Winston Unit

[mpetersen]

Would anybody who hunts the Winston Unit give their opinion on the gates being left open for the duration of modern rifle last season ? For myself I believe Weyerhaeuser is screwing up a pretty good hunt by doing this.  Seemed like more bulls were being taken when it was walk/bike/horse in. Now it's a circus, with a rig parked on every landing and the main lines look like a freeway. Walking or biking up to Green or Winters wasn't such a big deal when you knew you could drive up and retrieve your animal. At the least they could close it down to vehicle traffic on the week days and let the weekend warriors drive in on the weekends. A good education is go up there for late buck and see the herd bulls out and about in the clearcuts after things have quieted down. These elk go straight nocturnal when they hear all the racket from road hunters and take to the re-prod during shooting hours then out to graze after dark.  feedback anyone ? 

[BullMagnet76]

I have hunted in the Winston unit my whole life, Weyerhaeuser has ruined it completly.  Now with the Master hunter program the elk are hunted in the Winston unit from august to janurary, pretty soon there wont be any animals left in there.  It is a damn shame they are catering to all the lazy dilholes that are too stinken lazy to get out of their rigs.  People can't seem to figure out that deer aren't stupid, they aren't gonna just sit there and wait for you to get out of your rig.  Last year I was a half second from pulling the trigger on the biggest blacktail I had ever seen when some idiot drove his truck right down the middle of the clearcut.

[ICEMAN]

I have hunted in the Winston unit my whole life, Weyerhaeuser has ruined it completly.  Now with the Master hunter program the elk are hunted in the Winston unit from august to janurary, pretty soon there wont be any animals left in there.  It is a damn shame they are catering to all the lazy dilholes that are too stinken lazy to get out of their rigs.  People can't seem to figure out that deer aren't stupid, they aren't gonna just sit there and wait for you to get out of your rig.  Last year I was a half second from pulling the trigger on the biggest blacktail I had ever seen when some idiot drove his truck right down the middle of the clearcut.

So which is it? You feel there will be no more animals in the unit, or you liked seeing the biggest blacktail ever?

I don't think that Winston was ever a big secret. I have hunted it off and on forever it seems. I loved the dark hidey holes I used to know. But roads were always a part of this hunt. Your buddy would drop you off on a ridge and pick you up three hours later at the creek.

I feel that WH is not necessarily playing to "lazy dilholes" by opening gates. I consider it a favor by a corporation, a trade of sorts. They want game populations down, they do not want to spend resources running around opening and closing gates for guys that walk around em... Even this January I was able to drive in a fill a cow tag on a late hunt, on a road normally closed to hunter vehicle traffic.

Thank you Weyerhauser.

[BullMagnet76]

So which is it? You feel there will be no more animals in the unit, or you liked seeing the biggest blacktail ever?

I don't think that Winston was ever a big secret. I have hunted it off and on forever it seems. I loved the dark hidey holes I used to know. But roads were always a part of this hunt. Your buddy would drop you off on a ridge and pick you up three hours later at the creek.

I feel that WH is not necessarily playing to "lazy dilholes" by opening gates. I consider it a favor by a corporation, a trade of sorts. They want game populations down, they do not want to spend resources running around opening and closing gates for guys that walk around em... Even this January I was able to drive in a fill a cow tag on a late hunt, on a road normally closed to hunter vehicle traffic.

Thank you Weyerhauser.

The only reason that I saw that big blacktail is because I hunt hard and walk/biked into the area, just to have a "lazy dillhole" screw me out of my opportunity.  I agree that the Winston unit is no secret but it was nice that they kept some areas closed off to foot traffic only. I saw alot more game and was far more successful.  Elk and deer are far harder to find in that area now.  And Weyerhaeuser IS catering to the LAZY people that is the only reason they opened the gates in the area that I am talking about, and that is first had knowledge strait out of Weyerhuaser's mouth, people were whining because they had to exercise,  my good friend is one of the head foresters for the Winston Unit.  They are trying to cut down the winston herd in most of the unit because Weyerhueuser is worried about thier bottom line, but the small area of the unit I hunt was opened because all the fat people were afraid of a little exercise.  I am a 60%disabled vet, and I have no problem with getting off my butt and earning what I kill, BUT that is exactly the problem most people don't want to earn anything anymore they just want it handed to them, hence the term "Lazy Dilholes."

[brokenvet]

Yep,  all the road hunters and people camping in the hunting ground, it is a zoo.  You got to go behind closed gates.   However we have no control on what WH does, we can only voice and opinion.  Have called or emailed them?

On the other hand I am glad that the land is open to us hunters.

[MuleDeerCrazy]

Maybe I've lived too sheltered a life... what's a dillhole?

[mpetersen]

I don't know who Weyerhaeuser was listening to but if they want more LEGAL BULLS killed off this land, leave the gates locked. And from what I see up in that area (I hate mentioning roads) the real tree killing culprits are the bears, lots of trees with the bark chewed off. Or I guess they can just give out hundreds of cow tags and slaughter the herd that way (oops! my bad, they are already doing that !). The fish and wildlife department heads should all be fired for signing off on that January rifle hunt, I guess it was good target practice though.  Maybe the Winston could be called a quality cow hunt and the game department could charge $ 13.70.

[Harborhunter]

Are there a lot of gates open in the Winston for that January cow hunt?

[steen]

In my opinion having the gates open makes it harder to get an elk.  You have everyone driving the roads and most land seen from one road or the other.  The elk just hole up in the reprod where it is hard to walk in and less animals are killed.  We saw on elk, a bull, killed it and never saw another elk.  My husband had a cow tag and didn't fill it.  We still filled the freezer with elk meat.  Yum!  I enjoy hunting with a hike, but my husband  would rather not walk so it depends on your hunting style.  When I draw my goat tag I will find someone to take me on a hike of a lifetime and if he can't make the hike he will have to stay in camp!

[funkster]

I feel the gates should be closed year round. The elk are more natural and relaxed. You can really separate yourself from other hunters. What I really like is that you know someone is not going to drive down the road or the middle of the clear cut and total mess up your hunt. In my opinion there is no reason(except to retrieve an animal) to drive down a old spur rd, especially a red dot/arrow spur that goes nowhere. The chances of seeing an elk is slim and the chance of actually getting out and shooting an elk is even slimmer. Last muzzleloader season I pulled a antlerless elk tag in the winston and also a antlerless deer tag. I hunted 4 days for deer before the elk season and all the gates where closed. Every day we had elk within 25 yards. Opening day they opened the gates and the elk hit the secret underground trap door.

If Wey co. really wants to lessen the herd, they would keep the gates closed 

[SI Eagle]

Cleary the hunting was way better when they had the gate closed. I killed several when they were closed and never saw another person in the time I was working on it and getting it out. It's a real shame that they opened it up to motorized vehicles. Clearly there are more people hunting it when the roads are open and the elk hunting is worse.

[furbearer365]

Lock em. Even for retrieval.  Leaves to many variables when you see someone driving around when noone else can.  I have been passed by countless guys with gate keys and they just use multiple excuses as to why they are there.  Weyco doesnt owe us anything and i would rather the hunting be good no matter how much harder i have to work to get it out.  My greatest memories will always be me and my dad packing my first bull out on our backs for hours.  Believe my, when i am old enough that i cant do it anymore, i will hang it up to the next generation and not use age a crutch to endorse bad hunting.

[elksnout]

Lock em. Even for retrieval.  Leaves to many variables when you see someone driving around when noone else can.  I have been passed by countless guys with gate keys and they just use multiple excuses as to why they are there.  Weyco doesnt owe us anything and i would rather the hunting be good no matter how much harder i have to work to get it out.  My greatest memories will always be me and my dad packing my first bull out on our backs for hours.  Believe my, when i am old enough that i cant do it anymore, i will hang it up to the next generation and not use age a crutch to endorse bad hunting.

  Couldn't agree more.

[kentrek]

Lock em. Even for retrieval.  Leaves to many variables when you see someone driving around when noone else can.  I have been passed by countless guys with gate keys and they just use multiple excuses as to why they are there.  Weyco doesnt owe us anything and i would rather the hunting be good no matter how much harder i have to work to get it out.  My greatest memories will always be me and my dad packing my first bull out on our backs for hours.  Believe my, when i am old enough that i cant do it anymore, i will hang it up to the next generation and not use age a crutch to endorse bad hunting.

  Couldn't agree more.

 

the winston was waayyyyy beter off with gates closed,just went ten miles through out the berma today and didnt see a critter one 

[HntnFsh]

Lock em. Even for retrieval.  Leaves to many variables when you see someone driving around when noone else can.  I have been passed by countless guys with gate keys and they just use multiple excuses as to why they are there.  Weyco doesnt owe us anything and i would rather the hunting be good no matter how much harder i have to work to get it out.  My greatest memories will always be me and my dad packing my first bull out on our backs for hours.  Believe my, when i am old enough that i cant do it anymore, i will hang it up to the next generation and not use age a crutch to endorse bad hunting.

I think thats a crazy remark. What does age have to do with bad hunting.Who do you want locked out next.The disabled.Because surely you dont want to use that excuse to endorse bad hunting. Oh and of course we need to lock out our young kids.Because they are too young to be able to get out and hike their asses off and pack elk all day.So we will need to wait a few more years until they can hunt with us. Some of you people really need to watch what you wish for.You might end up regretting it. Well,unless your so selfish that you dont care about others that love to get out and hunt too.

My dads 81 years old. Has hunted all his life.Got me started hunting. He doesant get arounf too good anymore.Last year he broke his femur.Could barely get out of the truck. But he still wanted to go hunting. Maybe you should be the one that tells him."Stay home you crippled old *censored*.Its time to hang it up"But I told him."I'll be there at 6 am to take you road hunting"

Oh,and we were into elk everyday we went out. He didnt get to kill one.But I could have shot a few for him. He has a disabled card.And we didnt spoil anybody elses hunt. But he had a great time.So did I. Sure hope my son or grandson is able to do the same for me when I get older. But then again the selfish people might have me locked out by then.

This attitude just pisses me off everytime it comes up. Guess anybody that cant hike,and pack all day should buy a Nintendo or something and play hunting games.