MODERN WATERSHED QUALITY BULL TAG....INFO NEEDED

[LittleHunter]

  I was talked into putting if for the watershed for quality bull by my uncles fried witch has a cabin that boarder the watershed unit and knows the area like the back of his hand and now that tags came out he found out he drew a bull tag for rimrock and is now not able to help me. I waited 15 year to draw a bull tag and i finally do for a area i know nothing about. I didn't wait 15 years for nothing so im doing this hunt solo and if you have any information on the watershed area i would really apprecite any help you could give me. Ive heard its some extremely ruff and steep country and all this 26 year old has to say is bring it.

[724wd]

best advice i can give is DON'T do it solo!!!   

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

 
Arrange help for packing.  It's a lot of work in there.  It's all in your back no matter where you shoot it and you have a limited amount of time to get out.  Sorry I don't have any advice, I couldn't go in with my dad when he got the tag, I do know camping close by is limited, camping up high can be bad since it can get snowed out and the bottom road is no parking. Good luck!

[LittleHunter]

yea i dint want to go solo but everyone else drew bull tags in rimrock and cowiche area and im not going to waist a tag i waited 15 year to draw a bull tag and didn't really work as planed but all i can do is give it hell but who know theres a lot of time from know to then.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Your in a tough situation for sure.  Scout and recruit a packer if you can.  I
Know guys who have done it solo, but be in shape and give it your all.  Take the week off after you shoot one to recover ; ). There are big bulls out there, it's a hard unit to hunt though.  I wish you luck!

[mtman]

The weather can be bad so be ready for that. I have friends that have drawn that tag. one year it was 14 degrees and the other friend got 70 degree weather. Be ready to destroy your legs. If you havent been over there go look in to it off skyline. You should know at that point what your getting in to.

[Bob33]

my uncles fried witch has a cabin

Ouch.  That sounds painful.

[LittleHunter]

yep training starts Monday ill start off in the gym in the morning before work and again after work then a five mile run up Wiley hill. so you can take skyline all the way up and it goes into the watershed? i know where that's at at least.

[billdo5]

when is the hunt?

[Biggerhammer]

Sounds like your pretty well set with a cabin right there.

[BLUEBULLS]

just be prepared to take it beyond having what most people would consider fun, if you can make yourself miserable, you might be rewarded.

If I had the tag I'd at least have some buddies lined up to help pack.

[Pathfinder101]

yep training starts Monday ill start off in the gym in the morning before work and again after work then a five mile run up Wiley hill. so you can take skyline all the way up and it goes into the watershed? i know where that's at at least.

Nothing goes "into" the WS.  It's a completely closed off area.  In fact, you won't be able to physically set foot in there until your season starts.  There are roads however that will skirt it, so you can find vantage points and glass into it before the season starts.  Skyline is one of them.  Start by getting some maps and learning the boundaries.
Good luck

Oh, and I hope everything works out ok with your uncle's fried witch...

[LittleHunter]

My hunt starts October 27th tho November 4th. No the guy that has the cabin up changed his mind since hes not going to be around at the time he allso got drawn for a bull tag off somewhere else but when the time comes ill be ready i just need to learn the area and the boundries.

[Ridgerunner]

Note to self, apply as a partnership for this hunt. 

SEriously its a great tag, I'd work on lining up some guys to help pack the thing out for sure. 

[washingtonmuley]

I hope you have been doing some sort of physical fitness before now. That unit is steep and deep. I now of one guy on this site that drew that tag last year and shot a very nice bull. Maybe he will chime in and give his 2 cents. My best advice would be Train,Train and Train some more.Good luck.

[rosscrazyelk]

I dont know the area since I can't go in without being drawn. But if you get a animal down I won't be to far away .. If you can't get some friends to come (which I highly suggest ). I could help carry that sucker

[Woodchuck]

And that is why this forum is so cool.  By the way, that bull in Ross's avatar, he packed the whole thing out by himself  Give him the big part.  Ross knows where to find me for help to.

[Pathfinder101]

And that is why this forum is so cool.  By the way, that bull in Ross's avatar, he packed the whole thing out by himself  Give him the big part.

 :yeah:Yup.  It's true.  I saw it on the internets...

[boneaddict]

if you can make yourself miserable, you might be rewarded.

Best statement/advice I have seen in awhile. 

[724wd]

don't be surprised if there's fog.  visibility can be tough at times.  that said, two years ago we were on the rim just checking things out off blacksnake and there was a whole herd, straight down the hill (STRAIGHT down!!!!  ) with several bulls.  they were bugling like crazy - late october, regular elk season - one was a decent 6x, but he wasn't a monster.  getting one of them out off that hillside would have taken a helicopter.  no joke, i don't think you could walk down that hill!   

[LittleHunter]

Yea sounds like i really have my homework cut out for me. I all so drew my branch bull tag for rimrock and i have quality bull for the watershed. Now im back to zero for point on elk completly. I might be kicking my self in the ass this year cause im not pulling the trigger on a bull unless hes 300 or better. Thank ross ill have to keep that in mind. I am trying to line some buddies up but im not going to rely on them so im looking at it as if i was going into this hunt all solo.

[HUNT]

Yea sounds like i really have my homework cut out for me. I all so drew my branch bull tag for rimrock and i have quality bull for the watershed. Now im back to zero for point on elk completly. I might be kicking my self in the ass this year cause im not pulling the trigger on a bull unless hes 300 or better. Thank ross ill have to keep that in mind. I am trying to line some buddies up but im not going to rely on them so im looking at it as if i was going into this hunt all solo.

Throw away that rimrock permit.  It doesnt hold a candle to the watershed.

[LittleHunter]

Im going to hunt both areas get the full two weeks of hunting in. Hold out for that 300 class bull.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

To bad you can't sell it.

[NWWA Hunter]

If you could sell it you could rent a helicopter with the money and do the shed justice.

[coachcw]

can you camp in the water shed durring your hunt ?

[WAcoyotehunter]

be careful in the Watershed.  It's a tough place and it's easy to get in touble in there.  Both times I've been in the unit there has been a ton of snow and wet conditions.  Slipping/falling is a concern on those ridge tops.  Also be prepared for anything- when you're in the bottom you don't see weather coming until it's on top of you.

It's a good unit, but can get dicey quick.  Have fun and be careful.  Know your limits for walking in and out in a day.

[HUNT]

can you camp in the water shed durring your hunt ?

No 

[coachcw]

then the chopper is out ! lol

[Hoythunter]

Everything already said is so true, especially how dangerous the terrain can be given slick conditions.  I drew the tag back in 06 and at that time my dad camped w/me and said there was no way in hell he would let me go into the shed solo.  To make a long story short, opening morning found the both of us (yes, at that time only the permit holder was only allowe to enter) about 1 mile down off the top and sure enough my old man slipped and snapped his ankle.  All jokes aside but even a helicopter couldn't access the hell hole /shale rock drainage we were in.  To make things worse as he was laying, flopping and rolling on the ground due to pain a georgous 6x stepped out.  I quickly realized the severity of the situation and let the bull walk knowing I had a 200 lb plus old man to pack out!  By the time I got him to the hospital in Walla Walla and back to camp on top a big storm hit and we were completely snowed out until the end of the week.  I had yo pack up that night or else my camper wouldn't have been retrieved until late Spring.  Ok, sorry but my short story got kind of long.  Good luck.

[LittleHunter]

Yea i heard its a really ruff and steep train but its not going to stop me from trying. I dont want to be that guy that says ya i drew that tag and didn't even try to hunt it. I got to at least try it and make the best out of it what ever the weather brings.

[rosscrazyelk]

Just to let you know, most people who get drawn for that tag  quit after 3 days.. Good luck you

[MtnMuley]

I know of 3 different people that drew the tag and never set foot in the unit.  I also know several more that did as rosscrazy just mentioned.  Best of luck, and remember, strong mental focus and a non-quitting determination is just as important as being in great shape.

[724wd]

Best of luck, and remember, strong mental focus and a non-quitting determination is just as important as being in great shape.

 

and get a buddy who can help.  no joke. 

[bradslam]

Definitely be careful in there, especially if hunting alone like I did last year for deer.  In fact, in spite of being in good shape, I injured my knee from a couple of slips in the rocky terrain.  I hunted my way through the pain, but was off work for a while when I returned home.  Try to get a partner if you can.  Remember that depending where exactly you are hunting, you can hunt from the top, and if you get anything, come in from the bottom to pack it out.  Another important thing: pay close attention to the rules.  The guy from the Forest Service who patrols the Watershed is very uptight.  His name is Abel.  Be careful about doing things like sneaking over the ridge to take a look into the 'shed while scouting even though it may be only 30' away.  If you are caught, your tag will go bye-bye.  Supposedly, they also have trail cams hidden in certain places.  Also, watch out for cougars.  Lots of cougars, and bears... oh my.

[toyman2]

There is alot of way to look in there legaly. Because i know the area some, and thats the tag i put in for, my plan would be to take the season off work plus 2 days before and 2 OR 3 days after incase i dropped a bull on sunday. Some of it is crazy steep and some not to bad. I would also try to have help with you, if you go down it could take days for someone to even notice.

[Austrian Hunter]

A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place. John Wesley Powell, scientist geographer, put it best when he said that a watershed is:

"that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community."

Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state, and national boundaries. In the continental US, there are 2,110 watersheds; including Hawaii Alaska, and Puerto Rico, there are 2,267 watersheds.


Is this the same thing 

[trophyhunt]

Very good info from these guys. I was in the shed last year with a buddy that drew the tag. We had perfect weather, saw bulls everyday, and yes the terrain is very steep. It's harder to get in close to the elk as you would think, the draws are super long and deep, by the time you get over to where you saw him he's usually gone.  Green mountain is a great area (think it was called green mountain), we did see bears but no cougars. Remember you can't shoot those animals in the shed. Not every elk is miles away either, three times we had bulls within 50 yards of us but they were on the move quickly because they saw us first. He ended up taking a very nice bull 3 or 4 days into our hunt, it scored around 318 but was very narrow. We were lucky enough to stay in a cabin by the boundry and that made all the difference in the world, walking in and out everyday will just end your hunt sooner than you would like to.  I might put in for that tag next year, after not drawing for 17 straight years I'm thinking that tag would be worth my 17 points. Good luck and definitely take some help with you.

[MtnMuley]

This thread has as solid of info as any other " tag" thread I've read, without over-excessive info being portrayed, or negative slander. I wish they could all be like this.

[trophyhunt]

This thread has as solid of info as any other " tag" thread I've read, without over-excessive info being portrayed, or negative slander. I wish they could all be like this.

agree with you 100%

[Bob33]

From 2009: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,28663.0.html

[hunterrcc]

Haven't hunt exactly in the watershed but have on the steep country next to it.   You can do it yourself if you have to but it will be some hard work but thats the name of the game and the way to find the big ones.  If I didn't have two little kids that need watching I would totally offer to tag along and help you.  I hope you find someone to help...  Good luck and get a monster!!!

[buglebuster]

so why is the watershed closed for people to go into?

[rosscrazyelk]

so why is the watershed closed for people to go into?

I believe it is just like most watersheds, want to keep everything as pristine as they can. Limit the traffic, limit the pollution....= clean drinking water.

[coachcw]

they wanna limit the elk hunting terroists !

[Bob33]

so why is the watershed closed for people to go into?

http://www.ci.walla-walla.wa.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B682805CE-AD1C-44C5-87CC-F2FE5FB7FA00%7D

"The Water Division is committed to providing our community with a safe and dependable source of water. Our activities range from patrolling the City’s thirty-six square mile Mill Creek Watershed to providing state-of-the-art disinfection with our ozonation facility to improving our delivery system and investigating your concerns as a customer. "

[Brentmyles]

best advice i can give is DON'T do it solo!!!   

I agree dont do it solo....I hunted with my best friend in the watershed last year and you won't find a good area to kill an elk by yourself. It is an awesome hunt and anyone you can take with you would be lucky to see the country!

[Brentmyles]

We actually hunted off horses couple of the days during season which made a world of difference...not an option for most but if you got friends with horses or have any yourself you'll be glad to have them by your second hour on those hillsides. And it's no joke about the staying out of the Shed until season starts they have couple guys that patrol it day and night and don't take any excuses for stepping foot across that trail line a minute early. I agree with the above post about throwing away your other tag you got drawn for, this hunt is one you will remember for the rest of your life regardless of the result. Good luck and post some pictures come Nov 5th

[firefighter4607]

One word horses. It took me and my dad about 8 hours to get my elk back to camp. Last year it took them something like 14 hours to get one out and that was with a bunch of guys and horses.