Alpine Wilderness Elk

[rougheye]

I dont know why but every time someone says stampede pass i hit the ground

[bucklucky]

I can tell you I have hunted and scouted that unit very hard. You can hunt for days without even seeing fresh elk sign. Definately hunted hard by outfitters. That was unit 249 I was in. You can find small pockets of elk but plan on bivy sack hunting and cover huge amounts of teritory. Just dont forget , you do have to get it packed out before it rotts

[Skyvalhunter]

South of Stevens Pass too or you mean

[edmondshunter]

If I remember right, the WDFW site said around 400 head in the snoqualmie herd in and around Northbend. Most of which are in small satellite groups.  Ive seen a few cows near the Middle Fork Road and Dingford trail head.  That herd is smart they know were they are safe.  So come archery, they will be safe on the valley floor.

[muleracks]

During the wdfw scoping for the 2006, 07 and 08 seasons the biologists recommended that the Alpine GMU 249 (Alpine Lakes Wilderness) be changed from "any elk" to "spike bulls only".  Many of you (hopefully) joined the protest and the wdfw Commissioners decided to leave it "any elk".  There has been no mention of changing it this time as they set the 09-2011 seasons. I think we are safe for three more years.

The elk are pretty concentrated in just a few spots so it really does pay to learn the unit and hunt where the elk are.

[TheHunt]

You have to hunt this smart...  If you do not have the horses you have to bivey and be mobile.  Get the heck off the trails...  I use the trails to get to the general location but then I was off the trails.  Ran into hunters like everyone said but when it was getting dark I set up camp and went to bed.  You could actually keep walking the ridges in the dark or moon light until you heard bulges.  THen camp...  Sleep for 6 hours and wake up and get to the elk before the others get on them.  This is a good strategy... 

[bankwalker]

You have to hunt this smart...  If you do not have the horses you have to bivey and be mobile.  Get the heck off the trails...  I use the trails to get to the general location but then I was off the trails.  Ran into hunters like everyone said but when it was getting dark I set up camp and went to bed.  You could actually keep walking the ridges in the dark or moon light until you heard bulges.  THen camp...  Sleep for 6 hours and wake up and get to the elk before the others get on them.  This is a good strategy... 

my friend uses that strategy, he uses a blue or red led light to see at night. hasnt worked out for him yet but he does get into the elk that way.

[TheHunt]

Yep it is tough but you do get into elk.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I hunted up there in the late '80s and it was the first time I bugled in a bull elk and I called in 3 that trip. I found some INCREDIBLE wallows on the back side of Hyas Lake. Go all the way to the end of the Road past Fish Lake Guard Station (lake tusquala) and you should be able to find some. I have not been there in 5 years, but last time I was there we saw elk at the trailhead (and some tame deer)

[colockumelk]

I found elk and some sheds during my scouting trips there.  However this year just before the season in that area there was a forest fire so all my work was for nothing.  I called the Wenatchee wildlife bioligist and he directed me to some spots.  I luckily found some elk and tried calling in a bull but couldn't coax him from his harem of 20 some cows.  It's pretty thick in there and steep so sneeking up on them is pretty much out of the question.  I saw them that first morning and after that spent the next three days hiking around seeing nothing.  But saw some awsome scenary and had a great time living out of my sleeping bag and eating mre's.  Didn't see a single person either.  It was an awsome time, I highly recommend that everyone try it at least once.  Get in good shape though.

[colockumelk]

Here's some pictures from this year in 249 Alpine.

This is me on top of a ridge looking down on Fish Lake.







Same spot as before except looking the other way. 







This is a alpine meadow/lake where we camped one night.  Woke up to bugling and on the otherside there were some 15 cows out in the open and a bull bugling in the timber. Only elk I saw all weekend.







This next one was on my way to work. It was taken in GMU 340 at the northern end of the Yakima Canyon just south of Ellensburg.

[spur_ride]

lots of elk up there. me and a buddy got into a mess of them when we were up on the high buck hunt.