560 Elk?

[huntingdog16]

I hope Im not starting too early but I wanted to ask if anyone had any expirience with hunting this unit? I was hoping to see if anyone knew if there were any areas in the unit to do back country to try and get away from the crowds and road hunters? I would be doing an early season. (I think this unit only offers an early season, unless I read the regs wrong)Was hoping to start doing some scouting by the middle of Febuary. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Jason]

Snow is going to be a problem this time of year. You might want to wait tell late may or early June to start scouting.

[huntingdog16]

Good idea thanks. Totally forgot about the snow.

[elksnout]

Early season? By that do you mean archery?

[huntingdog16]

Yes sir. It would be an archery hunt

[haus]

I hope Im not starting too early but I wanted to ask if anyone had any expirience with hunting this unit? I was hoping to see if anyone knew if there were any areas in the unit to do back country to try and get away from the crowds and road hunters? I would be doing an early season. (I think this unit only offers an early season, unless I read the regs wrong)Was hoping to start doing some scouting by the middle of Febuary. Any help is greatly appreciated.

If by back country your referring to wilderness areas, then you won't be getting away from anyone in that GMU. I'd look at the high elevation non wilderness designation areas, even then you wont be alone or necessarily in more elk. Don't expect to find the motherload up high, I always thought I would find that spot. In reality they are distributed throughout the gmu around pockets of sufficient feed, which due to stagnant timber management by the NF those pockets continue to reduce.

[mburrows]

I hope Im not starting too early but I wanted to ask if anyone had any expirience with hunting this unit? I was hoping to see if anyone knew if there were any areas in the unit to do back country to try and get away from the crowds and road hunters? I would be doing an early season. (I think this unit only offers an early season, unless I read the regs wrong)Was hoping to start doing some scouting by the middle of Febuary. Any help is greatly appreciated.

If by back country your referring to wilderness areas, then you won't be getting away from anyone in that GMU. I'd look at the high elevation non wilderness designation areas, even then you wont be alone or necessarily in more elk. Don't expect to find the motherload up high, I always thought I would find that spot. In reality they are distributed throughout the gmu around pockets of sufficient feed, which due to stagnant timber management by the NF those pockets continue to reduce.

Thats good advice. The wilderness areas have a ton of foot traffic in them and I would not really classify it as a true backcountry experience.

[RadSav]

Snow is going to be a problem this time of year. You might want to wait tell late may or early June to start scouting.

A lot of the area I've spent time in there you don't get into until 4th of July most years.  Not getting away from anyone is a little misleading.  Sure there are plenty of people walking the trails.  But, if you go truly back country you will leave over 90% of other hunters behind.  And if you get more than 200 yards away from a trail you will leave 90% of the granola poopers behind as well.  Beautiful country!  Well worth the scouting trips even if you don't find the holy grail.

Don't be surprised if you see very few animals in the back country.  Most of my back country hunting produces less than 30% of the animals I would spot close to clearcuts and road systems.  But the back country holds the potential to produce top quality even if animal densities will likely be reduced. 

The other side of the fence rarely ever produces the awe, amazement and untouched vast herds many think.  But dreams of what lays beyond drives man to do great things.  If you are young and in good shape - Do It!  Won't be long before your too old and too broken.  Then all those thoughts of "What could it have been?" will haunt you.

[huntingdog16]

Thanks everyone

[pianoman9701]

The Indian Heaven Wilderness is a beautiful area but it's heavily hunted and it's a smaller wilderness area. I'd expect that you'd have more luck getting away from most hunters if you were in the Mt. Adams wilderness. There's still quite a few guys going in there but there's a lot more area and the higher you go, the fewer hunters you'll find. You won't be able to access it at least until mid-July this year.

[haus]

  less hunters than indian heavens, bigger area, and less hunters up high. Now that's some hardcore trolling Piano. Hunters and hikers outnumbered the elk up there for at least a few seasons now because its so hipster to go up high apparently. 

[pianoman9701]

less hunters than indian heavens, bigger area, and less hunters up high. Now that's some hardcore trolling Piano. Hunters and hikers outnumbered the elk up there for at least a few seasons now because its so hipster to go up high apparently. 

The hikers are staying on the trails for the most part. The animals are not being pushed as much. Indian Heaven, on the other hand, is hunter heavy in addition to the hikers on the PCT. I think you're the one trolling here.

[WapitiTalk1]

Agree with what others have said about the time to scout in this GMU, particularly higher.  Mid July seems to be about the time you can actually get anywhere on the higher trail systems.  I've both hiked and hunted quite a bit of the 560 GMU including both wilderness areas discussed above.  Not as many elk as there used to be but are there some are huntable elk.  Most hunting pressure gravitates to/around larger meadow systems and long gated roads.  Not sure how last year's fires in the Adam's area will affect the elk yet.  A tip for this area (or any area for that matter) is to spend some time there in mid August and find the cow herds.  That's where the bull's will be come archery season.  If a guy/gal is to hunt one of the mentioned wilderness areas, I'd recommend using the main trail systems for ingress then navigate away from those trails to areas that are tough to get to from any main road (steep, thick, etc.).  You may just find some wapiti there