Late Archery Winston Creek 520

[THINK_N_ELK]

It's just my 2 cents  worth here.  But I'd be cautious with hauling a trailer up to past Salmon creek.  That stretch of pavement going doing to Longbell road can get pretty slick.  Almost lost the truck there, two years ago after coming out the DNR 2000 line.  Fortunately slid towards the high bank and not the drop off side.  And that was with not having the extra weight of a trailer pushing me down the hill.   Some new fresh clear cuts off the DNR 1000 line as well. (Just an FYI)

Happy hunting

   

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Last count we have 9 guys showing up at Kid valley for my daughters 7th B-day party.....3 of us have elk tags, 7 of us have deer tags, and there will even be 2 guys along just to help pack!.
 Friday night I am frying up some Razor clams and grillin' burgers.   My daughters love hunting season!

[Yelm hunter]

My hunting party and I were up in Winston Creek from November 4th until November13th and we seen a ton of cows and bulls. We passed up 2 legal bulls on Sunday one of them was a 4 point and the other was a 2x3. On Veterens day we went to a area that a camp across from us told us to go cause my brother had a cow tag. And the guys got 2 bulls and a cow out of the same area the day before. We go up the 130 road a few miles (6 +) and got on a nice clear cut with timber all around us. We turn off the trucks and we hear movement in front of us in the woods going up into the clearcut. we wait and wait until day light and we go up there and my dad walks down a timber road and my brother and his buddy goes up the skidder road. Well I go up this other skidder road and was watching and glassing this area for a few house and I get over on the other far side by a bunch of alder trees up the small hill from a road and jeep trail... I take a leak and start hearing movement down in front of me and earlier in the morning we kept seeing a couple of deer and they were moving back and forth through the timber and clearcut. Anyways I stopped and waited and sat down and heard the movement down in front of me. Well at that time my dad calls over the radio hey lets meet at the truck at 9:50am. We all respond except for me. And I get up and start walking slowly to a different area in the clearcut and would you not know a BIG BULL is walking up the timber line in the clearcut. I raise my rifle and oh yeah its a bigger than a 3 point. Hes walking up broadside and I shoot. his ass drops and he leaps to the left into the timber i shoot again and he runs. I stop and my brother calls out did you just shoot. I responded get your asses up here. I just shot a HUGE BULL. I start getting towards the timber and look for blood dont see anything at all. then I hear movement in the timber at least 50 yards in front. We all 3 run in there and find his trail and we follow his tracks. Well I get up in front of my brother and shoot again at his ass thats all i seen as he was going down a little embankment. He runs into a huge mud puddle and drops. We all run out of the timber and I shoot again. hes down for good. Come to find out he is a 5x6 bull. We get 480 lbs of meat out of him. Winston creek the 130 road. Good Luck

[fc2038]

pics??

[1bowhunter1]

?? Ya That!

[Cylvertip]

Was up there today, 4 inches of snow at winters and every gate is wide open,even the ones that are always closed! No "walk in only" areas this year either. Almost forces you to join the rest of the yahoo's road hunting Is there nothing sacred anymore The hotline said they will be open from the 21st to the 29th   I can't wait until next Sept.

If theres any work going on up there, they would have the gate open.  Did you come in off the 1100 line, 550, or up from Riffe side through Port Blakely?  If the border gate with Port Blakely was open, I would wonder a bit, but still a couple of days before archery starts and they button it back up.    Wait, never mind, there are no elk around Winters Mountain.......  ever!  total waist of time...    

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Winston creek the 130 road. Good Luck

  I looked all over my WH St. Helens Tree Farm map and could not find 130 (?) what road is it off of?

[dlaw]

its off the 500 line, 
I hope they are closing gates for late archery.   

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I just got off the phone and they said nothing about closures through the 29th....Although there should be a few gates that wont be open, I hear rumors that more are open than in previous years.

Hopefully that will make the ones that are closed more productive I dont care, I will be walking anyways open or not.
A doe, a cow, a relaxing stroll with my bow.....it doesn't matter.
We used to do real good for deer by surrounding a cut and everybody walking in from different sides, they (deer) would pop-up like popcorn and run into somebody in the group. You couldn't tell they were there until you stepped into the cut.!
Lots of rigs would just drive by as we would get ready, and as we went in. Some even helped by stopping to chase deer that tried to jump road in front of them.!.

[funkster]

Winston creek the 130 road. Good Luck

  I looked all over my WH St. Helens Tree Farm map and could not find 130 (?) what road is it off of?

I bet you want him to tie the elk to a tree too?

dlaw,the gates will be open from the 21st to the 29th then they are going to update the hotline!

Cylvertip,I came in the 1100 and there was some work going on. Only cut one set of fresh elk tracks in the snow. We need some more.

I am packed and heading down now,good luck to everyone!

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

If I wanted them to tie one to a tree, I would shoot one in my backyard  I am only asking suggestions, just because they recommend a road, doesnt mean I will go there and get one.

[THINK_N_ELK]

I was up this past sun.  11/21  the border gate at the 1100/980 was closed.  Both 550 gates closed.  And all are still posted no motor vehicles.  The 550 gate on the 100 side has been redone to prevent ATVs from getting around at least at the gate.  I don't know about the gates at 553/555 , 500/560 , or 1100/2568.   As far as I know that is still a walk in area.

Haven't done much looking around the Kidd Valley side.

Last year they were hauling out on the 1100 to 500 and out Kidd Valley. 

Last year,the gates that were open was the 500 gate at Camp Nine, and the 2617/440.  I have been told that the 2617 is blocked off at the 2600 with big rocks.     Have not seen for myself, so I can't confirm.

[Cylvertip]

There are always critters up the Green too, but it's pretty thick in upper valley.  If your up for a hike try between Vanson and Deadmans up on top ( if you can get there due to snow).  Just be careful getting twisted around in the big timber, and watch for the vertical rock faces.

[Magnum_Willys]

There's a ton of camps moved in around Kid Valley - counted over 50 RV's today along 504 between Toutle and Kid Valley - gonna be crowded tomorrow.   Wish there where that many elk there.   Did see 50 elk below the Forest Learning Center today and one guy pulling one out on the south side of 504 at mp 22 - wonder if he had a loowit tag ?

[actionshooter]

Its a freakin zoo! Wed and Thurs were pretty good, pulled stakes today to get the hell out of there.