No more general ML elk for me.

[washelkhunter]

After years of hard hunting and bitter disappointment in a once worthwhile endeavor I'm hanging it up on these spike only ML hunts. It's no longer worth the effort, time and money. I'll only take to the field for elk from now on if I draw a special permit. Adios ML season, congrats to WDFW, you've destroyed it.

[snowpack]

Could hunt west side.  then chase bulls.  Some really good units open too.

[washelkhunter]

Could hunt west side.  then chase bulls.  Some really good units open too.

I'll look at that, but i have zero interset in hunting diseased animals, we always hunted the Yakima herd. We are going to look toward Mt & Co.

[CP]

I came to the same conclusion; this is my last season for general ML elk.  I tried hunting GMU 335.

True spike only, 7 days, after the rut, before any cold weather = not much chance of success.

Modern isn’t much better.

But archery gets 26 days, split early and late.  They can take a cow.  Cows are not a slam dunk, but a true spike is about as common as bigfoot. 

I need to get a bow.

[scottcrb]

We've been hunting ML elk for the last five years in 340 342 and 336 . This year was by far our best with most chances and elk.seen/ heard. We only went 1 for 3 taking a spike and all had cow tags. Lots of bulls around not a lot of cows . I agree ML gets the short end of the stick with short season and no good options for late Eastside . Plus only one weekend during the general sucks. I'll keep at it though . Might go sight.in my ML in the middle of the best areas during the modern season and see if those guys like it . Rant over for time being.

[jasnt]

We've been hunting ML elk for the last five years in 340 342 and 336 . This year was by far our best with most chances and elk.seen/ heard. We only went 1 for 3 taking a spike and all had cow tags. Lots of bulls around not a lot of cows . I agree ML gets the short end of the stick with short season and no good options for late Eastside . Plus only one weekend during the general sucks. I'll keep at it though . Might go sight.in my ML in the middle of the best areas during the modern season and see if those guys like it . Rant over for time being.

wouldn't bother me one bit lol. I've watched deer and other critters while some guys where burning threw rounds like crazy just few hundred yards away and they never pay them no mind. I really don't think it bothers them unless its real close to them.  I often hunt a valley that's just below a very popular shooting spot. Those critters seem to not notice even when its me shooting at them lol.

[pianoman9701]

Next year is archery year, Tom. With the season September 8-20, we'll get the rut and some cooler, rainier weather. Throw sticks with us, Tommy. We're also finding a new unit, or at the very least a new area.

[MarkyMark]

"Might go sight.in my ML in the middle of the best areas during the modern season and see if those guys like it ." ... Word.

[washelkhunter]

That reminds me, one day I was sighting in at the range and this guy sets in 2 seats down with a heavy magnum with a muzzle brake installed and it was truly obnoxious. I dropped in 200 grains of ffg bpowder with just a swab patch for a wad and when the wind shifted toward him I lit the cap off. He got the hint and left; coughing.   

[MarkyMark]

Nice.

[scottcrb]

That reminds me, one day I was sighting in at the range and this guy sets in 2 seats down with a heavy magnum with a muzzle brake installed and it was truly obnoxious. I dropped in 200 grains of ffg bpowder with just a swab patch for a wad and when the wind shifted toward him I lit the cap off. He got the hint and left; coughing.   

Nice work I like that

[usmc74]

I grew up hunting the Colokum.  Had a friend in the service laughed at me, saying he killed his elk within hearing of my house.

I've hunted westside ever since.  Archery for 25+ years, now ML (my shoulders don't do bows now).  Saw 2 bulls, had 2 shots this year(clean miss first one), the second one came home with me.  4X4 bull, and first muzzy kill.

I've hunted St Helens, Raymond, Oly Peninsula, Colombia R., Birdsview, White R.,and Snoqualmie.  Taken elk in a lot of them (bulls).  Only cows I killed were with permits in Colokum.  My avatar is a westside bull, 1993.

[splitshot]

   I am going back to modern cuz the permit choices are a lot better.  they should put ml in with modern for draws.  at  least there will be a chance.  the ml over 60 did not even have a draw for e. Washington.     mike w

[JimmyHoffa]

   I am going back to modern cuz the permit choices are a lot better.  they should put ml in with modern for draws.  at  least there will be a chance.  the ml over 60 did not even have a draw for e. Washington.     mike w

I would say my main reason for going to modern was the lack of special permits for ML.  Modern also gets a lot more units.  I was thinking the other day if they gave more permits, it still wouldn't quite entice me back.  The reason is since I went modern, they allowed bowhunters to hunt the muzzy tag and all the places I used to go are more crowded now than even during modern.  Before I would see one to three other trucks a week, now those areas have about a dozen a day.  Something else may be behind the newly seen crowding, but that is what I've come up with.

[usmc74]

This year I saw 3 trucks, other than my partners.  Only saw 1 other hunter in the woods