Washington Elk Strategy: Same as deer?

[carnaby]

So deer was a bust for me this year, but mostly because I'm a doofus and I committed one of the worst outdoorsman offenses possible: I put my pack down in the woods. Naturally, I never did find my pack, but I did end up looking for it the entire time I was "hunting." This of course let every animal in the woods know I was there, so all I saw was one doe, and I heard something big in the woods 30 yards from my position, but never did see what it was.

Anyway, I won't be doing that during Elk season, but I've never been elk hunting before. Does the same sort of slow quiet stalking and/or finding a good spot near a game trail to park your butt behind cover for a few hours work for Elk, or is there a different way to go about it? This is Washington east-side hunting, just past the mountain pass, near Ellensburg. Hilly terrain with spars trees and some small dense thickets. That, and spike bull only.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Carnaby,

I'll be just south of you, over Manastash ridge in the Little Naches Unit. Judging from your description, you'll be hunting either the Taneum or Manastash units, 336 or 340. Both of those units are open to the general archery AND muzzleloader seasons. By gun season, the elk in those units have seen a lot of people and have been chased all over the place. The elk tend to stick to the extremely heavy cover. If there's snow, look in the dark timber for tracks and try to set up where you can get a shot into that timber. Spotting and stalking in that cover can work also. Be prepared to be joined by several thousand of your closest friends. That was my impression of those units anyway.

 

[carnaby]

I'll be in the Manastash unit, hunting private land. Even so, I'm told there were a lot of hunters out there last year for elk. I didn't see anyone else where I was hunting for deer, and that big thing I heard in the thick cover might very well have been an elk.

NRA4LIFE, do you figure the same thing for deer, that they're wary by the time modern firearm comes about?

Also, do you have any other recommendations for places to hunt East Side Elk (but not too far east) this season? I'm open to suggestions.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I'll PM you.

 

[jeepmor]

The farther you are from roads, the better. I'm in Oregon hunting the Walla Walla unit next week near Pendleton. It's partially open, partially dense trees. I know where some apple trees are, stuff like that. We are hoping it snows and forces them down in elevation. They usually don't like to dig through the snow and will move down in elevation for better feeding areas.

As far as elk go, they move and cover a lot more ground than deer. Same hold still, stalk quietly techniques apply. Good luck, be safe, have fun. Bring warm and waterproof gear. You might want to buy a call or two just to see if it helps. I've heard good stories of their effectiveness, but have not closed the deal yet myself or had any respond to my calls. I started hunting again last year after a 20 year hiatus since highschool days. I do it to enjoy the outdoors, yes, I want an animal, but if that was my only goal, I'd be often disappointed. Elk are more difficult than deer in my opinion, they can hide better.

I lucked out and got a forked horn deer this year. Any more meat and I'll be buying a new freezer. Here's to buying a new freezer. Oh yeah, 1000 closest friends sounds very typical, wear your orange.

 

[eliphalet]

I'm in Oregon hunting the Walla Walla unit next week near Pendleton.

Haven't a clue what Oregon's hunting units are but it is real common to see elk from the freeway going through the Blues between Pendleton and La Grande, early or late in the day.
Have seen elk several times from the freeway not far west of Ellensburg too.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

The problem with that particular unit is the road system in there is extensive. There are not many places where you can get more than a mile from any road or trail. If you're not aware of this, there is one of the WDFW feed stations just west of Ellensburg, south of the freeway. If the land you have access to is near there, and we get snow up high, there could be elk streaming past you like cattle.

 

[carnaby]

The circle in the picture shows where I'll likely be hunting. The arrow points to Ellensburg, and the little circle is around Thorp. Manastash Rd. funnels in near the tail of the arrow. What'dya think?

thanks for the info

 

[NRA4LIFE]

If my bearings are correct, the circle at left is right near Barber Springs. I came through there a couple weekends ago. That's fairly low country, so the elk may be sparse until we get some snow. However, if you're on private land, that could be different. Try to locate an east facing slope with bands of heavy, dark timber. You'll find elk. I used to hunt just to the NW of there a few miles near a place called Buck Meadows. Another place would be the creek bottoms that have the dark, dark thick timber. You'll know what I'm talking about when you get tangled up in that stuff. But that's where the elk are.

 

[carnaby]

Yep, that's exactly where my backpack is, in the dark thick timber on an east facing slope. That's also where I heard something big moving in the woods. Maybe I'll go back there for elk, and park my butt in the woods and wait.

I also found a very lush spot, with lots of deer and elk tracks and fresh droppings from both, and game trails to and from. I might sit there one day as well. But I need to get there before first light. I missed out on my second day of deer because I got my truck into the area, got out, went to load up, and found that I'd left the bolt for my rifle back in the cabin. The whole trip was a fiasco.

 

[carnaby]

Also, do you hang out on the edge of the thickets, or move into them to wait and watch? And do you just find a spot and park your butt, or move around slowly? I figure that the park-it approach is probably the best. I know Art brings a book, I might too.

 

[carnaby]

Oh yeah, last weekend, my buddies spotted a few cows, to branch antlered bulls, and one spike in the area. So they are there.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I use a combination. If I know there are elk moving in the thick timber, I'll set up somewhere where there are breaks or open spots where they must cross. Especially if it's dry. That country is often times without rain for sometime and it's just too noisy to be walking around. If it's damp, or we got some snow, stalking slowly around heavy cover can put you right on top of them.

 

[koja48]

where my backpack is . . . heard something big moving

I can't add to the good advice already provided by those more intimately familiar with that area than I am. Couldn't resist, however & please forgive . . . but watch for a Sasquatch with a backpack. Hunt safe & good luck.

 

[carnaby]

heh

 

[JuryRig]

If you haven't seen this WDFW page it might be useful:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/harvest/2006/elk_general.htm
It has harvest and the number of hunters by GMU. For last year in the Manastash there were 2991 hunters and they had a 2.9% success rate. It is one of the most hunted areas in Region 3.

A lot of people around Ellensburg actually travel over to Region 1 to get away from y'all coming from Seattle.

Good luck.

 

[carnaby]

Yeah, us Seattle jerks.

I might hunt somewhere else for elk this year. Lessee, 2991 hunters and 2.9% success = 86 elk. Yikes!

Thanks for the info, might help me choose a different place to hunt.

 

[Polishrifleman]

Stats

Take a look at statewide success for antlered elk modern firearm it looks pretty similar Region 1 to Region 3.

Statewide General Season
Elk Harvest Statistics
Modern Firearm
Elk Tags Purchased 69625
Elk Hunters 44924
Antlered Harvest 2449
Antlerless Harvest 492
Total Harvest 2941 6.5%

 

[koja48]

Now carn, some of you Seattle folks are okay . . . I used to bowhunt the Teanaway north of Cle Elum . . . been 15 years and one heart attack or so ago, but there was no shortage of elk. I have no idea what it's like now. Hunted Jack Creek & points south. There's a dog-leg ridge up there with a significant iron ore deposit, which plays havoc with a compass . . . we christened it the "Teanaway Triangle."

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I took a look at those statistics at the link that JuryRig sent and found 1 serious discrepency. I looked only at GMU 346 for modern firearm and they have 0 cows listed as being taken. I know for a fact there was 150 cow permits given away that year (I looked in the old regs and I was one of the several thousand who applied for them). Cows are pretty easy to get in there so I have a very hard time believing nobody got one.

 

[eliphalet]

and one heart attack or so ago,

One of those darn things last month sure is playing havoc with my planned elk hunt this year. We were planning Muzzle loader again this year middle of next month, and now we're gonna do a second stint instead. Yippie -skippy
Dad and I cut up our deer today so at least we got some meat.


Carnaby, lets us know how your hunt goes and good luck.

 

[priv8ter]

General

NRA4Life, those stats that the link was posted for were 'General' season results only. Those cow permits are under the 'Special Permit' reports, which for GMU 346 shows 31 cows and 1 bull being taken by those special permit holders, for a 29% sucess rate.

I hunt down across 410 in the Bethel unit...back in high school I hunted Manastash and Umtanum, but it seems that Bethel is a 'little' less crowded now, and hopefully people will head home Monday afternoon like they did last year...heck, success rate last year was just as bad in Bethel(GMU 360) 57 spikes for 1900 hunters.

Sigh. It's getting so it's almost not worth heading over if you don't draw a cow or big bull permit. For Bethel, as I said, the General Spike season rate was 3%. Big bulls had a 19% sucess rate, cows just of 39% for that GMU.

greg

 

[JustsayMo]

I hunted the area last year. Saw cows every day and all were on the move, probably kicked up out of cover by heavy pressure. Opening morning we were on a spike and ended up pushing him into another hunter who put his tag on him. I heard of one other spike taken in the area the next day. I didn't see another antlered Elk the rest of the trip.

We haven't firmed up where we're going this year. It looks like we'll miss the opener and hit it during the week.