Congratulations Washington! # 5 Elk destination in the USA!

[snake]

Latest edition of North American Elk magazine ranks Washington state as the # 5 best elk hunting state in the USA.  It took into consideration things like opportunity to get a tag, public land, draw odds, trophy potential, etc.  I definitely did not expect Washington to make the list.  Also Idaho did NOT make the list at all. 

[buggy]

I would bet that the author is from Idaho.

[KFhunter]

Hard to argue otc tags for all.   

We have some serious quality elk here… *if* you could get a draw

The author definitely was just looking at paper and not real world

[WapitiTalk1]

Hmm, interesting. My knee jerk guess would be CO, MT, WY, ID, then OR.

[Jpmiller]

There's not a lot of states with unlimited otc opportunities, and if you're after Rosie's that list is even smaller. We're top three there for sure. In terms of getting out and hunting elk every single year we are almost it.

[Ghost Hunter]

That's why I'm sticking     :'(

[Stein]

A guy could also ask how a great elk hunting state can manage OTC tags when all the other states with more elk and less people have a draw?  The answer to that likely sheds some light on what the opportunity really is.  Everyone has their own definition.

[snake]

Author is from Montanta. His top 5 were:

1. Wyoming
2. Montana
3. Colorado
4. New Mexico
5. Washington

He made mention of Roosevelt elk, lots of timber company land to hunt on, OTC opportunities, and some record book animals coming out of Washington.

[grade-creek-rd]

Not sure who the author of that particular piece is...but the editor is from Washington...I am guessing elk hunting versus elk killing was taken into account on the list, but Idaho not making it is odd, very odd, especially with NM making the list, as it is a tough draw (probably harder than Idaho OTC & Draws combined) IMO.

[boneaddict]

Washington has some incredible elk.   Getting to hunt them on the other hand......   then there is AZ and Utah and yeah Idaho. LOL

[Pathfinder101]

Yup, I could probably come up with a specific set of criteria that would make any state that offers an elk tag make a "list". 
The truth is that we have OTC Tags and we have some serious trophy quality.

The truth is also that our true quality elk tags are more or less OIL and our harvest rate as dismal as it is... it could also make the list of "Top 5 Elk States to avoid"... (a distinction that I think Eastman's gave it - more or less_ earlier this year)

[dvolmer]

I would think that when you are rating the elk states in the west that a major factor would be overall success percentages.  Look at the amount of elk licenses sold and the amount of actual elk harvested.  Im sure Washington is in the toilet there folks!  Im not positive on the exact numbers but Im pretty sure that when it comes to OTC bull elk licenses, that our success rate is below 5%.   It would shock me if the blues has a spike success rate above 2-3% if not less.   If you have some great private land opportunities or if you are lucky enough to draw a special permit (and they have been slashed in numbers!!!) then you could say the quality of those hunts would and could be very high. but the general hunter in the blues, Yakima, and the Clockum areas trying to shoot a spike are dismal at best! I didn't read the article but I don't care to either.

[gaddy]

2 -3% ? Talked to a warden after season and asked if was up in the blues for elk season, asked how people did up there. He told me of all the people he met with, none had been successful, most hadn't even seen an elk, those that did said there were very few and no bulls. He didn't mention what gmu's he was in.

[ipkus]

The only top 5 elk list I could personally make that had Washington on it would be something like;

These are the Top 5 states where anyone from anywhere can buy a license and hunt elk for a week and very likely never see one

1.) Washington


See, we are the best!!!!!!

[hunter399]

The only top 5 elk list I could personally make that had Washington on it would be something like;

These are the Top 5 states where anyone from anywhere can buy a license and hunt elk for a week and very likely never see one

1.) Washington


See, we are the best!!!!!!

The best at selling opportunities.
Just the BEST!

[idaho guy]

The best top end bulls I have seen last few years have mostly been from Washington. Granted terrible odds to get one of those tags, but the best bulls I have seen are mostly from Washington topping az and all the other supposed trophy states. Maybe that played into the rankings? Other than that and easy to obtain otc tags I have no idea

[Pathfinder101]

2 -3% ? Talked to a warden after season and asked if was up in the blues for elk season, asked how people did up there. He told me of all the people he met with, none had been successful, most hadn't even seen an elk, those that did said there were very few and no bulls. He didn't mention what gmu's he was in.

As a general rule, elk in the Blues have been pushed onto private land by predators and hunting pressure.  No elk left on public ground when WDFW does counts, so they slash the tag #s, and the elk crowded onto private land grow older and bigger.  We have gotten to the point where we could almost just make the elk draw tags in this region only available to folks who already have some sort of "certified" permission on private ground.  Not sure how WDFW would ride that pony, but if they aren't allowed to control predators, it's about the only thing that makes sense...

[NW SURVEYOR]

Here's my take, now that you've asked:

I typically hunt Idaho for elk because that's where my hunting partners now live and hunt.
We know the area, are lucky on the draws and regularly shoot OTC bull elk, better that 75% success for a group of 5 over the years.
I have spent a considerable portion (35Year+) of my 50 year elk hunting career hunting western Washington with what I feel is better than average success.

If I had the entire 9-10 day season for OTC fair chase three point or better elk in western Washington State for 2023, I would expect the opportunity to pull the trigger on a legal bull at a reasonable distance.  I hunt the entire time, get off the road, scout, stay in top shape and work my a$$ off.  In my epinicion Washington has a lot more opportunities that most people think.  It is also my opinion that a lot of people let themselves believe that the opportunities are not there.  They are beat before they leave the rig, if they even get off the road.
Now, granted, I have made it a point to always take off the entire season and have my camps set up prior to opening and stay till the very end, but that's how it works.  Weekend hunting for elk is really not very effective with such a wide ranging animal.
Now, I mentioned that I would expect an "Opportunity" at an elk, but given the opportunity, things don't always work in the hunters favor, elk are tough to hunt and tougher to kill.  When I miss an "Opportunity", I don't give up, although I am painfully aware, that my "One chance a season" has slipped through my fingers, quitting is not an option.
Short story long, Washington has good opportunities to shoot elk, and MAY be in the top five.
This is especially true if you don't have the resources to spend buying out of state tags, scouting said out of state and travelling for two days well prior to the opener so you can get camp set up.
Good Luck this season.
Rob.

[Mr Mykiss]

Holy crap!!! This is the first year I’m not even buying a hunting license in WA. Didn’t hunt last year…why? To kill one of four 2.5 year old bucks within 50 miles? No thanks. What a joke.

[Stein]

It's the new paradigm, quantity over quality.  It isn't about the kill (or even seeing one), it's all about the opportunity the state is providing.  OTC, anyone can hunt elk every year here.

Honestly, I wonder what would happen if the pros started talking up WA?  I bet a significant portion of out of state people don't hunt WA because everyone says not to. 

Geography sucks for WA, you have to drive through a better elk state (or 2 or 3) to get to here from any state in the lower 48.

[GASoline71]

It's the new paradigm, quantity over quality.  It isn't about the kill (or even seeing one), it's all about the opportunity the state is providing.  OTC, anyone can hunt elk every year here.

Honestly, I wonder what would happen if the pros started talking up WA?  I bet a significant portion of out of state people don't hunt WA because everyone says not to. 

Geography sucks for WA, you have to drive through a better elk state (or 2 or 3) to get to here from any state in the lower 48.

That is exactly what hunters like Randy Newburg say when asked about hunting WA.  Why would I travel through some of the best elk hunting in the nation, to hunt in WA where draw odds are slim to none, and the OTC opportunities aren't as great as places like ID.

Gary