Post by: mrmoskillz on April 24, 2012, 01:34:43 PM
Post by: furbearer365 on April 24, 2012, 04:03:00 PM
Post by: Jayfire83 on April 24, 2012, 08:57:06 PM
Post by: mrmoskillz on April 25, 2012, 06:40:29 AM
Post by: Chesapeake on April 25, 2012, 10:07:23 AM
There is some state land in there also I believe. (not looking at a BLM map right now)
I'm not sure about you dropping your chips there for muzzy though. Its only open for the early season. Thats all you get and its only 7 days. For the late season you would have to hunt somewhere else. Lots of guys all trying to cash in on the tail end of the rut. Lots of elk, but lots of reprod with no apparent honey holes. You need to scout and learn where the elk go when pressured and when they leave the cuts.
You would need to invest some scouting time into an area you could only hunt for maybe 1/3 of the season. You may be better off investing your scouting time in an area you can hunt more of the season in. But maybe you plan to camp out and hunt the entire early season and not concentrate on the late season. I dont know.
Another thought; If you consider closed gates, "hard access", Ryderwood may not be your deal.
Post by: BowBender87 on April 25, 2012, 11:26:16 AM
Post by: mrmoskillz on April 25, 2012, 11:54:18 AM
Post by: deerslyr on April 25, 2012, 12:55:31 PM
thanks chesapeake. I just tt the lady at weyehouser who updates the info line and she said she doesnt think they will open any gates at all this year because of damage last year. She said she will update closer to hunting season. she said you can always hike in or use a non motor bike. I dont mind hiking in. I planned on hunting this unit the 6-12th of Oct. I thought about camping near there and hiking in each day. The reason I picked that unit is because of the harvest report. Some of the units open to muzzy had 0 kills and ryderwood had lots. I guess most of the kills were from modern. I have yet to kill a elk so I am doing all my homework now to give me the best odds. I thank you guys again for all the help and hope to post a pic of my 1st elk this year.
If you like to hike a lot its a good unit, good numbers of elk. One of the better west side muzzy units imo if you dont take the late season into consideration. I dont care much for the late archery or muzzy elk seasons any ways.
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 25, 2012, 01:39:49 PM
Post by: IBspoiled on April 25, 2012, 02:14:58 PM
Post by: kentrek on April 25, 2012, 02:23:26 PM
Dont bother walking in past the gates, just drive a quad or motorcycle in there. everyone else does!!! :bash:
:4w: :pee:
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 25, 2012, 02:47:32 PM
Post by: mrmoskillz on April 26, 2012, 07:52:56 AM
You better do your home work and scout a bunch! I've never just looked at a harvest report and said yup I'm gonna hunt that unit and never been there. You may scout that unit and not see an elk especially if your not sure where to go. Another thing is hoof rot. This is a major problem in the unit. Lots of private ground too that is not hunt able. If your going on Weyerhauser keep in mind that you may be 5 miles in and a Weyco employee may drive right past you. There is a decent elk population but as bow bender said they don't come easy. Good luck
Lol I have never looked at a harvest report and said yup 0 kills for the last three years I think I'll spend my summer scouting that winner
Post by: Huntbear on April 26, 2012, 09:11:11 AM
Post by: Chesapeake on April 26, 2012, 02:40:06 PM
Get yourself a game cart and a mountain bike. Go and scout, look at maps, ect...... Its a fine unit, with good elk numbers. Get off the roads and work the reprod. Find the holes the elk like after they leave the cuts.
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 26, 2012, 02:55:20 PM
Post by: Swatson on April 26, 2012, 02:57:08 PM
Post by: Huntbear on April 26, 2012, 03:02:01 PM
I will never hunt this unit again after seeing the circus that goes on down there!
Not as bad as the Winston! :yike:
Post by: deerslyr on April 26, 2012, 03:03:45 PM
I will never hunt this unit again after seeing the circus that goes on down there!
Be prepared to see lots of hunters after the elusive rag horns!
I think you both just summed up any west side unit with a decent number of elk during any given season :chuckle:
Post by: Swatson on April 26, 2012, 03:08:04 PM
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 26, 2012, 03:49:17 PM
Post by: iRem on April 26, 2012, 04:00:16 PM
I will never hunt this unit again after seeing the circus that goes on down there!Be prepared to see lots of hunters after the elusive rag horns!
I think you both just summed up any west side unit with a decent number of elk during any given season :chuckle:
And this is why I'm going back over to the east side! Yes there are A LOT of elk on the west side but it's become a Circus for sure. Don't get me wrong I have put in a lot of time and miles but I know the east side as well so off I go for early archery elk!!
Post by: Chesapeake on April 26, 2012, 04:46:15 PM
I will never hunt this unit again after seeing the circus that goes on down there!
Ryderwood is a massive unit dont pigeon hole it.
Post by: Swatson on April 26, 2012, 07:53:51 PM
I will never hunt this unit again after seeing the circus that goes on down there!
Ryderwood is a massive unit dont pigeon hole it.
hahaha and Vails a massive tree farm! Again to each his own, just adding what I thought of it!
Post by: Chesapeake on April 26, 2012, 09:29:15 PM
To me it's about learning how the elk and hunters use an area. Then using that info to be successful.
Every unit I've hunted has crowded spots and spots you can be alone. Riderwood has a good mix of both.
Heck, even Alaska has crowded spots. Lots of them. And it's a massive state. LOL!
Post by: funkster on April 26, 2012, 11:08:58 PM
I would say if you have never been in the unit get a few maps. The wey. co maps are good but some of the road numbers have changed. Mix those maps with topo maps and satellite maps and look for water,food and shelter. Look for small secluded clear cuts near creeks that have some reprod to older timbers. If you can find that on a south to southwest facing slope, you have a good chance elk will be around. Remember elk are big and leave prints. You can start by scouting early a few times a month until season. While scouting try to not be seen or smelled by the elk, and what ever you do, don't call out of season. Mark on the maps where you are seeing elk activity.Also, remember hunting activity will push the elk into places they normally would not go so look for nature escapement routes. Nine times out of ten, elk will take the easiest escapement. If you can learn these areas and be there it could work out good. Elk hunting is very mental, it will test you every mile you go, especially around the 4th day of the hunt but don't give up and keep at it, it will pay off :twocents:
Post by: Swatson on April 27, 2012, 09:19:07 AM
From the pm I sent the OP sounds like he already knows how to hunt the unit better than a few of you guys. If we compare to Coweeman or Winston, nowhere near the same pressure, and hoof rot isn't half as bad, and ive seen better quality bulls come out of Ryderwood, Willipa Hills than Margaret. Also the biggest bucks I've seen came from Ryderwood, compared to the 3 other units I mentioned, and ive hunted every inch of all of them.
I've never hunted the Winston but if it's hoof rot problem is worse than Ryderwoods thats scary! I saw 4 elk that were taken out of Ryderwood and all 4 had hoof rot, one was limping around on 3 legs and the stories I heard about hoof rot from others is sad to hear! Good luck to the OP, wasn't trying to scare you away, just advising you its a unit that gets hunted pretty hard. For me there are plenty other better units out there to learn with better quality elk, that's all I was trying to get across. Good luck to ya and I hope you can put your tag on one!
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 27, 2012, 09:50:57 AM
Post by: WDFW Hates ME!!! on April 27, 2012, 10:06:10 AM
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 27, 2012, 10:15:32 AM
Post by: Chesapeake on April 27, 2012, 12:10:16 PM
Post by: Chesapeake on April 27, 2012, 12:12:39 PM
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on April 27, 2012, 12:14:02 PM
Post by: kentrek on April 27, 2012, 12:20:34 PM
Post by: mrmoskillz on April 27, 2012, 12:58:32 PM
Post by: Chesapeake on April 27, 2012, 01:59:14 PM
I believe the skew between my experience and others likely has to do with entry point.
I'd bet you folks are entering from the north or east sides. I dont...........
Post by: BowBender87 on April 27, 2012, 04:02:58 PM
I'll agree ryderwood is thick with hoof rot. Only seen one unit that was worse and it borders ryderwood. We see a lot of the elk with one goofy long deformed toe in there along with the nasty club foot looking ones.
Ive noticed the farther away from the gate/fields you get, hoof rot isnt as common. Alot of the elk that buddies have taken and had hoof rot were elk that were pretty close to the fields and gates. Never have run into that problem myself.
Post by: Chesapeake on April 27, 2012, 07:49:41 PM