Ladies and Gentlemen.....
I am not one to ask for help...and often would rather eat a tag than ask questions on the forum about hunting. I am a very experienced and proficient hunter, but have come up with a potential problem.
My son drew the Yakima North youth cow tag...which is awesome as I know one of the 4 units, like the back of my hand. Matter of fact, we took a cow elk with muzzy out of this unit last week. Problem is....I have never hunted this unit that late (Nov 6-12). While hunting this last week, I talked with a couple old timers that hunt the same area....and have for the past 30 years. I ask them about the rifle season and they said, "if snow comes, like it should, the area we hunt will be void of elk." Well shucks, this rattled me a bit as I know the migration is through a lot of private ground. I don't want to set up elk camp and have the hunt be a bust because the snow falls. We have ton's of land to hunt (4 units), so I'm positive I can find elk....I just don't want my son's first shot at an elk to be countless miles in a truck looking in units I don't know that well.
So....my question is this: If you had the Yakima North youth tag, what unit would you be concentrating on if the snow falls. The tag consist of these 4 GMUs 336, 340, 342, 346. I know 336 really, really well, but we hunt high and apparently the elk run for the feed station the minute a couple inches of snow land up top. I know they pile downhill and basically line up to march east...but a lot of the ground they move through is private. With any luck, the snow will not fall and our normal spot will produce.
Not looking for specific areas, roads, hunting methods, etc..... Just looking for the unit that provides a chance at a cow if the snow falls. My son really likes open ground and is one heck of a shot. He will have the 300 wsm and 338 lapua so he has means...just needs the cow.
After he kills his cow, I will share pics and update with a story. No way I would ask for help and not give a report (good or bad)following the hunt. Thanks for any input.
