coming from a guy that hunts Wyoming and Montana each year as an out of state hunter.  The draw odds for quality hunts will take you a lifetime to draw if ever here.  We have 5 to 10 times more people in our state with way less public land to hunt on.  If you pursue the muzzleloader and archery options here in this state it will alleviate some of the crowd but still be sub-par and success rates are extremely low with hard access to quality areas.  Some people will disagree with these comments of mine but most that do, have never hunted quality areas out of state.  Our license fees for residents here has risen so high that out of state is more affordable every year.  Don't get me wrong, between me and my daughters, we have shot four 6 point or bigger bulls here in Washington with a few spikes over the years.  But with that said, each year it is getting worse and worse here in this state.  If you are starting new and from scratch, I would recommend spending your time and money in much greener pastures.  just my two cents for what it is worth.

[pianoman9701]

Welcome to the site and thanks for your service. I'm not much in the know for elk hunting the area around Seattle or the east. If you want to hunt the So. Cascades, I know a little more, but still not much! 

[Mark251]

Welcome to the forum, Andy.....  And thank you for serving our country!

[257wbymagkiller]

Welcome!  I am thinking about heading to Idaho this coming 2016 season, but I am not framiliar with the areas over there.

[Smoke]

welcome and thanks for your service... ex navy man myself...  if your just looking for meat as ya said, then the east side is a lot better for Elk... most areas will be spike only unless ya draw the special permits (good luck there)... gun season is gonna be tough tho... I've seen less people at the shooting range then in the woods for rifle Elk...  Practice up with that bow, and I'll take ya out to some good areas within 3 hours of Seattle... (I'm in Tacoma, just south) or apply for the multi season permits (about 25% for Elk) and if ya don't connect on bow.. ya can still join the masses for the turkey shoot come gun season...

[cumminsbassguy]

Hey man, I'm an active airforce guy on the east side. I started elk late this year, went out once.   Well under preoared, going to hit it hard next year. I was told that where I was hunting was going to be tough. But I'll be out there scouting away. Going to moatlybtry and hubt gmu 130 &124.  I will venture up north more once I get more comfortable.

[aclapper]

welcome and thanks for your service... ex navy man myself...  if your just looking for meat as ya said, then the east side is a lot better for Elk... most areas will be spike only unless ya draw the special permits (good luck there)... gun season is gonna be tough tho... I've seen less people at the shooting range then in the woods for rifle Elk...  Practice up with that bow, and I'll take ya out to some good areas within 3 hours of Seattle... (I'm in Tacoma, just south) or apply for the multi season permits (about 25% for Elk) and if ya don't connect on bow.. ya can still join the masses for the turkey shoot come gun season...

Smoke, Thanks for the offer - I am definitely hoping to practice with my bow and get proficient but it won't be in time for the 2016 season. What did you do in the Navy?

[aclapper]

Welcome!  I am thinking about heading to Idaho this coming 2016 season, but I am not framiliar with the areas over there.

257Wby, I am thinking of signing up with GoHunt to make sense of some of the drawing odds/success ratios for Idaho. It is daunting trying to make sense of all of this when time off of work is so limited.

[aclapper]

I like to hike in a ways and that gets rid of a few guys.  Funny thing, the lazy ones go in far too and leave their trash out there as well.  I get tired of hauling out other guys crap.  Depending on the terrain you want to hunt and your rifle, the east side gives a lot of options.  I'm usually off of Hwy 410 from the pass down to Naches - right or left side.  For this area it is spike or draw, unless you go a different weapon.  I was in cows every day until my cow tag went active, then only awkward long shots left.  I saw one spike during season, but before opening I seen multiples.  Where I was this year, I saw 5 spikes taken and it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Dan, thanks for the insights - and a bigger thank you for hauling out other people's trash. I pick up trash whenever I see it while I am hiking and mountain biking. I often wonder who the people are that can witness the wilderness and then turn around and pollute it.