I have hunted this area for 20+ years. Usually Bear River is pretty well gated up until Rifle elk season starts. When rifle season starts they do usually open a few gates. Two years ago during late season a teriffic storm hit this area laying down millions of board of timber. The local logging companies are trying to salvage as much of this as possible therefore the roads were alot more accesable last year.
As far as I know, they have never given out "Cow Tags" in this area to rifle or muzzle loader hunters so yes, there are cows. I have through out the years, seen several good bulls in this area. However, with timber prices being what they are, there is and has not been alot of real logging going on in there [ besides trying to recover the "Down Timber". Therefore it is grown "up" and "over" pretty bad. Many of the open hillsides that used to allow viewing lots of elk are now 20+ ft tall in "Reprod" [new fir trees] and alder. This stuff can be so thick that you would be better off with a spear than a bow. You can hear them all around but can't see for the trees. At least you might be able to jab the spear thru the thick stuff and get lucky.
There are some good clear cuts in the proper growth stages [but not many] to hold elk and last year we hunted them alot. At that time of year, [ Late Season ] I never did see a legal bull but did see and get into cows most days. Which are legal to all hunters holding a West Side Archery Elk tag during the late season with no special draw.
Last year during late season { from about Thanksgiving thru Mid Dec.} we camped out and had several nights in a row when it was 17 deg with a high during the day of around 23 deg. Even with heat in the tents the snow never melted off. Be prepaired to get wet [ not so bad during Sept.] and have some good "quiet" rain gear and dry stuff to change into at the end of the day.
One more note: there is almost no such thing as level ground !!! Even all of the logging roads you will be walking to get in behind the gates seems to be all UP HILL, I'm sure they also go downhill but, I'm usually so tired at the end of the day that I can't tell up from down.
I did not write all of this as a "Doom and Gloom" post by any meins. Just want you know what tyype of area you'll be hunting. I'm 58 and not in the best of health, but it keeps calling me back.
The little community of "Naselle" near by is very Hunter Friendly, there are some good places to eat, sit in front of a fireplace in the evening with a cold one and a pizza, and if your more into renting a warm dry room they have three motels and a RV trailer park.
Come on down, look for a Nice looking [Baby Shi_ color] green and white 73 Bronco... and wave. I'll more than likely give you one back. If you do see me and need some help, I have a winch and 5600 feet of cable in the back of that "good looking old bronco".
One more thing, I had a tradganger, Curt Yeager come up from Folsom Cal. and spend some quality hunting time in the Bear River last winter and he's looking forward to comming back.
And another, A GPS can be very useful in this area. Especially to mark camp, your vehicle, and possibly that elk your going to be finding when it comes time to "Pack Em Out". Looking forward to meeting you guys down there!!
Gene
Topic: Elk Hunt in Southwest Washington (Read 1837 times)
