Gmu 673

[BB11b]

Sure could use some help on GMU 673. First time elk hunting and never been there. Thanks for any advise

[spin05]

going to need a permit from the timber companies

[grundy53]

going to need a permit from the timber companies

You don't need a permit for Hancock's land down there. There is also some state land.

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[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

When are you heading down to 673?
Have you been there at all this year?, or ever ?
Have you thought about where you are camping?
I am not sure about the north end up by Trap Creek, but know that it is all gates along 101 until you hit the state land near Naselle.
Only a few campgrounds, Bruceport, Bay Center, and...
They fill up pretty quick.

I see that you are a disabled vet, does this limit your mobility?
Lots of walk in hunting, only open roads are on state land, but you will see a lot of hunters parking and glassing, driving around on the state land.

[BB11b]

So this is my first time elk hunting. Also my first time to this GMU so that is why I am asking for any help/advise. No mobility limits due to disability (I could never allow it). We will be staying at Bruceport I believe my father in law made the reservations for us so I'm not 100% on that

[BB11b]

Also we will be hunting across the street from Bruceport park according to my father in law

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Good luck!
That area will probably be pretty busy, I would suggest getting there early, and taking a walk the night before.
Has he been there before?
Is it just you and him?

[BB11b]

Yeah it's just us. And no we haven't been there before

[hiway_99]

A lot of that unit last time I hunted it required a Hancock pass.  You can hunt the gate across from bruce port but be prepared for some unfriendly locals.  I would be in the woods well before daylight on opening morning there.  You can pm your number and I will give you some other spots to try.  I haven't hunted it in 5 or 6 years so it's up to you to figure out about the Hancock access pass/ discover pass thing.

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[sumpnz]

Lots of elk in 673.  But thanks to the timber companies access sux now.  I've talked to a number of locals out there that said they sold their guns and gave up hunting because of that.  Hard to say how truthful they were, but they certainly were upset about it all.  You're either paying to get into decent areas, fighting the crowds, or using your detective skills to find ways into hard to access public land areas.

[Scott68]

I've lived in South Bend my entire life and I've never seen the volume of bow hunters in this unit as I have over the last 3 or 4 days.  Really remarkable hunting pressure out there right now.

This morning, at daylight, I drove from South Bend to Long Beach for some work related stuff, and I would estimate that between South Bend and Long Beach that I saw at least 60 vehicles along the highway where hunters were hitting the timber and/or walking in a road.  (That's not an exaggeration).  And I saw all of these vehicle without leaving highway 101 ... I can only imagine the number of vehicles on the side roads, county roads, and/or logging roads that are still accessible in some locations.

There were at least 15 vehicles parked between Bruceport Park and Wilson Point (that's less than a 5 mile stretch of road).

There were 14 vehicles parked at the D-Line/101 intersection and another 9 parked within 1 mile south of that intersection at any wide spot in the road that they could find.

I talked with a couple of my friends who are bow hunters and while they weren't complaining about all of the people invading this unit, they were grumbling a bit about having to mount their bikes at 3 or 4am in order to ride deep enough into their hunting grounds just to avoid the crowds.

A stunning number of bow hunters in this part of unit 673 this year.

[elkdrivemenuts]

North river unit seems empty, of elk and hunters. Haven't seen an elk the whole season.

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[chester]

North river unit seems empty, of elk and hunters. Haven't seen an elk the whole season.

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Access is hard to navigate in that area with the patchwork of timber land owners.

I'll second what scott68 said. I was up 673 and 506 for the opening weekend and absolutely blown away at the number of hunters and the amount of pressure both on state and Weyco lands from archery hunters. I can safely say it's over double what rifle season gets and I feel that's conservative . The archery craze as of late is really something to behold .


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[BB11b]

Thanks for all of your inputs. I'm definitely addicted to elk hunting now. We didn't get anything but we were constantly in elk multiple times a day. Had I not lost my hoochie mamma I probably would have been able to get a cow. Late elk is a must for me. Hope you guys had some good luck out there

[J.humphrey83]

Hey guys do you know what the name of the Hancock farm is for 673. So I buy the correct permit. thanks!