Goose Prairie Quality Elk(archery) - first time elk hunter - advice please?

[JeffRaines]

I put in this year for Peaches and Goose Prairie feeling very confident(99.999% sure) that I was going to be in the not selected boat, due to my luck and low amount of points.

Well, I woke up and checked... to say I was caught off guard is an understatement.

With my last post, I'm sure you already know I had planned on hunting this area anyway. I figured I'd take some time, at least get my feet wet and learn what I could on my own for the most part. If I had to eat my tag it wouldn't be the end of the world, you know? With this quality tag, I really don't want to waste it. I don't expect to come out of the woods with something for the record books, but I'd really like to do the tag as much justice as a first year green elk hunter possibly could.

At this point I'm doing my part as far as shooting everyday, and I'm also working on my cardio and legs. I've been researching what good elk habitat is, and what to look for on Google Earth.

Would anyone be willing to share any advice at all? Starting points? General areas? Hell, I'll even accept your "good luck".

I know how sharing information with strangers can be, or worse sharing in a public forum where every tom dick and harry can come through and make of it what they will. If you want to share, just shoot me a PM.

Thanks.

[Mr Mykiss]

Go set up 5 trailcameras in different locations within the next month, then go check em in late July. Then go hike around in mid-August where you saw the most/bestest bull on camera.

[trapp01]

Pm sent

[JeffRaines]

Thanks for the responses so far. I'm planning on getting a few trail cameras up.

Also, I have some areas earmarked on google earth - if you're familiar with the area and just want to give a yes/no on areas I have I'd be game for that as well.

[dreamingbig]

Good luck!


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[JeffRaines]

Good luck!


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Thank you!

[pianoman9701]

I have no idea on the area but best of luck. 

[lord grizzly]

PM sent

[eliandsky]

I listen to all The J Scott outdoors podcasts and the rich outdoors on elk hunting.


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[elkfins]

When scouting, concentrate on north facing slopes with lots of cover  interspersed with open meadows and water.

[MuzzyHunter28]

Pay Chinook Pass Outfitters to pack you in either with your own gear or to their "supplied" camps. You won't regret it, getting up high above Blankenship meadows or Twin sisters area etc. Getting farther away from the "ground pounders" is your best bet.... Sept in that area is Hot. Without a team of Horses or Strong friends, getting your meat on ice before it spoils can be a challenge. 

Fun tag to have. (I've haven't had the bull tag yet, but I do hunt in their for general Archery) If you decide to not hire a packer and want to stay down low on the roads be prepared for different style of elk hunting. Down low is thick with lots of hunters. Sitting in the woods on game trails near water sources is the only we we've had success.

[JeffRaines]

Pay Chinook Pass Outfitters to pack you in either with your own gear or to their "supplied" camps. You won't regret it, getting up high above Blankenship meadows or Twin sisters area etc. Getting farther away from the "ground pounders" is your best bet.... Sept in that area is Hot. Without a team of Horses or Strong friends, getting your meat on ice before it spoils can be a challenge. 

Fun tag to have. (I've haven't had the bull tag yet, but I do hunt in their for general Archery) If you decide to not hire a packer and want to stay down low on the roads be prepared for different style of elk hunting. Down low is thick with lots of hunters. Sitting in the woods on game trails near water sources is the only we we've had success.

I've considered a pack in, but I'm just not sure I want to be attached to one area for the entire hunt. Maybe my mind will change once it gets closer, but I'd at least like to have a plan b or c that I could bail off to if plan a doesn't work.

[Stein]

Find a central area where you can day hunt several different options.  You can cover 2-5 miles in any direction from camp which means you could cover an area of 4x4 to 10x10 miles from a single well outfitted drop camp.  That's a bunch of country.

[ctwiggs1]

Pay Chinook Pass Outfitters to pack you in either with your own gear or to their "supplied" camps. You won't regret it, getting up high above Blankenship meadows or Twin sisters area etc. Getting farther away from the "ground pounders" is your best bet.... Sept in that area is Hot. Without a team of Horses or Strong friends, getting your meat on ice before it spoils can be a challenge. 

Fun tag to have. (I've haven't had the bull tag yet, but I do hunt in their for general Archery) If you decide to not hire a packer and want to stay down low on the roads be prepared for different style of elk hunting. Down low is thick with lots of hunters. Sitting in the woods on game trails near water sources is the only we we've had success.

I've considered a pack in, but I'm just not sure I want to be attached to one area for the entire hunt. Maybe my mind will change once it gets closer, but I'd at least like to have a plan b or c that I could bail off to if plan a doesn't work.

You will not be in a bad area in what's mentioned above. This is exactly what I would do if I had this tag

[ScottE]

I drew the goose prairie quality archery tag last year and at 53 years old I backpacked in to the Wilderness area 7 miles for 5 days then back out and relocated  then 5 mile back in killed a 5x5 bull on day 3 and packed it out,  with the help of my son.
      With good meat handling and a little common sense you shouldn't have any problem keeping meat fresh.
       I'm definitely no wilderness athlete, and it took 2 trips to get everything out but it was the most fun a person can have and well worth the effort.
         Also I was lucky enough to draw the same tag this year so guess where ill be this September. 

[ctwiggs1]

I drew the goose prairie quality archery tag last year and at 53 years old I backpacked in to the Wilderness area 7 miles for 5 days then back out and relocated  then 5 mile back in killed a 5x5 bull on day 3 and packed it out,  with the help of my son.
      With good meat handling and a little common sense you shouldn't have any problem keeping meat fresh.
       I'm definitely no wilderness athlete, and it took 2 trips to get everything out but it was the most fun a person can have and well worth the effort.
         Also I was lucky enough to draw the same tag this year so guess where ill be this September.

Wow that's pretty amazing luck!

[ScottE]

I know right, it took 12 years to draw the first one.

[White Pass Outfitters]

Congrats !!! Give us a call our Bulls average 320 !!!

[robertsjd]

Good tag to have tons and tons of potential. Id recommend hanging cameras in multiple locations but do NOT look for bulls at all. Locate the cows and keep tabs on the cows. Bulls will come to the cows late august / September. Scout some areas and look for previous season rut activity find cows find wallows . In my opinion don't put your success in someone else's hands. Do your home work and hunt hard man. Have a plan B and C and don't be afraid to pull out and change locations if things aren't going well. There will always be a Bull talking somewhere just gotta find him. Good luck man.

[bench beast]

I drew in 2011. Had pretty good luck. Pm me if you want information

[Gentrys]

I'm headed in to Bumping again tomorrow to check cameras.  I'll let you know what I find.  I've got a gen firearm any bull tag so I'll be scouting a lot between now and then.

[mburrows]

Check out corey jacobsons elk101 and elk hunting university..lots of good info in there.

North facing timbered slopes with water are good places for find elk in Sept too.

[snake]

keep off the computer as much as possible and get in the woods as much as possible.