Big Year!!

[Skinner]

Got a big year ahead of me this year and I hope I can get some good advice from all you guys out there.  I am going to throw my thoughts out there for you guys to critique and give your thoughts back!  In my intro on the Deer Hunting page I said I like to hunt everything as much as possible.  I have access to some great horses to hunt remote areas, and have a great job where I can get a month off at a time if I need too.  Any help or suggestions would be awesome!

#1  Multiseason Elk- I normally hunt westside muzzleloader and currently have 9 pts.  I have shot 6 raghorn bulls in the last 7 years and am ready for a dandy.  Who wouldn't want a Blue Mt. tag but I also want to draw a tag.  I am perfectly happy with a 300 class bull as are many of you.  I was thinking of some cascade units like  peaches or goose prairie, followed up by margaret as my last choice.  Archery and rifle I can apply for whatever, I have the time off.  Muzzleloader season brings me to #2.

#2  Selway Bitterroot elk hunt Oct. 1-10.  I had purchased the Selway tag before I put in for the multiseason.  We are leaving a few days before the opener and are riding horses up the selway east of Lowell, ID.  I have talked to some biologists and some people who have been in there but if anyone has some other info please feel free to pm me.  Your info stays with me!

#3  "4th Annual" Idaho mule deer hunt Frank Church Wilderness!  Don't need much advice on this one but it will be around some of the elk seasons I am putting in for. 

I am really looking forward to this year.  I am willing to work my @$$ off to shoot a dandy bull but want to make the most of it.  I guess you could say I am obsessed because I have searched your guys posts "multiple times" to look at what you have said about draw odds and different units but I want to learn more.  Anything would help!  I don't have to shoot a 400 class bull to be happy.  A 300 B&C would make my year!!  Thanks for your time guys, Matt.

[muledude]

Goat Rock trophy Tag would be a for sure hog on the westside...

[rackattack]

Yeah, you might want to rethink using Margaret at all.  The unit is not the same place to hunt as it used to be in the 90's.  I think it is highly overrated, largely due to it being one of the only bull permits on the westside.  Yeah, there are still some big bulls in there, but if you look at the harvest stats on the size of animals that come out of there, THEY SUCK.  Mostly fours and fives.   If you really want good shot at a 300 class bull you should put in for the Blues or Yakima tags.  The Goat Rocks tag would be a good hunt, but with 9 points your still not at the top of the points list and they only give out 5 tags.  Go for a unit that gives more tags out and has the same quality of animals.

[dreamingbig]

Are you putting in for archery or muzzleloader?  Have you hunted any units in the state in the past during early archery elk?

[Skinner]

I am putting in for all seasons but limited on muzzleloader due to my selway trip. 

If you know your way around the margaret archery season can produce some brutes!  Me and my cousin grew up at Mt. St. Helens so it is like my back yard. 

I have never hunted a eastside elk unit before, but have hunted most of the westside archery, muzz, and rifle.  Know the westside good, not the eastside.  I know I don't have max points, but have decent odds for certain units.  Like I said thinking of one Blue Mt. then some of those Cascade tags.  I like the wilderness stuff just don't want to waste my time in that big country.  Thanks for your thoughts!

[Bigshooter]

I grew up with the margaret in my back yard too, and I am 100% sure that I have never seen a 300 inch bull in the unit.  I have seen a lot of 260 to 280 inch bulls.  Not saying there not there, but there are a bunch of units out there that I have seen 300+ bulls in that I would rather hunt.   

Margaret 

[WDFW-SUX]

There are some 300-340 bulls in OTC areas on the westside just need to know where to look.  Seems like someone smacks a 300+ plus bull every year.

There are definitely a few units that consistently turn them out and some that don't.

[archery288]

There are some 300-340 bulls in OTC areas on the westside just need to know where to look.  Seems like someone smacks a 300+ plus bull every year.

There are definitely a few units that consistently turn them out and some that don't.

I have been around the margeret quite a bit and have spent a lot of time up there...  I have never seen a 300 bull to my knowledge, some 280 bulls but thats about as big as they get.  They are just not genetically equipped to grow a 300 inch rack very often. 

And as for the 300+ bulls on the westside, it can be done - trust me!  If you truely want a big bull put in for some of the eastern units.

[WDFW-SUX]

I saw the rack of a 344 bull last week. It was taken during the westside rifle season

[archery288]

Go look at the new Eastmans Bowhunting Journal and you'll see two westside archery bulls from this past season!    

[Bearhunter]

Skinner, sent you a PM.

[JoeVon]

Matt, I kinda like the idea of skipping the Margret tag and putting in for Goat Rocks.  I'm sure me and Ron could find you something.

[shanevg]

Is the West Goat Rocks elk area open during the general season in the Packwood unit?  I don't see anywhere that says it isn't.  If so, what makes it such a good hunt?  Just the fact that it is open for rifle during the rut? 

[searchnfor]

The bull in my aviator is a 300+ west side bull from somewhere close to the area in question.

[searchnfor]

Is the West Goat Rocks elk area open during the general season in the Packwood unit?  I don't see anywhere that says it isn't.  If so, what makes it such a good hunt?  Just the fact that it is open for rifle during the rut? 

Elk hunting in the rut is a good thing! Add a rifle and the odds go up.

[Bigshooter]

Is the West Goat Rocks elk area open during the general season in the Packwood unit?  I don't see anywhere that says it isn't.  If so, what makes it such a good hunt?  Just the fact that it is open for rifle during the rut? 

The rut, 5 tags, and no snow. 
By the time the general season comes there is usually a lot of snow in there.  Which makes it hard to get to.  Plus most of the bulls are already down low by then.  Do know a couple guys that do good in there when there is light snow.  And the archery season can be good.  But there a ton of people in there that time of year.  Hunters and hikers alike.

[Bigshooter]

There are some 300-340 bulls in OTC areas on the westside just need to know where to look.  Seems like someone smacks a 300+ plus bull every year.

There are definitely a few units that consistently turn them out and some that don't.

Anytime you give out 1000's of tags, you are going to see a few big bulls or bucks or whatever killed.  The odds are just stacked against you.  Drawing a tag usually just makes the odds a little more manageable or realistic.

[Opportunist]

The best bull I've actually physically seen that was killed in the Margaret was killed by a friend of mine and was officially taped at 318" gross by Jerry Egbert (Pope and Young/Boone and Crockett club) scorer. He was a beautiful black horned 7x7. In fact he's a member of this site (rewipe). That was pre-indian hunting massacre. At that time late 90's Jerry hadn't taped any bulls out of the margaret that scored better. Not that there aren't any 300" bulls left in the Margaret, there just few and far between. I know of another 6 or 7 hunters that have drawn margaret and have tagged out on rags, a couple of decent 5's, two small 6's and a spike. Margaret has the age class just not the genetics to grow big bulls. With it's age class there should be a 350" being pulled out every year, just doesn't happen without genetics, needs some Hanford bulls blood introduced.

If I had drawn Multi-elk I wouldn't even consider westside for an opportunity to tag a 300" bull, I would be all eastside on my choices with whichever weapon/season that fit my schedule.

With Washington's draw odds you have to figure simple odds, draw tags divided by applicants. You can't figure in points with our system. More points help of course but if you have bad luck you won't draw, good luck you will draw.

With your time constraints of your selway hunt you have pretty much ruled out the best hunts Muzzle/Rifle Oct. 1.

So being able to bowhunt increases your odds of draw anyway and with your other hunts your only real option is eastside archery or possibly the late October rifle hunts.

Dayton, Wenaha east and west (especially having access to packstock), Clockum C and Peaches. I've drawn Peaches twice as my 4th choice. Best bulls are in the blues. That is where the governors tag holders hunt almost every year. Success rates in Goose Prairie are pretty low (9-11%). Peaches fluctuates from 15-25%. The blues are pretty much 0% or 100% success rates, due to low tag numbers 1-8.

The only way I will apply for Margaret is if I am hunting wetside, like this year and then it will be 2nd choice!

Sounds like you got a great season planned. Did you put in for Idaho's controlled deer/elk hunts?

[Skinner]

All great info guys!  The gears in my head are turning a million miles an hour!!  I spend many nights on the internet researching but it is nothing like first hand info. 

Passion- I am familiar with there being 300 class bulls in general units and am "stoked" that I can pursue them with any weapon.  I don't know if I have really grasped that yet but am still "dreaming" of getting 4 months off work.

JoeVon- That would be awesome, been running that one through my head lately.  I just need 6 or 7 hunt choices instead of 4.  Don't we all!!

Opportunist- I think I am on the same wave link as you the last few days of my choices.  Since posting, some things have clicked!  I have some good hunts planned this year.  All do it yourself (w/others input).  That doesn't include all of the general seasons.  Eastside mulie, westside blacktail, all the elk seasons, august 1 bear opener, and bird season to name a few!  Next year I have to factor in my Montana Archery Antelope hunt.  Might as well do it while I'm young huh?  I am putting in for my controlled hunt for idaho this week.  Just the middle fork not any others.  With six guys we need to know where we are going now!  Thanks for all the info.  You'll see more of me here!

[Brushbuster]

I'm not sure how many are going on your Id elk hunt but I would try to "upgrade" my elk & deer tags by entering their controlled hunt drawings. You can do party or individual appls & the odds vary from 1:10 to 1:30 for trophy area tags. I've drawn 3 big bull tags in my 20 or so years of applying. Id does not have points & you have until 6/5 to apply so you have as good of a chance as anyone.

I suggest using your smoke pole & applying for a big bull rut hunt in the areas w/ 1-10 tags in the East Side areas. There is nothing more exciting than hunting bugling elk. If drawn for a tag maybe you could postpone your Selway to the last week of Oct & there should be a lot less people in the woods.

Good Luck & lets see some pics!

[Ihookum]

goat rocks tag isn't as good as it used to be since they changed the season dates. i helped a buddy find a bull in there last year and it was pretty hard with the special tag opening the day after bow season ended. Bow hunters had the elk run pretty good and scattered all over the place. We still got a 300+ bull the second day but we only seen two bulls. Back when they opened it on the 1st of Oct I would ride my horse in on opening day and if the tag was mine I would have been able to pick from several different good sized bulls. My 9 points are going to a different tag that will provide a better opportunity to draw that 350+ wallbanger.