Toutle access

[Jeremiah P]

Anyone know how to access the south end of the unit, not finding what  I want on the north end and the 3000 line will be a zoo come opening day.

[buckhorn2]

I got a nice bull on the toutle. We took the kalama river road and went back about twenty miles then took a left and went up on big bull mountain. Very few hunters most were on the north end and the 3000 where we started out. It is steep but lots of elk. You may want to look it over it;s where we will go if drawn again. I drew a deer tag for the quilomene if you know of any information let me know.  buckhorn2

[TheHunt]

There are bulls all over that unit.  I sure you will not have a problem getting a bull to go off. 

[Jeremiah P]

I found lots of bulls on the 3000 but just not any that were real big.

[TheHunt]

The vast majority of the people that hunt that unit pull out a big 5X5.   

[rackattack]

I don't know about the vast majority are pulling out a "big 5x5", but certainly a nice 5x5 should be a lower limit in the early season.  Keep looking Jeremiah, there are some good bulls in the Toutle and I don't think the 3000 line is the best place for them.   Everyone talks about the 3000, and it has a lot of elk, but there are better areas to the south.  PM me if you want to talk, as my cousin has a m/l bull tag so I will be scouting the Toutle as well with him.   

[TheHunt]

Here is the break down for the 2006 permit hunt

Year Species Method Reporting Unit Type Reporting Unit Reporting Unit Name Statistic Value
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 1 POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 14
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 2 POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 2
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 3 POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 10
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 4 POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 20
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 5 POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 21
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE 6+ POINTS HARVESTED(PERMIT) 1
2006 ELK ALL METHODS GMU 556 TOUTLE TOTAL ANTLERED(PERMIT) 68

This gives you what is in there...

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

21 of 68 is not vast majority... And what you dont see here is  the 231 permits it took to harvest those 68 bulls (29% success). Actually i was looking at 2007 app levels, but as you see here it really isn't that great.

So what we shout really look at is the vast majority of the people that draw that tag are unsuccessful.

And Jeremiah i would take any advice from Rackattack, he knows what he is talking about.

[TheHunt]

21 of 68 is not vast majority... And what you dont see here is  the 231 permits it took to harvest those 68 bulls (29% success). Actually i was looking at 2007 app levels, but as you see here it really isn't that great.

So what we shout really look at is the vast majority of the people that draw that tag are unsuccessful.

And Jeremiah i would take any advice from Rackattack, he knows what he is talking about.

I totally agree with you what I am trying to say that 29% success combined with 1 out of 68 getting a 6 point puts you at a vast majority not pulling a 6X6 or better bull out of a premere west side unit.

[Chasingame]

It's a decent unit but never understood why it isn't better after so many years of being a permit unit.  About 2 or 3 yrs ago they cut the unit in half leaving a lot of good ground to non-permit holders.  I agree with you on the zoo effect of the 3000. During rifle as soon as the first shot is fired and the trucks move in the elk head head for the bottom, no surprise there. There's also less food for them up there anyway.  One less reason to stick around. The main reason so many talk about the 3000 so much is becasue if all you do is road hunt thinking you're in for an easy kill then thats about all you'll see. It provides 20+ miles of road headed for St Helens.
If I were to draw the unit again (and I hope I don't) I would plan my hunt to start and end someplace down low. I think the best odds are found by sticking low and closer to the rivers.  Its no NW treck, its not like you'll get to pick and choose from a lot of bulls (unless you wonder into the lewit). You may see a bunch scouting but that can change fast once the season opens.
Kalama (south end of the unit) is good too, walk in area, last time I was down there anyway.  Kalama River road, can't miss the entry pts.
Good luck

[huntnphool]

Well what have you been seeing, lets have that update.

[Jeremiah P]

Lots of cows and plenty of average bulls, got within 50 yards of two decent 5x5's yesterday but still no shooters. Waiting for the rut and the big boys to come out and play. Next weekend I'm gonna find my way into the lower end of the unit. Need to figure out more options.

[cw]

Hey guys, my wife and I drew the Toutle (any Bull) tag and we finally made it out Monday and Wednesday this week to do some scouting.  Being from the desert (Tri-Cities) it was great to be in the mountains again but sure don't miss all that rain.  We got so drenched on Wednesday morning my gear is still drying out, haha.

  Saw lots of elk in the north end of the unit with a few bulls and found a couple spots to try opening morning.  We are both very new to bow hunting and would love any advice/techniques that have worked for you.  We are both meat hunters and will consider any bull we would take as a trophy but the funny thing is that the biggest bull we saw was at the Portland zoo with my kids, lol.

  We appreciate any help. 

huntnphool check your pm

[TheHunt]

I sent you a PM

[Opportunist]

Access to the south half of the Toutle unit, basicly south of the south fork of the Toutle river (St. Helen's tree farm) will be open and accessible based on the whims of Weyerhaeuser woods department. It changes every year. It's only been recent years Weyco has allowed access to permit holders through their land to the private land locked state land up on toutle river ridge (Signal peak) when the rest of their lands are closed due to fire danger. Some years Weyco will have their lands closed to fire danger and allow walk-in or mountain bike only, other years no access, some years they will open the mainline gates and allow access to the whole unit. You never know what will happen to access on the St. Helen's tree farm, it's all based on what manager is in charge or has a hard-on that season. There is some access on the far south end by the yale unit on state and Pacific Power land.

It's a fun hunt and with the dates for the hunt being what they are it should be a kick in the ass for calling. Good luck on the hunt and shoot straight!