Coweeman or Wind River Late ML?

[jbeaumont21]

I am undecided on which unit to focus on for the late ML elk season.  The Coweeman seems to get a ton of pressure from rifle hunters and the elk get scattered.  I hear the Wind River unit NE of Carson can be really good with a little snow fall pushing the herds down lower.  Any suggestions? 

[jbeaumont21]

Well thanks for all the great responses    I must be too new and not have enough posts to warrent some feedback.  No worries, I will enjoy reading and participating in other people's post.  I'll let you all know which unit I end up hunting and how I do.

[Recurve]

Coweeman not open late muzzy

[jbeaumont21]

If Coweeman is the 550 unit then the regs show that it is open Nov 24 - Dec 15 for Late ML Western WA.  Am I not looking at it right?  I hunted there last year so I would be surprised if they changed it this year. By the way, thanks for responding! 
http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00766/wdfw00766.pdf

[bobcat]

Yes Coweeman is open. I've hunted late muzzleloader season there a couple times. Too crowded for me. But I'm sure the others are too. If you want to hunt where the elk are, then you also have to hunt where the people are. Just how it is. Not many good options for late muzzleloader that's for sure.

[Recurve]

How did I miss that? My fault!

[jbeaumont21]

No worries recurve, I usually look at the regs a couple times a week dreaming of the day I draw a special permit.  Thanks for the info bobcat.  I know all to well how rough the late ML season is.  I keep hearing that the Wind River is real good with a bunch of snow fall and everyone is predicting lots of snow this year, but I suppose that means everybody and their brother will be hunting that same area if we do get snow.  The Coweeman has too many roads and road hunters and doesn't seem like many areas that you can escape the crowds by hoofing it for several miles.  I am in good shape and willing to hike my arse off, just not sure there is any place to do that during late season. ML hunters don't necessarily get the best GMU's, however we do have some advantages during the early season. Thanks again for the comments guys!

[RUTNBULL1]

Wind River isn't any different, alot of roads, alot of people, and decreasing elk numbers, especially over the last eight to nine years, yes snow helps, too much snow will push them down into alot of private ground though. Make sure you have chains for all four, snow can move into that country fast and leaves alot of people stuck and digging out, good luck!

[MLhunter1]

I normally hunt the coweeman for late ML.  It is a tough place to hunt especially on the weekends.  There are hardly any gates in the whole unit to escape the crowds.  You can hike up a clearcut just to get to the top to see there is another road on the other side with rigs going by one after the other.  Best thing to do there is hike through the thick nasty stuff or find a few of the small roads that have washed out or overgrown enough that guys won't drive them and walk those.  Takes awhile to find those spots though, its a big unit with lots of roads.  Good luck