Scouted for elk near Mossyrock in my usual areas. Saw alot of sign, but it was all at least a week old at the minimum. Everything was DRY and very noisy. If it stays this dry, it is going to be tough to put a stalk on any bulls. Saw lots of bull and cow tracks, found a couple nice drinking holes and wallows, but normally when I scout here before muzzleloader season, I find at least some FRESH sign, but not today. Oh well, hopefully the colder weather at night along some rain will change my luck before next weekend. good luck to all you elk hunters. be safe and courteous. BMF

my friends dad has been scouting the mossyrock area for the last week and has had the same report too. lots of sign but nothing fresh. he fif how ever say he seen a heard of about 13 or so in a farmers field. no bulls though.

i'll be either hunting the rimrock area or greenwater. just have to make that big decision wether i want eastside or westside tags. the big bulls or the spike. its such a hard decision. oh well.

We scouted Umtanum on Friday, our group has three cow tags for ML next week. We thought it would be almost a gimmie. We found no fresh sign and not even much older stuff. Saw lots of deer, maybe were in the wrong area? Anybody willing to help me get a first elk?

Thanks, NEN

Well NEN, there's a fairly big bunch of permits given out for the Umtanum ML, but they are certainly not "gimmies".....my guess is under 40% success. That being said, they are still prime tags to draw and I wish I would've drawn one myself this year. Think "up high", like up near the radio towers....run a spike by me while you're up there, I'll be somewhere around with my 11 yr old. Good luck to us all!
Oh, and GO COUGS!
Moe

Yea, I did not mean to sound like it was a gimmie, even though I guess I said that. Just that last year durring modern I could have shot a cow all four days we hunted and we never saw a spike. Part of the reason we switched to ML. We will be in a silver Tundra or black Jeep, best of luck to you, but further up then the radio towers I think.

NEN

NEN,
I meant up top of Cleman Mtn, clear at the top, radio towers up there...there seems to always be a group of "local" cows just below the top. Sounds like you will be North and West, on the Manastash ridge side....Bald Mtn...I tend to hang on Cleman. I'll have an 11 yr old with me (no rifle) and driving a Navy Blue Pathfinder with a spare on the back and abig "LocalMotion"decal..Mariners "Stadium"plates. I usually camp down at the bottom of Milk Creek/Box Spring canyon. I hope it's been raining some over there...hold some of the dust down. I may spend some time over near Yellowjacket or Dry creek also. Good luck to your group with your cow tags!
Moe

Yup, it's rained quit a bit the last week....good luck.