Klickitat Area Elk?

[GlockGuy56]

This will be my first time attempting to bag an elk. All I have is a general elk permit and the thought of getting a spike bull seems like a needle in a hay stack in my local GMU's. There are also large amounts of pumpkin suites that are scattered all over as well..

My question is if the Klickitat area would be worth venturing down into. I have never spent much time in the area so I don't know much about the elk activity. 

[7mmfan]

You're drawn to the any elk option in Grayback 388?

There's a reason that it's any elk, there are VERY few of them. Part of the issue is that most of these elk summer in the Reservation, and winter down in the Klickitat area. So unless you have a lot of weather, there will be very few around. The number of local elk is almost non existent.

I actually spent an entire season hunting them once, and I found some sign here and there, but never laid eyes on an elk. They are there, and you might get lucky, but I wouldn't go there expecting to find one.

Maybe if you scouted really hard for a few years and spent a lot of time in there you might be able to find some consistency.

Finding a spike seems like a needle in a haystack, and in some ways it is. This year in particular may be tough because of calf loss last winter. Since it is your first year, I would go into this looking at it as a learning experience, and less about the harvest. The average elk hunter hunts something like 7 years before they harvest an elk, and that's in states without the restrictions we have.

My suggestion would be to pick an area with good harvest statistics, and go hunt there. Learn the area, the roads, the terrain, where people are and where they aren't. Find an area in there that appeals you either because of the terrain features, accessibility, or whatever, and learn it.

Find a steep, dark, thick hillside that is hard to access for the general public, and live in that during the general season. Those elk will find their ways to those spots.

[GlockGuy56]

You're drawn to the any elk option in Grayback 388?

There's a reason that it's any elk, there are VERY few of them. Part of the issue is that most of these elk summer in the Reservation, and winter down in the Klickitat area. So unless you have a lot of weather, there will be very few around. The number of local elk is almost non existent.

I actually spent an entire season hunting them once, and I found some sign here and there, but never laid eyes on an elk. They are there, and you might get lucky, but I wouldn't go there expecting to find one.

Maybe if you scouted really hard for a few years and spent a lot of time in there you might be able to find some consistency.

Finding a spike seems like a needle in a haystack, and in some ways it is. This year in particular may be tough because of calf loss last winter. Since it is your first year, I would go into this looking at it as a learning experience, and less about the harvest. The average elk hunter hunts something like 7 years before they harvest an elk, and that's in states without the restrictions we have.

My suggestion would be to pick an area with good harvest statistics, and go hunt there. Learn the area, the roads, the terrain, where people are and where they aren't. Find an area in there that appeals you either because of the terrain features, accessibility, or whatever, and learn it.

Find a steep, dark, thick hillside that is hard to access for the general public, and live in that during the general season. Those elk will find their ways to those spots.

Awesome, thanks for the information. I am eager to get out and explore. With all of the different areas to hunt its difficult to choose where to go without ever doing any big game hunting.

[7mmfan]

Check this out. It will become pretty apparent where the most animals are harvested. It will also help you focus on where to apply for permits in the future.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/harvest/2016/reports/elk_gmu_all.php