elk in vail tree farm

[logger]

Is there really that many to warrant the amount of people hunting up there, been doing some work in different parts of the farm and I haven't seen one or any tracks for that matter, but i'm not looking that hard either.

[andr3wxmma]

i saw 1 cow all year in there, if they're in there its not where i hunt.

[brew]

naw there aint no elk up there...people prob just driving around looking for a christmas tree.  save your time and money and stay well away from that area

[The100Road]

My guess is they are late season archery deer hunters?

[cem3434]

I seen more elk sign than deer sign in a couple of the areas of Vail I was hunting this year. With that being said, I wouldn't waste my time elk hunting in there because the elk were few and far between.

[SkookumHntr]

There are about 3 spots that they live in all the time, other then that its just *censored*house luck to find them.. I certainly wouldn't buy the pass to go up there hunting them.

[PolarBear]

I have been chasing the same herd since early muzzleloader.  It is really tough to keep up with them, especially solo up there.  This herd covers about a 4 mile area and once the pressure is on only travels at the very bottom of 3 intersecting, steep drainages.  There is less than a dozen in the herd.  There are elk in there but they get scattered and pushed so hard that it is damn near impossible to keep up with them unless you have a half dozen guys with you.

[Antlershed]

Only half a dozen guys? Shoot, in PeEll they hunt in groups of two dozen guys. 

I did see some huge elk trails in Vail while I was deer hunting, but didn’t spend any time chasing them around up there.

[gonehuntin68]

No elk in Vail.

[PolarBear]

There are about 3 spots that they live in all the time, other then that its just *censored*house luck to find them.. I certainly wouldn't buy the pass to go up there hunting them.

This is my last year buying a key..  Worst deer hunting and poaching that I have ever seen up there.
There is a nice herd with a monster bull above the blast pit at the upper end of the lake.  Unfortunately it is off limits to permit holders and they know that they are safe there. 

[brew]

There are about 3 spots that they live in all the time, other then that its just *censored*house luck to find them.. I certainly wouldn't buy the pass to go up there hunting them.

This is my last year buying a key..  Worst deer hunting and poaching that I have ever seen up there.
There is a nice herd with a monster bull above the blast pit at the upper end of the lake.  Unfortunately it is off limits to permit holders and they know that they are safe there. 

i'll second the poaching problem..i've got Fri, Sat and Sundays off...usually take a few hours off on Thursdays just to hunt closer spots to the gate on that nite...have seen 6-7 trucks heading up in from the access gate an hour after last light most nites.  talked with both weyco and wdfw and nobody seems to give a rip about it

[PolarBear]

Yep.  When you come out of a spot well after dark and go back to the same spot well before daylight the next morning only to find a fresh gut pile, something is rotten in Denmark.  I came across this at least 6 times this year.  I know of one guy that has killed 4-5 deer in there and left at least 2 to rot because he was too lazy to look for them.  Gave up in less than 30 minutes with basketball sized blood piles. Saw lots of non Weyco rigs coming out of the woods from clean past the new bypass on the 3000 an hour before daylight. Heard lots of shots in the pitch black.  You are right, the Weyco and the WDFW does not seem to care.   

[hunter399]

I live in eastern Washington , But will contest to seeing a lot of people out at nite,on this side of the state .I was coming down mountain at dusk durring bear season guys heading up with light bars on pretty sure they where hunting.Then durring deer season,i always look at what time I can start hunting in reg book.And will be at bottom of mountain so I can road hunt on my way to my spot,any I almost run into a truck around a blind corner. So there was a light dusting of snow and I could see everywhere they drove and could tell they where up there hours before me hunting and I was there at first light.

[Miles]

I live in eastern Washington.  Then durring deer season,i always look at what time I can start hunting in reg book.And will be at bottom of mountain so I can road hunt on my way to my spot,any I almost run into a truck around a blind corner. So there was a light dusting of snow and I could see everywhere they drove and could tell they where up there hours before me hunting and I was there at first light.

It’s not uncommon for hunters to ride the roads before shooting time when there’s snow on the ground.   Many hunters do this where I’m from and they are looking for fresh tracks.  If they find a good track, they park on it and start tracking at daylight.

I’ve also been headed up the mountain at 3:00 am while elk hunting several times.  I usually parked, then hiked in a couple miles in the dark and listened for bugles.  You hear a lot before the sun comes up.

[hunter399]

I live in eastern Washington.  Then durring deer season,i always look at what time I can start hunting in reg book.And will be at bottom of mountain so I can road hunt on my way to my spot,any I almost run into a truck around a blind corner. So there was a light dusting of snow and I could see everywhere they drove and could tell they where up there hours before me hunting and I was there at first light.

It’s not uncommon for hunters to ride the roads before shooting time when there’s snow on the ground.   Many hunters do this where I’m from and they are looking for fresh tracks.  If they find a good track, they park on it and start tracking at daylight.

I’ve also been headed up the mountain at 3:00 am while elk hunting several times.  I usually parked, then hiked in a couple miles in the dark and listened for bugles.  You hear a lot before the sun comes up.

Ya but do you drive down the mountain on your way home at Sun up from a long nite of hunting ,from what I seen ,they may even had deer in the back but could not be sure,cause of how fast they where going.

I'm not sure of the legality of driving around in the dark, looking for tracks,and parking on them,but I do it at first hunting light,and have done it at first light many times , not sure you would have to do it hours before light to be successful at it.