any one hunt gmu 520 or 505

[rebal69972]

i was woundering if anyone was planing on hunting gmu 505 or 520 during bow season? im not looking for advice or where anyone hunts. ive done my own scouting and leg work my trail cams have been out for 2 months. i was more looking for a camp that i might be able to join or just know that theres people around that knows where im at.

[Crunchy]

I have hunted it a good bit, but will be in the toutle somewhere this year  . 

[kalamasasquatch]

it depends on fire conditions. if they allow access, i will be up there.

[wormfood]

If you drop over to the 560 I would definitely tell ya where my camp is. But since your dead set on your spot for Sept. I guess I will be just a distant hunt-Wa. co-brother.

[Sliverslinger]

I'll be in 516 and 560 for the early season. Will hunt 520, 530, and 667 in the late season. I was in Winston scouting most of the day Sunday- was shocked that I didn't see any elk and more shocked that I saw several rigs with others who were scouting already.

[bloodhound]

ill be in the lewis river as well off the 25 road past the boundary trail 1. i may go check out the williams creek unit but most likely ill be in the lw!

[rebal69972]

Ive scouted around the 360 gate and have trail cams up there. I'm not really dead set on hunting there but its the only place i know and i had several people from here tell me that it was a good place for a beginner so i figured i would hunt there a few years and get some experience before i got into some harder hunts. just tring to be respectful and not mess up anyone Else's hunt. i scouted it 2 weekends ago and saw some sign but never seen any elk. anyone that would have any advice on where to hunt my plans can change real quick and its early so i can get my scoutin in.

[colockumelk]

As long as you are seeing some sign that is all that matters. I rarely if ever actually see elk when I scout.  But...  if I am seeing fresh sign or rutting sign from previous years (old wallows, rubs etc.) then I know I'm in the money. The only time I actually see elk is very in the morning.  I like to glass clearcuts from the other side of the drainage.  I like to watch where they feed and where they enter the timber to get back to their bedding areas.  Then mid-morning go there and see if its a well used trail.  Then do a little bit of exploring looking to see any rutting sign from the previous year, fresh poop rubs etc.  Also look for water sources in the timber and if there are any semi open areas where elk will do their mid-day snack/feeding  Then I go back to my original spot and glass that area before dark to see if those same elk come back out.

[Carnivore]

Flinger and I will be hunting there starting opening archery for a week or so.  We will be staying at the Winston Creek campground.  It wouldn't be a bad idea to know where others will be in the area in case someone needs help packing out or just to meet other HW members.  We don't know the area all that well but have seen elk almost every day hunting there.  Here is a teaser from there on Saturday.  The camera is not that great but you get the idea.  We were there from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and 11 miles on the mountain bikes.  We saw around 40 elk in two different herds (4-5 legal bulls), a fork horned buck and several does.

[rebal69972]

ill be camping at the 300 gate for the opener. i will run down to the camp ground in the evenings and meet all the HWF members that are there

[zackmioli]

ill most likely be over in the 503 and 516 (randle and packwood). might drive over to the 520 to check it out as well. this will be my first year archery hunting as well so im just out for experience and if i get lucky enough thats a bonus!

[jstamp]

ill be camping at the 300 gate for the opener. i will run down to the camp ground in the evenings and meet all the HWF members that are there

that area might not be accesssible in early season. weyerhauser bought it, and i've heard it's posted no public entry and no camping. big orange signs at all the gates. i would look at the winston unit on port blakely land. tons of elk and once you get back in there a couple miles you shouldn't see anyone.

[firehawk87]

Never hunted there before because I have private property and a cabin in packwood. It will be a new adventure this year because this is my forst yearof bowhunting. I am freakin excired. However if I catch another trespasser on my land hunting it again even though it's posted they will get an arrow in the back. Just kidding, but they will probably get an arrow in there vehicles tire though.

[MADMAX]

Both units will have more than their share of hunters,
I'm a GMU 520 hunter since 1986 and thank god I have a Toutle tag this year, I'm really sick of all the BS and cutthroat hunting techniques on full display in the Winston ,the hooray for me and go screw yourself attitudes.

I'll be at the Kid valley campground for the early season, if I finish up early I'll get my elk to a locker and take the son in law into the Winston on  MT bikes and try to stay away from the weekenders and methheads.

[rebal69972]

good luck staying away from the meth heads they were all over last year and they where doing it right out in the open. im going to be 505 for early and packwood i think for mod season. im hoping that things r deferent around packwood im going to have my kids a few other family members and 2 friends there, the only real plus is 1 of the guys coming up to hunt is a cop and might be able to do something without getting everyone shot. (i hope)

[MADMAX]

Yea metheads are bad in SW Wa
Anyone camping in the woods better think twice about leaving anything of value unguarded these days.
locks and chains don't matter as most of them have boltcutters
I hate thieves.