How far off the road.

[Branden]

So I have been doing a lot of looking on Topo and GE for some areas to scout for elk.

I am wondering how far off the road it takes to get away from the people on the west side during archery season?

The areas I am looking at are a few miles off the road. It just seem like no matter how far from the road you get in Washington, it does not matter.

[Timberstalker]

Branden-  I dont know on the westside but on the Eastside it seems as though if you get into some rougher country you can just about have the woods to yourself.  I hunted last year from the 1st of September to the 16 and never saw another hunter.  I was in rough country with very limited road access.  I also pick country with less roads because many guys prefer a cup of coffee and a heater over actually bucking up and putting your *censored* on you back and covering 10+ miles a day.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

That will change this year... Tought to get off the road on the wetside, cause when you get off the road there is another 1/2 to 3/4 miles away.

Gas prices will either clear some of the woods out, meaning people will pick a few days to hunt rather then every day, or they will be hunting more less driving...

[LongTatLaw]

well, my experience on the west side is any area with no ATV use...it takes 3-4 miles and u have lost the pack. I use the closed gate roads to get in and then break off from there... many of the boys that will put 10 miles a day on their feet on the west side will do all 10 on some form of road... 8 miles up a logging road behind a closed gate might not be as good as 2 miles over that big hill there! (not refering to timber...dont know ya buddy)

he is right though...bow season I thought I must be trespassing because could find a hunter where I was but then again ya can drive an f150 where I hunt...lol

[MIKEXRAY]

Like Timberstalker said not so much distance as more rugged country. I hunt up hill to a plateau and don't see any other hunters 1 mile in. Pretty steep mile, takes one hour with resting but all by myself. Lots of elk in those places to.

[littletoes]

Most hunters don't get in past 3/4 a mile, or 1500 yards. Take a Topo map, a highlighter and highlight everything for 3/4" around all the accessable roads. Everything outside the marks will be hunter free.....mostly. 

[Todd_ID]

Most hunters don't get in past 3/4 a mile, or 1500 yards. Take a Topo map, a highlighter and highlight everything for 3/4" around all the accessable roads. Everything outside the marks will be hunter free.....mostly. 

I can agree with this.  If there is a trail or a road marked on a map, then a mile and a half is about the limit for most folks.  If you're hunting normal areas and not on a marked trail, then 1500 yards is about all most will venture in.  Even in the storied haunts of Idaho I can still expect to be alone after less than a mile.  Hunting is a recreation for most people, and recreation means easy.  Easy is less than a mile.

[littletoes]

Funny part, once you start going in farther, you'll meet a whole new breed of hunters, when you do run into anyone.

For years I've ran into this family of brothers who hunt like I do, go wayyyy back in, and we've learned each other by site. Other than that, the only other people we see are a few horse riders and two that come into this "no motorized vehicles" on atv's every year.

[waoutdoorsman]

once i think the nearest person is a couple miles behind me, ill push myself forward a little more. There are two things I hate to encounter while hunting-chipmunks and humans-i will purposefully avoid the latter, to many yahoos out there, especially on the wetside.

[Broken Arrow]

4.3 miles. Seen 1 other hunter in 3 years.

[Skyvalhunter]

surely it was more like 4.4 than 4.3.

[Broken Arrow]

yeah you got me....if you round up 4.36.....your right.

I'm a East side native and was very hesitant to hunt the west side for fear of so many hunters ( I only did it cause of the 3 piont min or anterless regs vs spike only). After thaking the plunge...I can honestly say....I think there is far more access to get in deep and FAR less hunters then the east side, though my east side experience is limited to the Blues....way to many folks there nowdays and public land keeps shrinking and shrinking.

[Branden]

Thanks for the info. These spots should be good as long as they hold an elk or two. Thanks again.

[littletoes]

Broken Arrow, I would just bet you hit on something.....with all prejudice aside, I would bet we have more that hunt over here on the eastside, than on the westside.

Funny thing, I've hunted all over this North East corner of Washington, and I always run into Westsiders. Can't imagine the hunting is that bad over there, or even in the center of the state? I don't know, but I understand about how far it is for them to get over here. Lots of planning.....lots of money.

[jimkirk]

i think about a mile does it unless there is an atv accessible road nearby. much more than a mile on foot and you lose most folks. i have found a few that actually fear getting lost, so they won't go far.

[Alchase]

I love these topics, Talking west side, hiking a mile + through second growth? And actually seeing anything while in there? Obviously terrain dictates how you hunt. Not many people can actually hike in a mile or more on the wet side without the use of trail or closed road.
I guess my point is you will see other hunters unless you hike in aways(closed road or trail), but thinking you can just hike straight through most of the forest in the Willapa or Doty hills for example, aint gonna happen. It is just to thick or to steep. But that is exactly where the elk will be, lol.

[bucklucky]

Gated roads are definately your freind on the westside, trying to go cross country on the westside will usually be tough going. It really sucks getting 400 yards down a canyon just to find yourself stuck in the midle of a vine maple cluster f@!%! I do hunt nice timber patches and some canyons behind the gates but get there via logging road. Theres also to many thick ass jackfir patches intertwined with black berry bushes to get through.

[cascademountainhunter]

So I have been doing a lot of looking on Topo and GE for some areas to scout for elk.

I am wondering how far off the road it takes to get away from the people on the west side during archery season?

The areas I am looking at are a few miles off the road. It just seem like no matter how far from the road you get in Washington, it does not matter.

i here ya on that there are so many hunters in washington these days.

[Alchase]

Gated roads are definately your freind on the westside, trying to go cross country on the westside will usually be tough going. It really sucks getting 400 yards down a canyon just to find yourself stuck in the midle of a vine maple cluster f@!%! I do hunt nice timber patches and some canyons behind the gates but get there via logging road. Theres also to many thick ass jackfir patches intertwined with black berry bushes to get through.

Or get stuck in a nasty patch of Devils club, I hate that stuff 

[Intruder]

Solitude is directly proportional to distance+incline+overall nastiness.  The more you increase any the more likely you want see people and to a degree the more elk you will see.

I've hunted elk in many spots that are < a mile from the road but there was a big dose of incline and nastiness in the mix.