peshastin elk......any advice?

[high country]

I guess I will be hunting elk for about 6months as I pulled the f tag....so anyone wanna give up any advice. I have never hunted the area, but I figure 6 months to kill any elk is good odds.

[Craig]

It can be a tough hunt. not sure when your hunting dates are but Hot and dry in the summer and there can be a lot of snow in the winter. Some of the roads will be blocked in the winter ( they only plow to the last house on the road ). There can be some big bulls in there.

When is your season?

[Buckblaster]

People with those winter permits post alot pic's of big bulls they've taken. Looks like you drew a good trophy permit. I drew the "any elk" tag for the third week of Sept in 2004. The elk were hard to find since they had been hunted hard for about a month before I showed up. If it hadn't been for a fired up bull that couldn't keep quiet, I may have gotten skunked on that hunt. As it turned out, I shot a 7x7 that grossed 345" with main beams over 52" long. I'd suggest you talk to Beau Patterson, the wildlife bio for that area. You might turn you on to the best time and place to score a wallhanger in that unit. Remember, snow will be a major issue there during the winter months. It will bring the elk down but your mobility is greatly decreased.

[Craig]

here are some pictures from my Peshastin elk hunt a few years ago. I had a pretty tough hunt.

A view from were i shot my bull. Some steep country and about 15 inches of snow. Almost to much snow.


My bull. The year I drew there was only 5 permits. I seen pictures of three of the other four bulls shot that year and mine was the smallest. One was huge.

[high country]

thanks guys....keep it coming!

I have the aug 1-feb 28th to kill any elk. seems doable. as for snow I am no stranger to that. last years elk was dead in 30 inches of snow....that sucked much bad. two years ago just over 6", that was perfect.

[boneaddict]

Dang, if you can't find an elk in that timeframe, you're in trouble.

If you are going to talk to  Beau Patterson, you better hurry, he is moving on to a "better career" if he hasn't already.

[deerhuntr4885]

Once the snow hits the ground start driving by the orchards.  Glass where it meets the timber.  You can find where the ground is tore up going back and forth as they come out to feed in the orchards at night. Then start knocking on doors.  I had that tag a few years back.  I did not score on a bull but had my opportunities at smaller bulls and cows. 

Mike Henne

[Bullkllr]

High  Country,

If I'm not mistaken that Peshastin F is one of those "HM" hunts. Not that that's bad. But the "HM" means that all of the hunting is administered by a "Huntmaster" who contacts tag holders to come hunt a particular time and place on an as needed basis (its a damage hunt).

It may work out great for you. But keep in mind they may give out 20 tags and only end up calling 5 hunters. They also pick the days and areas, and if you can't make it they call the next name on the list. I've had 2 "HM" tags. Got called for only one for a  two day hunt
even though the listed season was like 4 months.

Check the recent harvest reports. Few of the "HM" hunts have very many actual hunters listed at all.That's why those "invite only" tags are relatively easy to draw. Of course the WDFW is not really open with their info on this.

Like I said, it may work out great. Hope for sure it does. Get a big one!

[bobcat]

Bullklr is right. Looks like there won't be any need for scouting for that hunt! Whatever happened to the "wrong" westside tag you drew? Did you trade it for the Peshastin? You couldn't have gotten both, as they are both AHE second elk tags.

[high country]

they gave me the north river tag, the general tag and the 3911 incentive tag. I am aware of the huntmaster status, the 3911 area has always been a hm area and it is open to hunting on public land within the area. the hm tag I drew for north river is specifically limited to hunting via contact with the huntmaster.

I have a few issues with the hm hunts as the regs do not say that you can ONLY hunt if contacted by a huntmaster, but just the you MAY be contacted.....it really needs an absolute word ther to keep it clear. I don't know about the pashastin tag as I lost it in the redraw, could be a may or a must.....never know with our state.