I am just thinking about going elk hunting, probably next year but I have a few questions. I have read and read and it seems like most people here hunt archery during the rut. I would be hunting modern firearm inb Western Wa., probably around Mt. Rainier. What is the pressure for this area during modern firearm? Are there less gun hunters than archery hunters? What are the tips for post rut hunting? Everything I'm finding is about hunting the rut.
Thanks
You might want to re-think your destination.
North side of Mt. Rainier is White River unit 653 and permit only,
West side of Mt. is Mashel, and mostly Hancock land requiring an access fee,
South Rainier is well,.. south Rainier/Packwood area and probably your best option in the Rainier area.
Seeing as to you live in Shelton, you can find Elk a lot closer to home, although fewer in numbers, so is the amount of pressure.
The units to the west of you get better as you head towards the coast, do some scouting.
Look around for gated roads and take a walk, if you find Elk sign, you have a good spot to hunt.
The Elk on the west-side are not as migratory and not likely to move as great a distance as their Rocky Mountain cousins, usually staying in the same general area year-round.
Find pockets of dense cover, usually in the bottoms of drainage's, and you should be able to locate a herd.
The one thing I have learned about (almost) all elk is, if you find a main drainage (river, stream) and follow it, there will be elk somewhere along its course.
They like water, green stuff to eat, and someplace to hide.
I like to walk S-L-O-W-L-Y and let out a V-E-R-Y soft cow call every once in a while.
If I see a well established game trail, I will follow it until it begins to disperse, this indicates that you are in a feeding, or bedding area.
Elk travel along trails when they are going from one place to another, single file when in a hurry, but spread out when they are relaxed.
This is a good spot to just sit and wait, calling every so often, stay there for AT LEAST 1/2 hour before you move on.
Don't call from open, exposed areas, an elk will only come close enough to see where the call is originating, instead call from just under ridge-lines, or from cover that allows shooting lanes, but restricts visibility.
If there are other hunters in the area, try to get up on a ridge and look for saddles, or a spot where a couple drainage's meet, get settled in a comfortable spot and hope they chase some to you.
