Silver Dollar, Blackrock or Pine Mountain Youth Elk Permits

[Joe Rothrock]

        Is there anyone who would like to share their experiences (good or bad) with any of the youth ranch elk permits? I'm Considering putting my grandson in for these hunts, but know little about them. The harvest reports are good some years and not so on others, but I guess that's just the way hunting goes. I've heard that scheduling access can be a challenge. With 5-8 months of season you would think that there would be lots of opportunity with the low numbers of permits offered. I would love to get some feedback before the permit deadline, so any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!     Joe

[adamR]

Last year they finally made some great youth hunt opportunities.  I don't know if I would even consider those ranch hunts anymore with Yakima north, Yakima central, and Yakima south...

[Joe Rothrock]

      My nieces boy had a Yak South muzzle loader cow permit last year. He clipped one and 4 guys looked all day and then some and were not able to recover it. That's a rough way to begin a hunting career.
      I'm a huge fan of youth permits. I've provided numerous kids with successful hunts for deer, elk, bears and even 1 cougar. It's more fun than getting one myself.

[dvolmer]

My son drew the Silver dollar cow tag a couple years ago.  Waited all hunting season, winter, and early spring and never got a call to hunt.  I called up the game dept to get his 5 points back and they said to bad!  I was very upset!  I know that hunting a special permit doesn't guarantee success and that is hunting.  but to use your 5 points to draw a permit and then not be allowed to hunt at all is not right.  If he had actually gotten the chance to hunt and didn't get anything then that would have been ok.  Just because you draw the tag doesn't mean you get to hunt or hunt when you want.  They will call you and tell you when you can go.  Others have complained that they have gotten calls to go the next day.  This is not always feasible with your schedule.  If they call and you cant drop everything right then and go then they feel they have met their responsibilities and you don't get anymore calls.  Remember, the only reason they have these youth hunts is to appease the state so they can get there landowner tags to use for themselves or sell.  I would be careful if I was you.  I have heard that the Pine MT hunt is not that way and a real good tag and hunt but good luck drawing it!  Not easy to do.  Just my thoughts and what we went through.  I'm sure that some people have had a good experience too.

[dvolmer]

I also agree with the above post.  The new youth cow elk permits in the Yakima areas are superb!  I would put in for the one that covers the Manastash area.  It goes a week longer than the normal cow tag there and the elk should be down out of the mountains around the Joe Watt Canyon area.  Good luck.  My son drew it last year on the last year (first year this hunt was offered) he was a youth and it went well.

[Gringo31]

Interesting report with the Silver Dollar....


That would suck.

[JM]

Just remember that if you put your grandson in for the Pine Mountain hunt with archery or muzzleloader that's all he will be able to use. I wouldn't hunt that tag with anything but a rifle.
There have been multiple years that people have come up with archery or muzzleloader tags and haven't been able to get close enough

[HoopsNHorns]

Two of my sons have drawn those ranch tags (one antlerless and one any elk) in separate years .  We got one call on a Sunday morning while not at home.  That was the one and only chance to go we had.  If the elk show up, however, heard it is a great opportunity.

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