Went to Oak Creek Feed Station

[Huntbear]

Dang, need to figure out how to get up there soon! 

[bowhunterforever]

Awsome pics Theres some dandy bulls down there I need to go there one of these days

[jstone]

I dont see the bulls that i ran into in sept. in there 7X7 and and 3 huge 6x6s

[colockumelk]

Nice pics.  I was gonna ask if you saw the bull where the fronts cross each other and has a wavy top.  Nice pic of him BTW.  Bone I'd still head up if I was you.  I went last saturday and I saw the biggest bull I've ever seen at that feed station.  Crazy wide, super heavy and all his points were very long. 

To answer someones question most of those elk come from the Bumping, Nile and Bethel GMU's.  Although some do cross over from the Little Naches/Umptanum area.  All of the 300 series GMU's have that many elk and big bulls.  It's just that these are the most visable because it's the only public viewing feeding station left.  You can thank the "All Year Round" tag holders and the poachers for shutting the stations down. 

[bowtech721]

I went yesterday and it was pretty cool saw most of the same bulls as in your pics it looks like... I did see 4 spikes and one real weird one... it was a spike with only prolly like 8 or 10 inch spikes in VELVET... no joke i asked the guy there and he looked at it through my binos and didnt really have any answers as to what it could be... anyone on here seen that before or know why that could be? I wasnt the only one to see it either i told a couple others to look at it too to make sure i wasnt seeing things and that thing for sure had velvet on his spikes 

[Kowsrule30]

A lot of spikes don't know to rub it off... Seen quite a few with velvet still...

[h2ofowlr]

Great pics

[jstone]

Ok I have a DUMB Question. There are 2 feeding stations? There are what 9500 elk in the Yak. Herd?? Why only a few hundred elk in the feeding stations. Are some spread out in the Cle-elum valley to?? Just would like some info on where the 9500 elk go

[colockumelk]

The 9500 Yakima elk herd encompasses 3 PMU's (Primary Managment Units)  This include the area between the Yakama Reservation and White Pass.  The area between White Pass and Chinook Pass and the area between Chinook Pass to I-90. 

Each of these three PMU's have their own feeding stations.  However; the only two that are open to the public is the one at Oak Creek and also the one in Ellensburg up Joe Watt canyon.  As far as where the elk go?  The WDFW and the DOT try and keep the migration between these PMU's to a minimum using elk fences.  So most of them tend to stay in their PMU.  Now there are 4 other feed stations (that I know of) but are not open to the public.  Some used to be but are not anymore.  Like I said earlier you can thank Poachers and the Indians for the closures of the other ones.  It was done to protect these very docile animals from being killed. 

Also it is a very mild year so most of the elk only come down as far as they have to. (This is weather dependent)  Some of the elk no matter how mild the winter is comes down for the free food.  We call these elk "wellfare elk."  Elk are like humans in this regard.  Some are willing to work for their food while others just want government handouts.

[rosscrazyelk]

That Bull in the background of the second picture in your second round of pics  Looks Huge

[sako223]

Hopefully get back there this week. Would like to get pics of more bulls.
Although there is no need for feed they will continue to do it. This keeps the elk trained for each new generation. It is the best advertisement the WDFW has.

[Raul Duke]

 

WOW, My hunting buddy had a Bull tag last year (09) for that area, and got NOTHING! Hunted 10 straight days.
Just emailed him this thread. Shure he will love it. 

[PolarBear]

Damn, my entire group backed out on me.  Maybe weekend after next?     I need to go shed hunting in Ferry county instead!