After noticing the opener was on the 7th only last week I decided I was going to go for the one entire day I would be able to hunt. First season with a bow and first time I have attempted a elk hunt. I got off work at 1:30am Saturday morning, slept for two hours and left Everett to hit the west side of lake Kachess. I got to a pull out and stopped and as I was taking care of business I noticed some tracks going up the side of the hill. got all my stuff and hiked roughly 4 miles up. It was a mix of roads that vehicles wouldn't make it up and animal trails to falling nothing above the trees in the open ridges. After seeing loads of Mule deer and not a single elk sign past the ones by the truck. I made the trip back down to the pickup. I jumped in the bed to nap for a bit and woke up not 20 minutes later to guns going off very close. I stood up and tree stump not 15 feet away exploded. I turned and looked down the hill to see a pit maybe 100 yards below me with 2 guys. screamed at them and they took off. I know for sure they could see my truck.
Hope everyone else had a better opener.
Being said I got questions for the area. one is are the elk up high or low? My stepbrother has been working in Suncadia and see's them every few days. All the sign I had seen was down low. The harvest rate seems to be low but being able to shoot a cow this year I figured I would at least see them on the ridges up high or in the fields down low. I also drove to lake cle elum and quickly left as it was a zoo. On another note I know little to none about elk so I don't know what im looking for. some general all around tips for next week if I can make it or the late hunt would be appreciated.
