Winston Unit

[asl20bball]

First off, I am a proponent of locked gates. There is plenty of FS land the elderly, disabled, etc can go to.  Anyway, does Wyco require a pass for driving around behind their open gates?

[kentrek]

I'm just trying to figure out weyco's reasoning, WDFW stats show more legal bulls put down prior to gates being open, security must have been busy keeping an eye on any machinery that might get vandalized, the amount of busch lite cans per landing went up considerably.

more bulls were killed because the population was higher,same with deer.
whats left of the animals get sucked into the brush and go nocturnal pretty fast.
also poachers dont submit hunter reports....and the winston has been hit hard by em..

[Arteman]

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."

I haven't read the whole thread yet so I don't know what's come of it, but I know exactly where your talking.  It was such a small area it didn't affect the unit by being closed to walk in, so I do agree it should have remained closed.  It was nice to have the option to walk in.  They did the same thing behind the lake in Coweeman and ruined a good walk in area, but there are still areas good for walking, in fact I think better areas.  The worse part is after they open these areas they get pounded so hard that even short 50 yard truck turn around spurs get rutted up by people thinking they are roads that go someplace.  Personally I think that the area you speak of there is a major public safety concern with having that many hunters in there.  Don't want to offend anybody, and I've done my fair share of road hunting, but its been my observation that walk in hunters in general as a group in comparison tend to be a little more responsible than road hunters.  Only meaning their are more bad seeds driving around than walking.  Plus there is less action going on in a walk in area, nobody walks in 5+ miles and gets bored half way through the day and starts Target shooting, or shoots grouse, etc.  For that reason I'm surprised they opened it.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Locking the gates help herd populations, habitat, vandalism, littering ect... Now please enlighten me how we benefit from open gates??

[mpetersen]

Kentrek the reason I started hunting this area because it was unique. The Ryderwood unit gave us some good years but the timber got overharvested and the place got hunted hard, no timber for the elk to hide. Now for the last ten years we found a place we can walk/bike past the gates and kinda of sorta get away from the crowd and boom ! here they come again like a pack of locust, the road hunters ! So now were back to (what to do now) ?  Elk season is my time to get away from it all and hopefully score a bull, not deal with the agravation of hundreds of rigs driving up and down every road including spur roads (you never know when a bull will get caught knapping at the end of one) !

[kentrek]

Kentrek the reason I started hunting this area because it was unique. The Ryderwood unit gave us some good years but the timber got overharvested and the place got hunted hard, no timber for the elk to hide. Now for the last ten years we found a place we can walk/bike past the gates and kinda of sorta get away from the crowd and boom ! here they come again like a pack of locust, the road hunters ! So now were back to (what to do now) ?  Elk season is my time to get away from it all and hopefully score a bull, not deal with the agravation of hundreds of rigs driving up and down every road including spur roads (you never know when a bull will get caught knapping at the end of one) !

the reason i started hunting there is well i started hunting..living ten minutes away helps out alot too. but ive moved on and found a good little slice of heaven.. 5.5 hours away...no inconviences tho,im a foot hunter

[mpetersen]

Called the wyco Longview office and talked to a forester, according to him the main reason  for keeping the gates open was the amount of vandalism to the gates ! Idiots are pulling gates and messing with locks.  So I guess the answer was to just let em in and do their thing as opposed to replacing gates and locks. It makes perfect sense that if your a poacher/thief just raise a little havoc with the gates and BAM ! your in. Suggested maybe they prosecute these idiots but according to this guy they are hard to catch.  Maybe the WDFW should start issuing tags for poachers and equipment thiefs. According to the forester they won't be making any decisions on gate closures till right before the season and no they won't give out an e-mail address for people to voice their opinions (probably get tired of getting flack from the eco-nuts). 

[WSU]

Private forest land are the areas that hold the most elk.  There isn't a ton of DNR land to hunt elk (some, yes, but nothing like private timber land), and the federal land doesn't get logged enough to produce a lot of animals.  I personally prefer gates closed, but can understand the arguments against doing so.  Seems like a balance on private forest land would be the best.  Not sure if that is feasible, and our opinion is irrelevant since Weyerhauser will decide what they want to do.

[JimmyHoffa]

mpetersen, that was the reason for opening the gates around the areas near forks.  They said the guys were going to get back there anyways, so they could either have a damaged gate or an open gate.  The gates are closed until about a week before elk season.  Said guys were bringing some serious tools out there--using torches to cut the gates open, or using chains to pull the whole gate assebly out which also tore up the roads.

[winshooter88]

Have you guys that want the gates closed ever thought that Weyco opens the gates because it pushes the elk out of the area? You have all said that the hunting is so much worse with the gates open because you have a harder time finding animals. Maybe Weyco sees things in a totally different way than hunters do. It's their land and they will decide what is best in their opinion. Seems like the few walk in hunters that have posted on this thread will have a hard time influencing Weyco's management decisions.

[Arteman]

RIGHT ON FURBEARER 365 !! Wish weyco would keep things as they were, the only employee who was busy was the gal answering the 1-800 number to give you the combination to the gate. I would even give that up and use a game cart if it means keeping the gates closed. Will be calling weyco soon to find out what there reasoning is behind last years change.

A lot of Wecos decision making on if they will allow public access during the week if the weather permits is based on the amount of work going on in the area during the week days.  Winston in recent years has been one or the more heavily logged areas on the tree farm, my old man has told me stories of things he's heard over the company radio about idiot hunters blocking log truck traffic, driving through active logging sites, under yarder cables, etc.  This is a huge liability for weco so they lock it up.  Notice the Kalama area is locked up the same now in the last couple years with all the active logging?  When they are done with an area they will allow access all week long again. 

[mrmoskillz]

When I called Weyco about a diff unit the lady who updates the phone info line said she doesn't think they will open ANY gates this year in any units because of damage and garbage left last year.  She said they might open a few gates but I would have to wait til closer to hunting season to see but as of now they are planning on not opening any gates including Vail...Don't kill the messanger its just what she told me

[Arteman]

When I called Weyco about a diff unit the lady who updates the phone info line said she doesn't think they will open ANY gates this year in any units because of damage and garbage left last year.  She said they might open a few gates but I would have to wait til closer to hunting season to see but as of now they are planning on not opening any gates including Vail...Don't kill the messanger its just what she told me

I couldn't imagine that, I know right where I'd be opening morning. 

[mrmoskillz]

When I called Weyco about a diff unit the lady who updates the phone info line said she doesn't think they will open ANY gates this year in any units because of damage and garbage left last year.  She said they might open a few gates but I would have to wait til closer to hunting season to see but as of now they are planning on not opening any gates including Vail...Don't kill the messanger its just what she told me

I couldn't imagine that, I know right where I'd be opening morning.

Arteman, you know where I will be opening day you gave me a few pointers

[Arteman]

When I called Weyco about a diff unit the lady who updates the phone info line said she doesn't think they will open ANY gates this year in any units because of damage and garbage left last year.  She said they might open a few gates but I would have to wait til closer to hunting season to see but as of now they are planning on not opening any gates including Vail...Don't kill the messanger its just what she told me

I couldn't imagine that, I know right where I'd be opening morning.

Arteman, you know where I will be opening day you gave me a few pointers

That's where ill be also, modern.