2008 Little Naches A

[hilljackian]

Well I been putting in for nine years I finally got drawn for the any bull Little Naches A tag... 

As much as I am excited I am nervous about being able to utilizing this tag to its potential.  But I am committed to put in the hard work it takes to take a bull worthy of such an opportunity.  Since I don't have pack animals I have been up crawling around the GMU on foot every weekend and I am starting to commit the terrain to memory.  Seen some animals, found some good spots and LOTS of sign.

I've been reading on the site that many of you have experience in this area.  Any advice or information you would be willing to send my way would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

PS- my introduction: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,329.msg108763.html#msg108763

[bear]

my friend and I hunted it in 2006.  It was a lot of fun.  Any questions?  Just ask

[hunterofelk]

My advise is to get to set up camp at Crows Nest, maybe four days before opening day, and spend your pre-hunting time locating a bull.  Lot of them are still bugling or with the cow herds.  Drive up and down the logging roads, stopping to glass and listen.  Opening morning you should be up to your elbows in elk.  Your only reason for not being is how picky you are.

[TeacherMan]

When listening for a bulls bugling the best time of day that I've found is early morning, real early like 2am if can get yourself out of bed, they bugle most of the night. Good luck I would be up around Cougar canyon, one of the routes into big basin.

[HoofsandWings]

Crows nest like he said. Stay in a small tent that you can hear the elk during the night. I heard them each night I slept there. I just put a sleeping bag in the bed of my truck so I could sit up quickly and look around. The elk when I was there came up to the tower from the back side. On that trail that goes south toward the lake, I found the elk just a few hundred yards off to the right. The main problem you will have is kids partying and off-road motorcycles.
Those trails you see as you head up to Crow's Nest are all motorcycle club trails. During the week you will have no problems. There are lots of bowls/depressions in that area where elk like to congregate. Look for water.
One other place is just after you cross the bridge on the way up. There are meadows on the right the elk are in at first light and at dusk. I never saw much on the left side of the road.

[kirkl]

Man you have an awesome tag, hunting big bulls in the rut with a rifle. Smack a good one.  Only a few rifle hunters plus some ML hunters.

[hilljackian]

I don't have an experience calling except for squeaking on a cow call, do you guys think I need to start working on my bugling or do I risk doing more harm than good?

[bear]

we had a lot of good luck bugling.  We used it more to locate than anything, but did call several in with it.  It works really well if you have someone to work with you.  We would usually locate, then send the "shooter" towards the bull and   have the caller stay and bugle occasionally just to give us a location.

[MIKEXRAY]

Buy a call at an archery shop and have them give you a little instruction on the locating call. Not hard and easy to get good at in a month. You don't need to master the whole elk language. I had a bull tag 2006 and picked up a call like you before the season. I called in 5 or 6 bulls. You don't have to sound perfect with it, elk all sound different. It will help you locate bulls much easier. Call about an hour before sunrise to locate, don't keep calling them once you get an answer until after light other wise they come in on you in the dark. Good luck. Mike

[hilljackian]

My advise is to get to set up camp at Crows Nest, maybe four days before opening day, and spend your pre-hunting time locating a bull.  Lot of them are still bugling or with the cow herds.  Drive up and down the logging roads, stopping to glass and listen.  Opening morning you should be up to your elbows in elk.  Your only reason for not being is how picky you are.

By "Crows Nest" do you mean Ravens Roost?

[flyguide]

Thank you hilljackian, that is the best piece of advice here.

[Buckblaster]

My experience bugling there when I drew the permit wasn't the greatest. If you bugle too close to a herd bull that's protecting his harem, he just squeals and rounds them up and moves them out. The bugle works good for the satellite bulls though. The raghorns come right in. Use a cow call if you're in close to a big posessive herd bull. You might draw him right to you if he thinks he has a cow sneaking away from him.

[hunterofelk]

Hilljackian, sorry, I meant Crow Creek campground.  It is centrally located and you can drive to all of the creek drainages from there.  Find that bull a day or two before the opening and bust him the first minute.

[fireguy459]

Hey everyone and hilljackian. i will also be up there for the hunt. my uncle drew a bull tag. he's 60 + but shhhh.  we have been seeing a few down low but nothing in large numbers. Anyone heard of anything recent? Roughly where will the majority of the population be in early oct? unless the weather changes should stay pretty local. any info would help. thanks alot guys and gals and congrats on the archery guys who are knocking them down.

[300rum]

This is one great hunt.  We saw 13 bulls in one morning.  You can try calling but I found that locating them by listening to them works well too.  It seems that the bulls bugle more on the weekdays as there is a lot less traffic on the roads.  Find the bigest nastiest blow down north facing slope you can find and get in there especially if you hear bugles coming out of them.   Prior to the opener we had 6 guys split up and watch/listen for a day that was really helpfull as we where able to narrow down to a few areas.  Good luck.

[fireguy459]

I am getting very excited... i put a super charger on my hiking boots. figure i will need it.  :IBCOOL:i have looked over a bit of area both high and lower toward cliffdale. I have found both area about equal with elk population. lower is alot more open than up high... but i am not looking for open, i am looking for the area that holds the larger bulls. Bone you had a post about this area a while ago. Are you willing to part with any info for an eager young nephew trying to help his uncle? Thanks alot!!! the days are getting closer!

[William B.]

Hello,just got back from my archery hunt.Harvesed a nice tree,anyways I spent a week scouting new areas and old.Went into 1702 rock creek to fs rd. 1721 to fs rd.1722,devils slide area and found a lot of elk to say the least.I also scouted cleman Ridge,clover springs in the Nile,Fly fished the naches a couple day.I had my wall tent set up on the bumping river and backpacked into blankenship meadows for 5 days.Had a great hunt just couldn't seal the deal.Thats bow huntin. Bill

[fireguy459]

Sounds like you had a fun hunt... and a trophy pine is hard to come by.  :chuckle:i spent some time scouting around 1702 with a couple of smaller heards seen.. seems like a productive area. alot more open then up high. did you see any bigger bulls? thanks for all the info... Bill PM me if you would rather? thanks again.