Hunting washougal unit

[HunterofWA]

Hey everyone, so I have been looking around on several map sites, such as Gohunt, Google Earth, and Clark county GIS, and I noticed a lot of good cuts just outside of battle ground west of the river and I am wondering if anyone here has hunted that general area?

I am not looking for any "secret spots", it is mostly state owned so I am guessing there's probably a lot of hunters, but I am interested in hunting it for deer sometime in the future. Does anybody have some pointers they're willing to share? I know that this area is real big so scouting it would be a real pain but I am considering doing a 3-4 day scouting mission sometime this summer to get to know the area better and get an idea of where the deer are.

One more thing, this is kinda off topic but... I have searched the web and WDFW regarding camping on state land and pretty much all I could come up with was that anybody who camps outside of a designated campground must camp in such a way as to leave no trace. Somewhere I saw it say that I could camp with a fire as long as there isn't a burn ban and other places say you can't burn outside of a campground fire pit. I am a bit confused so If someone could help me out on this that would be greatly appreciated.

(Just to clarify what my plan is for scouting) I want to pitch a one person tent somewhere off the beaten path, use a small backpacking propane fire stove for cooking and just scout all throughout the days that I am there. I would possible make a fire only if it got chilly at night but my overall intentions would be to not do a fire. I geuss what I am asking is can you even camp on state land?

Well anyway, thanks for your imput

[tritt007]

I live about 10 minutes from the correctional facility.  I'm not exactly sure where you mean but I have a general idea . I've seen plenty of spikes and forky's in a lot of the clear-cuts along the roads around morning and dusk but there's usually a TON of road hunters and people parked and glassing from there pickups . Best advice I can give is get off the roads and maybe Hunt the areas up behind the cuts and anywhere you think road hunters can't see from the road . If you find a gated road nobody's at take advantage of it . I've been down almost every road down this area and there's generally a good number of clear-cut behind all the gates . So grab you binoculars and rifle and start walking . I like to glass the cuts as I go and generally spend dusk watching the furthest one in on the road that I can find . And as for the camping , cold Creek and rock Creek campground are right near the end of the l1000 road before it goes down dole Valley, get there early and set up a camp there unless you want to head further north and stay on national forest land .I don't believe you can camp in state land unless it's in a designated campsite like I mentioned above . Good luck and feel free to pm me if you have any more questions pertaining to certain areas !

[HunterofWA]

I live about 10 minutes from the correctional facility.  I'm not exactly sure where you mean but I have a general idea . I've seen plenty of spikes and forky's in a lot of the clear-cuts along the roads around morning and dusk but there's usually a TON of road hunters and people parked and glassing from there pickups . Best advice I can give is get off the roads and maybe Hunt the areas up behind the cuts and anywhere you think road hunters can't see from the road . If you find a gated road nobody's at take advantage of it . I've been down almost every road down this area and there's generally a good number of clear-cut behind all the gates . So grab you binoculars and rifle and start walking . I like to glass the cuts as I go and generally spend dusk watching the furthest one in on the road that I can find . And as for the camping , cold Creek and rock Creek campground are right near the end of the l1000 road before it goes down dole Valley, get there early and set up a camp there unless you want to head further north and stay on national forest land .I don't believe you can camp in state land unless it's in a designated campsite like I mentioned above . Good luck and feel free to pm me if you have any more questions pertaining to certain areas !

thanks a lot for the info, the area I am looking at is pretty close past a locked gate so there should be less hunters.

[pianoman9701]

I know a guy who shoots a 6-7 pt. bull every year above Washougal and Camas. They're up there for sure. I don't hunt the area so I can't be much help. However, contact the bio at the Region 5 WDFW office and get some inside scoop on it.

[HunterofWA]

I know a guy who shoots a 6-7 pt. bull every year above Washougal and Camas. They're up there for sure. I don't hunt the area so I can't be much help. However, contact the bio at the Region 5 WDFW office and get some inside scoop on it.

How would I contact Region 5 WDFW?

[pd]

I know a guy who shoots a 6-7 pt. bull every year above Washougal and Camas. They're up there for sure. I don't hunt the area so I can't be much help. However, contact the bio at the Region 5 WDFW office and get some inside scoop on it.

How would I contact Region 5 WDFW?

Ask for the big game biologist who overseas the Battle Ground area.  Good luck!

2108 Grand Boulevard
Vancouver, WA 98661

Office Hours: Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
excluding legal holidays

Telephone (360) 696-6211
Fax (360) 906-6776
TeamVancouver@dfw.wa.gov

[HunterofWA]

So I contacted the WDFW office and they said that camping is legal on DNR land as long as you don't camp in the same spot for more than a week, use the area in a respectable manner so as to "leave no trace", and don't use a campfire.

I thought I would just let you guys just in case some of you were wondering like I was.

[pianoman9701]

did you ask to speak with a bio? That's where some of the best info comes from.

[HunterofWA]

I did, just kinda asked for some pointers and such. We'll see what he has to say sometime in the next few days.

[fish vacuum]

I don't know that area. But with the way access is now on DNR land, a mountain bike is your best scouting tool.

[HunterofWA]

For that specific area it looks like the roads are closed so I am glad I have a good bike, but one thing I don't get is how people manage to get their deer out...

[JakeLand]

For that specific area it looks like the roads are closed so I am glad I have a good bike, but one thing I don't get is how people manage to get their deer out...

A good cart !

[Skyvalhunter]

And a nice flat road!!

[JakeLand]

And a nice flat road!!

You probably know where that pic is taken and the hill you gotta go up and down ! That part right there is the easiest part of that trip ! It's better to have a bike with  disc brakes 

[fish vacuum]

I bought a used child trailer for cheap. I haven't taken a deer out with it yet, but it's rated for 100lbs, which is enough for a pack full of boned out meat.
The one deer I've taken out on a bike was boned out, put into my pack, and the pack straps were strapped to the right side of the bike frame. Then I was able to walk/coast out on the left side of the bike.