Post by: JHay on November 12, 2010, 03:03:16 PM
We talked to some loggers who assured us there was a massive 6 point and several rag horns running around this watershed. The next day we hunted both sides of the creek. We decided to go down the one spur road that the 5 point had been taken on before we called it a day, but we found a logger had parked his truck in the road and hiked down, so we took off. Came back up early in the morning the next day to hear from the loggers that that guy had dropped a 4 point right were the 5 point was dropped. We were really bummed. We hunted and tracked the heard for the next day, saw the cows coming down the hill to the beds, but couldn't identify any shooters. We decided to make a day of driving FR21 and stopped at all the promising places the topo map, showed, but didn't find any sign at all, just lots of hunting camps with no elk hanging from them.
I've decided we've found a lucrative honey hole that a few locals know about, more fresh sign that I've ever seen, but we were disappointed to hunt the area so hard and come up short. My buddy wants to check out the east side next year, but that means more research to find a public place that has some elk. I'm motivated to hit this place next year hard and use the info we learned this year to have more of an advantage. What do you think?
Post by: wastickslinger on November 12, 2010, 03:14:35 PM
Post by: JHay on November 12, 2010, 03:21:54 PM
Post by: wastickslinger on November 12, 2010, 04:41:25 PM
That's my take. I'm the only one that doesn't seem to mind the Wet and Steep hills of GPNF. They want to be able to ride the quads and see for miles.
Tell them to go ahead and I will come over and hunt with you . :chuckle:
Post by: WSU on November 12, 2010, 05:41:09 PM
Post by: Ellensburg on November 12, 2010, 05:55:00 PM
Post by: OUTDOOR_BEAST-84 on November 12, 2010, 06:00:33 PM
Post by: WSU on November 13, 2010, 10:50:53 AM
Post by: SkookumHntr on November 13, 2010, 10:56:06 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on November 13, 2010, 11:14:56 AM
Post by: 400out on November 13, 2010, 11:30:58 AM
stick with the spot. Crazy to consider leaving it.:yeah: you just seen more elk than there is on the east side put together
Post by: stickslinger on November 13, 2010, 02:43:36 PM
just because u think that u will see more elk is not a good reason to go east....u have a much better chance of seing a shooter where u are. if all u want to do is see a bunch of elk running thru a pumpkin patch than u can save your money, dont buy a tag, but come on over and watch the circus. (in the clockum it is not how well u shoot it is how fast u can run to a dead elk}
Post by: rjn cajun on November 13, 2010, 06:17:27 PM
Post by: OUTDOOR_BEAST-84 on November 14, 2010, 04:27:13 PM
im heading east next year but thats only bc i have failed to lay eyes on a single elk in the west... i know the east better but if i had a similar experience to yours, id stay my ass right there.
just because u think that u will see more elk is not a good reason to go east....u have a much better chance of seing a shooter where u are. if all u want to do is see a bunch of elk running thru a pumpkin patch than u can save your money, dont buy a tag, but come on over and watch the circus. (in the clockum it is not how well u shoot it is how fast u can run to a dead elk}
well my plan to head east depends on if i get drawn for an "any elk" tag, im just tired of the westside weather and terrain... just finished my elk season in the elbe hills and saw one spike elk and it was drizzly and foggy the whole time. even if there was an elk within 100 yards of me i would never know it. thats why im heading east. i did however see the biggest blacktail deer ive ever seen or heard of existing and about 30 very impressive rubs in the area i spotted him in.
Post by: secamd1 on November 14, 2010, 09:43:25 PM
Post by: OUTDOOR_BEAST-84 on November 15, 2010, 08:18:41 AM
I can certainly understand your frustration with the west side. I went out this weekend to Packwood/Randle and found a heard sitting at the local runway, 2 herds sitting on private property in Randle and a herd on the Morton Pass on Private Property. Opening weekend I hit the 300 line near Riffe Lake and FR21 which was like I-5 at the Tacoma Dome. I got out and hiked and hiked and hiked only to run into other hunters. However, I have hunted the East side from Yakima, 410 and saw twice as many base camps and orange. I would stick to your honey hole and maybe consider Muzzle loader as I. MR in this state is for the birds and should be banned. There is no sportsmanship for those 10 days. :bash:
ya i was planning on buying a ML this spring. i went modern this year out of desperation, i was unable to hunt any of the early seasons this year so i did what i could... im also going out for mod late BT, im hungry for venison... after that its waterfowl and steelhead for a while...
Post by: Buckrub on November 15, 2010, 09:21:38 AM
me see bull elk... me live with elk... me kill elk.
They don't go far unless pushed hard and any good topo map will give you the clues you need.
Good luck....