Elk License vs tag AND where am I allowed to hunt?

[BubbaJones]

If you couldn't tell by the title... Yes I am a newbie bow hunter. Never been but I want to do it and make it a part of my life. As someone who didn't grow up with hunting I don't know the rules and regs like I'm sure most of you do. Looking online at the WDFW website and reading all of their literature, I'm still not sure what the exact rules are.

Can I just purchase my Elk license (after taking the appropriate safety course) and then hunt on any public land when the general season rolls around? Or do I have to purchase additional "tags" on top of my license? If so, do I need to buy a tag for a specific GMU? Sorry for all of the BASIC newbie questions, but I of course want to make sure I know the rules and regs so I can hunt responsibly.

PS I've been looking around on this forum all over and it's still not quite clear to me. THANK YOU!

[jeffro]

You need a hunting license.
Then a weapon specific for deer and or elk tag
Elk must be chosen between west side or East side
Then you can apply for special, gmu specific hunts on top of that

[bobcat]

You buy an elk license, and with that you also get your elk tag. It's $50 and that's all you need. You will have to select either east or west and if you want to hunt modern firearm, archery, or muzzleloader.

[Bob33]

Get a copy of the current big game regulations. Paper copies are in stores or view online:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/02063/wdfw02063.pdf

If you are archery hunting check page 49. It will show you the what/when/wheres you can hunt with a license and tag. These are general seasons available to anyone with a license and appropriate tag.

[cb1989]

https://geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov/huntregs/

[Bango skank]

Do what ya want, but if youre totally new to hunting, it may be a good idea to cut your teeth hunting deer or bear before jumping into elk.  More opportunity, better chance of success, and much easier to deal with a 200lb carcass than a 700lb carcass.  Just a suggestion, take it or leave it.

Also, might not be a bad idea to get a couple kills under your belt with a rifle before going archery.  Might save you several years of frustration and tag soup, which could get real discouraging.  A rifle bear hunt would be a good way to get into hunting imo.  Bear season is not the zoo that modern deer and elk can be in a lot of areas.  Plus, any bear is a legal bear in all bear units.  So less confusion navigating the regs.  And the meat is fantastic.  I had bear steaks for breakfast this morning.  Ill take a bear steak over deer, elk or cougar.

[BubbaJones]

Thanks!

Yeah I thought about going for deer first to get a taste of the hunt. But I really am attracted to the extreme challenge of elk! I am not expecting to arrow and elk on the first hunt, let alone even see any! But I want elk. Might as well go for it! I appreciate the feedback.

[Bango skank]

Good luck to ya.  I hope to see you post a pic of a dead elk with an arrow hole in it next year and make me eat my words.

[BubbaJones]

Get a copy of the current big game regulations. Paper copies are in stores or view online:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/02063/wdfw02063.pdf

If you are archery hunting check page 49. It will show you the what/when/wheres you can hunt with a license and tag. These are general seasons available to anyone with a license and appropriate tag.

So during this week I can only hunt a bull elk in these specific GMU's? That's how I read it as an unexperienced newbie hunter.

[Russ McDonald]

If you haven't taken your hhnters education course Inwould do that some of your questions will be answered there.  Whe it comes tonelk hunting you have to be specific to what you want to do, where you want to hunt because each gmu is different none are really the same.  Example GMU 460 early season archery elk is 3 point or better elk.  Bordering GMU 454 is any elk.  Both have public land to hunt on.  Another example GMU 335 is a true spike only unit for elk and GMU 336 which borders 335 is a spike only unit.  That is just over the counter tags.  Now if you get into special hunt tags then your getting into a whole nother set of regulations for GMU's.  Don't get discouraged either.  I have gone 9 seasons without  getting an elk yet for archery season.  I still buy a tag every year though.

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[nwwanderer]

You may let the air out of one the first hour of your first day or more likely, you will spend decades with a boat load of stories and not much else, good luck and be careful out there

[dilleytech]

Thanks!

Yeah I thought about going for deer first to get a taste of the hunt. But I really am attracted to the extreme challenge of elk! I am not expecting to arrow and elk on the first hunt, let alone even see any! But I want elk. Might as well go for it! I appreciate the feedback.

Elk are big dumb forest cows. Much easier to hunt then deer. Specially with archery. But please do your best to kill a bear if you can.

[bkaech]

Taking your hunter education class will likely help answer some of these basic questions. Part of the class is looking at hunting regs.

Also...yes you can hunt on most “public land” that is in the open gmu you are hunting. Basically, national forest and blm land is open to hunt, you may need a NW forest pass to park at some trail heads. State land is generally open to hunt, you’ll need a discover pass to drive or park on state forest/DNR land. And timber company lands are a mixed bag of access, increasingly more timberlands require fees to access, some are free to non-moterized access, and fewer and fewer allow motorized access these days.

[Fidelk]

1. With respect to State land (mentioned just above), you will need either a Discover Pass ($30/year) or a Vehicle Access Pass (one will be issued with your purchase of a hunting or fishing license).

2. You should immediately obtain a copy of the current hunting regulations booklet, since they are still available in outdoor stores (also Walmart).

3. Be aware that the regs booklet isn't the final word.....once you decide on the hunt that you want to do, check the F&W website for changes/corrections to what was printed in the regs booklet. This is a hunter's responsibility.

4. When you get your hunting license and elk transport tag, buy a "special permit" for both Bull Elk and Antlerless Elk. Also, consider buying a special permit for Quality Elk (costs twice as much as Bull or Antlerless). Buying special permits allow you to apply to draw branched bull and cow tags during that season, otherwise, if you're hunting in Eastern WA, you can only hunt spike bulls. You build points with yearly special permit purchase which should get you drawn for some special tags in the future.

5. Think about finding a group (or create one with friends and family) to elk hunt with. Elk hunting can be a bit of an expedition......need equipment for cold weather camping and lots of muscle to drag those large beasts out of the woods.

[Parasite]

I'll be taking a week off to elk hunt next September, hunting the west side. I'm new to elk and Washington, but not new to hunting. You can join me possibly if you want for a few days.