Gifford Pinchot NF

[MADMAX]

Gifford Pinchot NF

Hi
Anyone ever bowhunt Elk south of Randle Wa and east of MT ST Helens ?,I scouted it yesterday and was not real impressed looks really brushy and verticle, looking for some help on a general area to camp and hunt out of on foot, I am trying a new area since Weyerhauser is locking the Winston unit down for fire and acess, any info is appreaciated

 

[Bura Nut]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

MadMax: It has been many years since I hunted blacktail there, but I shot some real nice bucks off Krause ridge. As for elk, never hunted there but saw alot of elk. It has been since 1985 but I seem to remember strawberry ridge? something named that where it was less brushy with some clear cuts that maybe you can get out a map and try and locate. This is ancient info but as for Krause ridge and those areas, it is very brushy and not what I would consider good elk areas. I dont still have any maps, I live in Arizona now and hunt here but maybe some of this helps you out............... Thanks, Allen Taylor......

 

[wmidbrook]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

LAST EDITED ON Aug-14-05 AT 09:50AM (MST)[p]I'm in the same boat as Allen--it's been years since I lived up there. You could try the east side of Saint Helen's along the closed zone past Ape Creek. It's a good 2 hour hike in there from the south but it's fairly level until you're back in the basin. There were even rumors that WA Fish & Game would push elk up the mud river just before the rifle season with helicopters. It was starting to get popular in the '98 time-frame with rifle hunters but most would not go past ape creek/mud river junction. There are lots of elk in the closed zone around St. Helens itself since the blast zone created awesome elk habitat in recent times. Plains of Abraham (now closed zone I think) always was loaded up with elk prior to the blast so that area traditionally holds lots of elk.....unlikely you'll get anything big in there, but there's quantity. (or at least was).

Yeah, it's probably brushy as heck. But, I remember elk bugling like crazy around there labor day weekend....lots of elk in that country...you'll be within 50 yards before you see them now I'd think the way the blast zone was recovering.

 

[MADMAX]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

Thanks guys
Matter of fact the best area I found was strawberry Mt on the blast side above mud river

 

[coonhound40]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

If you ain't afraid to hike there are numerous areas that are packed full of elk. Strawberry can be good, if you are not on the ridge trail and down in the steep stuff you will find many bulls. (I shot my biggest blacktail to date 19 1/2" 4 x 4 on Strawberry) Look at your map, there are numerous roadless areas in Gifford Pinchot. Hammilton Buttes, Juniper Ridge, McCoy Creek, Tumwater Mt., Blue Lake Ridge, I could go on forever. All of these roadless areas are great.

 

[MADMAX]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

Thanks for the info, we like to be able to do the trailer/camper camp and spot and stalk thing, so packing in to the wilderness does not work for us.
I have packed out way to many elk to want to do it totally on foot.

 

[MADMAX]

RE: Gifford Pinchot NF

Can I get some help on the boundaries ?
Can I hunt both sides of FR 25 south of Randle.
Not sure about the boundaries based on the game regs info.