Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: dagon on June 11, 2020, 09:18:27 AM
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Got drawn for a pumice plains elk tag. time to get in better shape. any help on best access would be nice.
PS: this will show as my first post but i've been on here for years. Just couldn't get my old profile to work so I made a new one. Thanks
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Get in good shape and a good pair of glass
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Via Weyerhaeuser roads drive to trail-head 216G. GPS cords N46.22670 W122.27300. There is a rock there with the trail # painted on it. It’s about a 2-mile hike from there to the hunt area.
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Can be an easy hunt. Did it in one day last year. Make sure you know the boundaries (they're based on trails in the plains mostly). We camped at Windy Ridge parking area and glassed and walked in from there. Fortunately they were in the unit that day, up close to the east side boundary. Took a few guys, hunt was over in a few hours. If they're deeper in the unit it might be more of a pain. I like basing from Windy Ridge because there are few tourists over that way. You could probably also start off from Johntsone Ridge Observatory, but you might have more people looking at you like you're a jerk. Also, there is a potential for a river crossing if you come in from the north side or west side. If its a later hunt you might want waders and it could get sketchy. Its about a 2 mile walk on a mostly level road in from Windy Ridge.
The elk there are borderline tame. If it takes you more than 2-3 days it'd be due to weather or elk just not being in the unit. There is potential for bad weather, high wind and long shots.
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thanks. i was thinking the hummocks trailhead near coldwater lake but like you said i'd have to cross the toutle river and that might be tough after a hard rain. maybe even with out the rain. not sure. but i can't wait. so cool to be able to get off the trails and see the area from inside.
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216G trail at castle lake off of 3000 line. I had a pumice plains bull tag years ago. I brought it out hammocks trail but crossing toutle was treacherous. If I were wanting to kill a cow in that unit I'd use 216G and stay high until I crossed castle creek.
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Crossing the toutle isn't impossible but it isn't super easy either. You'll want waders and need to explore to find a spot that its doable. That's all assuming there is no rain.
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Thanks. i'm going to go check out 216G. also Windy Ridge side if I can figure out for sure it's open. Site says its open but so does Johnstons ridge but its actually closed at cold water lake.
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Thanks. i'm going to go check out 216G. also Windy Ridge side if I can figure out for sure it's open. Site says its open but so does Johnstons ridge but its actually closed at cold water lake.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=72030
This said closed up until this week, so I would say the 99 road is open to Windy Ridge.
Also, doesn't say anything about FS99 or Windy Ridge here, it does about Johnstone Ridge.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices/?aid=56793
I'd say 99 is open based on the info online, but you could always call.
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Slam dunker! I brought a pair of hip wader to cross the river boundary. then tossed them back to my pack buddy so he could cross. Hiked into the timber, shot elk about 30 minutes later, and packed it out in two trips. I was physically exhausted but probably more because I had not slept in 24 hours or more. Bulls were still bugling in there during my hunt. there was another tag holder who was smarter than me and brought 2-3 friends. They killed theirs in 30 minutes a few hundred yards away, and got it all out in one trip. Hoof rot is a problem there for sure.
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PM Sent
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Crossing the toutle isn't impossible but it isn't super easy either. You'll want waders and need to explore to find a spot that its doable. That's all assuming there is no rain.
Zip line it! Make way cool video with massive antlers and all!
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Crossing was easy for us, hip waders did the trick, but you need to walk a bit to find a good place to cross. We were into elk before we even got to the river to cross and get into the pumice plans unit.
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PM me I can show you on onx exact xrossing and easiest rought to take.
