Sucessful Washington Elk hunters...

[elkocd]

I'm moving to Washington in July, hunting westside archery elk this year. It will only be my second year hunting elk (Idaho panhandle last year). I will be keeping an eye on this thread. Let me know if anybody needs someone to hunt with!

I moved to WA 5 years ago from OR. Still have never hunted in WA and probably never will or maybe once if I draw an eastside archery bull tag. Just too many better options than to waste time around here and BTW I live in South Central WA around MT Adams which is some of the better OTC hunting and it's still not worth it.

 

[Jellymon1]

I love hunting the west side for archery elk. With the brush you can call them in nice and close. Also......Roosies>Rocky Mt

 

[Jason277]

Meat missile, Ha! I take it you grind in deep!

 

[Ifunk]

Do those of you that hunt archery elk in W. WA find that the rut is more on the third week of Sep. as opposed to the second week?

 

[Jellymon1]

Do those of you that hunt archery elk in W. WA find that the rut is more on the third week of Sep. as opposed to the second week?

I usually see some rut activity in the second and third weeks, but it seems to really kick off at the end of September. The later I’m able to hunt in September the better for me.

 

[HoytHunter24]

Do those of you that hunt archery elk in W. WA find that the rut is more on the third week of Sep. as opposed to the second week?

I haven't been in the woods around that time but I will say that I find a lot more fresh rubs after archery season. The bull I killed this year had cows and was ready to fight during the third week of September.

 

[Dark timber]

Get out in the woods this time of year, while the elk are hanging out in clearcuts all day. Then you can see what’s around. I’m in SW WA and usually hunt muzzleloader, since you get the tail end of the rut and less guys in the woods (most years). Hunting the wet side isn’t as hard as people think. If you’re in elk country, find isolated clearcuts with a decent creek in the bottom, if the creek has a big wide grassy bottom, even better. And make sure there’s a stand of good timber (preferably) nearby or big patches of grown up reprod without any heavily traveled roads through it. These are places you want to e-scout for, then get boots on the ground and figure out the elk you find and hunt em like you would any other elk. They absolutely are vocal, their bugles just don’t travel in our jungles like they do in open country. If you hear them, you’re usually within 200yds. Good luck

 

[Jason277]

Get out in the woods this time of year, while the elk are hanging out in clearcuts all day. Then you can see what’s around. I’m in SW WA and usually hunt muzzleloader, since you get the tail end of the rut and less guys in the woods (most years). Hunting the wet side isn’t as hard as people think. If you’re in elk country, find isolated clearcuts with a decent creek in the bottom, if the creek has a big wide grassy bottom, even better. And make sure there’s a stand of good timber (preferably) nearby or big patches of grown up reprod without any heavily traveled roads through it. These are places you want to e-scout for, then get boots on the ground and figure out the elk you find and hunt em like you would any other elk. They absolutely are vocal, their bugles just don’t travel in our jungles like they do in open country. If you hear them, you’re usually within 200yds. Good luck

Thank you for the info!

 

[The Ri Guy]

Don't waste your time on the Eastside unless you draw a bull tag.

Been hunting it for 23 years now and we've killed a pile of elk, including a few trophy bulls. Not worth it now that it's spike only, shit is ridiculous. I've seen more cougar in the last 8 years in 340 than I have spikes.

Meanwhile my cousin got into Archery Elk (first time hunter) 3 years ago and they've killed elk every year on the Westside.

I'm switching next year unless I draw a Quality Tag for the Eastside.

 

[Jason277]

Don't waste your time on the Eastside unless you draw a bull tag.

Been hunting it for 23 years now and we've killed a pile of elk, including a few trophy bulls. Not worth it now that it's spike only, shit is ridiculous. I've seen more cougar in the last 8 years in 340 than I have spikes.

Meanwhile my cousin got into Archery Elk (first time hunter) 3 years ago and they've killed elk every year on the Westside.

I'm switching next year unless I draw a Quality Tag for the Eastside.

I understand. Westside is probably your best bet in Washington. Poor management on the Eastside has left little to be desired.

 

[MountainTracker]

Don't waste your time on the Eastside unless you draw a bull tag.

Been hunting it for 23 years now and we've killed a pile of elk, including a few trophy bulls. Not worth it now that it's spike only, shit is ridiculous. I've seen more cougar in the last 8 years in 340 than I have spikes.

Meanwhile my cousin got into Archery Elk (first time hunter) 3 years ago and they've killed elk every year on the Westside.

I'm switching next year unless I draw a Quality Tag for the Eastside.

Unfortunately you can’t apply for east side quality tags and hunt the west, they make guys pick sides and based off of that you are only allowed to apply for quality tags on the respective side you choose to hunt. Due to the dates you can’t switch sides after the draw, only weapon. Now all of this changes if you draw a multi season tag.


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[The Ri Guy]

Unfortunately you can’t apply for east side quality tags and hunt the west, they make guys pick sides and based off of that you are only allowed to apply for quality tags on the respective side you choose to hunt. Due to the dates you can’t switch sides after the draw, only weapon. Now all of this changes if you draw a multi season tag.


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Good to know, I wasn't aware of that since it's the opposite for deer. Guess I'll be putting in for Nook from now on...

We see great bulls every year on the eastside and used to draw a tag every ~5 years on the dot. Been 7 or 8 since we drew now...

 

[MountainTracker]

Good to know, I wasn't aware of that since it's the opposite for deer. Guess I'll be putting in for Nook from now on...

We see great bulls every year on the eastside and used to draw a tag every ~5 years on the dot. Been 7 or 8 since we drew now...

There’s no elk in nook, I promise haha. We use to hunt east side muzzy every year was a good time. We now only hunt west side either archery or muzzy. Rifle is a circus.


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[naneumranch]

Extremely hard to draw a east side bull tag but when you do it’s worth it .

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[Jason277]

The odds are pretty bad. I'm not sure the exact percent but somewhere around .3?

 

[roosiebull]

Hello everyone, I have pretty much made most of my posts on this forum about Blacktail in Wa. I have been hunting for a total of 3 years this season coming up will be my fourth. I have had 2 very successful years with blacktail in Wa but I have been striking out pretty badly in the elk department. I hunt archery westside. I'm curious who has had success in Wa for elk , East or West? What season modern, muzzle, archery?

don't get discouraged with the feedback you're getting, people say the same stuff about oregon, and it would take a heck of an elk tag to get me off the coast in September.... despite the crazy low success rates and general negative attitude towards hunting the west side, there is some good hunting to be had.... of course there is a learning curve, but it's still elk hunting, it's more similar than different than any elk hunting.

there are people killing bulls every year. i think the hardest part about elk hunting the west side is having different strategies for consistently finding elk.... i like hunting big 2nd growth timber, because most don't like to

 

[BR00D]

East side is horrible. Hunted St Helens after a successful draw and our party of two pulled two bulls.

 

[mavinwa2]

the unstoppable TRIBAL poaching is a huge impact on eastern WA elk, Colockum & Yakima herds are heavily pressured.

Just look at eastern WA Craigslist for all the tribal sellers of fresh/frozen elk, deer meat or jerky-sausage products too.

 

[BR00D]

I looked for elk over in north eastern washington last year from the canadian border at Midway south nearly to Republic and didn't see one animal. Then headed further east to Metaline, found much better sign but the season ended before I could find the herd.

 

[TheTone]

I have a good friend in Bellingham that I’ve been hoping would get more into archery elk hunting just so I have someone to hunt with when I decide I want to go over and try for a rosey.