Late season elk!

[elkrack]

Who's planning on hunting the late elk season?! Hoping for snow on the dry side

[biggfish]

I wish my shoulder still isn't bow ready, been going absolutely crazy might get the .410 out and chase cotton tails before long.

[elkrack]

That's a bummer!

[blackpowderhunter]

I should be over there 
I think snow will be hittin soon!

[stickflngr]

Headed to Cowichee on the 19th

[vandeman17]

I hope to get out for a few days. I have two cameras out so we will see what happens

[Screaminreelz]

I'm in and can't wait. I'm on the wetside so areas are limited just need to get creative.

[Milkman]

I'll be trying my luck as well
Staying on the westside. Hoping a coworker let's me go on his land and get a Forest Horse

[BigArcher]

I hope to head over after Thanksgiving.  Maybe hunting south of Cle Elum.  Getting my camper ready.

[toy5904]

I will be hunting around CleElum. Took the week after thanksgiving off and I live in Cle Elum.

[Vandal44]

I will be over in the Cowichee to help some buddies try and fill their tags the weekend after Thanksgiving. 

[hogslayer]

I have my back-up spot all set up.  Problem is the wife decided she wants to head home to Missouri for Thanks giving.  So, will be missing the opener.  But i have the tree stand all set up and elk on the loop...

[treeclimber2852]

I'll be over there for the opener.  Calling for snow all week.  They should be moving down to the feed lots. 

[Chad Osterholtz]

I'll be chasing them around the 101 and 204... Hoping for snow, gonna try to stick a whitetail too...

[Naches Sportsman]

Snowing lightly this morning where I was. Ground was crunchy. Elk are starting to migrate out of the wilderness.

[yakimarcher]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

[follow maggie]

I've never hunted late season before, but I'll be picking a spot & heading over to the dry side.

[elkrack]

Unfortunately my plans aren't playing out the way I hoped  ! Good luck to all the other fellow stick flingers

[Parkern]

Anyone have any luck on opening day?

[Screaminreelz]

seen 11 today but wasn't able to get in range before they busted us.

[Tracker0721]

I'm trying in 101 with my longbow, found lots of sign 2 weeks ago, nothing since. Musta moved when the snow came in.

[yakimarcher]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

unfortunately I was wrong!

[treeclimber2852]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

unfortunately I was wrong!

Way wrong.  .  I finally had to chase the snow up to about 4400' and guess what I found there?  Elk...in the crunchy white stuff.  I had a good setup going on Saturday night.  Elk above me on a bench about 100 yards up...clearing in front of me with very well used tracks all headed one direction...daylight ending and critters starting to move.  Wind was right, everything was right...except for the jackwagons who started popping off rounds down in the drainage below me at 3:45 and didn't stop until dark.  Guess what direction those elk didn't go?  And thus ended my season.   

But yeah, they were still up high. 

[elkrack]

That had to be frustrating!

[Naches Sportsman]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

unfortunately I was wrong!

It did indeed snow enough to push elk down. Seen about 100 head hanging out the past two days in northeastern 364.

[yakimarcher]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

unfortunately I was wrong!

It did indeed snow enough to push elk down. Seen about 100 head hanging out the past two days in northeastern 364.

I hunted up there on Tuesday, saw lots of deer and elk tracks south of goose egg mountain, and a wolf track too!!!

[Naches Sportsman]

I think its gonna snow like a mother--- starting Wednesday. Be prepared!

unfortunately I was wrong!

It did indeed snow enough to push elk down. Seen about 100 head hanging out the past two days in northeastern 364.

I hunted up there on Tuesday, saw lots of deer and elk tracks south of goose egg mountain, and a wolf track too!!!

Look east of trout lodge south of the river.

[yakimarcher]

Thanks Naches!!!

[Tracker0721]

Found a small group of 9 including a nice bull in 101. Only issue was I was coyote hunting and my bow was in my truck a half mile away and it was sunset. Let's see if the grainy camera picture will load...

[elkrack]

Cool picture

[bur04024]

Hunted 342 a few days during the late season. Had a herd of 10 that was vocal with me about 30 mins before sunset on the opening day of late archery. I calf called and had a cow in to 30yrds but she wouldn't step out behind the bushy tree. She got nervous as I tried to maneuver to get a shot. She wheeled out to 59yrds and presented her front half. I blew it and shot right under her chest, glad it was a clean miss and recovered my arrow.
I returned the day after Thanksgiving, happened to not be alone where I was hunting which is sort of unusual for me in that area. Turns out a group of jackwagons got their F250 stuck in a deep rut on the old road. They destroyed the area around them with another truck trying to pull them out, cut down a tree and only used an 18 inch section of the trunk. Needless to say, they shouldn't have been driving out there, drinking beers while they were doing it, and happened to ruin a perfect spot where the elk like to feed out in the open....all because they wanted to drive around behind closed gates. I left them to their own devices and decided to not come back until a week later, hoping the area would settle down from having them traipsing around the area (the truck was stuck maybe 200-250 yards from where I had taken the shot at the cow)
Went back for one last try this late season knowing there would be snow. Had to cross Snoqualmie pass on the morning of December 4th, lots of snow and figured it would be the same or similar where I hunt in 342. I get to my trailhead and there is no snow on the ground. The snow stuck starting halfway up the ridges, so I had to hump it in to get up higher to look for tracks. As I made my way in and hunted as I went the sky cleared more, the wind picked up, and it became quite sunny and bright. I made it to the opening where I have had many elk encounters and it was so blustery, driving snow, and sunny! Calf called of an on for about 30 min and then decided I needed to move to cut tracks, and the wind was going to hamper any chance of getting good response from the elk.
I cut a fresh set of tracks partway through the meadow, I lost track after a few minutes from the tall grass with blowing snow. I kept going and about an hour later cut a real promising set in a clearcut next to a dark and protected chunk of timber. It meandered down into the timber and the wind was generally in my favor for scent, but really I think helped cover my movements and noise. I hustled through the dense timber, arrow knocked, and periodically kneeling to look ahead around the bases of the trees to see if I could spot elk legs or a belly. After tracking for 15 min, sure enough I notice a huge elk butt 60 yrds ahead. The from half was behind a bush so I had no idea if it was a solitary cow, spike, or branched bull. It had no clue I was there. I had decided that I needed to be aggressive given the wind being so unpredictable and I had to use it to my advantage. Quickly the elk turned around and sure enough it was a monster true spike! My heart began racing! His spikes looked like they were 3ft long and perfectly symmetrical. He was one of the most majestic and magnificent animals I have ever laid eyes on. He turned around again, and at that moment the wind began blowing through the tree tops....my signal to move and cut the distance and hopefully get into a better position to make a shot. As I moved I had to lose sight of him for about 10 seconds. I happened to see movement on the otherside of the bush he was at, and I wondered was that him or did I just see a second elk? I froze having only gained 10-12yrds, the spike had reappeared and was showing me from his neck forward and he started sniffing a tree branch in front of him like he was about to eat it. I desperately wanted him to walk another 2-3yrds and send me home with a car full of prime elk meat and trophy set of spikes to hang on the wall. Sadly I think the wind gave me away to that second elk or even another one I couldn't see, because he quickly looked alarmed and took off trotting through the timber. I tracked them for nearly a mile down the mountain, the snow faded out and I couldn't keep on their tracks. It was another good lesson in wind, and the fact I need to practice shooting from very awkward positions like sitting or kneeling so I can take these shots that would require less than ideal positioning.
Overall it has been a fantastic archery elk season, each year I get closer and closer to sealing the deal. Last year it was 65yds from a spike but no shot opportunity. This year I actually took a shot, and nearly connected, then had another spectacular encounter with a spike and nearly got the chance. Im hoping next year I can put one in the freezer. I just have to say that my hat is off to you who can consistently find elk and get on them if and when you don't have snow! The snow is my saving grace in being able to get on these critters and get close enough when it comes to archery.

[Naches Sportsman]

Should be a good last day with the snow tomorrow for people who make it out.

[yakimarcher]

I'm heading out tomorrow.

[jdb]

That is steep ugly country!

[BGLEMIN]

Past two Saturday's my wife and I have hit 506. First Saturday was scouting, we've never hunted this unit. Drove mostly, checking trails for sign, hunted one trail and found a great transition between birch and various conifers. Day ended with no elk.
Second Saturday we went back to the same area, we  worked into the mid zone between ridge and creek bottom. As we move we cow/calf talk, very random in sequence. At one point the sign got as fresh as it gets. We settled in and set up, she's hunting and I'm calling. I mimicked a calf causing a raucous and my wife would use single aggressive mews like a mom scolding her child for acting out.
Below and to our right, a cow responded with 3 synchronous mews. My wife responded back with a single mew. Silence for a few and the cow responded again closer and nearly at our level. She mewed 5 times more. My wife responded and I threw in some short fast calf mews. The sound of her approach was epic. Would've thought a rut crazed bull was charging. Then silence.
I assume the wind. Spent the rest of the day in a devilish tangle of forest.
Headed back this weekend, same tactics but a slightly different approach.

[BGLEMIN]

Went back into 506 for the weekend. Couldn't turn any log into an elk. Saw a lot of dirt I haven't seen before, cool country. Four days total yet thankful nonetheless to have chatted with a cow and to have plodded through some promising terrain for next season.