Ryderwood help!

[funkster]

After a good early season archery hunt on the westside,winston and toutle(are first) are muzzle loader crew decided to give it a shot. I got a phone call today and they are having no luck at all. They are up in the Abernathy(sp?) creek area. This is the 3rd day of the hunt with only 2 left and they have only heard one bugle and have only seen grouse. Does anybody know where the elk are in this area? I am not asking for "honey holes" just a good general starting point. Any help would be great since they do not no where to go. They called and asked me if I had any info about elk in the area. I told them I would try one of the best sources around(this site),don't' let me down guys . Any info would help out a lot. Thanks in advance!

[Buckblaster]

I grew up tracking elk in that unit. It is hunted hard. Just find a fresh track and follow it till an elk is standing in it.

[funkster]

Thanks,I will pass the info on.

[bucklucky]

I just got a dandy Roosie in last night from Ryderwood. I green scored him at 272. Nice 6x6. They put alot of miles on there legs and bicycles, he said about 6 miles on bike and another 6 walking. Dandy 6x6 . Glad I get to do the shoulder mount.

[funkster]

I just got a dandy Roosie in last night from Ryderwood. I green scored him at 272. Nice 6x6. They put alot of miles on there legs and bicycles, he said about 6 miles on bike and another 6 walking. Dandy 6x6 . Glad I get to do the shoulder mount.

Congrats on the bull!! Got any pics yet? Could you tell me what area you were in? Again,I am not asking for "honey holes" or exacts just a general starting point.  This crew is like family to me. They picked westside(1st year) but didn't get to do any scouting do to his sick mom down in California(he was down there for 4 months) she is doing a lot better now but he missed all of his pre season scouting, any help would be great.

[jackelope]

funk...he's the taxidermist that got the bull in his shop.

[swizzler]

This will be the first year in about 10 years that me and my hunting buds haven't been to the Ryderwood. We generally hunt the south end of the unit also, Mill crk., Abernathy, Slide crk. We have not had huge success, 3 small 5pts. in 10 or so yrs. We have archery, rifle and muzzle loaded. Never heard much bugling, too much pressure I'm sure. There are plenty of critters in the area, just need to find a good patch of timber, and by good I don't necessarily mean big. Also, alot of the jackfirs are big enough to hunt now, leaving less area for elk to lay up and hide. Good luck to your crew, maybe we'll see you there next year.

[funkster]

funk...he's the taxidermist that got the bull in his shop.

ha ha ha...thanks! I just get excited when I start talking elk

[280ackley]

Funkster I sent a PM.

[TONTO]

Swizzler nailed it when he said the Ryderwood gets alot of pressuse,but there are alot of animals if you can find em.Don't be affraid of the jack fir,the elk sure aren't.Welcome to the wet,brushy, hilly,nasty side of our lovely state.

[funkster]

Thanks to everybody that has helped out! The people on this site really make this a good online community. One more time, thanks.

[Buckblaster]

Swizzler, you're hunting my old stomping grounds. My dad grew up in that area and knows it like the back of his hand. I just followed my dad tracking them thru the brush and got alot of elk while standing in the tracks we followed them in. There are plenty of elk to be gotten if you work hard for them. Competition is big there.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Steep, steep, steep... Go find a draw hike to the bottom. They will be there. But you have to be willing to work.

[funkster]

Thanks for all the help. The last day of the season he got a shot off at a smaller 4x4 at 81 yards and he missed. He said it was a steep down hill shot.I told him before the season he should take my rangefinder with him.It has a  built in inclometer but he didn't think he needed it . Again,thanks for all the help.