Lost on where to even go hunt elk on the west side

[JerryKern]

I don’t even know where to start on elk in western wa. Where do I even go? Worried I wont even be near a heard or how to pin point where they are going to be at a certain time. Any tips on how to find where elk are and where to go??

[blackpowderhunter]

get out and do some exploring, the elk are where they are and aren't where they aren't.
a bit late to start scouting... also, VERY good chance you will have years of not seeing a single elk, even though they are very close to you.

look at past harvest reports, pick a unit, check out google earth/onx and give it a go.

[Jpmiller]

Follow the crowds. If there’s a bunch or vehicles driving around with guys inside wearing orange and carrying rifles you’re probably not too far off.

Western wa elk hunting was far and away the hardest to learn for me. We ended up around and in elk after two years but I ended up going back to driving east where it was a little more open and I knew the area. The extra drive was worth it for me I suppose but I’ve known some guys who shoot elk every year on the west side. No amount of internet advice will substitute for spending time out there.

Carry a light 20 gauge with you and shoot grouse while you learn. They’re pretty much everywhere I’ve ever been and it beats going home empty handed.

[TriggerMike]

Start scouting and researching in July and not 2 weeks before the season would be my first recommendation.

[ljsommer]

I was told by my hunting instructor that on average it takes 8 years for someone to get their first elk in WA. That's the average. The new kid with generations of hunting behind him and is shown exactly where they are might get it year one. The person with no friends or family who hunt anything might take 20 years.
 

[follow maggie]

You really need to start in the summer. But, since it’s too late for that, do what JP said & dive around until you find areas with lots of camps. That’ll get you a decent starting point. Get out & hunt & hike. In my opinion, successful elk hunting requires knowledge of the area & animal travel habits. The only way to know that is burning gas & boot leather to get out there. Keep a log on some type of map of critters, sign, weather, day of year, etc. over a few years you’ll have a good pattern of the area & the critters that live there. You have to understand that success rate is low for a reason. Elk are where they are & they’re hard to hunt.

[ducks4days]

It is not a bad idea to look up harvest reports and look at the areas where the state allow lots of antlerless harvest. Units with high elk numbers can sustain excess cow mortality, and you are more likely to find elk there.

Once you pick an area or 2, its up to you to either find public access or reach out and secure private access. Once you have somewhere to go, go there and see if you can find elk.

Another option is to link up with a guide, somebody who helps people kill elk professionally around the areas you are looking. Spend the money and just ask them a million questions, focus on learning the fundamentals instead of harvesting an animal. Tip them heavily, if you dont know where to start it will be worth every penny.

[Sundance]

WDFW annual elk harvest report. That along with OnX should give you a dozen spots within 15 minutes of online research.

[pianoman9701]

Once you find the camps and activity, get on your OnX hunt app and find some water. Look for fresh elk sign. If there are no tracks or pellets, find another water source and repeat until you find fresh sign. Sit a short way off the source, quietly and without much movement, with the wind in your face and stay there. Next year, start earlier.

[Dark2Dark]

Once you find the camps and activity, get on your OnX hunt app and find some water. Look for fresh elk sign. If there are no tracks or pellets, find another water source and repeat until you find fresh sign. Sit a short way off the source, quietly and without much movement, with the wind in your face and stay there. Next year, start earlier.

For western Washington modern, I don’t think water will be a major factor in finding them. Typically there are one or several days where there is an inch or more of rain. One year it rained 10” in less than a week. Water that time of year is super accessible. 

Look at Google earth. Find the crappiest terrain and cover that looks like the worst spot in that area to get to and get around and go there.

If there isn’t a lot of sign then you’re probably where the one you’re looking for lives.

[WSU]

There’s water everywhere where I’ve hunted in western wa, and I’ve never found that it concentrated elk.