Bethel muzzy spike. Wheres the elk?

[Nwgunner]

My buddy and I spent 6 days and nights camping in the Bethel unit.  We did very little road hunting but hiked in and out of areas that we placed cams into this summer.  We saw a total of 3 elk the whole time.  That being said I had a cow followed by a 6 point bull within 25 feet but as is typical for me I am spike hunting.  We did not hear a single bugle all week, is this normal?  We attributed it to the fact that once the hunters moved in the elk moved out and until weather moved in this unit is no good.  Any thoughts?  We had fun but just no elk around. 
And yes I read gasman's hunt and he found elk.
And yes I can see it already... get away from the roads to find elk.  Kinda hard in the bethel, roads everywhere.

[Naches Sportsman]

Saw 3 dozen elk today that were visible from the highways.

[firepin]

Small group this morning with a spike.

[Limhangerslayer]

This was the first year in 11 years I didn't pull the trigger. That being said they were there, just didn't find them.  Of course Saturday taking the daughter rifle deer hunting we saw 4 different spikes.  This was in the Cowiche unit

[huntandjeep]

I was up there this weekend saw 3 bulls Saturday and 4 on Sunday  . Not one spike though.

[hunterofelk]

I camped near Timberwolf from Friday to Friday.  Saw five elk total. Lots of sign indicating they were active at night and on the timbered ridges I found tracks in the mud.  Seems they were using the cover very well. Once the weekend was over the traffic on the roads died down, but it didn't make the elk less cautious.  Typical general season elk hunt in Washington state. Camping with guns.

[r67968]

We struggled in that unit as well. Didn't not see much fresh sign in the areas that have traditionally brought success.
I chalked it up to just a few local animals and not having any migrant elk move in yet.
It was plenty discouraging.

[Karl Blanchard]

Bethel is an interesting unit.  Elk are fairly evenly distributed throughout the unit and due to high road density and heavy recreation they are very adapted to human presence in the area.  I was in there for 9 days of archery and 2 days of muzzleloader. Multiple bulls a day and I never worked a bull that I didnt locate from a road.  Going steep and deep isn't always your best option, especially in a unit where steep and deep is literally impossible to achieve.  Spike hunting is a tough thing and even the best among us dont always scrounge one up.

I've found very good success on spikes working lost cow sounds through bedding areas with the wind in my face.  They almost always come in silent and even had one in 2014 who mewed a dozen times on his way in.  Thought I was gonna shoot a cow but man was I surprised when a spike popped into the open coming up the ridge mewing

[jwd7777]

Wish you guys had better luck. Hopeing things pick up. I have a modern Bethel any bull tag that starts on Monday. We have seen some nice bulls on our cameras, but have not checked them in a few weeks. Looking forward to a few weeks in the woods. Good luck to everyone for the rest of the season.

[yakimanoob]

Bethel is an interesting unit.  Elk are fairly evenly distributed throughout the unit and due to high road density and heavy recreation they are very adapted to human presence in the area.  I was in there for 9 days of archery and 2 days of muzzleloader. Multiple bulls a day and I never worked a bull that I didnt locate from a road.  Going steep and deep isn't always your best option, especially in a unit where steep and deep is literally impossible to achieve.  Spike hunting is a tough thing and even the best among us dont always scrounge one up.

Bethel will drive you mad.  There are plenty of elk there, but with so many other hunters and vehicles moving around, finding the elk at any given moment is a lot like playing roulette.  Keep at it and good luck!  (and pray for snow  )

[MAVsled]

been hunting Bethel every year since 1966.
weren't too many roads back then. Just the main ones and you needed 4wd.
And season opened in early November. Not the late October of today and years after 1985.

but even then, for rifle season we PRAYED for snow back in the high country of the wilderness.
always have been some "local" elk in there. But the snow happens, catch that 2-3 day migration and the area is elk city.