Anybody ever use a drift boat/pontoon boat for roosevelt?

[Max the dog]

Just thinking I may use a boat to slip into some hard to access spots on peninsula.  Anybody here ever try it that may have some tips? Was thinking either pre dawn insertion or set up a spike camp of sorts.   Thanks in advance.

[jackelope]

Just thinking I may use a boat to slip into some hard to access spots on peninsula.  Anybody here ever try it that may have some tips? Was thinking either pre dawn insertion or set up a spike camp of sorts.   Thanks in advance.

Are you saying use your driftboat to Roosevelt elk hunt on the Olympic peninsula?

I'd love to use that tactic to get better access to more remote locations...especially in a float and camp type scenario.

[JimmyHoffa]

There's a few that do it.  A lot do it as a combo of fishing for silvers and hunting elk.  But mostly guys like to use the boat to retrieve the elk so they don't have to pack uphill.  Most anyplace you can get to for hunting with a boat has a road not all that far away.
A couple park rangers are convinced that some guys have been taking rafts up the Queets during bow season and float elk out at night.  So if you have hunting gear and any kind of a boat, might get some guys asking you questions.

[_TONY_]

There's a few that do it.  A lot do it as a combo of fishing for silvers and hunting elk.  But mostly guys like to use the boat to retrieve the elk so they don't have to pack uphill.  Most anyplace you can get to for hunting with a boat has a road not all that far away.
A couple park rangers are convinced that some guys have been taking rafts up the Queets during bow season and float elk out at night.  So if you have hunting gear and any kind of a boat, might get some guys asking you questions.

 

I used to do it all the time, back in the day, but now I just hike in.... Turned into more of a hassle then anything else... You have to deal with the turnaround, getting to the take out before it gets too dark etc. There's pretty much always a road nearby on the OP... Well, at least on the west side of the OP anyways...

[headshot5]

I've used a canoe a couple times.  It is a solid way to hunt if conditions are right. 

[Max the dog]

I have some areas picked out and a pontoon boat that I can portage if need be.  And no, I'm not planning on floating elk out of the park at night   was more curious to hear disadvantages like wind generally blowing down valley in am etc. (which is why I think spike camping and hunting the fern gullys/alder stands might be more productive).  I'm an archer, so not exactly looking for a cast n blast holiday float down the river.  Just a helpful tip or two that could help the learning curve.http://

[JimmyHoffa]

A lot of areas you can get a boat to would probably be near the big gravel bars with the alder patches.  From what I've seen they like to sleep or night feed out on areas like that.  Then feed up the hill in the morning and head back to the flat open areas in the evening.  For the early bow muzzy season overlapping the rut, you might get the whole herd down on the gravel bars all day long.  I think that is why most of the guys that would use the boat method would hunt in from the road and then launch the boat if they got something.  They liked the driftboats because they could drag them up on the bar and tilt them on the side, then tie the elk to the boat and right it.  The elk would slide right in.  Able to get the animal out whole and just row down to the next take out.