I hunt the toutle unit regularly and I drew toutle archery in 2001. There's a ton of elk but no quality.I hunted 12 of 14 days and saw one six point bull. I called in bulls every day and had a blast. On september 11 I called in the best bull I saw on the hunt but couldn't get a shot, and he was a 250-60 five point, the six point was small. The toutle is 70-80% owned by weyerhauser and is usually locked up for fire danger during bow and muzzleloader but there is a big chunk of state land east of Signal peak that is landlocked by Weyco. Some years even when their land is closed for fire danger Weyco will allow permit holders to cross their land and hunt the state land. Occasionally a bull pushing 300" is killed but few and far between. I've only seen a couple. It's more of a hunt that if you get a shot at a 6 point, take him and be happy to settle for a five point. There is more state land in the south half of the unit as well. Not meaning to burst your bubble but when I hear mention of 350" class bulls in the toutle I got to say something, heck a guys lucky to find a 300" bull in the margaret unit! Some of the problem with bull quality in the toutle is a few hunting parties hunt the bordering units that are general season and if one guy draws a permit they'll take 2-3 bulls out of the toutle on one permit, yeah nice huh! Toutle should be open to general season just my opinion.
