Washougal Unit Elk???

[flashover52]

I read the harvest reports for last year a couple months back. Apparently, folks are taking elk out of the Washougal Unit in Soutwest WA. I'm planning on spending the whole week out in the woods starting Wednesday due to some child care issues (wife works Mon/Tues). I live near that area and thought about doing some scouting via my truck so I can leave my son in the car seat.

I know, I know.....late to be scouting and I hate the road hunters as much as anyone. He's a bit too small to be out of his car seat so I don't even plan on bringing a rifle......so it truly would be a scouting mission.

I spent a little bit of time in Weyerhauser's tree farm in northern Skamania county (south of Swift) during deer season but I didn't see any sign of elk. I must have walked about 60 miles in there over the week and half of deer week.

Question is, where would one begin looking for elk in this unit?    Are they on private or public land? If it's private, is it other than the tree farm? 

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

Most of that unit is public... I would look in the eastern portions of that unit...

[flashover52]

Thanks. That's sort of what I was figuring. I know several folks that harvested elk out of the neighboring unit on the east during archery season but they obviously don't tell where they were.

Having moved out here from Massachusetts, I'm still learning my way around the area. It's been challenging trying to find some areas as I prefer hiking a few miles from the nearest road but I don't have time to hike 1-3 miles everytime I drive somewhere to scout. Too much land to try and figure out in a year......so I appreciate the tip to at least get me on the right side of the unit!!   

Any idea if that area will be as crowded during the week as the area between FR 25 and FR 93 up north of Muddy Creek? I had seven people show up on my Rhino GPS on Saturday......

[rackattack]

Try Rock Creek just north of Stevenson, WA.  Pretty much all state land once you get out of the town.  They have done some logging up there recently, and if memory serves me right the west side of the road is Washougal and the east side is the Wind river unit, which is also open for either sex elk right now.  There used to be some decent elk numbers up there.

[flashover52]

So one more follow up question......

Would you rather spend time kicking around the Washougal or Wind River units to try and fill your first elk tag, or head up toward the Packwood unit in an area where you've seen three small bulls and a small herd where you need to get a 3 pt or better?

Unfortunately, now my "very" pregnant wife (8.5 months) doesn't think it's a good idea for me to take off tomorrow for the rest of the week. If I stick close by, I can do day trips but a 2.5 hour drive is a bit far for each day north to Packwood.

I think I'm going to risk it and try to scout/hunt some areas closer by so I can be back for dinner with the family; unless someone tells me I'm nuts and need to go north.