08-25-2007, 04:10 AM
OPEN: Bear, cougar, general deer and elk bow seasons (open Aug. 25), western gray squirrel (open Aug. 25)
The weather conditions on the north coast leading up to the general archery deer and elk seasons have been very favorable for reducing fire danger and quieting the woods for bow hunters. For access on private forest lands, it's always a good idea to check with the land managers first. Fire danger conditions, and landowner access policies, can change with changes in weather.
Deer and elk
Black-tailed deer tend to be quite active during the daylight hours in late summer but will restrict their activities more and become more wary as the fall progresses. Best bets are to scout along older, brushed-in clearcut edges near bigger timber. Buck ratios were healthy after last season, but were leaning towards older bucks. Entry-level bucks (which tend to make up more of the usual harvest) may be in shorter supply. For deer on the north coast, numbers of animals are modest in most areas, but buck escapement from past hunting seasons has been high in recent years. So, if you see an adult deer, it could easily be a buck. Animals will be at all elevations at this time of year, and will favor cooler areas if the weather is hot.
Elk are numerous in the Coast Range in general and bull ratios were at or above management objective in the Trask, Wilson and Saddle Mountain units. Early season hunting may be difficult while dry conditions persist and access to private land is restricted due to fire danger. September rains and the arrival of the rut will make for better chances of success. Bull escapement has been good across the north coast in recent years, so there should be no shortage of bulls around. Elk populations are also near management goals, and elk will be distributed at various elevations this early in the fall. During warmer stretches of weather, look for elk more in the cooler areas such as ridge tops and upper drainage creek bottoms. In the Saddle Mountain WMU, the bag limit for bulls is one having not less than 3 points on at least one antler (see big game regulations). For the Wilson and Trask the bag limit for bulls is one bull with a visible antler.
Bear and cougar
Black Bear are actively feeding, especially on the very abundant wild berry crops from this summer. A strategy for hunting them in the early morning and late evening hours is watching clearcuts and natural openings. At other times during the day, use of a predator call is the best approach. Generally, long and persistent calling is the most effective way to call them in.
All indicators point to the north coast as having relatively low cougar densities, when compared to most of the rest of the state. However, they can still be located, especially if hunters are dedicated to using calls as their primary strategy. Like with black bear, cougar are probably most effectively hunted by long and persistent calling with a predator call.
Western gray squirrel are most likely to be found in mixed deciduous-conifer forests amid oak and maple trees and in filbert orchards.
The weather conditions on the north coast leading up to the general archery deer and elk seasons have been very favorable for reducing fire danger and quieting the woods for bow hunters. For access on private forest lands, it's always a good idea to check with the land managers first. Fire danger conditions, and landowner access policies, can change with changes in weather.
Deer and elk
Black-tailed deer tend to be quite active during the daylight hours in late summer but will restrict their activities more and become more wary as the fall progresses. Best bets are to scout along older, brushed-in clearcut edges near bigger timber. Buck ratios were healthy after last season, but were leaning towards older bucks. Entry-level bucks (which tend to make up more of the usual harvest) may be in shorter supply. For deer on the north coast, numbers of animals are modest in most areas, but buck escapement from past hunting seasons has been high in recent years. So, if you see an adult deer, it could easily be a buck. Animals will be at all elevations at this time of year, and will favor cooler areas if the weather is hot.
Elk are numerous in the Coast Range in general and bull ratios were at or above management objective in the Trask, Wilson and Saddle Mountain units. Early season hunting may be difficult while dry conditions persist and access to private land is restricted due to fire danger. September rains and the arrival of the rut will make for better chances of success. Bull escapement has been good across the north coast in recent years, so there should be no shortage of bulls around. Elk populations are also near management goals, and elk will be distributed at various elevations this early in the fall. During warmer stretches of weather, look for elk more in the cooler areas such as ridge tops and upper drainage creek bottoms. In the Saddle Mountain WMU, the bag limit for bulls is one having not less than 3 points on at least one antler (see big game regulations). For the Wilson and Trask the bag limit for bulls is one bull with a visible antler.
Bear and cougar
Black Bear are actively feeding, especially on the very abundant wild berry crops from this summer. A strategy for hunting them in the early morning and late evening hours is watching clearcuts and natural openings. At other times during the day, use of a predator call is the best approach. Generally, long and persistent calling is the most effective way to call them in.
All indicators point to the north coast as having relatively low cougar densities, when compared to most of the rest of the state. However, they can still be located, especially if hunters are dedicated to using calls as their primary strategy. Like with black bear, cougar are probably most effectively hunted by long and persistent calling with a predator call.
Western gray squirrel are most likely to be found in mixed deciduous-conifer forests amid oak and maple trees and in filbert orchards.