Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Dipsnort on August 28, 2009, 02:42:36 PM

Title: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Dipsnort on August 28, 2009, 02:42:36 PM: I'm starting to get a little concerned about access during the early archery season...any updates on the closure due to fire danger? If anyone has the phone number that provides updates, please post.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on August 28, 2009, 03:23:43 PM: Well I assume you already have the access hotline? If not it's 1-866-636-6531

I don't think they will open it up until after we get a lot of rain.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Dipsnort on August 28, 2009, 05:58:28 PM: Quote from: bobcat on August 28, 2009, 03:23:43 PM
Well I assume you already have the access hotline? If not it's 1-866-636-6531
I do now. Thanks!
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Angus on August 28, 2009, 06:47:19 PM: I've aborted my opening day Coweeman plan that almost paid off big last year :bash:, going to check out some plan B options this weekend :'(.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: funkster on August 29, 2009, 11:02:12 PM: Here is the forecast for sw washington from the 3rd to the 7th,we all know it could change by then that is why I spent a few days checking out another area but I am still holding out.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: grousetracker on August 30, 2009, 04:27:26 PM: things are not looking real good for us,spoke to a dnr rep.and said there land would remain open unless it got really hot. i have no idea what i will do, but im in the same boat as everyone else.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Crunchy on August 30, 2009, 08:26:27 PM: Need to send that weather forecast to Weyerhauser.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: funkster on August 30, 2009, 09:10:05 PM: According to weather.com they are calling for showers opening day! Here is the link http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USWA0455?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on August 31, 2009, 06:01:38 AM: Went to Winston down the 3000 line on Saturday. Hancock has most of their land posted, but yet we saw a bunch of guys driving past the signs. :bash:

The 550 road is closed just past camp 9, with a guard staying in a trailer.

We did manage to see 3 legal bulls but they were all on closed (Hancock) land.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: sneakyjake on September 01, 2009, 03:55:34 PM: Tried to listen to the Weyer message. It states that all access is closed, but then says right after that the 4100-4200 and the 4200 to state lands is open. Is this the area between the North and South fork of the Toutle and is it open?
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on September 01, 2009, 04:06:04 PM: Yes. They are allowing people to drive through Weyerhaeuser ground to get to the DNR land, and yes that is between the North and South Forks. But of course, as I'm sure you know, that is in the Toutle unit and is only open for elk to those who drew a special permit.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 01, 2009, 07:06:53 PM: Quote from: bobcat on September 01, 2009, 04:06:04 PM
Yes. They are allowing people to drive through Weyerhaeuser ground to get to the DNR land, and yes that is between the North and South Forks. But of course, as I'm sure you know, that is in the Toutle unit and is only open for elk to those who drew a special permit.

A little clarification.
Not all of the roads to state land are open. The mainlines are open, but if they have some state land landlocked you will not be able to access it.

Hopefully this road will be open soon.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_6634.jpg&hash=bbb203cecf6f78920d4d3a1b2f4bd36b964b94af)
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on September 01, 2009, 08:10:52 PM: Right, my reply was only in regards to the question about accessing the block of state land in the Toutle unit. There is lots of state land in other areas that will not be accessible.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: littlebuf on September 01, 2009, 08:22:42 PM: theirs no reason for them to not open up the land, no fire danger reason anyway.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Crunchy on September 01, 2009, 08:27:29 PM: Ya enough is enough open the roads. Lets be realistic about this. Probably gona rain on the opener of early archery elk anyways.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: firedog on September 01, 2009, 08:47:15 PM: All I want is it opened up to walk in, don't care about the gates being opened at least in the area I hunt. Would prefer the gates closed to keep some of the road drivers out. No fire reason to keep us out now and with the cooler damper weather forcast it should be open.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 01, 2009, 08:53:27 PM: Quote from: littlebuf on September 01, 2009, 08:22:42 PM
theirs no reason for them to not open up the land, no fire danger reason anyway.

Well I was out in Winston on Saturday and I gotta say even with the light rain, it was bone dry. There is a ton of fuel out there and I am sure the indexes are saying it could ignite.

Maybe the next few days of rain will changes things.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: BrushChimp on September 01, 2009, 09:01:42 PM: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/FireInformation/Pages/rp_fire_fireinformation.aspx (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/FireInformation/Pages/rp_fire_fireinformation.aspx)

Look under the Related Links column on the right side of the page. Click on the Fuel Moisture Graphs. That's what counts when it comes to fire danger. Not whether it's raining or not.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 01, 2009, 09:10:41 PM: Quote from: BrushChimp on September 01, 2009, 09:01:42 PM
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/FireInformation/Pages/rp_fire_fireinformation.aspx (http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/FireInformation/Pages/rp_fire_fireinformation.aspx)

Look under the Related Links column on the right side of the page. Click on the Fuel Moisture Graphs. That's what counts when it comes to fire danger. Not whether it's raining or not.

Thanks.. I was looking but couldn't find the graphs. Still a little way to go I think.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: PWN Kurt on September 02, 2009, 08:17:53 AM: I heard that the fires in So Cal are pulling a lot of resources from the NW crews. The land managers out here are probably trying to be a little extra cautious so we don't have anything that gets too out of control. However, I also think that a few fires now and then are part of the natural process...

Kurt
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: sneakyjake on September 02, 2009, 08:46:41 AM: Yes, we have Toutle bull, archery. I have never spent any time listening to the weyer message before. I wasn't sure if I was deciphering it all right. So we have access to the state land between the rivers. How will I know if this changes? Just check it on a day to day basis.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: ELKHOG on September 02, 2009, 08:57:07 AM: Call the hot line number and punch in 224 for ST HELEN tree farm
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on September 02, 2009, 05:15:38 PM: Yes just keep calling the hotline. They usually change it weekly but you should check it daily. I would assume that since they've got the gate open for access into the state land now, that that will remain open. Fire danger isn't going to get worse. Well at least with the current weather forecast, unless something changes drastically.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Echomules on September 03, 2009, 08:32:23 AM: Why don't they have a website with this info, It sure would be a lot easier to decifer. With a nice color coded map? A site like that would be easy for them to maintain also.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Angus on September 04, 2009, 09:30:08 PM: Drove up to a gate this evening in the Coweeman unit and watched 2 elk herds through the spotting scope, a nice 4x4 in 1 herd and a 4 x 5 in the other, come on rain I don't want to have to look elsewhere! :bash:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Crunchy on September 05, 2009, 11:18:49 AM: You would think with all this recent rain, yesterday and today, they would open up some land.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Jeremiah P on September 05, 2009, 03:50:30 PM: The winston unit is no longer dry, trust me I was there today ;)
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 06, 2009, 09:12:49 AM: Do you guys not understand that it take more then a little rain to change things? We have had a very dry summer so it may take a little longer to be out of fire danger.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on September 06, 2009, 10:32:25 AM: Well, this morning's rain just might be enough. It was flat out pouring for a couple hours here. It's still raining now, but just lightly. I've got huge puddles of water out behind my house. I could see them opening up the woods now. But I also wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: .54 THUNDERHAWK on September 06, 2009, 10:50:04 AM: Better keep the rain dances going!!
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: WASHBCBOOK on September 06, 2009, 12:31:52 PM: THIS IS WHY YOU NEVER PUT YOUR EGGS IN 1 SINGLE BASKET ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP PLAN (PRIVATE LAND) THERE ARE ALOT OF FARMERS THAT WILL LET YOU HUNT YOU JUST HAVE TO GROW SOME WAVOS AND ASK...........
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Elkwatcher56 on September 06, 2009, 12:33:44 PM: I live bordering some w land south of the coweewan. You couldn't start a fire in there today if you wanted to. People who don't check the messages are going to fly through there with no regard to the fire danger. I've seen it happen many times in years past. The honest people will stay out just to have the message updated a few days after the season opens while elk that they had chances to get are being harvested.

They need to be a little more observant to the seasons and update day by day access options as is gets to opening day.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Huntbear on September 06, 2009, 12:59:46 PM: Quote from: Elkwatcher56 on September 06, 2009, 12:33:44 PM
I live bordering some w land south of the coweewan. You couldn't start a fire in there today if you wanted to. People who don't check the messages are going to fly through there with no regard to the fire danger. I've seen it happen many times in years past. The honest people will stay out just to have the message updated a few days after the season opens while elk that they had chances to get are being harvested.

They need to be a little more observant to the seasons and update day by day access options as is gets to opening day.

And that is why I will no longer hunt elk on Weyco land!!!! They have their head so far up their, a$$ that they have no clue what is going on. Even their security is not worth much, unless the machinery is being damaged.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 06, 2009, 09:09:57 PM: Quote from: bobcat on September 06, 2009, 10:32:25 AM
Well, this morning's rain just might be enough. It was flat out pouring for a couple hours here. It's still raining now, but just lightly. I've got huge puddles of water out behind my house. I could see them opening up the woods now. But I also wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.

As of Friday afternoon the St Helens tree farm was still closed, but some of the PB timberland was opened.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Bowbender on September 07, 2009, 08:14:56 AM: The recording for the Aberdeen, Raymond aresa is still from July 23rd snd says they are closed to any form of recreation, including walk-in. Does anyone know any different than this? And what fine is leveid to those who don't care? I will go to plan B rather than go against the grain. Any input?
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Fullabull on September 07, 2009, 08:49:29 AM: From what a Weyerhaeuser guy told me a couple years ago (hard to remember cause I'm getting old) we somewhere between $500 to $800 buck!!!!! Not work the effort or other penalties they could probably hit you with. It's not legal hunting so you could probable lose any game you get, license and even more fines on top of that....

By the time it all ended you could have had a good hunt in Montana or somewhere ....

Fulla
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: murph13 on September 07, 2009, 09:08:37 AM: Called the hotline this morning said longview area of tree farm is open to walk in and drive in on the corridor
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: PolarBear on September 07, 2009, 09:20:00 AM: Several years ago I was escorted off of Weyerhaeuser land the adjoins my neighbor's land that was closed due to fire danger but not posted. The guard told me that it could be up to $1,000 for being caught in there.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: billythekidrock on September 07, 2009, 11:23:11 AM: Quote from: PolarBear on September 07, 2009, 09:20:00 AM
Several years ago I was escorted off of Weyerhaeuser land the adjoins my neighbor's land that was closed due to fire danger but not posted. The guard told me that it could be up to $1,000 for being caught in there.

Last year we called the number to drive in to recover an elk and while they allow that, the lady on the phone told me if we were hunting instead of recovering, or were in after that night we cold be fined and tresspassed from future use of WC land.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: WASHBCBOOK on September 07, 2009, 11:59:57 AM: ANSWER ME THIS WHY DONT YOU ALL FIND PRIVATE LAND IT SEEMS TO ME IT ALOT OS BS
HUNTING TIMBER LAND AND WORRING IF IT WILL BE CLOSED
I SPEND MY TIME KNOCKING ON DOORS THERES A GOLD MINE AWAITING YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK...
GOOD LUCK TO ALL IN 09
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: Curly on October 01, 2009, 08:50:12 AM: What did you say..........??? I CAN'T HEAR YOU. :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: PolarBear on October 01, 2009, 11:00:27 AM: Quote from: WASHBCBOOK on September 07, 2009, 11:59:57 AM
ANSWER ME THIS WHY DONT YOU ALL FIND PRIVATE LAND IT SEEMS TO ME IT ALOT OS BS
HUNTING TIMBER LAND AND WORRING IF IT WILL BE CLOSED
I SPEND MY TIME KNOCKING ON DOORS THERES A GOLD MINE AWAITING YOU JUST HAVE TO ASK...
GOOD LUCK TO ALL IN 09
Because hunting private land is not as much of a challenge and not as fun, imo. I can go out and shoot my cows if I want an easy private land hunt.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: bobcat on October 01, 2009, 06:22:43 PM: Does anybody have any inside info as to why Weyerhaeuser has not opened up the St Helens tree farm yet ???

I can't believe it is still closed for fire danger. I'm hoping they'll update the message tomorrow but not holding my breath. I would've thought they could have done it by today if they were going to, so people would have a little notice. Muzzleloader season opens Saturday and we kind of want to know if the gates will be open so we can make plans as to how and where we are going to hunt. :bash:
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: PolarBear on October 01, 2009, 06:42:05 PM: Like I said before, Weyco, in some units likes to wait until rifle deer to open up no matter how much rain. The weyco employees have been hunting in all of their units since August for bear and Sept for deer.
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: JoeVon on October 01, 2009, 06:47:22 PM: I think they'll have em' open by the weekend for you MuzzleStuffers...
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: madmack76 on October 01, 2009, 07:28:07 PM: you guys have no commen sense to what is going on in there im a contracter for weyco and the main reason things stay closed for so lone is idiots on quads vandilism and theft when a road is red dot that means dont go there dont cut wood its private land and dont shoot the equipment its not hard to figure it out some bad screw us all any ? just ask i bet i can tell you why!
Title: Re: St. Helens Tree Farm - Weyerhaeuser Land
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on October 05, 2009, 07:39:38 PM: common sense or not, my question is was this area open for early archery elk? I hunted somewhere else but might look at it for late season.....