collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting  (Read 12618 times)

Offline JakeLand

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+35)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 4512
  • Location: Wet side
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #45 on: September 27, 2022, 07:23:30 PM »
Lets face it. This isn’t a easy state. If you find elk than you got to find a spike, in some units a true spike elk unless you got a special permit.

There's a reason you don't see the big shot famous guys hunting WA State as NR's.  There are far fewer elk, the regs suck, and the people population is triple that of other western states with more elk. This is by far the hardest state to hunt elk in if you ask me.

Gary


All true. And tomorrow am I leave to kick turds once again. Just can’t get enough turd kicking from a wall tent.
get ‘em ghost !!! Good luck and happy hunting

Offline scoutdog346

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 508
  • Location: tacoma
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #46 on: September 28, 2022, 10:49:26 AM »
Something that took me many years to discover is that sign can be old but look fresh if u don't know the difference. The day I learned alot is the day I watched a group of about 4 or 5 elk then after they hung out in that spot for about an hour they left then I walked over there to look at the sign they left...and only then I saw what fresh sign looked like.  I had been hunting for 10 years and I thought I knew how to tell but until that day I realized i had no idea.  So now if the situation allows for it menning I have the time and it won't mess up the hunt or situation whenever I see a deer or elk cross the road or path Im walking or whatever I will go look at the actual tracts and or poop just to put into my brain what fresh tracks actual look like. Looking back I used to think some sign I saw was fresh but really was like 2 or 3 days old.  One other thing u can do is when u see fresh sign and u know ur going to be back there the next day take a mental note or take a picturewith ur phonethen go back and see how much it changed.  I bet 95% of hunters that think poop was placed there that day the poop will look exactly the same the next day.  If u don't believe me test it.  One thing I've noticed about fresh elk poop is that theses small semi transparent white flies will be on it for the 1st 4 or 5 hours then they will not touch it after that. Actually there will be a few on old stuff but if it was that day and its only a few hours old there will be a bunch like 20-50 small white semi transparent flys.  I think they eat the clear coating around the poop and then the coating will evaporates after a few hours that's the only for sure thing I've seen about fresh elk poop.  What I'm saying here is alot of people think elk sign is fresh when its not and im to provide a way to learn how to read sign.   Sorry about the poor writing I know its hard to read what I wrote

Offline Rutnbuxnbulls

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 315
  • Location: Spokane, WA
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #47 on: September 28, 2022, 01:38:50 PM »
I give up on elk hunting too.....until late archery! 

It is a tough sport.  Only 10% or less are successful in basically any western state on elk.  I relegate elk hunting to steelheading.  Fish of 1000 casts; ungulate of 1000 hours.  I think we all have our reasons for repeatedly getting our collective behinds kicked out there by other hunters, roads, rules, regs, predators, weather, silent elk, etc.  And we keep coming back.  What is over the next ridge or in the next draw?  Could be a shooter!

I ate early archery tag on a cow only hunt in the Turnbull NWR, thinking I'd be in elk every day.  Think again! It was quiet, cows weren't plentiful, bulls were bugling and fun to talk to, but I couldn't shoot one although I SO wanted to.  So that was like a blueball tease girlfriend. 

Anyway, keep getting out there.  Have fun being in the woods, beats being at work or on the couch.  You get fresh air, quiet, and sometimes, you see the target species while out there.  Then it's game on!  Good luck

Offline snake

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2015
  • Posts: 772
  • Location: Washington
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #48 on: December 08, 2022, 06:17:05 PM »
110 for 10

Offline Lumpy Taters

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Nov 2018
  • Posts: 163
  • Location: Lewis County
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #49 on: December 08, 2022, 08:49:20 PM »
Been hunting all my life.  Grew up chasing elk. I have only figured it out in the last few years.   I go where other hunters won't go.  But I go there all year long.  Trail cameras help. It also helps to pick one area and learn everything you can about it.  Topi maps, satellite photos and good old fashioned boots on the ground.  The current state of the population is atrocious. I set my seasonal expectations on my actual sightings and not someone else's information. Public land is awful and the private timber companies offer a little better environment these days. 

Offline ljsommer

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Apr 2018
  • Posts: 754
  • Location: University Place, WA
  • New hunter, hard worker.
  • Groups: NRA
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #50 on: December 08, 2022, 11:44:30 PM »
I give up on elk hunting too.....until late archery! 

It is a tough sport.  Only 10% or less are successful in basically any western state on elk.  I relegate elk hunting to steelheading.  Fish of 1000 casts; ungulate of 1000 hours.  I think we all have our reasons for repeatedly getting our collective behinds kicked out there by other hunters, roads, rules, regs, predators, weather, silent elk, etc.  And we keep coming back.  What is over the next ridge or in the next draw?  Could be a shooter!

I ate early archery tag on a cow only hunt in the Turnbull NWR, thinking I'd be in elk every day.  Think again! It was quiet, cows weren't plentiful, bulls were bugling and fun to talk to, but I couldn't shoot one although I SO wanted to.  So that was like a blueball tease girlfriend. 

Anyway, keep getting out there.  Have fun being in the woods, beats being at work or on the couch.  You get fresh air, quiet, and sometimes, you see the target species while out there.  Then it's game on!  Good luck

What's late archery like?

Offline elkchaser54

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Oct 2014
  • Posts: 410
  • Location: Western Washington
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #51 on: December 09, 2022, 12:20:36 AM »
As a person with 10 seasons of unfilled elk tags under my belt let me tell you, you're not alone. But *censored* it I'm going to keep going after it. Notching those tags doesn't add up to seasons of being with my loved ones. Elk are so hard but I'm so happy doing it. .  . Don't quit . Ever

Offline scoutdog346

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 508
  • Location: tacoma
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #52 on: December 10, 2022, 12:41:33 PM »
Go hunt gmu 506 pay a few hundred dollars for a gate key or foot access amd u will see elk ever day.  If u want to just see elk and call them in for fun go to GMU 346 UP fifes ridge road (not fifes ridge) fifs ridge logging roads get there an hour b4 the sun comes up amd u will call a bull in.   Allmost anyone can call in a elk in that area around sep 24th to Oct 2nd.

Offline Rutnbuxnbulls

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Scout
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 315
  • Location: Spokane, WA
Re: Ready to throw in the towel on elk hunting
« Reply #53 on: December 10, 2022, 02:59:45 PM »
I give up on elk hunting too.....until late archery! 

It is a tough sport.  Only 10% or less are successful in basically any western state on elk.  I relegate elk hunting to steelheading.  Fish of 1000 casts; ungulate of 1000 hours.  I think we all have our reasons for repeatedly getting our collective behinds kicked out there by other hunters, roads, rules, regs, predators, weather, silent elk, etc.  And we keep coming back.  What is over the next ridge or in the next draw?  Could be a shooter!

I ate early archery tag on a cow only hunt in the Turnbull NWR, thinking I'd be in elk every day.  Think again! It was quiet, cows weren't plentiful, bulls were bugling and fun to talk to, but I couldn't shoot one although I SO wanted to.  So that was like a blueball tease girlfriend. 

Anyway, keep getting out there.  Have fun being in the woods, beats being at work or on the couch.  You get fresh air, quiet, and sometimes, you see the target species while out there.  Then it's game on!  Good luck

What's late archery like?

Didn’t see this till today. Late archery elk hunting can be productive. A buddy of mine has killed a couple good bulls the last two years in a row. I’ve gotten into elk a few times just haven’t sealed the deal. The animals will be in bigger groups typically and calling is kinda useless, more of a snow tracking/spot and stalk type thing.

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Looking for Solid 22 LR input by Rat44
[Today at 12:26:36 AM]


Lynx kittens confirmed in the Kettle Range by dwils233
[Today at 12:04:14 AM]


Archery elk gear, 2025. by spin05
[Today at 12:03:42 AM]


How To Get Your $0.00 Tax Stamp - Black Hammer Arms by dreadi
[Yesterday at 11:33:25 PM]


AUCTION: SE Idaho DIY Deer or Deer/Elk Hunt by Rainier10
[Yesterday at 10:19:01 PM]


Seeking recommendations on a new scope by Klickitatsteelie
[Yesterday at 09:23:56 PM]


2025 Canning by Twispriver
[Yesterday at 09:15:12 PM]


2025 Montana alternate list by Edminsterquality
[Yesterday at 08:47:06 PM]


WSTA 2025 Summer Rendezvous Agenda by Trapper John
[Yesterday at 08:00:27 PM]


First attempt at polish sausages by Stein
[Yesterday at 07:58:22 PM]


Fullsized Truck Opinion: HiMiNew vs LoMiOlder by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 07:57:22 PM]


Sockeye Numbers by Southpole
[Yesterday at 07:44:30 PM]


Best all around muzzy (updated) by jjhunter
[Yesterday at 07:44:26 PM]


38% increase in fishing and hunting licenses by Sitka_Blacktail
[Yesterday at 07:02:41 PM]


50 inch SXS and Tracks? by 92xj
[Yesterday at 05:34:03 PM]


3 days for Kings by MADMAX
[Yesterday at 05:06:49 PM]


Full moon and last week of September by pd
[Yesterday at 04:51:23 PM]


Hunting bears in the thick stuff by ghosthunter
[Yesterday at 04:33:46 PM]


GMU 247 Entiat bear hunting by Ridgerunner
[Yesterday at 11:56:01 AM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal