Winston unit

[Recon]

Hey everyone new to the board here. I was considering purchasing a Weyerhaeuser permit even though I hat the thought. The permit cover the Winston unit. I notice there are still permits available is there a reason for this I figured they would be all sold out by now. I've hunted the Winston unit a long time ago and it was a zoo. I'm wondering since a good chunk you have to pay to access now, are there less people on the tree farm. Could I actually hunt it without stepping on other people. Do people just refuse to pay to hunt there and have taken up other units? Thanks for any advice I can't afford to blow 300$.

[bobcat]

I think the St Helens permit just doesn't sell out like the others because of the much higher number of permits offered. Also, elk numbers are down due partly to hoof disease, which is pretty bad in the St. Helens area.

I haven't hunted Winston, or any of the St. Helens GMU's since it went to access by permit only, but I do feel it would be worth the money if you have no other areas to hunt that you're already familiar with.

It's $300 but it gives you a full year of access behind locked gates to nearly 400,000 acres, and it allows you to camp behind the gates, so you don't need to drive very far each day. It's a much larger area than any of the other permit areas.

I feel it's a pretty good option and if it weren't for the hoof rot it would probably sell out much faster.

[Crunchy]

I have hunted the Winston unit.  My guess is that it will be a zoo during any rifle season.  If there are gates that remain locked during the season,  then that is where I would go.  Otherwise maybe only hunt it muzzy or archery to keep the crowds down.  Nothing worse during rifle season than to be on a good cut glassing, and a truck stopping by every 5 minutes to glass the same cut.

[Recon]

Thanks for the info. I am hunting archery. I haven't been hunting in wa that long I used to hunt vail most years but since they started charging you pretty much have to be sitting with your finger on the button the moment the permits go on sale. Because of deployments this will be my first opportunity to hunt early season archery. I was looking at the Winston unit cause I thought man there are a lot of permits left so maybe less pressure. I didn't realize that they off more permits there though. Maybe I'll look into other areas. Thanks for the thoughts guys.

[bigsads]

There are still good bulls in Winston,  but not the numbers of the past.  If archery you should be fine,  a lot of folks have moved on.   I would focus more the the far end of the 1100 and winters

[Recon]

There are still good bulls in Winston,  but not the numbers of the past.  If archery you should be fine,  a lot of folks have moved on.   I would focus more the the far end of the 1100 and winters

Thanks for the advice. So worth the 300 for a permit you think? I hate that you have to buy permits to get on property now. I guess its either that or hit the national forest.

[bigsads]

I will be up there for rifle,  honestly I would focus more on areas in or near Margaret

[Screaminreelz]

Not a whole lot of timber left back on the 1100 or Winters... Them elk are hiding in tunnels! lol

[Eli346]

You can get firewood on your permit also. I've bought it the last couple of years. The permits and the gates keep the riffraff out for the most part. Read the rules and don't lose a key. Non-replaceable.

[ASienkiewich]

Did you end up purchasing?


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