Western Hunting Journal, Sneak Peak WHJ_Short | Page 21

Tyler Henscheid with an Oregon Roosevelt
bull elk.
Best OTC
Roosevelt
Elk Hunts
R
oosevelt elk are considered
one of the hardest big animals
to hunt due to the very place
they call home: Steep coastal
mountains rife with thick forest and nasty
underbrush. Therein lies the draw for many
archery and rifle elk hunters. When you put
a bull down, it’s earned. Both Washington
and Oregon offer some of the best over-the-
counter (OTC) Roosevelt elk hunts in the
West where 300-plus bulls roam.
California has its own Roosevelt population,
and the bulls harvested there are legendary;
however, hunters must apply for tags through
the state’s draw system leaving the best OTC
opportunities in Washington and Oregon.
WASHINGTON: In the Evergreen state Clallam
County has historically produced the state’s
biggest bulls. Six of the state’s top 20 bulls
came from here, and in the past 10 years
six of the state’s biggest bulls were killed in
Clallam County. Grays Harbor and Pacific
counties also present opportunities at 300-
plus bulls, but not nearly to the degree that
of Clallam County.
Located on the extreme northwest tip
of the state, Clallam County encompasses
the Hoko (601), Dickey (602), Pysht (603)
and Sol Duc (607) game management
units, as well as a portion of the Goodman
Unit (612). The Clearwater Unit (615) is an-
other GMU that is known to produce good
elk hunting opportunity. These units are
also in the vicinity of the Olympic National
Park, which is illegal to hunt in.
Roosevelt elk numbers are considered
healthy in Clallam County. Using harvest data,
telemetry studies and mark-resight surveys
wildlife biologists estimate there are 8,600 elk
living in the District 16 and many of which use
ONP as a safe haven. Successful hunters often
scout animals migrating down from the high
alpine meadows to lowland winter range. It
is common to find elk herds leaving the park
boundaries in the major river drainages, in
particular the Clearwat er River. These areas
typically fall within private timber land, and
many of the best habitat is gated.
The rifle season here runs Nov. 4-15. The
archery season, meanwhile, runs Sept. 9-21.
All of the aforementioned units are man-
aged for 3-point or better harvest regula-
tions. These tags can be purchased over the
counter prior to the season opener.
OREGON: In Oregon, the Coast Range Moun-
tains present the greatest opportunity to
shoot a good bull. And while seven of the
top 20 bulls killed in the Beaver state have
come from Clatsop County, those bulls
were taken in the 1940s and 50s. In the past
decade, the trend has moved toward Tilla-
mook and Douglas counties where eight
of the top 20 bulls in the state have been
killed, five and three respectively. Given the
availability of tags and the lack of hunting
pressure (relative, of course) Oregon’s North
Coast presents itself as one of the best elk
hunting opportunities in the state.
Hunters who want to hunt Tillamook
County will need to concentrate their ef-
forts in the Wilson and Trask big game units.
Elk numbers in these units are considered
healthy in both units. Wildlife biologists esti-
mate the elk herds in the Wilson Unit to be
at approximately 7,500 strong whereas the
nearby Trask Unit elk numbers are just under
10,000 animals unit wide. There is some road
access available, most of the best ground is
on private timber land. Many of the roads are
gated.
In Douglas County, hunters focus their
attention on the Siuslaw, Melrose and Indi-
go units.
In Western Oregon, there are two rifle
seasons in November. The first season is four
days (Nov. 11-14) and any bull can be killed.
The second season is seven days (Nov. 18-24)
and only spikes can be harvested. The ar-
chery season in Western Oregon, meanwhile,
is occurs during the rut, it lasts 30 days (Aug.
26-Sept. 24). Any bull can be killed during the
archery season. All of these hunts do not re-
quire hunters draw controlled hunt tag; rath-
er over the counter tags are available.
ROOSEVELT TAG FEES
WASHINGTON RESIDENT: $50.40; NON-RESIDENT: $497
OREGON RESIDENT: $46; NON-RESIDENT: $549
Why You Should Consider
the 7mm-08
The 7mm-08 saw its birth back in the
1950s as a wildcat cartridge and it
took a few decades until Remington
brought it to market in 1980. Even
with the round being in commercial
existence for nearly 40 years, its pop-
ularity rose significantly over the past
decade. While it’s not a round you’ll
find at any bench rest or precision rifle
competitions, you’ll surely find plenty
afield during hunting season. And for
good reason.
Versatility is the primary reason
for the 7mm-08’s rise in popularity.
Load it down with 100g to 120g bullets
to hunt varmints and predators or
go heavier with 140g or 150g bullets
and hunt deer, elk, or bear. For those
not wanting to own multiple guns,
this caliber can do it all. Certainly, I
can make an argument for owning
multiple rifles in different calibers, but
there’s no beating the versatility of this
cartridge.
With the round being based on
the simple, yet inherently accurate
.308, the 7mm-08 shares this affinity
for accuracy. Whether it’s off the shelf
ammunition or reloading your own,
finding a load to shoot accurately
generally isn’t any trouble. And if
you’re a reloader, brass life is generally
very good making this round very
economical.
The 7mm-08 will also do every-
thing the .270, .308, and .30-06 will
do, only will less recoil and in a short
action. So not only can you reduce
the overall weight of your rifle if extra
ounces are a concern, but the reduced
recoil makes it a round that the whole
family can shoot. It’s a great round not
only for men, but women and youth
hunters as well.
So the next time you’re in the
market for a new rifle, consider the
all-around attractiveness of the 7mm-
08. KEVIN MADISON
www.westernhuntingjournal.com
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