Winston Creek January 1st 2012 Hunt

[Arteman]

As for the January 1st hunt, it wouldn't be any easier if they opened the zoo and you said I want to shoot that one.  In fact I'd wait tell I found off the road for easy packing.  Check the new Winston (what the locals call it) up around the 4500 boundary, and the 4400 in those areas, used to be toutle some years back.  Good hunting.

[Yelm hunter]

When did they change it to the "new winston" from toutle? And wear is that at? Have never been up there I don't think to the 4500 or 4400 were is that at?

[bobcat]

It would be the part of the Winston GMU that is south of highway 504.

[Arteman]

I think it was 7 years ago when they expanded the boundary across spirit lake highway, it never used to cross Spirit Lake Highway, and that was all Toutle.  that first year everybody I knew killed a bull in there, including me.  I like it because when most the Winston is locked up during the week, this section is usually open.  There is plenty of Elk running around in there, especially in January.  There are many easy access points in, one directly across the highway from the 1900 aka 19mile in kid valley, another off of sediment dam road just east of kid valley, or you can take the south fork of the toutle river up the 4100 to the 4500 mainline and head in that way.  Good luck hunting, hope this helps.

[Arteman]

God I don't want to be a site hog but I just have to say... Last year hunting in the new Winston area I kept running into an old timer that drew the green mountain cow tag, now you won't have this problem with the January tag but that green mountain tag falls during regular elk season and all the pressure had the elk down in the *censored*holes, every single day I hunted in there I could have killed a cow, and everytime I ran into that guy he still hadn't seen one, I did everything but tie one to a tree for that oldtimer so he would have the best chance and on the last day I came out of a jackfur patch just after sneaking up on two bedded cows from down wind in there and eventually spooking them, I was walking the road back to the truck and ran into that guy again who ended up eating his tag.  I couldnt believe it, made me sick.  so anybody that reads this and drew that tag, get off the road and hunt a little, don't waste a perfectly good tag due to laziness.

[Yelm hunter]

EXACTLY... I drew the tag and am a BIG guy but god damn I don't road hunt except for travelingback to camp in the late afternoon/evening... I get out of the truck and get on a clear cut and get in the woods and hunt... I walk the roads and walk the woods tree lines!! That's how I got both my bulls in years past... Good Luck Everyone!!

[Wtrfowlr62]

winston is a zoo but you get what you put in. if you drive around you wont shoot an elk (MAYBE). if you get out of the truck you will have some good success. lots of elk in the unit. never hunted myself personally but gf dad hunts it, killed a lot of bulls. his advise to me (was gonna hunt archery didnt though) hit timber find a canyon jump into it. goodluck!