Elk hunting in the GMU 340

[Killmore]

Something is wrong in the GMU 340. Been hunting elk for 30+ yrs and have never seen anything like this. 5 of us hunted for a week and seen 1 elk. What got me wondering is why the game dept cut the cow permits from 250 to 100 this year. Did anyone experience this kind of hunting or was it just us?

[Ellensburg]

I saw a decent herd up there this summer but they are THIN. at 4,500-5,000 feet up above joe watt and got away from most of the hunters. Saw ZERO elk and 2 deer in 2 days. Some buddies of ours had 2 cow tags and were only able to fill 1 and that was pure luck. They hunted every single day of the season and saw a total of 1 cow.

I talked to people high and low and 90% of the people had seen ZERO elk.

LOTS of road hunters

lots of pumpkins in the wilderness.

I saw 0 elk hanging.

Same goes for taneum unit.

[Rick]

Same goes for taneum unit.

Add one for the Little Naches and Umtanuem (346 and 342). It was absolutely terrible this season. We had five guys in our camp and hunted from the opener through the following Saturday.  Three of us never saw an elk. My dad saw a single cow and my brother saw two cows and a rag horn bull. We got the same answers from virtually every guy we talked to.

We hunted from 6000' all the way down to a mile or two off the highway. Of the 25+ camps we drove past during the week,we saw a single spike hanging.

Last year there seemed to be an elk behind every tree. You'd see 20-25 a day. We filled three cow tags without much effort.

[jeepasaurusrex]

We used to hunt 340 all the time up to about 1986. We mainly hunted up off of Shellrock. We usually camped right where Whiskey Canyon Rd. came down into the North Fork. Now that area is all shut down and we have not been back since. We found that if you didn't get any snow, you were not going to find the animals. Our best year, we had about a foot of snow on the ground and we got 3.

[CP]

I hunted 340 hard throughout the muzzleloader season and saw very few animals.

[DuckDr.Duke]

Same here, hunted 340 hard for the 1st four days of the season, herd one bull bugle, and that was it. I saw some decent bulls scouting on Labor day weekend, but nothing in the hunting season. Last year we say lots of elk and bagged one spike. I don't know, think it was the lack of weather and maybe how nice Oct was. Nothing to push the herd into migatory mode.

[NRA4LIFE]

Same report for the Little Naches.  6 days and not a single elk spotted.  Hit it very hard too, many miles every day.  In one drainage I went up that I have never not seen elk in, I did not cut a single track.  Same report from a couple other guys I ran in to.  I did not see one elk hanging in any camp in 342 or 346.  I was absolutely dumbfounded.

[bankwalker]

numbers have dropped bad over the last 5 years. at least in the areas i hunt. ive taken a couple years off now and dont have any need or want to hunt the eastside, especially during modern firearm season.

i can say one spot is still holding alot of elk (number of elk for the area size anyway) usually see about 10-20 elk a day in said spot.

it just seems with the amount of hunters these days its harder and harder to find elk, and you actually do have to put in the miles to get as far away as possible to find the elk. not like it use to be when you could just hit the next canyon and find elk. recreational use to the woods during the off season keeps the elk moving aswell. i was quite amazed at the amount of people camping in some areas during july and august this year. it was hard to get away from the people for a simple bear hunt.

[coachcw]

the elk are there , my buddy and I both taggeg out and had my kid on some bulls he just wasn't able to get a shot during archery , that was pretty low . most of the elk in there during rifle season are local elk anyhow.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

 
My friends had a decent archery season up there, saw plenty of Elk, went 2 out of 6 on cows.
even chased a couple legal bucks,
Wonder were they all went..  

[nitro]

I will have to agree where are all the elk?  8 of us in our camp hunted all week and saw maybe 20 elk with a few of those coming from the clocklum area. This is the fewist elk we have seen as a group in the last 5 years. What is the wdfw thinking anymore? they have there heads up there you no what!!!! Also i couldn't beleave all the people this year in watt and robinson areas. Iam thinking for next year going back to archery at least i can get a chance to shoot  a cow with out having to draw a permit.,

[jeepasaurusrex]

This is my favorite picture of all time. Taken at where Whiskey Canyon Rd and Shellrock Rd meet. I was 9yrs old.


I sure miss those days. Me and Mom are the only two still alive in that pic (besides Dad who took the pic.) The rest are in the happy hunting grounds. It was nothing to see 60+ elk a day then.

[Angus]

I sure miss those days. Me and Mom are the only two still alive in that pic (besides Dad who took the pic.) The rest are in the happy hunting grounds. It was nothing to see 60+ elk a day then.

Cool pics, I have many similar pics but our group hunted the Hutchins road side, below Tamarack springs. Like your group, many of mine, my dad included, are hunting much better grounds now . Great memories, miss those days.

[thurman]

Thats why i gave up hunting there cause everyone talks about how good it used to be.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Another one, top of Shellrock. Some good snow.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Thats why i gave up hunting there cause everyone talks about how good it used to be.

I quit hunting there because I got tired of not being able to stick an arrow into one of the MANY branched bulls I got into EVERY year !
I really don't understand how you could not find an elk in the unit, granted I do not see as many spikes as we used to, but there are plenty of elk, if you just spend some time out of camp, and out of your truck.
the year before last, I was trying to fill my "Any Elk Permit", on a beautiful 6X7, when I and he, plus 3 other bulls, and 24 cows froze and watched/listened to a truck drive past us with the radio playing, and the guys in the truck talking, drive to end of road, turn around and drive out.
They never saw any of us ! 
We went back up there to visit some friends that camp at Gooseberry flat during modern, couple inches of snow on the ground, and not a boot print off the road !

[SirSpencer]

I tagged out early this year in the 340. My dad and our normal hunting buddies spend the modern season up there and didn't get anything. I think in total they saw about 24 cows, not a single bull was spotted, buy us. So it must just be a bad year for elk in the area.

[demontang]

Man I think people are just in the wrong spot. I saw a very nice branched bull and cow/ spikes in that unit during mod deer season. I got with in 50 yds of 10 cows one had a broken leg from what appeared to be a arrow wound.

[deadwoodbuck]

hunted muzzy season...scouted weeks before and saw a one big bull, one cow and a spike.  at 1500yards the spike saw us and turned and ran full speed away...binoculars can be scary to elk.  day before opening we ran into a cow that suprised her and us.  then the week of spend most of every day way off road in joe watt, robinson canyon area, observation hill area, down in the aspens, along the creek beds, next to deep water pools, thick in the trees, in the meadows all far from roads...nothing.  grass growing through the game trails, track whats that, grey scat not black scat, what are rub marks.  everybody we ran into said to make sure and bring the kill around their camp so they could see what they looked like.  10 full days in 85F weather, clear skies, nice moon...sure needed my night vision goggles cause that was going to be the only way to get one.  to hot, damn sheep, campers on quads...go figure could not even fill the LONG AWAITED cow tag.  but the crown royal was good

[Killmore]

Nice pic Jeepasaurusrex, I agree about Shale Rock road. Thurman, is that you? I agree that the weather has been a factor, but I guess I'm wondering if the game dept knows more considering that they cut the cow tags from 250 to 100?

[fishwhackin]

Appeared to be an Arrow wound?  How do you determine this?  Would just like this information to make me a better woodsman!

[jeepasaurusrex]

I was looking over the area with Google maps, and I seen some interesting marks on the ground along Shell Rock Rd. Anyone have a clue what they are?

[elkcane]

6 of us hunting in 342 for a week and one guy saw same 4 cows and 5x5. I hunted all week except for hangover day, and saw no elk either. I agree this area seemed worse as far as local elk this year than in past. But like was mentioned weather seems to determine this areas animals. Last year we had cold and snow, lots of animals. tag soup this year, elk camping was good tho..lol

[tip]

Not a good year in the 340 this year... but that's elk hunting.  Last year was insane, tons of elk everywhere.  Weather played a big part in it - last year i froze my nuts off... this year I was sweating my ass off!!!  3 of us hunted hard everyday, saw some elk, lots of deer - still eating tag soup.  Had a hell of a time though!

[demontang]

Cause there was no exit and it was low enough that if a bullet had hit it I'm sure that it would have gone out the other side. The wound look like it had something sticking out of it and was very small and round like a broken arrow shaft.

[coachcw]

He would have known if it was a gunshot wound , cause its leg woulda been dangling along for the ride . Elk can get some crazy wounds on there own , I'd like to think it was a wounded elk and not point fingers .

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Man I think people are just in the wrong spot.

+1
How come nobody has mentioned hunting South Fork Meadows (Taneum Creek) or any trail around Frost Meadows. Frost Mountain Look-out, Manastash Lake, Shoestring Lake, Hereaford Meadows. or taking Taneum Lake trail and dropping of the side of the hill into Case Knife Canyon ?
I see references to roads, but what about the trails ? 
If you are not seeing fresh sign, they dont just pack up and leave, they just hide !
They are in the areas that dont have roads, try walking a motocycle or 4X4 trail until you find a good game trail that crosses, then see were that leads !
With the days as short as they are, there is no reason to be in your truck or camp during daylight hours. (like 99% of the hunters you see)
Of course you dont see the ones actually hunting, unless your one of them. 

[elkfins]

There were plenty of elk in the Shadow Creek area.  Spent the week there and saw plenty of big bulls, raghorns and cows/calves... no spikes walked in front of me tho.  Got off the roads into the deepest darkest spots I could find.  The elk are there... they just ain't stupid and won't leave the brush.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

There were plenty of elk in the Shadow Creek area.  Spent the week there and saw plenty of big bulls, raghorns and cows/calves... no spikes walked in front of me tho.  Got off the roads into the deepest darkest spots I could find.  The elk are there... they just ain't stupid and won't leave the brush.

Damn, thats my "Honey Hole" !!!, we camp on the 127 and chase them around those clusters of dog-hair on top, or follow the abandoned road in the bottom.

[EDT]

That last pic looks like someone "zipped up" the terrain.  Bulldozer tracks are all I can think of.

[demontang]

He would have known if it was a gunshot wound , cause its leg woulda been dangling along for the ride . Elk can get some crazy wounds on there own , I'd like to think it was a wounded elk and not point fingers .

Well I know lots of things can change the flight of the arrow I have hunted with a bow for 13 years tell this year. No finger pointing I was just saying I saw it.

[allboy]

We did 8 days on the Taneum and didn't see one Elk, or anything hanging. It sucked. Ate two cow tags. I guess that how it goes sometimes.

[denali]

slow for us as well 4-8 guys in camp 9 days, hard to find cows let alone spikes. 

[coachcw]

How could you hunt eight days and not see a cow in 340 , thats nuts , Did you sit on the same stump every day ? if I don't find elk every day I'm pissed .

[Killmore]

This is what it was like in the goooood old days!

[denali]

How could you hunt eight days and not see a cow in 340 , thats nuts , Did you sit on the same stump every day ? if I don't find elk every day I'm pissed .

I found cows but I'm not the one with the tag, saw 5x5 and a 5x6 didn't have that tag either, we hunt in an area closed to vehicles so we we're on the hill hunting. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

This is what it was like in the goooood old days!

My point exactly, now you not only have to get out of your truck, but you have to walk away from it also ! 

[Killmore]

But your missing my point... I'm curious on what happened to the elk that use to be through out the area, not just in the remote areas. Which we do hunt in those remote areas, not just warming the truck seat. I'm still curious on why the cow tags have been slashed from 250 to 100 this year??? Is the Yakima herd still at 9500 head that they use to claim, or is it drastically down?

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

In the over 20 years that I have been hunting the area, I have seen major fluctuations in the numbers of Elk in the unit.
The herd was at 12000+/-, and reduced to 9500,according to the wdfw In February/March 2009, Yakima
herd was estimated at 9,133, far below the days when there was " elk through out the area"

The Yakima herd is now nearing the lower end of
population objective. A very cold, dry spring in 2008
reduced both yearling and calf recruitment.The survey data for the Yakima herd matches the
harvest data fairly closely. A high antlerless harvest since
1999 has probably reduced the population. Historic
harvest indicates the Yakima population has gone through
cycles. Relatively low cow harvest in the mid-1980’s resulted in an increasing population that was reduced in
the early 1990’s. The population likely peaked 1999-2000
and decreased in recent years.Hunter
opportunity and harvest have been reduced to stabilize
the herd.

The small pockets of "resident" animals hide in the same places every year, but there are actually fewer hunters pushing them around than there were back before the Spike Only rule.
The 3pt min restriction on deer cut the hunter numbers down even more.
That is why you are not seeing the same numbers, but they are there, if you know where to look.. 

[stickbuck]

We have hunted the manastash for at least 10 years during archery. This year was far and away the worst. It didn't start out so hot after somebody pull the SD card from my trail cam. The weird thing is that they left the camera and only took the card after it had been over that wallow for six weeks. Hunted the unit for 8 days and only saw a dozen cows. There was plenty of green feed in our normal spots that are usually not so green. It was just plain weird to not even find the normal resident herds that we were always able to find in the past.

[coachcw]

I just think the elk wernt moving much during archery season . I dont know about riffle season , just that they seem to get preety smart . If not to many guys get a mile or two from the roads the elk just hold up . I know a few spots in 340 that I can kick elk out of almost any time . both times I've been over there helping cow hunters out , weved pushed elk out. most not all rifle guys just sit were they can see a ton of area and wonder why they dont see any elk , there in the thick crap and you gotta step on them to bust them out.goto joe watt or robinson canyon come dec there there. I also think some of the elk that used to come in from 336 are wintering closser to i90 and the resort land . the game dept said they want a 50 percent kill rate on elk to manage the herd . so if the winters andthe hunters arnt killing them and the cow tags are down , my geuss in the cats are working pretty hard in there.

[Killmore]

 

[rjn cajun]

I`m a new poster been lookin at the site for a couple years. I`ve been hunting the 340 for 20 years and never seen it this bad. I have a big camp in Robinson Canyon any of you that Know the area know my camp been there for years. We did see some elk during modern deer and also a spike bull with some cows. Out of 14 guy`s we saw a total of 5 cows the first 3 days. There is always the local herd that stays around but nothing this year.Good thing we didn`t draw any tags this year.  We did most of our hunting in the Quillamine and the naneum. Saw a couple hundred head but no true spikes. Just wanted to chime in with what our camp didn`t see also.

[sled]

one word.    COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[3dsheetmetal]

one word.    COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought they were just hanging around the night clubs.

[gasman]

one word.    COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That could be taken care of with one word also.   HUSKYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



 

[lankkari]

My dad and I were hunting Little Naches during the archery hunt and had elk within archery range EVERY time we stepped into the woods.  We were in a maybe two mile radius but the elk were thick...