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Washington State Rocky Mountain Elk Tips
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Gear
Some hunters have been able to effectively use tree stands for Elk. This will work especially well if you set up on a migration trail and have some patience. HWS staff
More and more timber company lands are being gated. Buy a nice mountain bike and pedal into the area. You’ll be amazed at how much area you can cover. If you are handy or go to the local bike shop, you can have the freewheel noise disabled for a really silent bike. HWS staff
Be careful when hunting snowy logging roads. Carry chains (even if you have a 4 x 4) a portable hand winch, survival gear and the like. It does not take much to get yourself stuck way back, far away from help. HWS staff
When bowhunting Elk, keep spare arrows and even a spare bow. This country is rough and you do not want to possibly ruin your entire hunt because something went wrong with your bow or supply of arrows. HWS staff
Bring an inexpensive digital camera with you. The pictures will prevent your hunting buddies from lying or for them thinking you are a liar. Hint: (You can use photo editing software later to either add or subtract details from your hunting pictures.) HWS staff
Don’t skimp on a good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope. The best way to hunt Elk is to find a spot that allows you to see the biggest portions of a drainage and sit down and glass… glass… glass… The better your optics the better chance of you seeing that Elk. HWS staff
Gather some vegetation from the area you plan to hunt. Store all of your hunting clothes in garbage bags with the vegetation. Even your underwear, pack, etc. This is the best scent mask I have found. (tip: courtesy Jeff D)
Habitat
Elk prefer and will be found in areas with a mix of old growth, new clearcuts, reprod (new plantings 5-10 yrs old) and second growth. Edge environments are crucial to elk. A lot of the gated areas of the private timber companies are helping increase elk populations. Elk do not like to be disturbed. HWS Staff
Elk tend to herd up and it is not uncommon to see 50 to 60 in a herd. HWS Staff
Buckbrush is the preferred browse for Elk in the late fall and winter. You will see Elk hanging around buckbrush, especially when there is snow on the ground. HWS staff
Gated areas are becoming hot spots with untouched areas available for hunting. HWS staff
When hunting in deep snow, pay more attention to the Southern exposure sides of the hills. The Southern exposure will tend to have significantly less snow and therefore more Elk. Subsequently, just because an area you have encountered has a huge snow cover, there could be isolated pockets up higher with absolutely no snow on them. HWS staff
When hunting Elk in Washington State, it is advantageous to hunt from the highest point down… Elk will typically spend the day on benches high on the side of hills and will watch for trouble coming from below. Many Elk can be spotted in these beds and can be stalked up on. Most of these benches will be difficult to see from below, but will stand out like a sore thumb from above. HWS staff
Older and wiser Elk tend to hold in their beds more than a younger bull or cow. The Bull that gets shot most often is the one that moves. Go slowly through Elk territory. Do not assume that the Elk you spooked out of that draw were the only Elk in there. Courtesy Mike D
Elk are diurnal, meaning that they are most active at dusk and dawn. Cloudy days increase the time that an Elk will spend in the open as the lower light levels will be more spread out. (courtesy Mike D)
When observing browse or feeding areas, remember that the lighter the color of the nipped shrub or twig, the fresher the sign. Older browse browns with age. (courtesy Mike D)
Elk are rarely solitary. If you see one, look for the others. There will almost always be a sentinel cow watching for danger.
Elk tend to hit the tall timber during stormy weather. During these stormy days, still hunt the timber.
When Elk approach a waterhole or a water crossing, they will slow down and scan the area considerably. Use these areas to ambush an Elk. (courtesy Mike D)
If you hunt the rut, place a stand near active wallows. These areas are easily recognizable and you can easily see how active they are by the condition of the mud. If the mud is dried out on the edges and the water is clear, the wallows are probably not being actively used.
Picture of an aactive Blue Mountains elk wallowElk crop damage complaints are rising in the areas around Vineyards. Use a wine tour to scout for new areas to hunt. You might find a willing winemaker to allow you access to their land to stop the Elk from munching on their prized vines.
Very fresh elk rub
In Washington State, any elk is a good elk. Hunter success in this state is generally low, if in a legal area, a raghorn is not an elk to pass up.
Elk are usually considered "grazers" like cows and sheep, not browsers, like deer. Think like a grazing animal when looking for elk. (courtesy Bill P)
Techniques
First rule! Know what you are shooting at !!! There is no excuse for accidentally shooting something you did not intend to. HWS staff
Hire a guide for one season. Chances are that guide will teach you more during your hunt than you would learn from years of "trying to figure it out on your own." Guides are willing to teach and are getting paid to give you all their attention. Most guides will be flattered if you continually pick their brains for information.
Using the squeak of a cow call is a great way to calm disturbed elk. HWS Staff
Always! Hunt into the wind.
The most popular way to hunt Elk is by spot and stalk. Find a prominent area, downwind from the area you believe the elk to be in and glass over the area. Elk will tend to be in larger groups and even a small herd will easily be spotted in a clearing. HWS staff
Wait along the fringes of clear-cuts, just inside the timber. HWS staff
It is uncommon to see elk near heavily traveled logging roads. They are smart and have learned to avoid these areas. Look for them in areas with difficult access or in areas which butt up against private lands or lands that you cannot hunt in (Park, City boundaries, and the like) HWS Staff
Get out of your vehicle and walk away from the road. Elk are smart, they recognize vehicle sounds and vary their routine accordingly. You will find Elk by driving logging roads, but, you will see many more quality animals by simply walking along a clear-cut or up a closed logging road. HWS staff
Do not forget to put in for special permits. Some permits have extremely high success rates and your chances of harvesting a Rocky Mountain elk are dramatically increased with a special permit (especially some of the units around Mt. St. Helens.) HWS Staff
Use a crowded hunting day to your advantage. Find a bench or a saddle in the area you are hunting, get there before first light and wait for other hunters to kick the Elk in your direction. HWS staff
When the snow flies… go hunting! There is nothing better than tracking Elk in fresh snow. The snow starts falling typically during the late hunts (November and December.) HWS staff
When hunting open areas for elk, be careful to not silhouette yourself. Keep just below ridges and just inside the timber. Elk easily spook at silhouetted hunters.
Elk have a tendency to bound away when spooked. Many times they will stop and look at their back trail to see if you are in pursuit. This trait could present an opportunity with a lucky enough hunter. HWS staff
Conditions during late season hunting will be weather dependent. Twelve inches of snow will get the Elk moving, depths greater than 18-24" typically move Elk out. If there is not significant snowcover, Elk will have moved close to winter ranges, but not necessarily onto winter ranges, in that case, I would concentrate my efforts between 2000-3,500' elevation. If there is significant snow cover, you should be able to see plentiful Elk in open, south-facing areas by glassing between 1,000-2,000'. If snow is absent, Elk will be in and along forested edges,
and more difficult to see. Both scenarios presume fog has not set in, which sometimes happens in Elk areas; should that occur, you would be well-advised to seek areas above or below the fog belt, if at all possible. (courtesy Mike D)On sunny days, hunt from the shadows. Never stop with the sun beating down on you, this is a great way for Elk to see you.
When scouting look at areas where you see tall horse fences around gardens, orchards, and the like. More than likely, that homeowner has a deer or elk problem. You may have a pretty good shot at getting on their land to hunt their nuisance Elk.
Be aware of how you are hunting Elk... You typically cannot pattern them like you can a whitetail. The most effective way to hunt Elk is by spot and stalk, period.
When tracking an Elk, pay attention to its tracks in the dirt or snow. A meandering path signals an Elk which is feeding or is looking for a place to bed. A straight path signals that an Elk is on the move and is moving from one point or other. A path which is straight but shows the Elk stopped and turned around is a sign that an Elk knows it is being stalked. A spooked Elk will leave tracks that show all four hoof prints near each other. (courtesy Mike D)
Get in the habit of erasing Elk tracks you come upon in areas that you will hunt more than 1 day. By erasing those prints, you will be able to tell with great precision when new tracks were made.
When hunting open draws, get above likely brushy bedding areas and throw pebbles into the tangle. Oftentimes even small brushy areas will hold a bedded bull just waiting for you to walk right by. (courtesy Mike D)
Some hunters have been able to successfully rattle Elk. Elk tend to not be as aggressive before, during or after the rut as deer. Rattle softly and focus on knocking around saplings and brush which is how real bulls react with other bulls in the area. (courtesy Mike D)
When looking over terrain for bulls. Watch for things other than Elk. Bulls will rub on saplings which make the tree move. Also, Elk moving through tall brush will move the brush as they walk. Look for these signs and you will find a chance at seeing Elk. (courtesy Mike D)
If at all possible, try to hunt Elk from the top of a ridge down. Elk tend to bed on benches which have a good vantage point of the terrain below. They rarely look above unless that is a common direction where hunters come from in the area. (courtesy Jeff L)
When hunting warm weather, elk will be on the cooler north facing slopes. They are big animals and actively look for places to keep cool.
Miscellaneous___________________________________
Get in shape! You need to be in shape to trudge through Washington State Elk country. HWS staff
Keep alcohol back at camp or the hotel. Guns and booze never mix. HWS staff
Be careful when hunting snowy logging roads. Carry chains (even if you have a 4 x 4) a portable hand winch, survival gear and the like. It does not take much to get yourself stuck way back in the woods, far away from help. HWS staff
When scouting look at areas where you see tall horse fences around gardens, orchards, and the like. More than likely, that homeowner has a deer or elk problem. You may have a pretty good shot at getting on their land to hunt their nuisance Elk.
Special Seasons have been developed to hunt some species. Special Permits are always required. There are no general seasons. The Permits "grow in value" the more years you apply for them. This is excerpted from the WDFW FAQ regarding special permits.
Q: How do the hunt choices work?
A: When the drawing occurs, it is as if all of the applications for a species are placed in a barrel. The computer spins the barrel by issuing random numbers to each application. The lowest random number that is issued to each application is the number used to order the applications from the lowest random number to the highest. It is the same as drawing cards from a barrel one by one. The application with the lowest random number is drawn first from the barrel and the hunt choices are checked. As each application comes up for consideration, the first hunt choice is checked to see if there is a permit left to be awarded. If there is none left, the second hunt choice is checked. If there is a permit available for that hunt choice, the application is selected for that hunt. If not, the process continues until all of the hunt choices on the application have been checked. If all of the hunt choices marked on the card have run out of permits, no permits are awarded to that application.Q: How do I build up points?
A: Each person who applies for a special hunt permit for a species receives a point for applying. If that person is not awarded a special hunt permit during that drawing the point is retained. If the person is awarded the permit, that person's point total drops to zero. If the person who was not awarded a permit for that species applies the next year, they then have two points. A single point is built up each year the person applies for a species until the person is awarded a permit.Q: What is the value of building up points?
A: Building up points is very much like putting more application cards into the barrel. Those that have more cards in the barrel have an advantage over those that have less. The more points a person has built up for a species over time, the greater are the chances that his/hers will be selected.Q: I heard that the points have multipliers on them. What is that for?
A: Some permit drawing systems are designed so that one random number is issued for each point built up for the species by the applicant. It is the same as having one card in the barrel for each point (one point - one card, two points - two cards, etc.).Washington's system places a multiplier on the points. The number of points is squared and it is this number of random numbers that are issued to the application (or number of cards in the barrel). If a person applies for an elk permit for the first time, they have one card in the barrel. If a person has built up two points, they have four cards in the barrel. If a person has three points built up, nine cards are in the barrel and so on.
Placing a multiplier on the points more noticeably increases the chances of being selected over someone who is a new applicant or was recently awarded a permit as points are built up.