Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: cougforester on September 12, 2021, 03:52:59 PM

Title: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: cougforester on September 12, 2021, 03:52:59 PM: Anybody having success?

Had a bull come into 70 yards yesterday, got hung up in the reprod and slunk off though. Glassed 4 cows as well across the drainage walking a ridge through the fog.

Got on another bull this morning that was super responsive until we got within 100 yards of him and he clammed up. Bummed to have had a couple chances without any arrows flying but sure was nice to see elk up here.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Dan-o on September 12, 2021, 05:16:32 PM: Good times. :tup:
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Rutnbuxnbulls on September 12, 2021, 05:53:34 PM: Quiet here haven’t seen elk and sign isn’t super fresh. But mid week should be gettin good with cooler temps. Sounds fun Coug wishin these elk would at least let me know they’re here! ;)
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: archer88 on September 13, 2021, 10:22:15 AM: No talking yet found some sign yesterday.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Tracker0721 on September 14, 2021, 09:13:00 PM: I got a picture from a friend in our hunting spot of 2 bulls standing in the road at dang near lunch time(wasn’t hunting but luckily dropped some OnX pins) but other than that it sounds kinda dead. I’m finally back this weekend and have a few areas to go check out.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: cem3434 on September 14, 2021, 09:43:36 PM: A buddy of mine killed a decent 6 point opening day, so they are a few hitting the dirt.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: RugerRay on September 15, 2021, 06:41:53 PM: Called a 4x5 into 25 yards Monday morning. After trying to locate something with bugles all morning he responded to a cow call. Came in on a rope and the two shooters weren’t able to set up in a great spot. He slipped out and never got a shot on him. Other than that, it’s pretty quiet so far.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: archer88 on September 15, 2021, 06:52:57 PM: Will I be chastised asking what unit ???
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Mossy on September 17, 2021, 03:52:07 PM: 6 days=0 sign or sounds
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: WildcatRanger on September 17, 2021, 06:37:30 PM: 6 days of hunting, no sounds, no sightings, no fresh sign. Hunted 2 units and 3 major drainages 3,000-5,000 ft elevation. Covered about 20 miles total on foot, mostly gated roads. Maybe the crazy hot weather this summer pushed the elk to the highest ridges? Or the elk migrated far away? Wish I had more time to find out.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Mossy on September 17, 2021, 07:16:48 PM: Quote from: WildcatRanger on September 17, 2021, 06:37:30 PM
6 days of hunting, no sounds, no sightings, no fresh sign. Hunted 2 units and 3 major drainages 3,000-5,000 ft elevation. Covered about 20 miles total on foot, mostly gated roads. Maybe the crazy hot weather this summer pushed the elk to the highest ridges? Or the elk migrated far away? Wish I had more time to find out.

Could be the steaming piles of wolf shat?
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Ifinch36 on September 17, 2021, 07:43:08 PM: Quote from: WildcatRanger on September 17, 2021, 06:37:30 PM
6 days of hunting, no sounds, no sightings, no fresh sign. Hunted 2 units and 3 major drainages 3,000-5,000 ft elevation. Covered about 20 miles total on foot, mostly gated roads. Maybe the crazy hot weather this summer pushed the elk to the highest ridges? Or the elk migrated far away? Wish I had more time to find out.

Our group just got back and this sounds like our hunt. Put well over 30 miles on the boots, stayed mobile in the car, checked high, checked low, went steep and deep, checked clear cuts, bugled, cow called, didn't call...no sign, no bugles, and no sightings.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: cougforester on September 17, 2021, 09:11:54 PM: Last year my buddy and I did 80 miles in 6 days. We heard 1 bugle and killed that bull. NE elk are very frustrating, I've just been lucky and found a couple small core areas that a small here hangs out.

I ran the math last year, and basically the NE units have about 1 elk per 4.5 square miles. It's a crap shoot. But they are there!
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: WildcatRanger on September 17, 2021, 09:13:40 PM: Yup, we bugled and cow called as well and no responses.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: WildcatRanger on September 17, 2021, 09:18:32 PM: Quote from: cougforester on September 17, 2021, 09:11:54 PM
Last year my buddy and I did 80 miles in 6 days. We heard 1 bugle and killed that bull. NE elk are very frustrating, I've just been lucky and found a couple small core areas that a small here hangs out.

I ran the math last year, and basically the NE units have about 1 elk per 4.5 square miles. It's a crap shoot. But they are there!
80 miles-wow! I’d like to hear about your boot budget!
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: boneaddict on September 18, 2021, 05:29:02 AM: Oh, when there was time……. Nice country
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Rutnbuxnbulls on September 18, 2021, 05:34:52 AM: It seems like the elk here don’t bugle until later in September, like a day after the bow season! ;) I think I heard one yesterday getting out of the truck so of course I’m jacked. Got up on top at daybreak and thought I had a call in, smelled an elk, heard twigs break etc and then nothing. I hiked over 8 miles yesterday found a couple beds and some fresher sign in a blow down hellish hole area that had pockets of nice lush habitat. Cow called/bugled a little throughout the day and no replies. Tore the *censored* out of my new First Lite pants probably going back to cheap stuff!
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: boneaddict on September 18, 2021, 05:41:02 AM: In the 30 years I spent chasing them around, the 12th was always about when they fired. They used to be a lot more vocal, but the wolves really put a damper on that.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: hunter399 on September 18, 2021, 06:09:25 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on September 18, 2021, 05:41:02 AM
In the 30 years I spent chasing them around, the 12th was always about when they fired. They used to be a lot more vocal, but the wolves really put a damper on that.
BINGO ding,ding,ding,ding........
All I'm gonna say ,is sometimes you can find them scratching out a living .Where you would least expect.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: cougforester on September 18, 2021, 06:39:33 AM: Quote from: Rutnbuxnbulls on September 18, 2021, 05:34:52 AM
It seems like the elk here don’t bugle until later in September, like a day after the bow season! ;) I think I heard one yesterday getting out of the truck so of course I’m jacked. Got up on top at daybreak and thought I had a call in, smelled an elk, heard twigs break etc and then nothing. I hiked over 8 miles yesterday found a couple beds and some fresher sign in a blow down hellish hole area that had pockets of nice lush habitat. Cow called/bugled a little throughout the day and no replies. Tore the *censored* out of my new First Lite pants probably going back to cheap stuff!

Did that my first year of hunting too. Switched straight to Sitka and Kuiu and you're set!
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: Hogey3 on September 22, 2021, 11:09:02 AM: Hunted the NE corner for 9 days this year. We hit the area hard all off-season and were able to locate some elk in a few different spots on our trail cams two weeks before season opener. Once the season came around we put 70+ miles on the boots and hundreds on the truck. Hiked all day, road bugled all night. And for all that effort we heard two bugles all week. The first was a super lazy locate around 1am two days before opening day, the other bugle was on Day 2 around 7pm I was cow calling and got a round up bugle response. Thinking he was headed from his day bed to his feeding area and I couldn't catch up to him before shooting light ran out. Went back after him the next morning hiked in there before light and never could find him again.

It's really frustrating to put in the miles and oxygen blowing on the dang reeds all day to barely hear anything. We also hunted the NE corner in 2020 and didn't hear a single bugle, was hoping that the smoke had some blame for that, but after this season being so silent I'm thinking it might be time to find another area to hunt.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: buckfvr on September 22, 2021, 11:24:52 AM: The elk up here are stingier than most with their vocals. Wolves also respond to elk and keep them moving from one spot to the next, CONSTANTLY. In searching for another area, find one without wolves.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: CedarPants on September 22, 2021, 11:51:01 AM: I'll be going after them with my muzzy tag next weekend but have been scouting heavily over the summer and into September. I have a group located that tend to show up every other day on my cams - multiple cows with calves, a few spikes, couple raghorns, nice herd bull. I've been out before first light and after last light and they are dead quiet. This is also in an area where the wolves were sounding off during turkey season this past spring, so I can understand why the elk are quiet.

Stimson started logging just a couple hundred yards away from one of their main bedding areas as well this past week.
Title: Re: NE WA Elk Report
Post by: baldopepper on September 22, 2021, 12:48:01 PM: I've never hunted the elk around here, but have talked to a couple of long term locals (3rd generation)about them and both said the elk around here are really transient. Might see em some place today and then not again for a couple of weeks. Both run cattle around here and said it's just kinda a matter of luck if you run into em because they move so much it's hard to get a pattern on em.