Mission Unit northern finger and Hwy. 2 Elk

[Bighorse]

Thanks for your interest......

I've just moved here from Alaska and would like to arrow an Elk.  My next chance is durring the late Oct. and Early Nov. "perimeter" openings.  I say "perimeter" because it seems that durring this time period all the available units are just next to the range of most of the E. side herds.

So I'm looking at the northern most finger formation of the Mission unit that splits the Alpine unit and Chiwawa unit.  It runs to the south of Higway 2 for some time. 

Has anyone had experience hunting this "finger" for Elk in early Nov?

Do you think if I stick to the north side of hwy. 2 that I'd find any wandering Elk off of that "finger" unit?

Is there anyone willing to help an archer find an area durring that "perimeter" hunt?

I know alot of people have posted "no elk in Eniat" but this is a good distance away from that area and adjacent to a known elk unit.

I'm not after a trophy elk just a nice cow for some high quality game meat would be nice for my family of five.  Although its an any elk area and large bull would do too. 

Thanks for your time.

[jackelope]

check the harvest reports for that area.
i think you'll find the same results in your search for elk there as you would in the entiat.
they manage that area for mule deer and put those hunts out to get rid of any elk that may end up in there.

[Bighorse]

Thanks for sending me that direction.....

I looked over all the harvest reports for 05 and 06 and it seems that there is very little success to be had in those "perimeter" units.

The one shinning star is the Alpine unit.  The success rate is very high with very few hunters.

I hiked deep into it durring the early archery and all I found were backpackers. 

How are hunters successful in that big, roadless, unit?  Pack trains?

[jackelope]

The one shinning star is the Alpine unit.  The success rate is very high with very few hunters.

34 hunters killed 3 elk in '06.
probably because some, at least a few, elk actually live there. you could call the region 2 office and get hooked up with the biologist. it's a great source of info, but he'll tell you the same thing.
pretty much i think you'll find that there are no elk in the other units at all.

[Bighorse]

Ya, I called and talked with the Biologist and he was filling in for the regular Bio that quit.  So being that he mainly covers the Northern Omak area he didn't have intimate details about that finger Elk area off of the Mission Unit.

I'm still trying to figure the rational behind designating that finger of the Mission unit an "Elk Area".

If there is anybody in the Lake Wenatchee or Levenworth area I'd love to hear about what Elk have shown up in that area adjacent to Hwy 2 and the Wenatchee river.

Likely I won't even pursue it.  The Biologist said there were a few Damage permits issued in that area that haven't even been used.

There were a few Elk taken up north in the Pasten Wilderness last year and thats open.

Who knows?  Looks like the End of Oct Archery hunt is a crap shoot......

[jackelope]

check your pm's

[George]

Check your Regs. because I don't see where the Mission Unit GMU 251 offers an archery hunt in Oct.   The only huntable elk in the Oct. 27 to Nov. 15 is the Chiwawa Unit 245 near the mouth of the Chiwawa (Meadow Creek area) but even there the numbers are very low.  These areas are also open to all weapon types in an effort to keep the elk from moving north of the Wenatchee River.

A great archery elk hunt is available in September in the Alpine GMU 249.  Check the harvest rates and notice that nearly all are mature bulls called in during the rut.

[Bighorse]

Thanks George,

I checked the regs and I already understand that Mission unit is closed.  I was trying to find out if anyone is finding success hunting that south side of the Wenatchee river hoping that I could stay close to the north side and get lucky.

I did go into the Alpine unit durring the early season.  I backpacked in close to ten miles and spike camped over seven thousand feet and glassed for two days without any sighting or a single bugle.

I'm just trying to see if anybody has had any success durring that "control" hunt as its called.

[bucklucky]

I hunted the alpine unit 2 years in a row. If you want just one chance at a nice bull and dont care if you dont hear or see any elk for 12 days its a good place to hunt. There is no hunting pressure for a reason, there isnt that many elk in the unit. Both years I did get into a big bull. I called in a good 370 plus to 40 yards but didnt have a shot, head shots dont work with a bow. That was it for that season. The second year I got to within 120 yards of a nice 350 class 7x7. He was just too wise. I never did see any satelite bulls either. Where were you at in the alpine lakes unit? There are supposed to be some better spots that hold more elk. They usualy kill a couple 6 points every year. There is hunting pressure though.

[George]

The Alpine unit archery hunt is interesting because the elk are located in very predictable spots.  The really good spots have been found out and the bulls stop talking after they archery bugles start up.  Still there are some who know where and how to hunt and are successful.  10 to 12% success on mature bulls is not bad.

For the late, any elk, hunt I would look for tracks in the snow just north of Lake Wenatchee.  That band of elk wll winter around the lake (golf course) and the beaver valley but should still be in the lower Chiwawa on October 27th.

[Bighorse]

I headed up trail 1313 to the Lila lake area and headed off trail to get some elevation and seperate myself from the hikers. 

PM me if your willing to share some of the reliable Elk areas in that Unit durring the early season.

Thanks George for the information.  It could be that near the end of the month I would have some snow to work with. 

I may get back in the north end of Lake Wenatchee. 

Its a real crap shoot trying to Elk hunt in there.  Would you go look around if there is snow the first part of Nov. ?

[boneaddict]

Does needle in a haystack mean anything to you.  I know the biologist that just quit and he would tell you the same.  Very similiar over in the NE corner.  It helps to live there and spend alot of time out there.

[Palmer]

I've hunted the cascades on hwy 2 on the east and west and I've seen elk tracks once in my life.  I heard an cow call once and that may have been another hunter.  Very low - needle in a hay stack.