parking in the winston

[coydog]

Hi all,
I'm new to WA hunting, moved from OR. Hunted early archery around Kid Valley and enjoyed it, saw elk every day, didn't fill tag but planning to go back for late season. Also spent quite a bit of time scouting the area pre season. The biggest challenge I have is finding good places to set up a camp( I'm on a tight budget and the $18 a night adds up).
I saw lots of rigs parked at the intersection of 504 and 505, as well as at 505 and Merchant Rd. Does anybody have experience parking in these spots or know of other options? I'll be out for about a week, I'm also thinking of meeting a buddy out and wondering about a safe place to leave a second vehicle overnight. We like to walk in pretty deep. Also if anybody knows a good resource for finding out the delineation of state vs Weyer land I would be grateful. I don't want to break the rules but I prefer walking in with a bivy sack, water filter and jerky and not coming back in for a few days at a time. I have the st helens tree farm map. I'm wondering especially about the end of cedar creek road where it forks.

Hey I realize I'm asking for a lot of specifics on a heavily hunted area and I'm not looking for anyone's secrets. On the contrary, the more I know about the area the more I can avoid stepping on anyone's toes or inadvertantly breaking any rules. I love hunting elk and I love to put in the work. PM me if will, I'll be very grateful for any clues or info.

[Buckrub]

If the intersection is your idea of camp...go ahead and join the crowd.  Everyone else does.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I went there last year for late archery, and will not go back, I only found a couple closed gates, and they had 5 or 6 rigs parked at them, every spur had not only "smart" guys walking in on them, but "others" driving in and turning around.
The only Elk I saw ran across the road as I was driving in, 4 trucks behind me and 2 more coming from the other direction 
Or way off in the distance (again from the road) with a whole bunch of rigs parked glassing them.
The only good areas I found that was not being hunted were in the swampy areas between roads, bring waders.

[quadrafire]

If the intersection is your idea of camp...go ahead and join the crowd.  Everyone else does.

Did you read his post? "parking" hunting out of a bivy set up. Not camping at the parking area.

[FSTaxidermy]

Hunted in the Winston for over 20 years.  The reports are pretty poor and getting worse at the 1900 road system.  Like a freeway in early and late season.  Lots of guys with no respect for each other.  I am in the process of scouting new areas that are a lot more promising. You would be better off in another location if your looking for a good behind the gate experience.  The 504/505 intersection isnt a bad spot, but lots of crowding there.  Good luck

[Skillet]

From what I've read about the Winston, I thought you were supposed to park crossways on a road anywhere didn't want anybody else to hunt? 

[SSGLuke]

I hunted the Winston area on the opening weekend. I thought you were supposed to hunt the clear cuts but I guess I was wrong. What you are supposed to do there is camp on the clear cuts and f it up for everyone else. I don't think I will be back there to hunt.

[deerslyr]

Is there really that few of gates? Im about to not even go down there for late season. I was expecting to be able to get behind some gates away from the zoo but i guess not

[Yelm hunter]

Just got back from modern rifle elk in the winston.... seen alot of dead bulls. Never seen any in the woods, clear cuts, or creek beds at all. Seen a few cows!!! Lots of road hunters scaring the elk off and COUGARS!! Get behind a closed gate and get in the timber and maybe one will come to you.. elk that is~~ 3000 line open for camping for late season for you guys I think.

But this year it was bad cause they even opened the 556 weyco gate up on the weekends for hunters... I never got my bull this year but I still have 3 days left to hunt around my house were a buddy told me the elk have been chillen.

[elkslayer069]

i live in toledo its a zoo i get a bull every year but its getting worse more and more ass####s holes from everywhere but from around here and they all just camp in clear cuts where the elk like to hang out if they would put in the time and effort and scout somewhere and not just show up and act like they own the place they might maybe if their lucky see one but that might mean they might have to get out of the pickup and get wet and then when someone that actually know what and where their going and how to hunt the layout of the land theres nine people smoking and getting sh!! faced and acting like apes at the zoo right where you've seen three legals the night before i enjoy hearing people bitch about the winston being a zoo i hope that the word gets out and people decide to go somewhere else. yeah there might be more elk in the winston than in the whole west side but i bet if you did a survey there are more people that hunt the winston that don't live in the winston and it ruins it for everyone and don't think i don't want anyone else to hunt the winston but people that live here but jes theres only so many stumps per clear cut lol

[USAFpj]

That was easily the longest and most painful sentence I've ever read.

[ICEMAN]

That was easily the longest and most painful sentence I've ever read.

I think it is two sentences.... 

[MIKEXRAY]

You guys cracked me up. Mike