Toutle Information

[SilkWWU]

Ok so I'm drawn for the Toutle.  My buddy is gathering the topo maps and we are getting ready to start planning out scouting.  I am curious if anyone knows if you can camp in the toutle or do you have to drive in every day?  Also what are the states rules on bringing along someone who wants to be there for the hunt, but is not participating (one of my group member's dad wants to tag along).  Also, this will be, if I harvest my first Elk.  I'm a little nervous    So if anyone feels inclined to pass along some hints or jumping off points, it would be greatly appreciated. 

[Jason]

PM me if you need info, I worked in that unit most the winter and can give you a few good tips.

[bobcat]

Anybody can go along on your hunt. Bring 20 other guys with you if you want. I'm not sure how they could expect somebody to hunt elk all alone just because your the only one with the tag.

You can camp in the Toutle on some of the state land. But most of the unit is Weyerhaeuser and they do not allow any camping.

[SilkWWU]

I'm really excited.  Our group drew with 2 points!  Sorry if that ticks some people off 

[bobcat]

There are LOTS of roads in there. You need a Weyerhaeuser map. You can buy them at that gas station in Toutle.

[Black Ghost]

You will see a few guys deer hunting 

[bobcat]

But deer season isn't open at the same time as his permit

[Black Ghost]

Bobcat,
Ah I guess I was thinking archery, sorry!   

[bobcat]

Oh, I see... yeah that makes sense. Sure, I imagine there are lots of guys hunting deer with one guy who has an elk tag.  

Kind of funny, cause I don't remember seeing any deer during our muzzleloader hunt in there. I did see one during the summer while scouting in there. But I don't think it's a place I'd want to spend much of my deer season.

[CJ-5]

I dont know why anyone would spend time deer hunting that unit, we only saw like 8 deer in numerous scouting trips and the whole rifle season!  It was a friggin joke.

[SilkWWU]

As far as an area to set up camp?  What do you suggest?

[Black Ghost]

flat ground, there are many spots to make camp on the state land. There are some deer in there, but wouldn't be my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 15th choice, and I suppose many of the locals get frustrated not getting drawn for opportunities in their backyard and go deer hunting 

[Bigshooter]

I wouldn't use more than 2 points on the unit.  Good tag for an average bull.  Shoot the first 6x6 you see.  My dad and I both had a tag in 04.  He shot a dink 4x4, I hunted the whole season past on a few bulls and ate the tag.  Biggest bull I saw was a 5x5 that was around 270" (tried to kill him).    We scouted as much as we could before the season but that was the year the mountain woke back up so they had a lot of the unit shut down.  No problem finding a camping spot.  Also there are a ton of people that hunt around the border of the unit in the general units.  Making it feel like there are a lot of people hunting your unit.  But like I said earlier it is still a good tag for average bulls.  Plus you will see 10 to 75+ elk a day.  Never had a day I didn't see an elk.  And only 3 days that I didn't see a bull.  Good luck and have fun.  And let us know what you get.

[coldsteel3d]

What tag did you draw? Archery, modern, or muzzle? My cousin drew an archery last year and shot a good 5x5, he missed a good 290"-300" 6x6 earlier in the day that I called into about 10 yards but when I called his bull into 6 yards he couldn't pass up a gimme shot.  It's a great hunt but I wouldn't waste more than 3 or 4 points on it. If you have any questions feel free to pm me.

[longear]

Dont let the talk of all small bulls get you down, it is still a good tag if you know where to look.

[SilkWWU]

What tag did you draw? Archery, modern, or muzzle? My cousin drew an archery last year and shot a good 5x5, he missed a good 290"-300" 6x6 earlier in the day that I called into about 10 yards but when I called his bull into 6 yards he couldn't pass up a gimme shot.  It's a great hunt but I wouldn't waste more than 3 or 4 points on it. If you have any questions feel free to pm me.

I drew Modern.

[heavy hauler]

how much walking are you willing to do? lots of people driving the roads shooting raghorns .how big of a bull do you want?

[SilkWWU]

I'm 25 years old.  Walking is what I do!  Normally in our General Season area I would put between 7-15 miles in a day depending on what hunt I had planned for that day, and that was for every day of the season, which I will be available for again.  I'm hunting from Nov 7-17th.  A raghorn is a last ditch effort.  I'd ideally like to shoot a nice 6pt or bigger which is what I'm holding out for the first couple days, then I will probably be taking a nice bull after that.  I am looking for a great bull but also wanting to fill my freezer, times are tough and an elk in the freezer will give me enough meat for a year!

[SkookumHntr]

---Scout as much as you can in deer season and that should tell you exactly the caliber bull you will be after. 

[coldsteel3d]

I don't know, but do they open the gates and let people drive in during rifle season? Hopefully for you they don't.

[winston2789]

ya, my uncle had a deer permit a few years back and he said it was a joke in there, but I believe the elk is alot different. Pretty sure the gates are open during rifle.....sure would be nice if they weren't.

[CastleRocker]

Dont let the talk of all small bulls get you down, it is still a good tag if you know where to look.

Got to agree with that!  There are some REAL good bulls in there, but they won't be easy.  I've spent a lot of time up there, logging, hunting, and lately hunting horns.  There are some that I would love to put a tag on, (and a lot of raghorns for the lazy road hunters too).  I put in for it this year as my first choice if that tells you anything.