Weyerhaeuser property advice

[Little Chief]

I’m looking for some advice on a late season modern rifle hunt in the Winston unit. I’ve been waiting to hear from the WDFW regarding access areas and the ability to use Weyerhaeuser property and roads in the unit. I’ve hunted this area during the regular season but this will be my first late season hunt. When do hunters usually receive this type of permission or who can I call to confirm that the roads will be open in January?

[Yelm hunter]

I have the same tag for January for a Anterless Elk... They said that we should be getting the info a week or 2 before the hunt... So hopefully here anyday but I'm going to call about it tomorrow. Good Luck on that hunt and I'll be camping at Camp 9 will be in a Blue Chevy Pickup

[Little Chief]

Let me know how the call goes and I'll post an update if anything comes my way as well. Should be a great hunt as long as we get access to the property.
Good luck

[Yelm hunter]

Got My packet.... You should be getting one too with a gate combo and a vehicle access permit placcard

[Little Chief]

Yep I got mine last night and it looks like we've got what we need combos and everything. I noticed your comments on the 520 page and it looks like a great discussion. I planned to go scouting this weekend but the hotline doesn't seem to even list the St. Helens tree farm. I think they may have closed the roads for weekend traffic which could make scouting a real pain in the butt.

[Yelm hunter]

But in the packet it says the main roads are open... Which sounds to me like the 3000 RD?? Not quite sure but I think the st.helens farm is option 3?

[Little Chief]

I did a little scouting the other day down in the Winston unit. All of the DNR gates were open along the lower roads and we spooked a nice blacktail out of one clear cut. The roads were in great shape considering the season just ended, but there was a lot of logging going on in the area.  We drove the 500 series of roads from Camp 9 along the ridge. We covered a lot of ground to get a feel for the area and ideally spot a few elk. We saw plenty of sign but no elk, they seem to be sticking to the timber for now. I’m holding out hope for some snow in the next few weeks which should make our job a little easier.   

Good luck this season and I hope we see you out there.

[Yelm hunter]

Really thats good!! Ya I'm hoping for snow too! I'm either going to be camping at the Camp 9 intersection or Ike Kinswa State Park off Hwy 122... I'll be in a blue chevy pickup. Good luck to you too! What will you be driving?

[Little Chief]

Well there are 4 of us so it may be a White Dodge Truck or a Tan Durango. Have you thought about Kid Valley, I know it's a bit of a haul for you but you may want to look into it. The sites are clean the showers are hot and your close to the gates and a gas station in the morning if you need it. 

[Yelm hunter]

My dad is a disabled vetern so he gets free camping at the state parks. And the state park is about 10 mins from the 3000 gate. 25 mins from 19mile rd.

[coachcw]

good luck guys , rember the bacics and check those south east slopes this time of year.

[Little Chief]

Well we did it! 3 elk in 5 days and aside from one extremely old cow we couldn’t complain. The weather was mild, the herds were plentiful, and the company was supreme. There is nothing better than a group of hunters getting together to swap stories around the campfire. Big thanks to Popeye and John for the blackberry wine, glad we got to meet you all.   

[Lcl 66 Tinner]

Wheres the pics at?

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Blackberry wine! I think we camped in the wrong spot. Pictures please!

[Little Chief]

I have to say I'm a better shot than I thought I was, I guess the practice paid off. I was hiking in on one of those back country roads just off the 1100. Reprod on the left and mature growth on the right working my way back towards my hunting partners or so I thought. Just as I reached the end of the road I saw an opening in the trees right along the ridge. It looked like a massive clear cut so I decided to take a look over the side. Just as I popped out of the forest I could see a small group of cows were below me resting on a slope 20 yard off a small spur road. I eased down and slowly made my way to a large stump about 30 yards closer to the elk. At first glance I had guessed I was at least 300 yards away and with the wind and rain it felt even farther than that. As I knelt behind the stump I pulled out my range finder and confirmed that the elk were 252 yard away. Confident in my rifle and the distance of the shot I set-up a solid rest on top of the stump and waited for a break in the wind. The first shot was solid but the whole group started to move and I almost lost my cow. The second shot was a complete miss followed rapidly by a third which looked like it brought the animal down but I couldn’t tell. The rest of the elk seemed to be waiting for one of their own to come join them in the deep cover of the forest below the clear cut, but I still couldn’t see if she was down.
I ran down the road back to where I had left my hunting partners fueled on pure adrenalin. Just as I reached the 1100 road, here came my hunting partners in the rig. I jumped in and took them exactly to where I had taken the shot and we devised a quick recovery plan.  One of them would drive around and find the spur which was right below us running through the clear cut back towards the 1100 road. The other would stay with me and see if we could catch up to the herd or at least help me find my elk. We stumbled down the hillside over logs, brush, and boggy soil only to arrive at the road. Based on where I had taken the shot I told my buddy it was right here near the curve of this road. Like right…THERE!!! Sure enough there she was dead right in the middle of road. 
So here is to all you guys that said elk hunting was tough, heck they almost crawl into the truck for you. I really don’t know what you’re all talking about elk hunting is easy.  I’m kidding of course it was a great hunt and the first of three which we took out of the unit this last week.  Oh and you probably guessed it but none of the other cooperated and died in the road.