Elk Herd Numbers for 2023 Season

[Macs B]

Am I the only one seeing this?  I hunt all over but South West and West WA Elk numbers seem to be in great shape this summer.  My estimation is that Elk numbers are up, and up a good percentage from the last few years. 

My scouting trips and cameras are catching Elk more often, and in larger numbers than I've seen in the past fifteen years.  Herds seem to have more 1-3 year olds than in the past, and the general number of cows and calves seem up as well.  We don't have the fires and the drought that we've had in previous summers so that might be part of the reason they are hanging in larger herds.  The real surprise for me was seeing a legitimate bachelor herd.  Haven't really seen one on this side for years. 

[Turkeyman]

Are you seeing any hoof rot?

[duckmen1]

This last year I have seen a lot of hoof rot spreading into areas that I never did see in the past along with some of the ol original areas. Definetely sad to see. But overall I wouldn't say elk numbers are up in any areas I have been to. Seeing a few yes. But nothing to get to excited about.  Groups have been 3 or 4 elk. No big herds on public lands.

[Janitor123]

This is interesting to me and good to know. This will be my first year hunting elk (3rd year hunting overall). I placed a cam on a spot I was deer hunting last year and got bugled at. This is southwest WA. May - July i'm consistently seeing the same herd of 12 roll in, with two bulls. One 4X and one 3X. Among the twelve are 3 new calves.

At least two of them half hoof rot (presumably) as they were limping in video.

[Stevebrown]

I disagree with elk numbers being in good shape. The game department is allowing too many cow elk to be harvested. A cow can have 4-6 calf's, think about it.. taking one cow cost us 4-6. Guys think 8-10 head is a good group of elk, I disagree. I've been hunting south west Washington for 25 years herds were 30-40 head, now 8-10. Something has got to give. It's not just hood rot.

[jrebel]

The two gmus I hunt had more elk than I have ever seen.  Bigger herd and plenty of cows calf and bulls.  I’m hopeful. 

[Buzzsaw461]

I disagree with elk numbers being in good shape. The game department is allowing too many cow elk to be harvested. A cow can have 4-6 calf's, think about it.. taking one cow cost us 4-6. Guys think 8-10 head is a good group of elk, I disagree. I've been hunting south west Washington for 25 years herds were 30-40 head, now 8-10. Something has got to give. It's not just hood rot.

I agree, I was drawn for the quality 516 Packwood unit and hunted the full 5 days. Saw only one decent Bull a 5 point that I couldn’t get a shot at and the last day had a 1x2 stand and look at me from 20 yards away but decided not to take him since I was still trying to locate that bigger Bull. In total I saw 4 elk. Hunted Low to high and put on the miles both driving and hiking. Didn’t hear a single Bugle. I’ve hunted the areas around Packwood for 45 years and always would see elk just east of town crossing over from the river but nothing in 5 days.

[time2hunt]

I disagree with elk numbers being in good shape. The game department is allowing too many cow elk to be harvested. A cow can have 4-6 calf's, think about it.. taking one cow cost us 4-6. Guys think 8-10 head is a good group of elk, I disagree. I've been hunting south west Washington for 25 years herds were 30-40 head, now 8-10. Something has got to give. It's not just hood rot.

I agree, I was drawn for the quality 516 Packwood unit and hunted the full 5 days. Saw only one decent Bull a 5 point that I couldn’t get a shot at and the last day had a 1x2 stand and look at me from 20 yards away but decided not to take him since I was still trying to locate that bigger Bull. In total I saw 4 elk. Hunted Low to high and put on the miles both driving and hiking. Didn’t hear a single Bugle. I’ve hunted the areas around Packwood for 45 years and always would see elk just east of town crossing over from the river but nothing in 5 days.

Are they gone or just stacked up in private? Went thru there a while back towing a big gooseneck trailer and it was like playing frogger the video game at night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Buzzsaw461]

I disagree with elk numbers being in good shape. The game department is allowing too many cow elk to be harvested. A cow can have 4-6 calf's, think about it.. taking one cow cost us 4-6. Guys think 8-10 head is a good group of elk, I disagree. I've been hunting south west Washington for 25 years herds were 30-40 head, now 8-10. Something has got to give. It's not just hood rot.

I agree, I was drawn for the quality 516 Packwood unit and hunted the full 5 days. Saw only one decent Bull a 5 point that I couldn’t get a shot at and the last day had a 1x2 stand and look at me from 20 yards away but decided not to take him since I was still trying to locate that bigger Bull. In total I saw 4 elk. Hunted Low to high and put on the miles both driving and hiking. Didn’t hear a single Bugle. I’ve hunted the areas around Packwood for 45 years and always would see elk just east of town crossing over from the river but nothing in 5 days.

Are they gone or just stacked up in private? Went thru there a while back towing a big gooseneck trailer and it was like playing frogger the video game at night.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha for sure. Saw a ton down around town just didn’t find them in the places I normally find them. The herd does move around a lot so maybe my timing just wasn’t right

[Turdle]

Saw at least 150 elk between Packwood and Randle yesterday afternoon 3 pm ish. 3 big groups and several smaller groups. May have been 4 legal bulls. All on private right along the highway. Alot of pickups hitting the shoulder to look and drool.

[Buzzsaw461]

Saw at least 150 elk between Packwood and Randle yesterday afternoon 3 pm ish. 3 big groups and several smaller groups. May have been 4 legal bulls. All on private right along the highway. Alot of pickups hitting the shoulder to look and drool.

Yep that’s a popular place. We use to have a Cabin down at the end of stover rd between randle and packwood until the cowlitz river decided it wanted it more. We took a few elk out of there back then. But ya the private land between randle and packwood is loaded.

[Tinmaniac]

Saw at least 150 elk between Packwood and Randle yesterday afternoon 3 pm ish. 3 big groups and several smaller groups. May have been 4 legal bulls. All on private right along the highway. Alot of pickups hitting the shoulder to look and drool.

How many were limping?

[BA Mongor]

If we're talking western WA units, the elk herds are poor at best. The Coweeman unit is decimated, and although there are still elk, the numbers are dismal. Why we continue to allow for cow harvest in this unit is mind boggling and makes no sense. I currently have (3) different cougars on cams and have a large male that has wiped out almost all the deer in the area. I have found 3- of his kills and the (2) fawns and (1) elk calf are dead.

The Toutle is better and has some areas that still hold decent numbers, but it is nothing near carrying capacity. In my opinion, Ryderwood is rebounding and I have far fewer limpers on cams and have seen far less limpers this year. Willipa Hills is petty stable and I've only seen (3) limper cows out of well over one hundred elk. Bear river is also pretty stable and I've seen no limpers. I'm running 22 cams currently and spend a lot of time in these units.

These are my observations for this year and the past couple years.

[Humptulips]

I couldn't go elk hunting this year but hoof rot has now reached the Humptulips.  :'(

[kball4]

Old timer in 121 said he saw 400 head during late whitetail this year.  I saw a lot of tracks and poo last weekend in that unit.