Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: fish-on37 on July 28, 2009, 03:03:37 PM

Title: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: fish-on37 on July 28, 2009, 03:03:37 PM: Just thought you should know that Weyerhaeuser closed their property down today. They updated the recording saying all public access is secured. The number is (866) 636-6531. Not surprised they closed it but hope it opens back up for the september elk season.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: huntnphool on July 28, 2009, 03:14:06 PM: You guys with Toutle tags will have until the season starts to get your points back. This happened to a friend of mine several years ago. He finally drew the tag for archery in September and was locked out. They ended up opening it for the rifle permits in November, it was a slaughter.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: fish-on37 on July 28, 2009, 03:26:41 PM: I didnt want to hear that.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: huntnphool on July 28, 2009, 03:33:37 PM: Sorry fish-on. I just wanted those of you with tags to know you can get your points back but you must contact F&G before the season starts to do it, once it starts you are SOL. At this point it would take a couple weeks of rain for them to open it up again and it doesn't look like that is going to happen. From experience once they close it they leave it closed until mid Oct-Nov., sorry to hear they locked it.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: grousetracker on July 28, 2009, 04:46:55 PM: is that for drive in or walkin too?i will have to call the hotline.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: heavy hauler on July 28, 2009, 06:00:18 PM: now if you draw the early archery you also get a late season, just because of fire danger
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: PolarBear on July 28, 2009, 06:17:53 PM: Quote from: grousetracker on July 28, 2009, 04:46:55 PM
is that for drive in or walkin too?i will have to call the hotline.
That means NO access! Foot, horse bike etc are all forbidden. I was escorted off of Weyerhaeuser land adjoining my neighbors property on opening day a few years back and was told that it was a minimum $1.000 fine for being behind a fire danger sign. Green Diamond (Simpson) and Port Blakeley has all of their land shut down as well. It won't open back up (unless we get a ton of rain) until the rifle opener. How convenient.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: rackattack on July 28, 2009, 06:21:32 PM: Quote from: huntnphool on July 28, 2009, 03:14:06 PM
You guys with Toutle tags will have until the season starts to get your points back. This happened to a friend of mine several years ago. He finally drew the tag for archery in September and was locked out. They ended up opening it for the rifle permits in November, it was a slaughter.

I think in the old days this was true, but now with them adding the late season your points are gone. :twocents:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Branden on July 28, 2009, 07:27:13 PM: I hope it rains for the guys that have tags in there.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: SilkWWU on July 28, 2009, 07:38:56 PM: I guess this means more Bulls for my rifle tag....

sorry to all you archery hunters...that sucks.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: WDFW-SUX on July 28, 2009, 07:40:58 PM: bummer
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: murph13 on July 28, 2009, 07:48:11 PM: SOMEONE PLEASE DO A RAIN DANCE........ Actually this happens every couple years.....as long as we get some rain in late august we'll be fine, just no scouting, which really sucks.......
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Elkric on July 28, 2009, 08:13:38 PM: Quote from: huntnphool on July 28, 2009, 03:33:37 PM
Sorry fish-on. I just wanted those of you with tags to know you can get your points back but you must contact F&G before the season starts to do it, once it starts you are SOL. At this point it would take a couple weeks of rain for them to open it up again and it doesn't look like that is going to happen. From experience once they close it they leave it closed until mid Oct-Nov., sorry to hear they locked it.

This is not necessarily true. Many years they've opened things up long before October, if the weather cooperates of course. Especially now with the Eyes In The Woods guys helping out with manning gates. I just say that so say this: there is a little hope for you archery tag holders. Good Luck!!!!
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Crunchy on July 28, 2009, 08:21:56 PM: We just need two days of good rain. I am one sweating it for rain as I drew a Boistfort B tag which begins Aug 1-7.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Screaminreelz on July 28, 2009, 08:31:52 PM: Is it the entire tree farm or specific GMUs? I know there is limited access with only a few entry points but they did this awhile back and they still managed to open it up in time.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: bobcat on July 28, 2009, 08:33:14 PM: Crunchy, sorry I don't think there's any hope for you. Only 4 days till your season starts. No way is Weyerhaeuser going to open up their woods by then.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: rasbo on July 28, 2009, 08:35:41 PM: Quote from: Crunchy on July 28, 2009, 08:21:56 PM
We just need two days of good rain. I am one sweating it for rain as I drew a Boistfort B tag which begins Aug 1-7.
that sucks I dont think anything will open sooner than sept 1st
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Crunchy on July 28, 2009, 08:57:31 PM: Ya I took all of next week off to hunt. I think I can get'r done with two days, so if we get some rain by Monday and they open it Wednesday I might have a chance :chuckle:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Aperson on July 28, 2009, 09:21:02 PM: is early muzzy affected by this???
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: bobcat on July 28, 2009, 09:33:19 PM: We won't know until the early muzzleloader season gets here.

Hopefully it will start raining September 23rd and won't stop until October 2nd, just in time for the timber companies to open their lands for muzzleloader season on Ocotber 3rd. I say that since I have a muzzleloader elk tag. :chuckle:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: funkster on July 28, 2009, 10:08:42 PM: This is not good news,but if we get some rain later in August they might just open it back up for walk in only which would be great. They want to thin the herd as much as possible. Last year they opened it up a few days before the elk season started to motorized vehicles which had the elk scattered and non responsive.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: MagKarl on July 29, 2009, 08:16:26 AM: I just called the hotline and the mainline access to the Toutle state land block is still open. It's frustrating that after finally drawing a permit, I'm going to be limited to a fraction of the total GMU area and there are 130 permit holders all hunting the same patch. We sure do need some rain.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Crunchy on July 29, 2009, 11:58:47 AM: I talked to the Vail Tree farm security guys just an hour ago. He said that DNR decides when to open and close it. Apparently it has much to do with the humidity levels, and that rain isnt necessary for it to open the temps just have to come down.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Wild Bill on July 29, 2009, 12:34:45 PM: Quote from: MagKarl on July 29, 2009, 08:16:26 AM
I just called the hotline and the mainline access to the Toutle state land block is still open. It's frustrating that after finally drawing a permit, I'm going to be limited to a fraction of the total GMU area and there are 130 permit holders all hunting the same patch. We sure do need some rain.
Dont know how much you know of the unit, but i'd bet close to 45% is state land.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Elkpiss on July 29, 2009, 12:45:21 PM: Quote from: grousetracker on July 28, 2009, 04:46:55 PM
is that for drive in or walkin too?i will have to call the hotline.

It happends almost every year during the summer they close the woods, dont sweat it yet, i drew it a few years ago and they closed the woods down even the first 3 days of the hunt they were still closed down, but you should be ok.. just pray for some rain come begining of september...
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Elkpiss on July 29, 2009, 12:45:56 PM: Quote from: grousetracker on July 28, 2009, 04:46:55 PM
is that for drive in or walkin too?i will have to call the hotline.

that is for all access walk in or drive in...
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: bobcat on July 29, 2009, 05:29:31 PM: Quote from: Wild Bill on July 29, 2009, 12:34:45 PM
Quote from: MagKarl on July 29, 2009, 08:16:26 AM
I just called the hotline and the mainline access to the Toutle state land block is still open. It's frustrating that after finally drawing a permit, I'm going to be limited to a fraction of the total GMU area and there are 130 permit holders all hunting the same patch. We sure do need some rain.
Dont know how much you know of the unit, but i'd bet close to 45% is state land.

No way. More like 5%.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: fish-on37 on July 29, 2009, 05:38:11 PM: 5% or 45%, im just happy I will be able to hunt :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: HntnFsh on July 29, 2009, 07:07:30 PM: Quote from: MagKarl on July 29, 2009, 08:16:26 AM
I just called the hotline and the mainline access to the Toutle state land block is still open. It's frustrating that after finally drawing a permit, I'm going to be limited to a fraction of the total GMU area and there are 130 permit holders all hunting the same patch. We sure do need some rain.

Dont be surprised if Weyco shuts that down too.That will reall limit access to the state patch.

Seen it before!
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Crunchy on July 29, 2009, 08:39:05 PM: Is the state patch you refer to DNR land?
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: bobcat on July 29, 2009, 08:53:21 PM: Wild Bill, I looked at the Go Hunt map and the percentage of state land is probably more like 30% so your 45% isn't as high as I first thought.

Crunchy, the state land in the Toutle unit is DNR. The biggest part of that is in the north end of the Toutle unit and is probably what MagKarl is referring to. I drew an archery Toutle permit in 2001 and Weyerhaeuser closed down their land, and along with that, access to the DNR land which is only accessible by crossing Weyerhaeuser. They had the gates closed and a guard sitting there making sure nobody got in. I was told I couldn't even park there and walk past the gate to get to the state land. I almost hired a helicopter to fly me in and drop me off for a few days.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Wild Bill on July 30, 2009, 08:13:41 AM: I'd roll with 30%. I just knew there was way more state land that most people think. I would definatly say of the 30%, 90% of that is in the north end of the unit. However, if it got ugly, and I could not get in the unit from the north, I would look at the sr503. Across from Merwin lake is all state land as well. Also, usfs rd 81 (if open) gets a guy real close, then he needs to hike out of the Lewis river into toutle, and do some back packin. The trick would be crossing the toutle and staying dry, or else your not on state land.
WB
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: WDFW-SUX on July 30, 2009, 08:16:17 AM: I know how to get to state land without the weyerhaeuser land but its bitch. :bdid:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Wild Bill on July 30, 2009, 08:19:05 AM: Before the really bored dudes start reading into my last statement, let me clarify by saying there is MANY ways to hike in from the east off usfs rd 81 without coming anywhere near Weyco property.
WB
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Wild Bill on July 30, 2009, 08:22:01 AM: Quote from: WDFW-SUX on July 30, 2009, 08:16:17 AM
I know how to get to state land without the weyerhaeuser land but its bitch. :bdid:
given the possible alternative, I'd pack heavy, and dealwith the nightmare.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: heavy hauler on August 01, 2009, 09:34:51 PM: you can also get to the toutle from the north.you will get wet though
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: elkman11032 on August 04, 2009, 06:17:39 PM: is this closing effect highway 25 out of randle????
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: THINK_N_ELK on August 04, 2009, 09:52:53 PM: No Fs 25 is in the Gifford. It is a Forest Service road. Weyco has no control. The tree farms are in the Toutle, Margaret, and Winston Units.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Skinner on August 06, 2009, 12:54:23 PM: And coweeman
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Curly on September 06, 2009, 07:41:36 AM: Checked the hotline this morning....................Weyco land is still closed.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm
Post by: Elkwatcher56 on September 06, 2009, 12:35:54 PM: And it won't of course get updated until after the season starts. Others who don't check the hotline will flock in there with no regard to fire danger thinking it has rained more than enough to end it.