Colockum Zoo

[DeerSkin]

 

Go to Wyoming or Montana.  Washington has turned into a joke for elk hunting unless your just looking for a camping trip in the fall.  It isn't that much more money either and worth absolutely every cent!!!  The average hunter hunting on public land in the Colockum and Yakima areas hunting for spike only probably has a success rate at about 1%-2%.  I think the total success rate is at or under 4%-5% but that includes all the private ground hunters also that have better odds.  It has done nothing but plummeted in the last 10 years for many reasons that can be argued for hours and hours. Predators, native hunting, poor management by WDFW, muzzle load seasons, loss of habitat, massive Washington state population compared to public hunting grounds, and the list can go on and on.  You might even find a west-side tree hugger that will blame it on Global Warming!  That's why Al Gore didn't fill his tag last year!!!  Its crazy to see a bunch of people arguing over crappy hunting spots on public property with a 1% chance of success!  If you really want an elk and higher odds of success, just get a big huge bumper for your truck and drive highway 240 that goes through the Hanford site every morning a half an hour before sunrise and your odds of hitting a nice animal and putting it in the freezer are much higher than the Clockum or Yakima general rifle spike bull hunts.  You all think I'm joking but the odds are just as good or better!  I know a guy that has a 6x6 this year that way and a 6x6 last year the same way!  Two big bulls in two years!  How many of you have filled your tag two years in a row in those crappy areas!!!!  Sorry, its just frustrating to see over the last 10 years.  Don't waste your money on the tag!  Take your fishing pole next year instead of a gun!  That's a sure way to see a spike!!!

[fishingnut71]

Its a slow crawl out in the last couple days.  It must be slow up there. Im glad theres not a rush out because im afraid to get my mail in the box when the rush is goin on.

[C-Money]

First time in a long time I did not go up...

[Rainier10]

Friday and Sunday were a zoo with the weather.  Registered 72.7 MPH gusts at my cabin on Sunday when I finally hooked up my wind meter.  Had to cut a ton of trees out of my driveway and roads over the weekend, they just kept blowing down.  My buddies kid had a cow tag and we just couldn't get it done.  Saw some elk too far for him to hike to and put some to bed Saturday night but the wind and rain was so bad on Sunday morning there were gone before sun up.

[jstone]

I’m sure there was lots of the old burned trees down up on top.

[dreadi]

I think I’m switching to archery for elk and possibly not hunting up there any more.
During the deer seasons, I only saw two legal bucks during archery and didn’t see any more until modern elk was nearly over. I also didn’t see any spikes during modern elk. If I’d had a cow or bull tag, I’d been.

Opening morning a heard of 200+ ran over a hill right in from me maybe 200yds away. Not one live spike in the herd. There was one but, someone else got to him first.

During modern deer there was a herd within a half mile of my camp bugling all night for so long and loud it would wake me up in the middle of the night.

After seeing such low returns on efforts made by so many people, I can’t keep thinking it will be different the next time. I don’t really care if it’s a spike, bull, or cow. I just want groceries.

[GameHunter1959]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

[Pinetar]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

 

[emac]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

😮😳😱

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Naches Sportsman]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

 

 .

If you would of posted last year about needing a partner I'm sure somebody would of tagged along.  Hell I probably would have if that was the case as I was laid off at that time last year.

[fremont]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

Had a friend pull the Chewuch quality deer tag and none of us could break free to help so he essentially did little more than road hunt (unsuccessfully).  Felt very, very depressed and sad for him........

[GameHunter1959]

Gamehunter1959:

Whatever happened to your big Dayton bull hunt you had a bunch of posts about last year? You left us hanging with the outcome.......

I was not able to get anyone to come hunt with me. I didn't hunt and essentially ate 21 Quality Elk points.

 

 .

If you would of posted last year about needing a partner I'm sure somebody would of tagged along.  Hell I probably would have if that was the case as I was laid off at that time last year.

I'm not on here posting much anymore, but last year I was on here everyday posting, asking for help, etc.

I had 7 different people lined up to help me out. 5 of them are regulars on HuntWa. It went from "l will help you out if you get drawn" to "Let me check my schedule, now that I know you were drawn." to "I will be in the area. If you get one down I camped on 1313 Mocking Bird Lane." "Come get me and I will help you pack it out."

I wish I could say I was un-prepared, didn't make an effort, etc. I was in the GMU scouting from June until it opened. I had maps, spoke with the Biologist, spoke with the Archery hunters after going from camp to camp, same with the Muzzy hunters.

I have NOBODY to hunt with this year either. Bought my elk permit, but never went this year. I probably won't attempt to elk hunt anymore.

[PlateauNDN]

Is there a specific reason as to why you don't try solo elk hunting?

[X-Force]

Is there a specific reason as to why you don't try solo elk hunting?

 

[carpsniperg2]

I'm guessing by his user name he is 60 and would have a hard time getting them out.