Elk Hunting in Ferry, Stevens, or Pend Oreille Counties

[AJ Howard]

I am moving to Kettle Falls, WA in the summer and am looking for new hunting areas. Got some deer spots lined out from previous years hunting here but I have heard that elk are in the area.. I know people are particular about their spots. But hoping someone may guide me in a direction to go to find them??

[KFhunter]

ya there's a few scattered around but it's a tough hunt, probably some of the toughest elk hunting in the state unless you know someone with a hay field full of elk.  It's small herds that don't talk much and got wolves chasing them around.  Hit the colville national forest and walk past locked gates look for tracks and hang cameras in cedar draws.  They change areas frequently blowing out of a drainage when wolves move in or seasonal changes like early rut and *poof* back to square 1

On the PO they've been hit even harder by wolves, hunted there year before last and found a lot of bone piles in my old elk areas.  Deer have been smacked hard.  Still some elk around if you can get access to lower areas where wolves don't come down as much.

Ferry and Stevens CO's are following PO counties now with wolves, I'm seeing them in new areas all the time now where I hadn't before.

[boneaddict]

Pretty much the biggest kept secret.  Goodluck

[KFhunter]

Pretty much the biggest kept secret.  Goodluck

    even neighbors don't share that secret   

[Ridgeratt]

Pretty much the biggest kept secret.  Goodluck

    even neighbors don't share that secret   

I'd venture to guess that it's not even shared with family in some cases. 

[CaNINE]

Spend a lot of time hunting deer and spring turkey and you may start finding elk sign. That's how we found them.

[AJ Howard]

Hey I appreciate all the responses and I totally get it. Heard they are a big secret around here and have known some people to shoot some big bulls around here. So I am guessing no one is willing to shoot an idea of northern, eastern, southern, central, or western. Etc?

Also, heard there are mule deer in Stevens too?

[Buckblaster]

Stevens has muleys on the peaks, but its mostly thick brush in that county and hard to hunt them.  As far as elk goes, there are small bands scattered in every direction from KF, when you put your time in, you'll find them. 

[niersfan80]

Stevens county has some of the most underrated mule deer hunting in the state IMO. As far as elk KFhunter hit in on the nose I think. It’s gonna be steep and thick too. Eastern Washington elk hunting is not on the map for a reason. Haha. Small herds and constantly on the move. We look for old clear cuts that are miles deep behind closed gates. Hard to find but they exist. Not sure if you archery hunt, but it’s hard to find a bull that will rip one off in September. Not sure if it’s the wolves or just lack of total elk, probably both. But they just don’t talk much here. What paid off for us was hiking where others wouldn’t. Even then we couldn’t get shots off on a couple bulls and cows inside of 40 because the thick brush. Lots of beautiful country but sure is tough to hunt. My experiences are the same as others after talking to other guys who have killed elk up in that corner of the state, they all say it means nothing for next year. The elk are always changing and moving. I am sure there are guys who disagree with that tho. Just our experiences. Good luck!


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[KFhunter]

Stevens county has some of the most underrated mule deer hunting in the state IMO. As far as elk KFhunter hit in on the nose I think. It’s gonna be steep and thick too. Eastern Washington elk hunting is not on the map for a reason. Haha. Small herds and constantly on the move. We look for old clear cuts that are miles deep behind closed gates. Hard to find but they exist. Not sure if you archery hunt, but it’s hard to find a bull that will rip one off in September. Not sure if it’s the wolves or just lack of total elk, probably both. But they just don’t talk much here. What paid off for us was hiking where others wouldn’t. Even then we couldn’t get shots off on a couple bulls and cows inside of 40 because the thick brush. Lots of beautiful country but sure is tough to hunt. My experiences are the same as others after talking to other guys who have killed elk up in that corner of the state, they all say it means nothing for next year. The elk are always changing and moving. I am sure there are guys who disagree with that tho. Just our experiences. Good luck!


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If you can hunt Elk in NE/WA you can hunt them anywhere 

[Ridgeratt]

If you can hunt Elk in NE/WA you can hunt them anywhere 

Shouldn't that read: If you can find Elk in NE/WA you can hunt them anywhere

[KFhunter]

Prolly so, finding them is easier than hunting them 

[kevinlisa06]

Have seen 5 total Elk in Stevens county during the Spring while Turkey hunting. All were on private land on the East side of hiway 395. Elk are in there that’s for sure just have to find them. A land owner we know over there gave permission to a kid a few years and he shot a 6x6 in the Alfalfa field


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[hawgwild]

My buddy and I sent 40 or so head running when I buzzed them a 50' in his Cessna 170 earlier this month in Stevens county.  They definitely are there.

[CAMPMEAT]

I know where they are usually at, but living there for almost 17 years and finding out after 5 years from friends, my lips are sealed.