WA help, please!

[Southwesterner]

Just trying to fill the freezer in difficult times. Wife has an Eastern tag and she’s the priority. Newish WA resident and just moved to the West side from the Wenatchee area. Not interested in the Colockum herd and dodging bullets from the whole state of Washington. We’re willing to travel anywhere. If we can’t connect, I have a Western tag and would really appreciate West side tips as well (looking at GMU 506 and 520). Thank you so much in advance!

 

[menhaden_man]

Eastern tag as in true spike rifle only?

 

[Southwesterner]

A lot of the East is true spike but there are GMUs that allow any bull or any elk. Regardless, not chasing horns at all, just looking to put meat in the freezer!

 

[Wrench]

You have two options, hunt high density elk areas for a spike or low density elk areas for a bull.....both are tough.

 

[BluMtn]

I can tell you from my experience this year so far that SE Washington sucks as far as elk are concerned. They may be out there, but the are hiding really well this year.

The other thing I have noticed this year and I don't know if it is Covid or no elk is there are big camps missing in the mountains that have been camping in the same places for over 20 yrs that I know of and some of the FS campgrounds only have 1 or 2 camps in them when in years past they have been small cities.

 

[elkocd]

Good luck! Not to be negative, but I've been a WA resident for going on 5 years and have not hunted elk 1 day in this state. For good reason. I'll "maybe" hunt it one time in my life IF I happen to draw an Eastside archery tag. Otherwise it's not worth the price of gas to me. Will be in OR with my son this weekend tho.

 

[BluMtn]

Good luck! Not to be negative, but I've been a WA resident for going on 5 years and have not hunted elk 1 day in this state. For good reason. I'll "maybe" hunt it one time in my life IF I happen to draw an Eastside archery tag. Otherwise it's not worth the price of gas to me. Will be in OR with my son this weekend tho.

I have been waiting 21 years for my last elk hunt. I have it figured that by the time I get drawn for a branched antler tag I will be looking for a spike and will be happy if I get one the way our game dept handles our wild game. We have a bunch of idiots running our game dept right now, the problem now is they have screwed it up so bad right now I don't know if there is a fix.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Get out there and hit it hard for the remainder of the season. I would focus on finding good areas for next year and scouting them all next Summer since you weren't prepared for this season. Good luck and I hope you guys get something

 

[DoubleDown]

Packwood or Randle herds contains good elk numbers. You have to find them during the day, evening you’ll find in downtown.
Lincoln creek have small heard.

 

[Southwesterner]

Get out there and hit it hard for the remainder of the season. I would focus on finding good areas for next year and scouting them all next Summer since you weren't prepared for this season. Good luck and I hope you guys get something

Had my game dialed for Colockum but with the move and popularity of the GMU, would rather just start fresh

 

[Elkslayer67]

What weapon are you using on the west side? Archery hunted 506 some years ago. Used to be a section that was walk in only. It was nice we were in elk daily and rarely saw people. Last I heard it was a pay to play area now.

 

[Southwesterner]

What weapon are you using on the west side? Archery hunted 506 some years ago. Used to be a section that was walk in only. It was nice we were in elk daily and rarely saw people. Last I heard it was a pay to play area now.

We’ll be rifle