Drove 180 miles to the toutle unit which was closed due to fire danger

[bobcat]

By the way, I'm still not convinced that what Weyerhaeuser calls the "public access corridors" are open, as you say they are. As I said, if you go strictly by what their access hotline says, then they are not open for recreational access. Which means you cannot drive through Weyerhaeuser land to get to state land. And as you have also said, it does not matter if a gate is open. If the hotline says it's closed, then it's closed.

[Bigshooter]

Believe me, in 2001 there was no way to get to the state land. I had scouted many weekends all summer long, and they shut it down just before hunting season. The gate I'm referring to is the first gate as your driving in along the South Fork Toutle River. If that gate is open now, then yes, you can drive into the large block of state land. But in 2001, that gate was closed, locked, and being guarded by Weyerhaeuser security. The guy actually told me that I should go hunt the Ryderwood unit.   

I have never ever, ever seen this closed ever.  Even in 04 when weyerhaeuser shut everything down in there when St. Helens woke up, this was open because of the state land.  I know I had a tag and I called DNR.

[bobcat]

I have never ever, ever seen this closed ever.  Even in 04 when weyerhaeuser shut everything down in there when St. Helens woke up, this was open because of the state land.  I know I had a tag and I called DNR.

Yep, it sure sucks for me. I've never heard of it being closed since then either. I take it you weren't there in 2001?

Like I said, the WDFW did give me my nine points back, which allowed me to draw a Peaches Ridge muzzleloader permit the following year.

[Hunter Dug]

Ah I see what your saying so.  Yesterday there was no gate from the asphalt to the 4200 road.  But If I understand correctly your saying that as soon as you turn off the asphalt and start following the south fork then you are on Weyerhauser land, which would prevent you from getting to the 4200 road leading to state land.  I was always under the impression that was state land leading to Weyerhauser land.

[Bigshooter]

I have never ever, ever seen this closed ever.  Even in 04 when weyerhaeuser shut everything down in there when St. Helens woke up, this was open because of the state land.  I know I had a tag and I called DNR.

Yep, it sure sucks for me. I've never heard of it being closed since then either. I take it you weren't there in 2001?

Like I said, the WDFW did give me my nine points back, which allowed me to draw a Peaches Ridge muzzleloader permit the following year.

I wasn't in there in 2001 but I was in there in 96 and either 98 or 99 with a couple different buddies that drew archery tags.  And both years weyerhaeuser shut down, but you could still get on the state land.

[bobcat]

I wasn't in there in 2001 but I was in there in 96 and either 98 or 99 with a couple different buddies that drew archery tags.  And both years weyerhaeuser shut down, but you could still get on the state land.

I know. I've heard that from others as well. The one year that I drew a Toutle tag and it was the only year the entire unit was off limits. (except for possibly Rock Creek in the south end of the unit.)

But like I said before, from the Weyerhauser message, it sounds like that access corridor is closed right now. Maybe the gate is open, but the message says you can't drive on that road.   

[bobcat]

Ah I see what your saying so.  Yesterday there was no gate from the asphalt to the 4200 road.  But If I understand correctly your saying that as soon as you turn off the asphalt and start following the south fork then you are on Weyerhauser land, which would prevent you from getting to the 4200 road leading to state land.  I was always under the impression that was state land leading to Weyerhauser land.

   That's right. I couldn't get to the 4200. And to get to state land, you have to go 3 or 4 miles up the 4200 before you get to it.

[Bigshooter]

I wasn't in there in 2001 but I was in there in 96 and either 98 or 99 with a couple different buddies that drew archery tags.  And both years weyerhaeuser shut down, but you could still get on the state land.

I know. I've heard that from others as well. The one year that I drew a Toutle tag and it was the only year the entire unit was off limits. (except for possibly Rock Creek in the south end of the unit.)

But like I said before, from the Weyerhauser message, it sounds like that access corridor is closed right now. Maybe the gate is open, but the message says you can't drive on that road.   

Your probably right about the access.  Maybe I was trespassing those times.    I just hope we get some rain before muzzy season starts.

[bobcat]

Your probably right about the access.  Maybe I was trespassing those times.

No, you were probably fine. I know a lot of years Weyerhaeuser has closed their land to hunting but specifically said the public access corridors are open. This year, the message doesn't say that, but the gate is apparently open, so I'm not sure.
 
Either way, the archery Toutle permits now have a late season in December, so if they can't, or don't hunt now, they will still have 2 weeks in December. (which means people can't ask for their points to be reinstated, like I did)

[Arteman]

State land is open, and a lot of that toutle is state land and open all year long.  Bobcat is WAY wrong, you dont need a helicoptor to access it.  Just drive up the south fork of the toutle river, go up the 4100 mainline along the river, then take a left up the 4200 mainline and your right in the middle of elk country.  From there you can drive damn near to the base of Mt st Helens all in state land.  Plenty of country to hunt, and I see elk everytime in there, its not the most desirable spot in the toutle but there is plenty of elk and also you can hunt the backside border of the Loo-Wit unit along the 3000 without Ever hitting a gate, some nice bulls in there.  I live ten minutes from toutle, plus my old man has worked for Weco 40+ years and is now building their roads, I've been on every road on that tree farm more than once.  Hope this helps you out, any questions feel free.  Btw, this happens every year to the early season archery hunters around here with wood closures, and don't forget to buy your required state land permit If your going to be on state land, new law just passed by are great governor, I think its 38 bucks!

[bobcat]

Arteman,
 
How am I "way wrong"?  I know for a fact access to the state land was closed in 2001. I was there, and so was the Weyerhaeuser security guy at the gate. If you listen to the message on the hotline it indicates that the public access corridors are closed during periods of extreme fire danger, which is the reason they give for Weyerhaeuser land being closed to all recreation currently. So I take it to mean that the "public access corridor" is closed. Whether it is locked up or not, I don't know, because I haven't been down there. If it really is open, they should make that more clear in the message so people with special elk permits don't have to waste a trip down there to find out.
 
So are you telling me that I COULD HAVE got into the block of state land in 2001? If so, how do you suggest I could have gotten past the guard at the locked gate?

[Arteman]

Sorry Brian you drove that far and could have been hunting the whole time.  Funny Hunter Dug I see you gave the same info, I read halfway through the first page and couldn't take it anymore.  Bobcat Idk what to say but I have never ever not been able to drive in there, I was just up there Sunday and no gates, all the gates along the 4200 are locked and marked but when you get up far enough its all open, that's where all the locals go to be in the woods all year long when everything else is locked up tight.  There is a gate right pass the tracks on the 4100 but I've never seen it shut, are you sure you didn't miss your turn and come to the 4100 bridge gate that takes you into weco?  Anyways it doesn't matter, its open now, or at least until the state decides to close it for fire too.

[bobcat]

There is a gate right pass the tracks on the 4100 but I've never seen it shut, are you sure you didn't miss your turn and come to the 4100 bridge gate that takes you into weco?

Yes, I'm sure. I had maps and GPS, and like I said, I scouted that state land all spring/summer, figuring that if the Weyerhaeuser got shut down I'd still be able to hunt the state land. I knew the way into the state land. This was the very first gate, near the big Weyerhaeuser sign. I stopped at the gate and talked to the Weyerhaeuser guy who was sitting in his truck guarding the gate. I told him I just wanted to get to the state land. He told me I couldn't get there.
 
It seems weird to me that nobody else can recall being locked out of the state land in there, in 2001. That was the reason the WDFW gave me my points back.

Also, why does the access hotline say the public access corridors are now closed, if they are not?

[Curly]

Also, why does the access hotline say the public access corridors are now closed, if they are not?

Good question.

[bobcat]

Not that it really matters, but I looked up my special permit history, and it was not 2001 when I was unable to hunt my Toutle permit, it was 2002. Yeah it's a b**** getting old.