Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: hogslayer on June 11, 2014, 03:00:25 PM
-
Of course I drew my first tag and it was my third choice! Hopefully it won't come to needing a cow tag in November/December but it is nice to have. Anyone had success down there?? I know the harvest reports are really bad, that is why it is my 3rd choice.
-
Which season, Archery? I used to hunt the area late season before it became permit a few years back. Lots of ground out there but the elk are in there. I'm not sure if all these pay for access permits have effected the gmu, because i know there is Rayoneir, Green Diamond, and other Timberland companies out there.
-
Ya it is the archery tag. November 21- December 15th. I'll have to check it out for land usage. Not sure how much I am going to put into it until after the general season.
-
I am hoping to fill my tag early, but with the dates for early archery it may be tough. I wouldn't count that tag out though, i have had great hunts and an awesome success rate out there in the past. keep in touch i may be able to provide some help if you end up out there.
-
Thanks for offer. I will let you know how it goes. I am with you on the early archey dates this year. It is always good to have a back up plan when elk hunting.
-
I live next to that unit and I'm an archery hunter who has killed elk there.
Bad news....all of weyerhuaser land will be access permit August, green diamond has been keeping most of thier gates closed, and not Sure about any raynoier land being open(leased or permit). Since they paved the road all the way to the dam it gets packed. Poeple will be hunting from their cars.
Good news, for now, green daimond still allows walk in. Hunt around the feeding field, 7400 and 7300. Hope for early snow, brings the elk down out of the skok unit. Some of the farmers in the valley allow hunting with permission(just ask). Most of my honey hole will be in the access permit area. There are elk there but tough hunting by yourself.
-
I read that Green Diamond was seling permits for access to the area between Little Egypt road and Cloquallum... Here is a link
http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/ (http://www.greendiamond.com/recreation/)
-
Hunted the late season there a few times. Walked a crap ton of gated roads.. I'd always see sign but never any elk.. ( well I'd see them in the farmers fields on the way to the dam).. Have seen quite a few deer out there though.. I noticed there were always signs for " pesticide spraying" after the clear cutting so I quit going out there.. I found a couple spots to hunt along the river and would usually see the most sign in there.. It's always wet and cold. Good luck out there! Hope you score!
-
Matlock Mike is pretty much spot on. Hunt the elk fields that's your best bet. Certainly not an easy tag to fill.
-
Start knocking on doors now. There are a lot of landowners who are fed up with the elk. Offer to do some work for them and you might get access. :twocents:
-
Yeah I would think you might find some land owners who would let you hunt their land. Lot of elk end up on private. Not nearly the public access there once was. There still elk where you don't need access passes. I would assume there will be more people hunting this unit late season for bulls since there aren't many late season options around here that are free to access. I feel sorry for people who wasted points on this tag, never should have gone to a permit in my opinion. Just another chance for the WDFW to make money off permit apps. Not many cows were killed when it used to be open for cows.
-
This is a tough tag to fill. I would never waste my points on it. When it was open for cows, I'll bet not more that thirty a year were killed here. Making it a draw tag was just a way for the state to generate more money.
Now, back on topic. Be patient when hunting the fields. The elk will come but you got to pick one side of the river. Other hunter will chase them across the river from the other feeding feilds. The river is too deep and cold to follow that time of the year. Don't get caught up in the bump and chase game. Get to your spot early in the dark and stay till dark. The elk will show, those fields are planted just for them. Do some scouting as season approaches and pick your spot.
-
That's what happens when people pick a permit out of the regs without knowing a thing about it. It's not a complete waste of points but I know areas with a general late season that would be better than the wynoochee, especially with how far the OP is going to have to travel.
-
That's what happens when people pick a permit out of the regs without knowing a thing about it. It's not a complete waste of points but I know areas with a general late season that would be better than the wynoochee, especially with how far the OP is going to have to travel.
