Late Archery Wynoochee Unit

[IceZ1974]

Hi All,

Planning a 10 day trip to the Wynoochee unit for late Archery. We both still have our deer and Elk tags so we are planning on concentrating on the deer and if that's successful turn our attention to Elk. I have done some deer hunting but this will be my first ELK hunt. We have done some scouting around Cougar MTN with not much to show for it in the way of Elk sign. If any of you more experienced Elk guys out there have any info about that area that you are willing to share I would really appreciate it. I'm not looking for anyones "honey hole" but if anyone has some pointers I would really appreciate it.

Thanks and good hunting.

[mjbskwim]

Thew Will Be Blood......?

I went there during the first week of MF deer season.You needed to use your turn signals everywhere or get run over.

I am still looking at this area for late elk archery/any elk but it is a very popular unit.

I live in Sequim and I have looked at that unit or Clearwater,but with the big numbers of hunters,I won't travel too far from home this year.
If you have a known area and site to look,then you may do well.

Good luck

[muleyslayer#1]

Yea me my dad and brother hunted there early season archery and we didn't see any thing but there was tons of people up there it was rediculous there was people flyin down the main road it was stupid

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I WAS planning on hunting there, but 
My mother in law went into ICU yesterday, might not make it, so all plans are out.
Hoping for recovery, but cannot abandon the family.

[mjbskwim]

Yea me my dad and brother hunted there early season archery and we didn't see any thing but there was tons of people up there it was rediculous there was people flyin down the main road it was stupid

Well this will make my decision easier. I have some places in the Physt to try.
3 point or better,though.I was hoping for the stupid little one to show for me.
Heck I may not have room for 200#s of meat.

And STIKNSTRINGBOW,hope everything works out for the best for you and the family.

[IceZ1974]

Hey thanks everyone for the insight, but I think I'm going to have to brave it. Maybe it wont be so crowded in the late Archery?  I really like that its any deer or antlerless/3 point or better for elk. Beings this is my first ELK hunt a cow would be a trophy in my book doesn't need to be a bull.

Anyone else out there that has hunted there with some more info?

[mjbskwim]

A guy on another site told me of 2 pasture areas the state developed for the elk in there. About a 5 mile hike to get to them.
You'll have to look at google earth to find them I guess.I was loss as trying to figure out where he was talking about.

[CJ-5]

That is going to be a tough hunt, especially if you have never hunted the area and have not hunted elk.  Good luck though, there are a few in there.   

[MLhunter1]

Unless you have permission to hunt one of the fields down low head up high towards the 636 border.  Theres not tons of elk but there is a few, a little snow would help ya big time. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

A guy on another site told me of 2 pasture areas the state developed for the elk in there. About a 5 mile hike to get to them.
You'll have to look at google earth to find them I guess.I was loss as trying to figure out where he was talking about.

There are actualy 4 fields that I know of,
 in the 2009 they Removed brush around the perimeter of  55 acres, then  Reseeded 45 acres (elk forage),  mowed 200 acres, fertilized 200 acres, (probably the same 200) in the Wynoochee Unit.
, and where they are located takes some work to find, ......
  I sure hope I get a chance to go see them......

[dreamunelk]

There are the Wynoochee mitigation fields and forage fields in the Wishka drainage. To find these areas use the go hunt feature on the WDFW web site.  Click on hunting than Go hunt mapping.  you will have to experiment some to learn how it works.  While you are on the WDFW website read up on the Wildlife area plans for the area.  It contains nifty tidbits if you take the time to read.  Next go to the Grays harbor county interactive mapping site. (google it)  Better orthos and land owner info.  If you do not have gis experience expect a learning curve but, great infomation.

The nooch is a big unit that holds a good number of elk.  Access is pretty good.  Raineer has leased lands on the 101 side but, it a small portion of the unit.

Plan on biking or walking to find elk.  If you are like me and a little on the disabled side use the map websites to determine the best places to look.

In general the fields are managed on a five year rotation with no more than 20% being in a replanting phase at any time. So on the Nooch 20% is replanted each year and same for the Wishka. 

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

There are the Wynoochee mitigation fields and forage fields in the Wishka drainage. To find these areas use the go hunt feature on the WDFW web site.  Click on hunting than Go hunt mapping.  you will have to experiment some to learn how it works.  While you are on the WDFW website read up on the Wildlife area plans for the area.  It contains nifty tidbits if you take the time to read.  Next go to the Grays harbor county interactive mapping site. (google it)  Better orthos and land owner info.  If you do not have gis experience expect a learning curve but, great infomation.

The nooch is a big unit that holds a good number of elk.  Access is pretty good.  Raineer has leased lands on the 101 side but, it a small portion of the unit.

Plan on biking or walking to find elk.  If you are like me and a little on the disabled side use the map websites to determine the best places to look.

In general the fields are managed on a five year rotation with no more than 20% being in a replanting phase at any time. So on the Nooch 20% is replanted each year and same for the Wishka. 

So much for

and where they are located takes some work to find