Free: Contests & Raffles.
Elk hunting in this state isn't what it used to be, especially on the West side hunting Weyerhaeuser land. There are still a few. Our point system is a joke. If I were just starting out I wouldn't waste my time putting in for special permits here, instead, I'd take all the money I was going to spend and put it away and save for a good out of state hunt. Buy points in a different state, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada.
Quote from: fowl smacker on May 21, 2026, 05:21:07 PMElk hunting in this state isn't what it used to be, especially on the West side hunting Weyerhaeuser land. There are still a few. Our point system is a joke. If I were just starting out I wouldn't waste my time putting in for special permits here, instead, I'd take all the money I was going to spend and put it away and save for a good out of state hunt. Buy points in a different state, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada. Year before last i was hunting during general season, spike only unit, i had a Jeep drive by me with Oregon plates right through an elk corridor i was sitting at. Some people want to come here to experience the struggle i guess.
Quote from: HunterStrait on May 21, 2026, 06:17:18 PMQuote from: fowl smacker on May 21, 2026, 05:21:07 PMElk hunting in this state isn't what it used to be, especially on the West side hunting Weyerhaeuser land. There are still a few. Our point system is a joke. If I were just starting out I wouldn't waste my time putting in for special permits here, instead, I'd take all the money I was going to spend and put it away and save for a good out of state hunt. Buy points in a different state, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada. Year before last i was hunting during general season, spike only unit, i had a Jeep drive by me with Oregon plates right through an elk corridor i was sitting at. Some people want to come here to experience the struggle i guess.I ran into a guy from Pennsylvania last year... He's been coming here to hunt elk for 15+ years... He got a spike in velvet that I scouted out 3 days before the season on day 2... We were hunting the same spot...
It took me decades to get to the point where I just count on an elk in the freezer every year now. I had the benefit of learning from a grandpa who taught me so many lessons, but it was a very long time to figure out how to apply them in a way that led to consistent success as a solo hunter.1. Besides hunting in an area that has elk, the single most important thing is mindset. When your buddy wants a nap or it’s a slow day, you keep going. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found elk in the middle of the day when everyone else is taking it easy. Expect success, don’t hope for it. Elk hunting in WA can be days of nothing followed by holy $&$& there’s a bull at 50 yards. If you went home early or back to camp for an early lunch and a nap, you would never have seen that bull. If you want to be in the 10% of hunters who kill 90% of the elk, you have to be mentally tougher than 90% of the other hunters and willing to do what they won’t. 2. That leads to point two, go where others won’t. While I’ve occasionally gotten lucky, my biggest deer, elk, bears, cats, etc… have been in places most people look at and think “no way.” The elk know this. They know where they can hunker down. Play the wind, be sneaky, and get in there. I’ve killed most of my elk in WA in awful creek bottoms, gnarly ridges, or in miserable swamps no person in their right mind would go. 3. Be curious… when you see an elk, ask yourself “why here, why now?” When you see a track, “where was it coming from, where was it going? Why?” Keep a mental checklist, take notes. Every single time you step out to scout, hike, or hunt, there are lessons to be learned if you pay attention. Maybe it’s just learning how the wind and thermals work in a particular elevation range, weather pattern, or terrain type. Learn something every time you step foot in the woods. 4. E-scout, especially if you are hunting more remote or incredibly steep areas. Identify access points hunters will use. Determine the saddles, creek crossings, deep holes, etc… the elk will use to escape that pressure. Be there.5. Leave the truck before daylight, come back in the dark... Every day you have. See #1.6. I started as a rifle hunter, became a hardcore archer, I’ve hunted muzzy, and I’ve transitioned full circle back to a passionate rifle hunter. Now it depends on what state and what tag. Whatever you choose, practice. Don’t just practice in perfect conditions on flat ground, be proficient under pressure in uneven terrain when nothing is perfect, you’re exhausted, theres a time crunch, there’s no perfect setup, etc... When you go to make the shot, you want to have the muscle memory born from having done it over and over again. It’s needs to become a no factor situation where you focus on the shot process and not the outcome. 7. Be very honest with yourself about what kind of hunter you really want to be. Many people like the idea of being a hardcore hunter more than they like doing what it takes to be one. There’s nothing wrong with being the hunter who goes out mostly for the purposes of camaraderie, time away from regular life, great times with buddies, making fun memories, would like to stumble on a bull or get lucky, etc… There’s also nothing wrong with being entirely focused on one mission - kill a bull. Make sure that you hunt with people who have the same goal for the hunt. Otherwise, it’ll be a problem. It’s why I hunt solo most of the time, or hunt with a group at camp where we do our own thing during the day.I could write a small book about all the lessons I’ve learned and have written a ton of stories about several hunts I’ve been on. I’m slowly transitioning to a stage where I’m trying to pass along the lessons I’ve learned so I hope that helps.
