Anyone Ever Hunted Washington Elk?

[Teejay68]

What do you think about using mountain bikes to cover more ground on logging roads? We'll be hunting early archery season, so we're hoping the bulls will be bugling at least enough to give up their positions. Our initial plan would be to glass newer cuts in the morning and evening (while listening for bugling) and spending the midday hours riding, bugling, waiting, then riding more until we find a bull who wants to play. What are your thoughts on this plan?

Its a good way to go, but not a guarantee. You have to watch the fire season carefully as the timber companies will close all access when the danger is high. Have several areas in mind just in case.
So far, most agencies are predicting an early/bad fire season. I’m not sure if that’s real or political.

East of i5 are considered hybrid rocky/Roosevelt and west of i5 are considered Roosevelt.

Visibility on the west side is tough with all the vegetation. Spotting scope is definitely not a necessity.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HDwild]

I don't think I would hunt WA as a non-resident, personally. I haven't hunted another state but in WA it seems like no matter how hard you try, you never get away from other hunters because the herds are pretty concentrated and they just get ping ponged around the mountain all season long.

Unless you just want to come see the state and try to take some cows or Westside bulls. But tbh, we don't need more hunters here haha there's already some resentment when hunters cross over the cascades to hunt the "other" side from where they reside.

I would hunt a different part of Idaho to switch it up if I were you, Idaho has some diverse regions for switching up tactics.

 

[mavinwa2]

One other note: WA has a huge problem with tribal Indian black market meat hunters!!

State regs don’t control them due to federal treaties and court wins by the tribes. As in the infamous Boldt decision on tribal fishing rights where as tribes claimed right to 50% of the fish runs, and federal court favored key WA tribes.
The tribes (& Craigslist) have decimated eastern WA elk herds.

One past late archery elk season, my partner and I witnessed a flat bed truck piled 5 elk on drive by our camp.
Tribal rifle hunters. AND that same truck went by 3x in 7 days we were camped off 1500 road, each day with several elk stacked on,

 

[Huntnnw]

with ID being pretty similar priced as WA and nearby that would be a no brainer to me. I live in WA and have a hard time getting excited about WA elk.

 

[Bachto]

Don't waste your time and money, been hunting elk here with since I was 10 and it's a bit of a joke. I know Rinella did that hunt here but it's not as easy as he had made it look. all the good units are draw only and it takes 5 years or longer to get those tags. I've been putting in for 13 years now and still haven't drawn the tags I want. If you want to hunt coastal Rosies go to Oregon.

 

[COOPDUCK]

I have a hard time spending the money on a elk tag as a resident, would not even consider it as a non resident. I wish i was not so vested in points, I would give it up all together and stick with Idaho.

exactly my sentiment too.