ummmm...spike?

[squeeze2drop]

Ok so I just left the oak creek feeding station, my 3rd time this year and I saw a couple hundred head as usual, I had the good ol' binocs and looked good and hard for some spikes and saw 1, that's right 1! I know I prob missed some? So I brought this up to a worker there, and he said no I'm not wrong, he said he could count on one hand how many spikes he's seen in there so far, I didn't ask why, thought I'd ask YOU fellas on the board, so what's the answer guys?

[backwoods_boy]

 

[washelkhntr]

Hmmmm......alot of filled tags. 

[bowhuntin]

Is there much snow over there yet? Could be that a lot of the elk aren't all the way down like they usually are during normal winters.

[backwoods_boy]

Hmmmm......alot of filled tags. 

i know of 4 out of COWICHIE...
 

[squeeze2drop]

There's a little snow, I just thought the elk are a little late this year also

[DOUBLELUNG]

Hmmmm......alot of filled tags. 

+1.  That's why we are spike-only.  I talked to a GW wo started in Wenatchee in 1972, when it was any bull.  He said it wasn't until 1975 that he saw his first harvested elk that was not a yearling, it was a 2 y.o. 3x3.

[high country]

if you study up on elk a bit you will see that spikes have a tendancy to meander about on their own this time of year. so they may not be at the feeding station.....however, their meandering about often leads to mortality. the young bulls will often get into areas that will not support them and get snowed in or eaten by predators. rest asured there is more then one spike that made it.

[Wenatcheejay]

No you are wrong, there are no elk in that area, no elk at all. Go away, and never come back, go away and NEVER come back

[backwoods_boy]

No you are wrong, there are no elk in that area, no elk at all. Go away, and never come back, go away and NEVER come back

[NRA4LIFE]

I know one thing, there were a hell of a lot of them killed in the Little Naches this year.  I have never seen that many hanging in camps.

[Dipsnort]

.....however, their meandering about often leads to morality.

That sounds like something Bill Clinton might say in his own defense.

[boneaddict]

LOTS and I mean LOTS of elk are NOT in the feeding station this year because of the current snowpack.  The feeding station is often a LEARNED behavior.  Most first year animals don't have it programmed to come down to the feedlot yet.  With bigger snows they come down and are attracted by all the animals. Many of the animals that are there have been coming for years and know it is a safe zone and that dinner will be served. Don't panic, I've seen lots of smaller bulls outside of the feed station.  There are tons of elk still up high. 

[boneaddict]

back in the day that doublelung is referring to, the feedlots were absolutely BORING.  There were no bulls, but an occasional spike.  One year in 5 feeding stations I photogaphed only TWO big branch antlered bulls.   NOW THAT was scary. 

[Magnum_Willys]

.....however, their meandering about often leads to morality.

That sounds like something Bill Clinton might say in his own defense.

Thats some funny stuff right there...... haha   

[steen]

Remember the spike season is to kill the weaker antlered gene and let the branch antlered animals carry on the genes.  I'm not saying there are not a bunch up in the hills but killing off the spikes is not a bad thing.

[mtncook]

Waiting for someone to jump on that!!!!!!!

[bowhuntin]

Hmmmm......alot of filled tags. 

i know of 4 out of COWICHIE...
 

Rifle hunters didn't kill them all. Saw two healthy spikes with cows during the late hunt for archery in there.

[huntergreg]

I went up to the Ellensburg joe watt canyon feeding station last Sat. and only saw about 30 elk. There was 2 nice smaller bulls. There isnt very much snow up there right now so they are not getting pushed down yet.