Nooksack Archery Tag

[LongBomb]

I was lucky enough to draw this year. I have a solid starting place but its a big unit with so much opportunities. I will be going back in a ways off the roads to the nasty holes to see what I can find.
Any additional input is appreciated!

[high_hunter]

Cool tag and good luck. lmk if you need help getting one out.

[LongBomb]

Cool tag and good luck. lmk if you need help getting one out.

Thanks for the offer! I'm curious, what technique do you use for tracking blood?

[LongBomb]

Anyone on here ever ride the Canyon Ridge trail that can relate on trail conditions?

[high_hunter]

Cool tag and good luck. lmk if you need help getting one out.

Thanks for the offer! I'm curious, what technique do you use for tracking blood?

It all starts with basic nosework/scentwork then builds from there. I save limbs, liver, and blood from my harvested or others' recovered critters for training in between. Then can do drags and other hide-n--seak type drills. Practicing together for good dog-handler relationship is key and learning to go off their ques.

Good luck on your hunt. Private property permission and areas down low in the valley are going to be your best bet imo.

[LongBomb]

Check your email, DFW meeting this Saturday in Stanwood for tag holders.

Anyone seeing any bulls moving in or hear any bugling up here? I got a couple cameras up maybe put a couple more in Saturday.

[high_hunter]

Check your email, DFW meeting this Saturday in Stanwood for tag holders.

Anyone seeing any bulls moving in or hear any bugling up here? I got a couple cameras up maybe put a couple more in Saturday.

Hey LB,
I've met another one of the tagholders who's local to Bellingham since we'd last talked. He'll be down there for keys but if you guys don't meet, I can put ya in contact in case there's intel to share throughout the season. Otherwise, I'll be at the 'Hunters Warmup' shoot at SAB in Mount Vernon Sat & Sun if you want to swing by for some good pre-season practice.

I'll text ya more info about what I've been seeing/hearing around.

-HH

[LongBomb]

Thanks HH!

[overthefalls]

Anyone on here ever ride the Canyon Ridge trail that can relate on trail conditions?

If you're talking way up by the border, you're going to be on the fringe of North Cascade herds range. I would focus around South fork valley and north Skagit foothills. If there's some other canyon ridge trail, just ignore this comment.

[LongBomb]

Ya I did some research after I posted that seems they are far and few between us there. My focus is on the southern end of the unit.

[BB90]

I had the tag a few years back.  I'll PM you some info. 

You'll get a gate key to Sierra Pacific/DNR so I would take advantage of that.  You'll get a map that tells you the gates that the key works for, but I found other gates that the key worked on as well that weren't on the map.  I want to say I got the key in the mail after the meeting but I could be wrong.  I just remember not having much time with the key for scouting before the season.

The biologists gave out some very basic information on general elk locations at the meeting.  I didn't get much out of it.  Got better info from Hunt-WA and the Sierra guys.

There were some natives hunting when I was in there but only driving.  Never saw another person walking in or a truck parked anywhere except right by the Upper Skagit reservation.

[bkaech]

Any luck with this tag? I've heard a lot of people have struggled with this one in recent years wondering how the hunt went?

[LongBomb]

I was unsuccessful in putting my tag on an elk. Worked on a nice 7 point but couldn't get a shot opportunity. Over 100 miles on ebike and 30-40 miles of hiking and seen about 35 elk, 15 of which were 3.5 miles away. The 7x and a small 5x were the only branched bulls I seen. Heard a couple more bugle but couldn't get on them.
I seen pictures of 2 of the other Archery tag holders, they got nice bulls.
Im surprised out how little elk i seen/heard or even fresh sign with the herd supposedly at 1600-1700. I must of covered all the country where they weren't. It was still a fun hunt and seen some cool country.

Thanks to some of the members on here that reached out with info and starting points.

One decent bull I had on camera, out cruising for cows.

[LongBomb]

Im pretty certain this bull was harvested

[Tbar]

It was