Post by: kglacken on May 27, 2013, 09:35:48 PM
Post by: zoorda on May 28, 2013, 05:38:38 PM
Post by: Shawn Ryan on May 30, 2013, 12:04:01 PM
Post by: bucklucky on May 30, 2013, 01:39:37 PM
Post by: bullcanyon on May 30, 2013, 08:49:06 PM
Post by: bucklucky on May 31, 2013, 12:14:16 AM
Post by: Fullabull on May 31, 2013, 01:55:43 PM
I think there is still a very good elk population, it has just become a harder hunt because of the early dates. You really need to get good at elk vocalizations to get them to respond to you now. Know what you are saying and what they are saying and you will still have success. You just won't see as many elk as you use to.
Post by: b0bbyg on May 31, 2013, 02:43:09 PM
Most years they are not vocal at all in our area, except last year first day of archery they were bugling and chuckling from sunrise on the first day.
I have a friend that hunts a different part of the Lewis and they have many bulls bugling every year during archery.
Post by: Swatson on June 03, 2013, 09:06:10 AM
Post by: Broken Arrow on June 03, 2013, 09:40:14 AM
Post by: couesbitten on June 04, 2013, 07:10:32 PM
Good spot to start is at 4 corners where 560 and 572 connect.
If you're talking about the 4 corners that I think you are (FR60 and Carson-Gular Rd), that is where the 572 (Siouxon) and 574 (Wind River) units meet.
Post by: sneakyjake on June 04, 2013, 11:33:41 PM
Post by: PolarBear on June 05, 2013, 12:20:22 AM
Post by: kglacken on August 05, 2013, 09:08:32 PM
Post by: ELKBURGER on August 06, 2013, 07:16:29 AM
Post by: Bunny Thumper on August 06, 2013, 05:28:49 PM
Post by: Sliverslinger on August 06, 2013, 09:40:10 PM
I grew up hunting that unit with my Grandfather and dad. Still my favorite area for a multitude of reasons. In that unit most people seem to drive around and admire the jaw-dropping steepness of it without ever creasing the leather on their boots. That country is loaded with elk, typically several smaller groups depending on the time of year, but it's not like Weyerhauser land where there's a road every mile and the elk have no choice but to be reasonably close to a road. The elk can sit two ridges over and stay miles from the roads and the people who won't get farther than a mile from the truck. While the thick stuff is great when the pressure is on, if you want some more open areas I recommend using Google earth and some terrain maps to find areas that are above 4000 ft. It starts to take on more of a subalpine character with open patches. When I hunted up there as a kid I absolutely loved it and hated it, but either my dad or grandpa (or both) got an elk almost every year. Their philosophy was "You need to look around and find the areas that are so steep, nasty, rugged, and ridiculous that no sane person would ever go there, and then go there and find the elk that no one else knows about." Then they would drag me out of bed to start walking an hour before daylight, up some Godforsaken mountain, only to go down the other side and up some other Godforsaken mountain. I'll never forget my Grandpa leaning down about every half mile and saying "50% of hunters would stop now..." After the next mile "the other 25% would turn back here..." Eventually, I'd hear "No other crazy a**hole would go up that, now we'll find the elk." Usually we did. Now I drag my hunting friends out there but they usually won't go with me a second time... can't be ruining that brand new pair of boots. -I've got as buddy now who goes with me.-
Based on my experience there here's my best advice on that unit:
-Get far away from the roads
-Get far away from the quad trails if you can
-Get far away from the main hiking trails if you can
-Spend as much time scouting different areas as possible. There are some great holes to be found.
-Have a pack with everything you need for a night in the mountains, the weather and fog rolls in unnervingly fast at times and you won't be able to find the right saddle on the right ridge until it clears. It is damn cold spending the night up there. I've done it and my dad has done it unexpectedly.
-Hunt with a partner, that country is steep and rugged. I broke my arm and sprained my ankle in a rockslide one year. Wouldn’t have gotten out without help.
-Trust your compass and map, I get turned around on the same forking ridges every year and swear each time that my compass has broke. My back-up compass is always broken to. That country plays tricks on you.
-Once you find an area you like, enlarge an aerial map to about 18”x24”, laminate it, it makes it a lot easier to estimate where they are going after you jump them.
-Use google earth to find some dry lake beds at high elevation- they are often filled with grass.
- Have stuff in your pack to build a fire easily at a moment’s notice. If you fall off of a snow covered log into a large creek, you’re hands won’t be able to operate a lighter very well.
-Don’t cross large creeks on snow covered logs.
-Go where others won’t
-Don’t bother wasting gas driving around for hours- you’ll come to believe that no animals live there.
.
If nothing else, it is some incredible country.
Post by: timm on August 08, 2013, 03:07:34 PM
Post by: Angus on August 08, 2013, 06:07:27 PM
Post by: Sliverslinger on August 08, 2013, 07:45:07 PM
Good write up Sliverslinger, as much as I would love to pack in 2 or 3 miles, I hunt solo and the idea of packing out an elk that far in 80+ degree temps seems like a great way to ruin an elk. If you see a blue Dodge Dakota I'm probably within a mile, mile and a half.
That was my fear for a long time as well. However, there is a lot of good info out about how to keep meat from spoiling in those temps. Do a search on this forum. There are things that can be done to cool the meat down. I hunt by myself or with one buddy as well. It can be done. Good luck out there. If I see a blue Dakota I'll say hi.