Olympic peninsula Hoof Rot Incentive Tag

[PsoasHunter]

I posted on an earlier thread that I drew Hoof Rot Incentive Tag and chose the olympic peninsula region tag.  I wanted to make a thread to detail the hunt and spread information on the tag and incentive.  I'm also open to advice on this thread, I'm hoping to make the most of it and I'm learning a lot as I go.

First off: the tag.  This is the first year this tag/drawing was done.  Last year elk hunters were encouraged to target limping elk and submit hooves for research to learn more about the hoof rot disease.  I didn't target a limping elk specifically, but the area I hunt is afflicted and the cow I harvested had some low levels of hoof rot, so I submitted them.  I didn't even realize at the time how good the tag was.  WDFW was giving out 19 tags across 5 units in Western Wa, and only 129 hunters submitted hooves w/ hoof rot, pretty great odds!  I was one of the last picked, so I only had 2 areas remaining to choose from, and I decided I would rather chase trophy Rosie's in their domain on the Oly pen. The tag is for any bull, from September 1st to Dec 31st, with any weapon, in about 10 GMUS from highway 12 north around the entire peninsual except the east side.  I highly recommend everyone hunting west side elk consider this tag next year - even if that means more people in the draw, it means more control of the disease and more opportunities for research. That's my plug.

On to the hunt.

I am targeting the Matheny 618 GMU and clearwater 615 GMU's, as they have big bulls, lots of public land, and they are 3.5 hours from home instead of 4-6 hours from home haha.  With a 1.5 year old daughter at home, my trips away from home are limited.  However, her and my wife are coming out for my first hunt over labor day, so we make the most of it.  She makes a fine elk call when I ask her "what does an elk say", maybe she'll call for me.

My first scouting trip was July 15-17.  I drove the roads I could until they washed out in 618 and started climbing uphill.  I had marked a bunch of benches and flattish areas on north-facing ridges, and set out to check some.  After about 800 feet of elevation straight up a 30-40 degree slope I was encouraged when I got to the first waypoint marked on Onx and found an elk trail materialize out of nowhere, rubs and beds start to appear, and the tiniest meadow show up.  I struck gold on my first marked spot! I also confirmed that yes, it is indeed steep, wet, and thick in this country!  Luckily I was also training for a rainier summit the following weekend (which was a success), so steep is all in the game plan.  Going back down later w/ an elk quarter on my back may be a different story, but that's September's problem. Type 2 fun right?   

[PsoasHunter]

My lab Muira had a good time and didn't seem as affected by the elevation and slick footing as me...

[PsoasHunter]

You know you have great hunting/scouting buddies when they bring rib-eyes with the only request being that I do the cooking on the open fire.  Happy to oblige.

Rainier was a success the next weekend, and it got me thinking: was scouting in the elk woods good training for climbing Rainier, or was climbing Rainier good training for this upcoming elk season?  Either way, one goal down, one to go!

[PsoasHunter]

I hope to get up into 615 and make another trip to 618 in August.  I'm planning on taking advantage of my early opener and get in there before the archery guys get their chance, so I'll be hunting 5 days around Labor Day weekend.  I talked to a very helpful WDFW bio and he confirmed what seems to be the case, these elk move a lot, don't hang in big herds, can be hard to find, but can show up out of the green at any time.  My current plan is slow-hunting dark timber around benches like this one using locator bugles and calling sparingly, as well as using locator bugles walking the washed out roads towards the park, and heading into drainages based on that.  I have never called elk, so early September I may change it up after a few days and try some aggressive calling to try to get some challenges from pre-rut high-strung bulls. 

If early September doesn't pan out, I'll be back in late September for a 5 day hunt after archery and before muzzy season during the peak rut.  My calling sequences will have to improve by then, that's on the to-do list.

If that all fails, I'll be praying for lots of snow to get them out of the high country in the park for the late season.

I'm trying my best to learn a completely new area, but it's an uphill battle.  I'm open to suggestions, critiques, and just general story swapping from your experiences in the coastal peninsula chasing these awesome animals!   I hope I can add a great story to the oral history to be passed on after this amazing opportunity. Thanks for listening and following along.

[Jake Dogfish]

Great write up.  Good luck with your hunt! 

[nwhunter]

So since I’ve never heard of this tag I assume you have to target and kill an elk you assume has hoof rot.? It doesn’t sound like it since you say you are targeting trophy Roosevelt elk and are hunting a unit I would say is highly unlikely you will encounter hoof rot🤷🏽‍♂️Seems like an odd tag to get to hunt units with very low hoof rot and where archery hunts will be going on and later in the month rifle tags guys have waited ten plus years to draw.. Please enlighten me.. and good luck on your hunt👍

[andrew_in_idaho]

So since I’ve never heard of this tag I assume you have to target and kill an elk you assume has hoof rot.? It doesn’t sound like it since you say you are targeting trophy Roosevelt elk and are hunting a unit I would say is highly unlikely you will encounter hoof rotSeems like an odd tag to get to hunt units with very low hoof rot and where archery hunts will be going on and later in the month rifle tags guys have waited ten plus years to draw.. Please enlighten me.. and good luck on your hunt

As I understand it they are like raffle tags to incentivize those who turned in hooves last year on hoof rot tags. Kinda like the hunter report incentive tags. OP can definitely feel free to come in and correct me though


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[HntnFsh]

So since I’ve never heard of this tag I assume you have to target and kill an elk you assume has hoof rot.? It doesn’t sound like it since you say you are targeting trophy Roosevelt elk and are hunting a unit I would say is highly unlikely you will encounter hoof rot🤷🏽‍♂️Seems like an odd tag to get to hunt units with very low hoof rot and where archery hunts will be going on and later in the month rifle tags guys have waited ten plus years to draw.. Please enlighten me.. and good luck on your hunt👍

He does not have to target a hoof rot elk on his upcoming hunt.

[PsoasHunter]

So since I’ve never heard of this tag I assume you have to target and kill an elk you assume has hoof rot.? It doesn’t sound like it since you say you are targeting trophy Roosevelt elk and are hunting a unit I would say is highly unlikely you will encounter hoof rotSeems like an odd tag to get to hunt units with very low hoof rot and where archery hunts will be going on and later in the month

As I understand it they are like raffle tags to incentivize those who turned in hooves last year on hoof rot tags. Kinda like the hunter report incentive tags. OP can definitely feel free to come in and correct me though

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This is correct, itxs the reward to hunt a quality bull, which is the incentive for everyone to target limping elk. The goal is to get thousands of people in the general hunt targeting limping elk, not the few people who draw. The draw is the invective.

To nwhunter, this is separate from the quality draws, it didn't affect your odds of drawing. If you've been waiting ten years, target limping elk this year and submit hooves for next year. The odds are much better for you in the hoof rot incentive tag, which is the exact point of it in the first place!

[Bucks2Ducks]

It's nice they decided to do something. The thing is almost nobody in WA is going to pass up a legal elk whether it's limping or not, so not sure how much it will help. Anyway, excited to follow your hunt.

[JakeLand]

 My  over there is don’t get hung up on bugling as they’ll get silent , work a cow call, listen in the dark for bugles and get up in there quietly and a little cow love sickness will work incredible well
Good luck and stick one !

[ASienkiewich]

My uncle killed a big bull in 618 a few years back. Looks like you’re already on the right track.

Just a thought here but be careful taking your dog through areas you plan on hunting, especially closer to season.

I have had guys walk past my trail cameras (that had elk on them every day) with their dogs. Then I don’t see elk for a week or 2 could be coincidence, maybe not.

Good luck on your hunt. Here’s my bull from the coast last year! Just to get you excited. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.




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[trophyhunt]

Man I love those Rosie’s , great bull!

[ganghis]

Love this post, both for raising awareness about tag options if you turn in hoof rot samples, and also the scouting and set up.  Keep us in the loop!

Totally with you on using mountaineering to help out with conditioning for hunting season.  Those two go together well.

[jaybirding]

Appreciate the info. Definitely sounds like a tag worth getting! Summiting mount rainier and helping reduce the population of elk with hoof rot all while spreading the word - you deserve that tag!