North Eastern Archery...Best Bets?

[400orBUST]

First year Washington resident here and not sure how to proceed with elk hunting in this state.  Most of my hunting has been in Montana so I've probably been spoiled.  I'm thinking of archery hunting in the North East due to the terrain and (hopefully) to encounter less people.  I've heard that elk numbers were down in that area so my questions are:

If I get out and put some miles on do I have a reasonable chance of getting into some elk (or are the numbers still to little)

Does anyone have any pointers on the various areas (Selkirk, Aladdin, 49 Degrees North, Douglas, & Kelly Hill are the areas I'm looking at).

Thanks for any info!

[bucklucky]

Good luck  Id go back and hunt Montana if I were you, its where most of us washington guys that want good elk hunting apply for 

[Fullabull]

Bust,

There are elk there but in smaller groups and spread out so yes you would have to put on some miles and use location bugles (early and late) to find a bull to hunt. Once you locate one, go after him as they will probably not come in to calling much do to their small groups. Do you live in Spokane? Do a search on here for those units and you should find some information. Someone also might step up with a PM and help you out.

I only hunted over there one year on a friends property, my should have had a spike and I had a couple bulls answer my location bugles but could not get it done.
I live on the west side so I only hunt the west side now.

Hope you get some better info.

Fulla

[SHANE(WA)]

There are elk scattered from spokane all the way to canada, there isnt a hot spot, but there are honey holes that some people have found, they protect these spots with their lives  Its thick and rugged, best thing you can do is get out in area that you wanna hunt and just start exploring around.It has taken me 15 years now hunting up here to find the spots that I have now, lots of foot work, keep your ears open about where people see elk, I have found many places cause someone said something.

[pinetree]

I agree with Shane(WA) - have only been here about 10 years and it took a  couple to figure things out.  I came up from Oregon and while that is not as good as Montana (or so I am told - never hunted Montana) I was sure used to having access to more public land.
If you are located where you can do some scouting in July - then you should be ready for August.  Biggest groupingof people that I have found are in Southeast Wshington and especially during deer season.
Good luck.

[SHANE(WA)]

One good thing about hunting in this corner is, u could kill a smoker of a bull, there are more and more bulls taken every year now over 330, bulls have excellent escapement, so thick, near impossible to just glass elk in these parts, usually if you see a elk, your in range to have a shot

[400orBUST]

Thanks for the replys.  I guess I got the info I was looking for from your responses...that the elk are scattered in small groups but they are out there and there isn't one area that is necessarily better than another.

Unfortunately I live in SW Washington.  I'm hoping to do a scouting trip in late July and  Google Earth will be my best fried for a night or two I suppose!

I put in for Montana every year but unfortunately didn't draw this year.   I also bowhunt eastern Oregon.

Thanks again for the responses, this site seems to be a great resource.
-Jeremy

[Fullabull]

Why would you want to go so far when you live in some of the most elk populated areas the state has to offer? You can also take branch antlered bulls in most of the west side. You should check out units you live close to first, if you are willing to hike you will have a lot more encounters in SW WA and be closer to home.

Fulla

[SHANE(WA)]

Thats a long drive to hunt here, where there is a very good chance u wont even see a elk

[mossback91]

I actually stumbled into some good elk grounds around spokane last year in a couple different areas.........even talked to a few of the elk hunters up there and they had been chasing them around........some pretty thick hangouts for those elk though.......ran into a guy that shot an 8x9 during the rifle season though and his son a 4x5.  I never tried hunting them though

[400orBUST]

The reasons I've thought of heading to NE Wash is I figured there would be less people and the terrain and vegitation/cover would be a lot closer to what I was used to in Montana.  Another reason is because I tend towards hunting for larger antlers and figured that although there are less elk I may have the opportunity for a larger bull. I'm the type of guy that is willing to pass up a smaller bull if I know there is a larger one around.   I've heard that the bulls in SW don't really ever get the chance to grow up.  I suppose I may need to adjust my way of thinking though if I want to be successful out here.

[salmonkiller]

Contact the Region 1 WDFW office and talk to the biologist for the area.  If they have any info they will give it to you.  Be sure to ask as many questions as time or he will allow. 

[pinetree]

....and then come back here and post all of the information he gives you !!!!!!!!!

[Da stump]

    Had to laugh when you said less hunters.  My perspective is that they are thicker than ticks on a deers belly.  I live in the North East and would love a chance to go Down to long Island again in Willipa Bay.  A great hunt.  Also if you get a chance go up to the Hoh and scout around a bit.  Big elk there.  Just remember the grass is not always greener on the other side of the state

[TeacherMan]

Thats a long drive to hunt here, where there is a very good chance u wont even see a elk

  I have grown up in the NE part of the state, I have been on hundreds of trips into the woods around what would and should be good elk area just doesn't have the animals in it. That being said I have seen about 40 animals in that area this year already, out of that only 1 of them was on what seemed to be semi huntable land. Most the elk that I find are on private land, the land owners are friendly but not willing to let people hunt their elk usually, they have a 10 page list of friends that help them with that. Plus if you are trying to get away from hunters you are actually putting yourself into a lot of them, they are not focussing on elk but on deer. It is a good deer area that does draw people from all over the state, so in terms of numbers you will have just as many in the woods. That being said you are in one of the best spots in the state to hunt elk.

Good Luck

[Austrian Hunter]

Bust,
Unless you know people who have property it will be hard. NE WA is mostly private and timber land, on the timber land you need permission and to get to the honey holes on public land you need to hike through private land.  Really hard up there. Good Luck!

[SHANE(WA)]

I will disagree about the elk around mostly private. There is thousands and thousands of acres of state, forest and timber company land from mt Spokane to Canada to ferry county. I am into elk every year no where near private land. My buddies don't hunt private for elk, it's endless in this corner. I have yet to explore all of this corner , so much you could scout. Lots of people hunting??? Maybe rifle. I have hunted muzzy and archery here and barely see a hunter , I have one spot that I have never seen a elk hunter in 10 yrs, and u can drive right to it and hunt no packing into some honey hole LOL

[coachcw]

I hunted there last fall . really thick. I only hunted two days in selkirk. there is elk there . You have to work for them . seems like a really good bull ratio.if your up to it look on molibdinite mountain or coyote ridge . I arrow a 6x6 from two yards . five miles in then i found the short cut also look out for grizzly I never thaught i'd have an encounter till i did . get ahold of me i'll give you some good info on it.Corey

[EastWaViking]

Thanks for the replys.  I guess I got the info I was looking for from your responses...that the elk are scattered in small groups but they are out there and there isn't one area that is necessarily better than another.

Unfortunately I live in SW Washington.  I'm hoping to do a scouting trip in late July and  Google Earth will be my best fried for a night or two I suppose!

I put in for Montana every year but unfortunately didn't draw this year.   I also bowhunt eastern Oregon.

Thanks again for the responses, this site seems to be a great resource.
-Jeremy

there's good elk hunting in SW WA