Eastern Washington Elk Hunting

23 July 2002, 15:35

okie john

Has anyone hunted GMU 372? What's the better choice, Rattlesnake Hills or south of Horse Heaven Hills? What about along the Columbia river? Thanks, Okie John.

24 July 2002, 16:47

<Dan in Wa>

okie john
Are you hunting the Yakima area?
I'm not familiar with the area's that you mentioned

27 July 2002, 19:21

<jdcaley>

I believe the area is the Yakima area right, more near Little Naches. Good elk herd up there but you need to be drawn for a big bull tag. Used to live in Seattle and hunt over that way so I still know that area pretty well.

30 July 2002, 12:51

okie john

Dan: This is the area just south of Yakima between the Yakima Firing Center on the north and the Columbia River on the South. It includes the Hanford Reservation and butts up against the Yakima Indian Reservation on the west. I think the Horse Heaven Hills are south of the main highway and the Rattlesnake Hills are north of it.

jdcaley: there is an excellent gunsmith near you. His name is David Clements, and he built 2 5-shot Ruger Bisleys for me. Check him out. He's as good as they come.

Thanks, Okie John.

31 July 2002, 08:49

BuddyK-9

quote:
Originally posted by okie john:
Dan: This is the area just south of Yakima between the Yakima Firing Center on the north and the Columbia River on the South. It includes the Hanford Reservation and butts up against the Yakima Indian Reservation on the west. I think the Horse Heaven Hills are south of the main highway and the Rattlesnake Hills are north of it.

This area is mostly private lands on the west side of the unit and the east side is closed to hunting as being the Hanford Arid Lands Preserve. Unless you have access to private lands your chances of hunting are very,very limited. However, if you have access the opportunity to harvest a large branch antlered bull are very good. I would higly recommend you contact the Yakima, WA regional office for the Washington State Department of Wildlife for details. There has been significant controversy over access being denied by landowners to adjacent public lands. Several larege private ranches guard their property lines with a good deal of zeal and armor! A very good source of information is Jim Pearson of Selah, WA who writes occasionally for the local newpapers on outdoor articles (Yakima Herald Republic). I am not aware of any elk hunting south of the south end of this area past the town of Benton City. Most of the hunting is done south of highway 24 and east of the community of Sunnyside.
A Metskers map of Yakima and Benton counties will help you locate the area. Good luck! Jeff
Thanks, Okie John.

31 July 2002, 18:11

<Dan in Wa>

Thanks okie john,
I hunt the Colockum area and can't help you out in the Yakima area's. I don't know how to work this damned computer very well. Who is this local gunsmith..., and yes I have an older Ruger.32 Mag. Bisley that could use a little trigger work. Good luck in the coming seasons... The indians are doing to hunting here what they have done to fishing... God Bless their souls. No branched antered permits here in 3 years, but the native Americans shoot them all summer up here. Why can't they do their casino thing and leave wildlife alone?I'm going to get kicked off this site for this but enough is enough... join the the 21 st century.

01 August 2002, 04:55

<jdcaley>

Dan in WA,
I understand what you said about the indians and their tribal rights way of hunting. Before I came down to MS for college I had a friend visit Seattle, I took him to the mountains for some sightseeing and watched a group skin an elk right off the road. Funny thing is the elk was walking along a dirt embankment so you can its track and it laid dead right there beside the road (good road side hunting) I explained to my friend of the tribal rights thing and he just shook his head. I fished over on the Hoh and watched the fishnet traps they set up, nothing could get by the zig zag maze they set up. Poor shame.