Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: BB11b on September 07, 2016, 07:38:41 AM

Title: Gmu 673
Post by: BB11b on September 07, 2016, 07:38:41 AM: Sure could use some help on GMU 673. First time elk hunting and never been there. Thanks for any advise
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: spin05 on September 07, 2016, 11:54:12 PM: going to need a permit from the timber companies
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: grundy53 on September 08, 2016, 04:53:21 AM: Quote from: spin05 on September 07, 2016, 11:54:12 PM
going to need a permit from the timber companies
You don't need a permit for Hancock's land down there. There is also some state land.

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Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on September 08, 2016, 11:11:51 AM: When are you heading down to 673?
Have you been there at all this year?, or ever ?
Have you thought about where you are camping?
I am not sure about the north end up by Trap Creek, but know that it is all gates along 101 until you hit the state land near Naselle.
Only a few campgrounds, Bruceport, Bay Center, and...
They fill up pretty quick.

I see that you are a disabled vet, does this limit your mobility?
Lots of walk in hunting, only open roads are on state land, but you will see a lot of hunters parking and glassing, driving around on the state land.
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: BB11b on September 08, 2016, 12:20:41 PM: So this is my first time elk hunting. Also my first time to this GMU so that is why I am asking for any help/advise. No mobility limits due to disability (I could never allow it). We will be staying at Bruceport I believe my father in law made the reservations for us so I'm not 100% on that
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: BB11b on September 08, 2016, 12:22:25 PM: Also we will be hunting across the street from Bruceport park according to my father in law
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on September 08, 2016, 01:04:04 PM: Good luck!
That area will probably be pretty busy, I would suggest getting there early, and taking a walk the night before.
Has he been there before?
Is it just you and him?
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: BB11b on September 08, 2016, 01:16:53 PM: Yeah it's just us. And no we haven't been there before
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: hiway_99 on September 08, 2016, 03:06:22 PM: A lot of that unit last time I hunted it required a Hancock pass. You can hunt the gate across from bruce port but be prepared for some unfriendly locals. I would be in the woods well before daylight on opening morning there. You can pm your number and I will give you some other spots to try. I haven't hunted it in 5 or 6 years so it's up to you to figure out about the Hancock access pass/ discover pass thing.

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Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: sumpnz on September 08, 2016, 03:28:07 PM: Lots of elk in 673. But thanks to the timber companies access sux now. I've talked to a number of locals out there that said they sold their guns and gave up hunting because of that. Hard to say how truthful they were, but they certainly were upset about it all. You're either paying to get into decent areas, fighting the crowds, or using your detective skills to find ways into hard to access public land areas.
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: Scott68 on September 14, 2016, 04:42:56 PM: I've lived in South Bend my entire life and I've never seen the volume of bow hunters in this unit as I have over the last 3 or 4 days. Really remarkable hunting pressure out there right now.

This morning, at daylight, I drove from South Bend to Long Beach for some work related stuff, and I would estimate that between South Bend and Long Beach that I saw at least 60 vehicles along the highway where hunters were hitting the timber and/or walking in a road. (That's not an exaggeration). And I saw all of these vehicle without leaving highway 101 ... I can only imagine the number of vehicles on the side roads, county roads, and/or logging roads that are still accessible in some locations.

There were at least 15 vehicles parked between Bruceport Park and Wilson Point (that's less than a 5 mile stretch of road).

There were 14 vehicles parked at the D-Line/101 intersection and another 9 parked within 1 mile south of that intersection at any wide spot in the road that they could find.

I talked with a couple of my friends who are bow hunters and while they weren't complaining about all of the people invading this unit, they were grumbling a bit about having to mount their bikes at 3 or 4am in order to ride deep enough into their hunting grounds just to avoid the crowds.

A stunning number of bow hunters in this part of unit 673 this year.
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: elkdrivemenuts on September 14, 2016, 05:22:26 PM: North river unit seems empty, of elk and hunters. Haven't seen an elk the whole season.

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Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: chester on September 14, 2016, 05:59:58 PM: Quote from: elkdrivemenuts on September 14, 2016, 05:22:26 PM
North river unit seems empty, of elk and hunters. Haven't seen an elk the whole season.

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Access is hard to navigate in that area with the patchwork of timber land owners.

I'll second what scott68 said. I was up 673 and 506 for the opening weekend and absolutely blown away at the number of hunters and the amount of pressure both on state and Weyco lands from archery hunters. I can safely say it's over double what rifle season gets and I feel that's conservative . The archery craze as of late is really something to behold .

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Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: BB11b on September 17, 2016, 03:01:21 PM: Thanks for all of your inputs. I'm definitely addicted to elk hunting now. We didn't get anything but we were constantly in elk multiple times a day. Had I not lost my hoochie mamma I probably would have been able to get a cow. Late elk is a must for me. Hope you guys had some good luck out there
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: J.humphrey83 on March 03, 2017, 10:40:19 AM: Hey guys do you know what the name of the Hancock farm is for 673. So I buy the correct permit. thanks!
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: bobcat on March 03, 2017, 11:02:32 AM: I didn't even realize Hancock was selling access permits for that area. It's always been open for free. In that unit. I know Rayonier has access permits in the Williams Creek unit.
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: J.humphrey83 on March 04, 2017, 08:36:08 AM: Thanks for the quick reply
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: bobcat on March 04, 2017, 09:04:31 AM: When I look at the Hancock recreational access site it has White River, Eatonville, and Kapowsin, none of which are anywhere near GMU 673.

The WDFW Hunting Prospects for 2016 has some helpful information beginning on page 47:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/prospects/2016/district17.pdf
Title: Re: Gmu 673
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on March 04, 2017, 10:19:13 AM: Quote from: BB11b on September 08, 2016, 12:22:25 PM
Also we will be hunting across the street from Bruceport park according to my father in law

That particular herd gets pushed hard by the locals.