Post by: dvolmer on June 18, 2019, 05:57:17 AM
I have a few concerns. First, I haven't been up there at all for the last 6 years hunting. Second, my hunting partner hunted for deer up there with his son last year in the areas above that I mentioned above and in the areas we shot our bulls back in 2006 and didn't see a single elk. He hunted hard for 3 days. It was so bad that he just decided to not go up for the elk hunt at all. Third, it seems that the elk numbers are way down due to a combination of a bad winter in 2016/2017, cougars, wolves, and uncontrolled tribal hunting. I'm not sure what of the things I listed above are taking the biggest toll but it is probably a combination of a few.
So I am open to any and all kind of help or intel. I do know that scouting right now will not help me all that much. Where the elk are now is not necessary where they will be during the season. Scouting now would be a good thing if I didn't know the area at all and the access points and land lay-out. But where the elk are after the rut is not where they will be now. I know that when the season is going on the big bulls will be by themselves or in small groups of two or three. I know that early mornings they will be half way up the mountain sides feeding and working their way back towards the bottom and into the thick stuff for the day.
So any ideas about current conditions or help would be appreciated.
Post by: trophyhunt on June 18, 2019, 06:23:53 AM
Post by: nels1009 on June 18, 2019, 01:19:45 PM
Post by: 270Flat on June 18, 2019, 02:09:28 PM
I’ve seen a decline in numbers due to Wolves/cougars and people. They’ll stick to the low pressure areas on private land lower in the unit. If you can access the timber lands as well as the feel free to hunt areas you’ll give yourself a leg up. Good luck with your tag!
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 18, 2019, 02:52:19 PM
The elk numbers are way down. First year I've ever seen where WDFW has not had drawings for any cow elk tags in the Dayton unit. Wolves are a big part of it. Best of luck to you on your hunt.
Agree with the above post. Elk can still be found, but getting harder. When wolves are introduced into an area it goes through some tough changes. Unfortunately, I think we are right in the middle of that now. I'll keep my eyes open this summer. If I see anything of note, I'll drop you a PM.
Post by: JWEBB on June 20, 2019, 09:58:07 PM
Post by: dvolmer on June 20, 2019, 11:02:17 PM
I had quality cow tag for the unit last year. Talked to all the big bull hunters while I was up there. Really slim pickings unfortunately. Not what it use to be. Yeah there are some pigs in the unit but far and few between. Good luck!Were you successful on your cow hunt? I noticed this year they discontinued all cow hunts in Dayton.
Post by: JWEBB on June 20, 2019, 11:53:18 PM
I had quality cow tag for the unit last year. Talked to all the big bull hunters while I was up there. Really slim pickings unfortunately. Not what it use to be. Yeah there are some pigs in the unit but far and few between. Good luck!Were you successful on your cow hunt? I noticed this year they discontinued all cow hunts in Dayton.
3rd day done. Didn’t even see a bull on my hunt
Post by: 3dvapor on June 21, 2019, 08:11:59 AM
Post by: Pathfinder101 on June 21, 2019, 04:02:49 PM
Post by: Wacenturion on June 21, 2019, 05:23:29 PM
Was up in the Dayton Unit yesterday for a bit. Did see one herd of about 50 elk on the private across the road from the entrance to Cahill. Mostly cows and calves, but did see 2 bulls. One was branched and the other was smaller.
Were they up on the top of the hill above the N. Touchet across from the entrance to Cahill Mtn road?
Post by: NW_Bucketlist on June 22, 2019, 01:15:33 AM
Post by: meatwhack on June 22, 2019, 01:19:49 PM
Post by: rosscrazyelk on June 25, 2019, 08:01:21 PM
Only thing I can tell you is to go deep and nasty.
Good luck
Post by: dvolmer on September 03, 2019, 01:13:52 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on September 03, 2019, 01:52:19 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on September 03, 2019, 01:58:12 PM
Post by: meatwhack on September 03, 2019, 03:56:09 PM
Post by: dvolmer on October 14, 2019, 01:55:20 PM
Post by: Mr Mykiss on October 14, 2019, 08:31:41 PM
Post by: dvolmer on October 15, 2019, 10:42:05 AM
I’ll be up there starting Thursday, let you know if I see one, or two, or a bachelor group of 400” bulls...Thanks a ton Mr Mykiss. Ill be up Saturday morning to check things out before my Monday opener. I will be in a Forest Service Green Chevy Tahoe. Fill free to stop me and beat some sense into me! My wife would be much obliged!
Post by: dvolmer on October 20, 2019, 08:03:58 PM
Post by: time2hunt on October 20, 2019, 08:14:45 PM
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Post by: emac on October 20, 2019, 08:20:51 PM
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Post by: Rainier10 on October 21, 2019, 11:47:38 AM
Heading up to hunt early in the morning! Anyone seeing big bulls up there during their deer hunting? Any big bull sightings and locations would be much appreciated!
Good luck.
Anyone with information about big bulls should probably just send @dvolmer a pm and update this thread with a "pm sent" post. No need to be broadcasting to the world wide web there is a 400" bull on no tellum ridge. ;)
Post by: meatwhack on October 21, 2019, 12:23:47 PM
Post by: dvolmer on October 24, 2019, 06:57:34 PM
When I went up to hunt yesterday I wasn't sure what I was going to get from the weather and the snow melt. The roads where all accessible and I was able to get where I needed to go and the weather was absolutely beautiful. Just about too nice with no noticeable wind and blue skies. The only real problem I found was that the skid road that I wanted to hunt was shaded and not all of the snow had melted. It froze hard that night and as I walked on the 2-3 inches of snow it was frozen and extremely loud. I started running in to elk and on the hunt I saw a group of 5 cows, a group of 6 cows, and a group of 12 cows with a 5x5 bull with them. I looked at the 5x5 for a long time and decided to pass on him. Its hard to pass on a bull here in Washington but when you put in for years and years for a Quality permit in Dayton you need to keep telling yourself that this is not a meat hunt. Fact is that most of the thousand plus applicants for the Dayton unit will never draw in their lifetime when they are only giving out 6-12 permits a year. This year just 6. I did see a couple of tracks in the snow a day or so old that were single elk by themselves and by the size of the tracks you could tell they were large size bulls. I hunted long and hard all day getting in over 21,000 steps, 9.9 miles walked, and 43 flights climbed! I'm truly feeling my 54 years!
I couldn't hunt today (Thursday) due to some other commitments but I will be back at it before shooting hours tomorrow morning (Friday) and Saturday. If not successful I will take Sunday off (I don't hunt on Sundays plus after two days hunting I will need a day to re-boot) but I will be back at it Monday morning again bright and early. Good luck to all and let me know if anyone in Dayton area has a hot lead on a big bull!
Side SAD note, Like I mentioned above, I saw approximately 20 plus cow elk on Wednesday hunting. They were all fat and healthy looking elk. The sad part about all of this was that there were ZERO calves with the cows. Not even one!!! When the game biologist told me that the Dayton elk herd is 50% smaller then it was just two years ago, I can see why. He told me that due to a few factors that we can all argue about here, they had just about zero calf survival rate and many of the cows that survived the last two winters aborted their calves or they died after birth due to the cows themselves being just about starved to death and not having the ability to nurse following two really bad winters. I sure hope that this next winter is mild and the elk can recover and deal with the other factors including wolves, cougars, over harvesting of natives, and poaching.
Post by: meathunter 4x4 on October 24, 2019, 07:20:07 PM
Post by: trophyhunt on October 24, 2019, 07:48:00 PM
Post by: one shot kill on October 24, 2019, 09:24:37 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on October 24, 2019, 10:34:42 PM
And the zero calf crop which I have been seeing the last couple years, sure makes it hard to find a spike. One or two more years of miss management and those herds won’t be able to bounce back.
Much like the NCW mule deer.
Post by: huntnphool on October 24, 2019, 11:53:27 PM
And the zero calf crop which I have been seeing the last couple years, sure makes it hard to find a spike. One or two more years of miss management and those herds won’t be able to bounce back.
Much like the NCW mule deer.
+1
Post by: Mr Mykiss on October 25, 2019, 04:35:35 AM
Post by: sjhgraysage on October 25, 2019, 09:38:44 AM
Hang in there.
In 2009 I had a tucannon bull tag and a similar weather scenario. First night of the hunt we got a dump of over a foot of snow. Didn't see any elk the next day in the waning snow storm (didn't see any the first day either). I ended up taking a 6x6 on the smallish side maybe 290 to 300 class on the evening of Saturday the first day of general elk season.
It only takes one bull to have it come together. Tomorrow morning with pressure elk will be moving.Be in prime bull spots glassing at daylight and also right before dark. Best of luck! :tup:
Post by: BENCHLEG on October 30, 2019, 04:54:07 PM
Post by: elkchaser54 on October 30, 2019, 05:00:47 PM
Post by: X-Force on October 30, 2019, 06:00:49 PM
I spied a Forest service green Blazer with a bull on the back. Great work dvolmer
:tup:
Post by: LDennis24 on October 30, 2019, 06:34:07 PM
Post by: dvolmer on November 03, 2019, 03:32:10 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on November 04, 2019, 02:15:42 PM
Post by: Birdguy on November 04, 2019, 08:11:20 PM
It’s coming. I’m still recovering!
Classic teaser!!! Congrats!!
Post by: Mr Mykiss on November 06, 2019, 05:24:10 AM
.
.
.
eventually.
Post by: GHETTO GUIDE on November 06, 2019, 12:32:45 PM
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Post by: dvolmer on November 06, 2019, 03:06:48 PM