Ph.D. For OTC public land archery elk!?

[Kokanee]

Have hunted CO for the past 8 seasons, but this year I may be staying home and am absolutely confused at the state's regs. (Only lived in WA 2 years) Ok, Eastern vs. Western is easy enough, but the GMU location, county, and public land maps are frustratingly inconsistent to say the least...  Then we have the feel free to hunt, schedule to hunt, and permission to hunt situation...  Weyerhaeuser permits, base permits, parking pass requirements, and a ton of other restricted stuff that makes this state less likely to ever be successful in taking an elk.  What does a guy have to do to have even a slight chance at a hunting season without getting incarcerated for trespassing, or illegally hunting?  Many of the GMU's listed show playgrounds and schools as locations within the GMU!?  Maybe it's just me, but how does one know the area that is public and legal to hunt?  This sounds like a rant, but it's really just a cry for sanity.  Looked up Rock Creek from RMEF...  took an hour to get a checkerboard map of the area, but still have no idea what county it truly is in, how to get into the area, or what is hunt able.  Considering getting Onyx maps to see public etc, but is the whole state this locked down?  Surely I can't be the only one with this problem right?

[Kokanee]

Picked up Onyx maps.  Much simpler to decipher than other means.  Don't feel quite so confused about location, entry and boundaries.  Much simpler platform than Garmin Hunt View.  Have two likely areas that I will hone in on now.

[lord grizzly]

Just go into the national forest and hunt. Pretty simple

[bobcat]

Just go into the national forest and hunt. Pretty simple

True. Just pick up some National Forest maps- Wenatchee National Forest, Olympic National Forest, Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Those three could definitely keep a hunter busy for a lifetime. No worries regarding trespassing or access fees, etc.

[MADMAX]

follow the crowd........................

[Kokanee]

   LOL!

[Kokanee]

So now that I have the green horn entry level understanding of what will be less likely to get me incarcerated, what is the difference between an "elk area" within a GMU and just the plain GMU outside of the Quality Elk Hunts?  Some of the elk units are excluded in the general archery seasons, while others are not.  Does this mean those elk areas not indicated as excluded, can be hunted during the general archery season, before the quality elk hunt opens for those that received tags?  Seems like a redundant question, but curious.

[Henrydog]

Yup welcome to hunting in Wa.  Even worse, is trying to understand the fishing regs.  You don't need a PhD, you need a JD.

[lord grizzly]

Just open your archery regs page and look at the GMU's that are open. If it's  an open/OTC unit you can hunt . A few of them may have some restrictions but generally it's pretty easy to follow.