Osprey,

If I am right that rule is for hunting things like dear and elk. Bear and cougar can be hunted with any weapon. so why would I not be able to pack the thunder stick and the bow? I am confused now.


****,

I have a rabit call. mayeb I will try it. I have talked to guys that have used them for yap dogs and they say it could end up in yer lap if yer not paying attention. I can imagine bear and cougar. WOW!!! 7 yards!!! my heart would be in my chest. I don't know if I could get the string back if I was ground level.

I really gotta try this. as for wind will they try and circle me? so should I have someone behind me?

dcrzfitter

Where does it say in the game laws you can't carry a side arm wial hunting bear and couger with a bow, I think not. If I am over looking the law please show me. Now if I am in a bow only area hunting deer or elk that is different story. Oh, by the way I didn't feel any bite.

Yes, they will try to wind you and you better be looking behind you if you are alone!! The bear will come out of nowhere, one second you will turn your head and turn back and there he is. A partner is always best if not use a tree stand.

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Tight Lines!!

[This message has been edited by Dick (edited 08-15-2000).]

You are correct,it is legal to carry a fire arm during archery season specified for that area..what does this mean?
Never mind I have the regs in front of me

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 08-20-2000).]

The regs state that it is unlawfull to carry a modern firearm while hunting deer or elk with muzzleloaders or bows. I called the state a few years back on this and was told it is only on deer and elk. dcrzfitter had it right. Bear and cougar are any legal weapon. Since the topic of calls come up, has anyone ever hunted coyote's at night around here? It is legal, but I never tried it yet.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

Hey 'fitter, I noticed you drew the goose praire stick flingin tag. That is definately a good one. There are some real nice bulls, you should have a fun hunt.. You said you wanted to fish for salmon and hunt elk at he same time? Well you're in business, the American R. currently has quite a few springers spawning in it so if you wanted to catch one you will need a stout rod, 25lb. maxima, with large lead wrapped treble.. This way you can land the fish rather quickly before the meat falls off of his bones!! Ha Ha....Actually these fish are highly protected and the local wdfw agent probably would not have much of a sense of humor unless you handed over your pick-up as collateral.. If you were to reveal your HIGHLY sought after secret scent then maybe I could reveal some great elk haunts!!

Horn hunter,

Now you got my attention!!!

My dad has hunted this era for maybe 22 years but we are just starting to hunt it early season. we got them figured for late but we are still working on these guys for early. There are some really nice bulls but it's hard to get on them. we are going to hunt the last week of season as well as all the weekends. I can't remember the road number we will camp on but we have an awsome camp and if yer around stop in. I'll see if I can get that road number. we have hot shower so bring a towel and soap. There is nothing like HOT running shower every night in early or late season.

dcrzfitter

I live just down the road, road numbers don't mean a whole lot to me. I have never got used to recognizing an area by the rd. number. Tell me what the name of the area is and I'll know exactly where you are at. I'm assuming you are going to be in the Nile area if your camping around roads. THe Bumping area has very little in the way of road systems. Let me know either way and maybe I'll come give you some Sincere B.S. for a cold brew!!!!!!

Can't help it !!! Washington hunting???? I know you guys have a bunch of fish swimming around but when you want to talk elk... ya got nothing !!!! We have some elk over here !!! One of you guys posted how much stuff you have killed over the years... you should see the pile of bones in my garage !!! Most have been shot off the old homestead. We have a whitetail buck out back this year that looks about 160 + to me. He is living on borrowed time I can tell you that. Just gotta rib you guys. Two freinds that live in Tacoma come over and hunt the place with us every year. Your right!!! Its almost time

B-Run your right about that compared to Idaho, Wash.really stinks.I go into Big Creek every year and the Muleys are huge and if the snow really flies the Elk hunting is great.

B-Run, If I was you I wouldn't brag up your beloved state to much, I've hunted elk and deer in your state for 16yrs straight, I ve seen a terrible decline in the last 5 yrs in your elk herds! It amazes me to listen to your officials say they have better elk hunting then ever but they can't sell out Non-res. elk tags, something they used to sell out by mid-march!!!!They demand has declined because hunter success has declined.I know you will say that the overall success rate is as high as ever but that maybe due to hunters taking any legal bull..For several years my brother and I wouldn't pull the trigger unless it was a mature 6pt bull and now I find myself looking for any 5pt or better!! That is a huge change! Also, I may want to add that I've hunted many different areas thoughout your great state and it is truely a wonderful place to hunt, they just need to get alot tougher on the predators!!! Predation is the number one reason for your's and our decline in big-game numbers! It is all a part of the Peta's ANd anti's big picture to eliminate hunting as we know it! If the numbers of big-game decline to the point were we cannot sustain a hunting season then they have reached their objective! I could go on forever on this topic but I'll try not to waste to much of the fishermens time talking hunting... You hard-core demos should take a hard look at who the antis support!!!!! Trust me they don't want any Rep. in office because they are for the very thing we as hunters and fishermen stand for!!!! Put enviro. issues aside because I don't believe any politician is anti-enviro., some will just take a harder stance towards some of the issues that we have already debated...Thanks,

All I know is in the last 5 or 6 years since a lot of branched antler restictions went into effect,our hunting area a seen a considerable increase in bull to cow ratio ,I guess some of the states ideas are working I said some of them,
Just got a report from my partner they went scouting bugled in 3 branch bulls with in 1 mile from our camp.... I am soooooo pumped I can't control myself ,I need to get my bugle.
Tight lines and tight groups to all my bow hunting brothers.

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Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft }<<(('>----<'))>>{
Release all Wild Fish

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 08-20-2000).]

Right on Osprey,

I have told a few people the same thing. one of the only things I have seen the state do right is the branched antler restrictions. The erea we hunt in E. WA at one time you would be lucky to see a bull in the feed lot in the winter now hundreds are there every winter. It's still hard to find these bulls in hunting season but they are around.

we got to get our bugles out and get them going. we have been talking to some cows lately but we need to get the big boys going.

dcrzfitter

Osprey, Let me enlighten you onto acouple of facts concerning the branch antler restrictions that you are bragging up. First off I will tell you that I am talking about the Clockum and Yakima Elk herds..I am very familiar with the history of these areas. To begin with prior to our Branch antler resrictions(BAR) bull cow ratio averaged approx 3-8 bulls per hundred cows(according to the wdfg's figures). Currently our ratios have been around 12-14 bulls/cows(Yakima herd)Let me tell that the numbers given to us have always been on the low side! When the wdfg was doing their surveys in the early 90's I was also out there HIKING instead oof counting feedlot elk. I never failed to come up with at least 5-8 bulls/cows higher than there highest estimate!!!!! O.k now to the real point..Currently our elk herds are in WORSE shape overall than they were prior to spike only restrictions..Our numbers are high but the overall health of the herd isn't in good shape. Through the 80's and early 90's our cow/calve ratio averaged in the mid to upper 40's.. THis leads to excellent recruitment!!Some of the highest in the entire country!! We have been going backwards ever since!! Right now our cow/calve ratios are bumping on the low 30's!!!! This is cause for alarm! This year they didn't even offer Branch bull tags in the Clockum area. Why? Because they haven't been able to reach the level of recruitment that is neccesary to sustain a viable elk herd!! Now you may ask why is this? Well my featherfliggin friend the answer is real simple.. PREDATORS!!!!!! Since the lost off using hounds as a management tool our cougar population has exploded..The bears also kill an incredible amount of the new born calve elk and coyotes as always are opportunists. I will gaurentee you that if we don't do something that you guys will have zero big bull tags to apply for! Look at the BLue Mtns., huge elk but less than half of there carrying capacity!!! I've spent countless hrs and days watching hunting chasing, picking up horns ect....My opinions are from being out there, not from sitting behind some desks.Elk hunting has been my passion since I started hunting!! I take them very seriously just like you would a big native steelhead..Just because the feedlot looks better than it ever has doesn't mean that everything is going well.. I have alot more I would like to add but I am tired of pecking the [Bleeeeep!] out of my keyboard.. Osprey, I will add that if things were managed correctly that the BAR program would definately work. But as is nothing is going to work in the long run!!

Horn Hunter,

I think the point Osprey was trying to make is that the idea of controlling the amount of bulls taken has helped the BULL population. I think you have a very strond point with the predators. I have noticed the same, less calves and fawns. that is a big problem. with the cow/bull ratio up it's to bad the calves are not makeing it. one good thing about lots of cougars. they kill coyotes.

dcrzfitter

We used to hunt in a slide on the other side of Timber wolf Mt.It was about a 2mile hike in.Between the 8 0f us we never left with less then 5 bulls.All 5and 6 point.Now after 25 years of good hunting the guides have blazed a trail in and destroyed the hunting in that spot.They pack in on horses and set up camp right in the middle of the flat(one of the best spots to hunt).They would get run off bethel ridge and come right down threw the slid into the thick brush.I think that the Yak herd has been overhunted myself.I remember 1 year they caught a huge herd down in carol flats and killed 70 bulls in the first few hours.The hunting presure has slowed down alot so lets get out and kill them cougars and hope we can bring these elk back to bigger #'s.I say get rid of the spike only law.What I see is alot more bulls being killed.The spikes seem to run with the cows and arent smart enough yet to hide in the thick stuff till the smoke clears they mope around with the cows and end up dead.Lets put on a brow tined bull only law I think that would be more affective...TM

[This message has been edited by Timber man (edited 08-20-2000).]

Osprey, when I first posted to you about your remarks regarding the elk herd I didn't think about you're probably hunting the westside where you have 3pt. or better restrictions. My knowledge is about the eastside. However, I do want you to know that I tried hard for a 3pt or better restriction on our side but the head local bio.had it in his mind that the ONLY way to go was with the spike only..When a bio. testifies in front of the commision and says one thing and a private testifies another thing who do you think the commision will listen to? Not the uneducated private!!! Timberman, I have seen four huge harvests that have taken place in the lower bethal area(1973,82,91,94). Everytime we literally slaughtered our elk herd. I personally held and arranged meetings with the Region Bios. along with several commision members in order to change the time frame of the elk season. Now we start our elk season the last week of Oct. instead of the 1st week of Nov. This last week of Oct. is when we generally get the heavy early snows if it is going to happen. So hopefully, mothernature doesn't play tricks with history and throw some huge early snows on us anymore.

Timberman, I hate to question your elk hunting prowness but are you really serious about the 5&6pt bulls you killed for 25yrs?? I would believe you might of had a year or two with that kind of success but no way did you have that kind of success consistantly. If you would have said that you guys killed at least 5 bulls of various sizes(predominatly spikes and rag horns) I wouldn't be questioning your high success rates. But with mature bulls that barely existed, come on! Where you just trying to test my curiosity? If so than you were successful. I would like to add some valuable info. for the readers. I've fished the Nisqually for many years and have never failed to land at least 4 steelys over 20lbs to go with my complimentary limit of 40lb. kings. One trip acouple of years ago the fish were alittle small that year and I had to settle for acouple of 18lb steelys and a small limit of 35lb. kings. Bummer! Actually guys to set the record straight I have never even fished the Nasty! Just havin fun..

Steelyhorn I was up on the Clover Spring road and noticed they punched in some roads down into that hole on the east side of the road are they or have they been logging in there?

As a youth in the early 70s I also hunted the Bethel ridge area and witnessed the slauter ,and all the the damn hunters.
My area is over here on the west side .We have been hunting this area for 15 years I have watched this area grown leaps and bounds as far as Elk population.
This area is a brush nightmare but we take nice elk every year ,it's not for the weak at heart ( no wimps ),thats why we don't see many hunters ,but the Elk sure like it here.
Steelie Horn,I totally agree with you you're comment on cougars and bears ,I knew this was going to happen we need to control their poulation,heck I have pack of Coyotes that is terrorizing my property,I'm thinking of a rabbit distress call?
I can't comment on you're situation over there on the other side of the Big Hill,Although I do enjoy the Okanagon area for deer during rifle season though.
Next to a Bull elk ,I find the White tail buck to quite a foe to deal with.
tight Lines and tighter groups

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Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft }<<(('>----<'))>>{
Release all Wild Fish

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 08-22-2000).]

Come on O lets not cut everyone down just because your success hasnt been very good!!!!!!!!I said between all of us all bulls were 5-6point bulls not saying I killed one every year.We all made a deal that we wouldnt kill any5thing smaller but in the area I am speaking about it was all possible.If the guides blazed a trail in do you think it was a spike rag horn area????????If you want to see pictures let me know the next time you are down at the nasty I will bring them....But then again I need not prove myself to anyone.....As far as 30+# kings I landed 2 last week on a zipper.I have pictures of them also if interestedTM

[This message has been edited by Timber man (edited 08-22-2000).]