St. Helens Monument

[Mike450r]

Hi all,  first post here.  I am taking a disabled co-worker elk hunting and he has been wanting to try the St. helens Monument area.  I guess it is in the Lewis River GMU 560 and has some gated roads that only open to disabled hunters.  I am not familiar with that area as I have been doing most of my hunting (archery) down in the Williams Creek and Bear River GMU's.  So would appreciate any input on the monument disabled area specifically or the Lewis River GMU as a whole if nobody knows much about the Monument area.    Thanks   

One other thing, I read a bunch of the posts before registering and this is a great site.  I haven't seen anybody (may have missed a post or 2,3,....5) mention archery hunting on Long Island in Willapa Bay.   Has anybody tried it?  I never see too many people out there, you have to boat out there.  It hasn't been logged in awhile so it is very thick and gets very wet just like the elk like it.  I haven't been successful out there yet but I know a lot who have.  I like it because of the low pressure and it is an island.  About 1.5-2 miles wide and 7 miles long.  You can literally track the elk around the island all day knowing that they are still within walking distance.  A few deer and quite a few bears also.  Not my honey hole so not a real secret that I am giving up but it is definitely a place I think any archery elk hunter should check out,  figure I will trade this info for any help I can get regarding the monument area.   thanks again

[sasquatch]

I know the north half of the Lewis River pretty well. The monument is in the Loowit and Margaret units.  Lewis River is east. I know that there is a gated disabled hunter area off top of elk pass (FR25), east side, maybe it's on the FR51. Good area, however heard the gate was open or cut recently? Not sure what his season is but if it coincides with the general expect plenty of others in that area. If the gate is closed there will still be people but fewer and you should have some advantage being able to drive in. Most of the Lewis River is pretty grown up these days, no logging since early 90s, and hard to expect success without hitting the brush.

[bowhunterty]

Yes its up the 25 road at elk pass on the left hand side coming from Randle.  During the archery season the gate was closed. Was down there Satrurday and there was 8 inches of snow about 2 miles from the pass. Its FR2551.  Check the reg boundries for the Lewis River, its a big unit now since they combined the Marble unit with it a couple years ago  If you want more info let me know and i'll PM you.  The only bad thing is the amount of people.

[bloodhound]

i hunted walking in at that gate for a long time, its the first right after you go over the boundry trail #1. its a good area but even with vehicle access its at the point now where its pretty overgrown for disabled hunting. the other thing is that the nice easy walking areas are close to the gate where there is usually 5-6 people camped walking in past the gate and that is where they will be. the farther you drive in the more it almost becomes cliff like. but the key places that you can google are the loaf, and snyder pasture. the elk love the loaf but its impossible to hunt without a harness and a climbing rope.... snyder pasture you can almost drive too with about a 150-200 yard walk, not wheel chair friendly but i think you could walk grampa down there. but if you shoot one down the pasture god be with you. there is no roads below it and you better have a Calvary of strapping young men with good backs or your ( s.o.l). my opinion of this area for handycap hunting is very poor. its very hit and miss with animals and its a very small area to hunt. especially if your gonna be hunting from a vehicle. you will out drive all the roads in there in about 30 min and the only thing youll probably get out it is a bunch of pissed off hunters who just wore there feet out walking in all that way to have you drive by and possible scare away what might be around the next corner. but lets just say i know that area extremely well and the more people there are there the better for me. cuz it pushes the animals right to me where i hunt at now. that also being said ive been hunting there for 15 years and still havent got an elk