How to hunt elk in Western WA

[Maybach Outdoors]

I got my first Roosie (and animal) this year with a bow. I started last year and was pretty determined to figure them out this year. No expert by any means. Here is what I did:

1. I picked a unit that harvests a lot of elk. If I knew there were elk in there...and those elk were killed every year... it gave me hope. I understood that hunting pressure would be a challange, but my goal was to get as many elk encounters as possible. I knew that finding elk is half the battle, but you also have to call them in or sneak up on them and finally shoot them. I simply wanted more experience with these things. And, knowing that elk were in that unit gave me a mental safety net when things got tough. I lot of people pack up and leave after the first 3 or 4 days because they don't see or hear anything.

2. I spent 10-15 weekends in the same unit. Same general area. Walking around, setting up cameras, and hitting as many areas as possible. I looked for last years' rubs and sign. If I didn't find old rubs or sign I crossed that area off my list (they might actually move into these areas during hunting season, but I assumed that they would not be there) Generally, what I found is that the elk were making 2-3 day loops through the same general area. That's how I was seeing them on camera at least.

3. I set up a nice camp. It was nice to have a comfortable and dry bed to sleep in every night. Makes hunting all day a lot more feasible. Last year I was sleeping out of my car and I only lasted 5 days. I made sure I had good and healthy food so I would have energy to hunt all day.

4. I came up with a game plan for a 9 day hunt. I was going to spend the first 4 days hitting the same spot every day (it's about a 9-10 mile loop). I was bumping elk in there all summer. My thinking was that if the elk were making a loop they simply might not be in one area on one specific day. But, I want to emphasize that I was going to hit that area no matter what on all 4 days. I feel like I moved around too much last year. The next 3 days I would hit other areas I had scouted in the summer. Covering as much ground as possible. Finally, I left the last 2 days as wildcard days in case I had come up with a better plan.

5. I came up with a game plan on how I was going to hunt the elk. For the first 4 days I was going to alternate morning, afternoon, and evening strategies (calling, still hunt, ambush, etc.). For example, I would do a lot of bugling and calling morning 1. But, I would still hunt morning 2 while bugling and calling afternoon 2. I still don't really know how to hunt these elk. My thinking was to try a systematic approach and see what sticks.

6. Be flexible. I was very surprised when my super top secret spot that had zero bootprints all summer had 9 trucks parked at the gate on opening morning. I remember telling myself "it's a marathon not a sprint" over and over as I drove away to plan B (same general area just different access point). I walked into some dark timber in hopes of intercepting elk that would be pushed... 30 minutes into my hunt I had a bull bugling and killed him after 15 minutes. 95% luck for sure, but I still have meat in the freezer.

7. Be persistent. Stick to the plan. I went back into my area 3-4 days after opening morning to pick up my cameras. No pick ups at the gate. Not a soul out there. I had 2 bulls bugling their heads off right where I thought they would be.

My plan for next year is to figure out another unit closer to home. I was driving nearly 6 hours every scouting trip, so that takes a lot out boots on the ground time. I have an general understanding now of what the elk appear to like (timber, reprod, etc.), so I will escout places that appear similar to the ones I found this summer. I'm going to repeat the same process in the new unit and then decide which one I want to hunt next year. Worst case scenario I have more intel.

Hope this helps. If you need more insight reach out to me on instagram @Hunt_phd

M

Excellent write-up, thanks for taking the time to do that! When are you going to replace that BMW by the way?

lol don't expose me like that

Congrats on the elk! Great write up. I think we went scouting together once.

Shoot I think we may have, but I forgot when and where lol

[Maybach Outdoors]

Question for you guys that have been doing it longer than me. Do most most people get them in clear cuts or timber? Someone told me this weekend that far more elk come out of creek bottoms/timber than clear cuts. I guess I'm trying to wrap my head around how someone would hunt these? Just know where they're going to be and wait? Still hunt random pieces next to clear cuts you'd expect them to feed in?

I would assume that clear cuts are easier during rifle since you don't have to sneak in super close. Timber might be easier for archery.

[Hectocotylus]

Does anyone have a good perspective or trail camera info on if the elk are bedded down all day and moving at night or vice versa or Wondering about rifle season in the timber creek bottom type areas. Already thinking about next season…


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[elkchaser54]

So this is my first year on the West side of our state, hunted Idaho, Oregon and Eastern Washington and always stumbled my way in to elk. Been out scouting the area of Packwood and Randle.  Found some tracks but no heavily used trails. My big question is what elevation do elk prefer around here ?  Higher up elevations of 4000 or the deep jungles in the 1500 to 2000 . I'm sure I'll hear some bugles once the season gets going and I'll be pointed in the right direction but definitely feeling a little out of my element in these jungles . Leave the binoculars at home, it's gonna be hand to hand combat with these elk. I'll be carrying the ol stick and string.  Starting in two weeks

[Fidelk]

From what I've heard, archery is OK......modern rifle, very hard.

[MADMAX]

From what I've heard, archery is OK......modern rifle, very hard.

Anymore if I had my choice
Muzzleloader

I wish when I was starting out I had a resource like this forum

Access seems to be the biggest problem along with
Timberland permits
Fire danger closures
Theft and vandalism at gates
 

[Maybach Outdoors]

I got my first Roosie (and animal) this year with a bow. I started last year and was pretty determined to figure them out this year. No expert by any means. Here is what I did:

1. I picked a unit that harvests a lot of elk. If I knew there were elk in there...and those elk were killed every year... it gave me hope. I understood that hunting pressure would be a challange, but my goal was to get as many elk encounters as possible. I knew that finding elk is half the battle, but you also have to call them in or sneak up on them and finally shoot them. I simply wanted more experience with these things. And, knowing that elk were in that unit gave me a mental safety net when things got tough. I lot of people pack up and leave after the first 3 or 4 days because they don't see or hear anything.

2. I spent 10-15 weekends in the same unit. Same general area. Walking around, setting up cameras, and hitting as many areas as possible. I looked for last years' rubs and sign. If I didn't find old rubs or sign I crossed that area off my list (they might actually move into these areas during hunting season, but I assumed that they would not be there) Generally, what I found is that the elk were making 2-3 day loops through the same general area. That's how I was seeing them on camera at least.

3. I set up a nice camp. It was nice to have a comfortable and dry bed to sleep in every night. Makes hunting all day a lot more feasible. Last year I was sleeping out of my car and I only lasted 5 days. I made sure I had good and healthy food so I would have energy to hunt all day.

4. I came up with a game plan for a 9 day hunt. I was going to spend the first 4 days hitting the same spot every day (it's about a 9-10 mile loop). I was bumping elk in there all summer. My thinking was that if the elk were making a loop they simply might not be in one area on one specific day. But, I want to emphasize that I was going to hit that area no matter what on all 4 days. I feel like I moved around too much last year. The next 3 days I would hit other areas I had scouted in the summer. Covering as much ground as possible. Finally, I left the last 2 days as wildcard days in case I had come up with a better plan.

5. I came up with a game plan on how I was going to hunt the elk. For the first 4 days I was going to alternate morning, afternoon, and evening strategies (calling, still hunt, ambush, etc.). For example, I would do a lot of bugling and calling morning 1. But, I would still hunt morning 2 while bugling and calling afternoon 2. I still don't really know how to hunt these elk. My thinking was to try a systematic approach and see what sticks.

6. Be flexible. I was very surprised when my super top secret spot that had zero bootprints all summer had 9 trucks parked at the gate on opening morning. I remember telling myself "it's a marathon not a sprint" over and over as I drove away to plan B (same general area just different access point). I walked into some dark timber in hopes of intercepting elk that would be pushed... 30 minutes into my hunt I had a bull bugling and killed him after 15 minutes. 95% luck for sure, but I still have meat in the freezer.

7. Be persistent. Stick to the plan. I went back into my area 3-4 days after opening morning to pick up my cameras. No pick ups at the gate. Not a soul out there. I had 2 bulls bugling their heads off right where I thought they would be.

My plan for next year is to figure out another unit closer to home. I was driving nearly 6 hours every scouting trip, so that takes a lot out boots on the ground time. I have an general understanding now of what the elk appear to like (timber, reprod, etc.), so I will escout places that appear similar to the ones I found this summer. I'm going to repeat the same process in the new unit and then decide which one I want to hunt next year. Worst case scenario I have more intel.

Hope this helps. If you need more insight reach out to me on instagram @Hunt_phd

M

A lot of folks liked this summary last year. I hope someone finds it useful! I'm excited to test out my skills again... I'd love to get two public land roosevelts in a row! Good luck everyone!

[Humptulips]

I'll weigh in because I am in the mood to write. To be upfront I haven't killed and elk in like 4 years but when I was more physically able it was an every year thing. I hunt Modern rifle and feel I am too old to change. Every elk I have killed has been south of the Queets to north of Hoguiam so there are my credentials.
First of all there are a lot less elk. I'm guessing maybe a third of what there was in my heyday. Back then and I believe it is still true you needed to be able to read sign and track elk. Most of the time you would get on some elk and basically track them down. If lucky you would get a look before they jumped. Often that one cow would be staring at you before you saw the rest and away they would go. The chase was on and mostly if you didn't get a look for the first or second time they stopped it wasn't going to happen.
Occasionally you would see them in a clearcut but I only killed one elk in a clearcut and that was 7 miles behind a gate until more recently when I have got a couple in clearcuts. Never by glassing though.
Where are the elk? Where to hunt? I think that boils down to a lot of time preseason scouting. I trapped all winter and would go where I had seen elk while out the year before trapping.
Things have changed now though. A lot less elk and they are wilder. You jump them they just keep going and don't stop often, plus there is a lot more brush. The elk kept the brush down and now there are not enough to do that. I still depend on sign and try to track elk but if they go into a patch of doghair I often circle the perimeter and this is a time I think clearcuts hold promise in the morning. You have an idea where the elk are and they have to eat.
Best advise I can give is learn how to read sign. When you find fresh sign go from there. If there is timber you can track them. If brush you might have to make an educated guess where they might come out. They can go a long way in a day or night though so don't get hung up on some tracks that are a couple days old. Easy to do depending on the weather.
For what it's worth, probably no help to a bow hunter or maybe not anyone.

[Viking360]

I wouldnt leave your binos at home, 2 years ago on the coast I came over a slight knob in the dark timber and spotted a big blonde body 50 yards in front of me, his head was behind a tree and i couldnt tell if it was a bull or not. It took me about 5 mins of looking though my binos to find the 3rd point because of the tree and how dark his antlers were. Once I confirmed the 3rd point I shot him with my ML and he didnt go 20 yards. Up in the higher elevations of where you are talking about there is not much under brush so you can see a ways as well as some older clear cuts in areas that you will want binos.

[Alchase]

I would also add, in thick brush or heavy timber, if you can smell them, you are very close, but you have to see them without getting busted first to kill them.

[2MANY]

Probably the best advice I could give would be to drive through Packwood and Randle slightly over the speed limit.
Probably kill one your first year.

[Alchase]

Probably the best advice I could give would be to drive through Packwood and Randle slightly over the speed limit.
Probably kill one your first year.

Classic!

[Hectocotylus]

I'll weigh in because I am in the mood to write. To be upfront I haven't killed and elk in like 4 years but when I was more physically able it was an every year thing. I hunt Modern rifle and feel I am too old to change. Every elk I have killed has been south of the Queets to north of Hoguiam so there are my credentials.
First of all there are a lot less elk. I'm guessing maybe a third of what there was in my heyday. Back then and I believe it is still true you needed to be able to read sign and track elk. Most of the time you would get on some elk and basically track them down. If lucky you would get a look before they jumped. Often that one cow would be staring at you before you saw the rest and away they would go. The chase was on and mostly if you didn't get a look for the first or second time they stopped it wasn't going to happen.
Occasionally you would see them in a clearcut but I only killed one elk in a clearcut and that was 7 miles behind a gate until more recently when I have got a couple in clearcuts. Never by glassing though.
Where are the elk? Where to hunt? I think that boils down to a lot of time preseason scouting. I trapped all winter and would go where I had seen elk while out the year before trapping.
Things have changed now though. A lot less elk and they are wilder. You jump them they just keep going and don't stop often, plus there is a lot more brush. The elk kept the brush down and now there are not enough to do that. I still depend on sign and try to track elk but if they go into a patch of doghair I often circle the perimeter and this is a time I think clearcuts hold promise in the morning. You have an idea where the elk are and they have to eat.
Best advise I can give is learn how to read sign. When you find fresh sign go from there. If there is timber you can track them. If brush you might have to make an educated guess where they might come out. They can go a long way in a day or night though so don't get hung up on some tracks that are a couple days old. Easy to do depending on the weather.
For what it's worth, probably no help to a bow hunter or maybe not anyone.

Thanks for the write up. Makes some sense


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[Rugsnfeathers]

All very good advice and very spot on!  I used to work in Grays Harbor county for 10 years and lived in Montesano.  The last Rosie elk I harvested was back in 2003, it was a raghorn and during modern rifle season.  I am going back this year to hunt the area, 20 years later.   Since I left Grays Harbor, I've only hunted solely the eastern side of the cascades for deer, bear and elk.  I am mentoring 3 new young hunters that have never hunted elk or deer, mostly duck hunters.  I gave them the option whether to hunt eastern or western, and they all want to go western.  So be it!  Before we made some scouting trips and setting up cameras, I warned them that in November, a western WA elk hunt is going to be miserable - rain, density, terrain, etc.  Boy oh Boy was I surprised on how different things looked last month checking out my old stomping grounds.  I'll admit, it was very discouraging.  Just the density and thickness alone, where there were trails I used to walk/hunt, you can't even go through it and just overtaken by thick brush.  Closed gates and posted signs also added to the dampening effect.  However, that didn't kill the spirit of the group as we rounded driving through a bend on the road, we saw a herd of elk about a dozen cross from high ground to lower ground.  Yes, elk is still around!