South Cle Elum Ridge

[Dave Workman]

I may be done with hunting South Cle Elum Ridge.
Over the past few years, a certain element appears to have been attracted there that makes the place sound like Normandy on the grouse opener.

On Tuesday, while hunting my favorite little patch of timber between the two roads running east from Five Corners, it was a veritable crossfire as people opened up along both roads, it sounded like. When you're between them, it is a little spooky.

On the up side, I spotted scores of wild turkeys in two or three big flocks. Very impressive...provided some of the yahoos don't shoot them, thinking they are big grouse. 

Lawd have mercy! 


So, uh, how'd everyone else do? Hope your opener was a little less noisy than mine!

[hawksfan75]

I'm not terribly familiar with the names, but I'll be up above Lake Kachess and maybe over toward Lake Cle Elum. Any places to avoid up there?

[Dave Workman]

I'm not terribly familiar with the names, but I'll be up above Lake Kachess and maybe over toward Lake Cle Elum. Any places to avoid up there?

No that's great country but be prepared to sniff some forest fire smoke. There's a big burn going up there, several hundred acres in the Wilderness and I could smell the smoke all the way over to where I was Tuesday.
You go in from Salmon la Sac

[luvtohnt]

My buddy got 3 blues yesterday with his bow while we were bowhunting. I could have had 3 or 4 also but could not hit crap. I told him he was cheating because he had a Judo point.

Brandon

[TangoU]

Sorry to hear of the range war.  I was up in that general area Tuesday, but not quite as far as the five corners, late morning to early evening. It's funny what just a little difference in location can do.  I saw no other hunters pounding the dirt where I was and only heard three shots the entire time I was out. One shot was very far away, the other two were not close, but not far either. 

For me, it was a relaxing afternoon to be out in the woods.  The pleasant smell of the forest.  No noise other than my boots breaking twigs and my heart pounding when the first grouse crashed out of the bushes in front of me.

My wife took some fish out of the freezer for dinner that night, not having any faith in my ability to bring home what my little girl calls "wild chickens."  Turns out she was right this time.  I flushed several kicking the bushes (no dog) and could have had two if I wanted to shoot them on the ground in front of me.

I'll bring back an Okanogan cast and blast report next week.

[Ice Cap]

Dave, I was up in that same area Tue afternoon and evening. I know exactly what you are talking about. It was the same up there last year. I don't think I will be wasting my time up there again!!!!!

[Cougeyes]

I am from Cle Elum and know exactly what you're talking about.  That used to be my favorite place to successfully hunt grouse, but the number of people has taken me somewhere else.  Have to work harder for them but I haven't seen a person around.  Anywhere where there are that many roads and that many birds you're going to see a ton of people.  Glad to hear the turkeys are moving in, i've been seeing small bunches in the past couple years.  Its a good area, hopefully they take hold, it would be fun to hunt them up there in the spring.

[Dave Workman]

If I knew how to post a photo here, I would. I was out on the west end of S. Cle Elum Ridge...apparently it's beyond the reach of the element that seems to have moved in down around the Five Corners area, and I found a fair number of blues, but had to work for them.  I also found fresh cougar tracks on the Cle Elum Ridge trail! 

I sent a photo over to Northwest Sportsman for publication.