spike & true spike elk regs

Guy Miner · Nov 5, 2011

For those who don't know about the spike and true spike regulations here in Washington, and possibly elsewhere, here's what WDFW considers spike & true spike bulls:

Easy enough to make a mistake in field conditions. I've heard of three hunters who accidentally shot spike elk, in a true spike only area within the past few days. As I understand it all three worked cooperatively with the WDFW officers and received only minor fines. But they lost their elk, and their tag is done for the season.

Not cooperating, as in leaving, with the wrong kind of spike elk tagged can result in a $2500 fine, charges being filed, and seizure of the rifle and truck! Ouch.

This helps explain why I don't hunt our local true spike only area... Even with good optics and a clear field of view I could make that mistake, easy enough.

Oh - and about those Big Bulls you see on all the hunting shows and magazines? Not normally taken by the average elk hunter... Tags for them can be tough to come by.

DrMike · Nov 5, 2011

That would be tough to distinguish between the two elk under field conditions; it is tough enough when one has a three-point rule or a six-point rule. I use either Leica or Zeiss binoculars, and it is often sufficiently difficult to count points that I have deliberately passed on shots because I couldn't definitely say that the animal in view met point criteria. This call is tougher still.

SJB358 · Nov 5, 2011

Spike elk are elusive like Bigfoot! All kidding aside, I was appreciative to have the Zeiss 10x45's and the Swarovski 20x60 HD scope to really see the elk. Saved alot of extra stalking, but was still a little heartbreaking when I saw those little points on those raghorns. Scotty

JD338 · Nov 5, 2011

I have to agree with you fellas, you have to have excellent optics and a lot of patience to prevent an accidental shooting of the wrong spike. The $2500 fine is pretty stiff too.

JD338

Mountain Goat · Nov 5, 2011

I get it now. If he bugles, then he's a spike, if not, then he's a true spike.

Elkman · Nov 6, 2011

Washington goes out of its way to make things as complex as they can for the hunter. this example from Guy is one of several. Those two examples show two bulls of the same age class, why are not "both" legal? I believe only to make it difficult for the hunter. They also have units where they only issue "1" trophy bull tag. There are no managment considerations there, they just want 2000 thousand hunters to send their money in. I am not hunting in Washington at all this year.

6mm Remington · Nov 6, 2011

It sure seems Guy like some game agencies "try" to make it just as difficult as they possibly can for the average person! :evil: A spike like the one with the little sticker point on top is still a spike here in Montana as it should be. A brow tined bull has to have a brow tine at least four inches in length to be considered a "brow tined bull", where as what you show in the picture is as spike. You can call it by any other name, but that's still a spike bull. Seems pretty rediculous to me some of the constraints they place on a guy that make it real easy for an honest person to make a mistake on.
David

CatskillCrawler · Nov 6, 2011

I almost shot a very wide and tall racked fork horn in Pa last season. He was climbing up the side of a small knoll which I was on top of. When his head popped up I was certain he was a 7 or 8pt. I looked at him for a good 15 secs waiting for him to reveal his body. He never moved whatsoever. I lowered my scope to his neck and considered that shot but waited a bit more. He turned broadside to me and started to skirt around the side of the rise still with just his head exposed. I went back to his head and only saw the forks. Lifted my binos and confirmed that he only had 4 pts. I panned back to where I first saw him head-on and the grove of half-dead cedars and their short, pointy white branches in the background was what I originally saw filling out his rack.

If he had taking two more steps forward I would have popped him. This was at 80yds. Pa has a 3 point per antler minimum restriction. I couldn't imagine being that certain at some of the ranges that some elk are hunted at.

Oldtrader3 · Nov 6, 2011

beretzs":1fhnk74o said:
Spike elk are elusive like Bigfoot! All kidding aside, I was appreciative to have the Zeiss 10x45's and the Swarovski 20x60 HD scope to really see the elk. Saved alot of extra stalking, but was still a little heartbreaking when I saw those little points on those raghorns. Scotty

Welcome to the world of elk hunting. The next time that you go, it will be "bull, branched antlers only" and you will have spikes licking your boots! That is part of the charm with elk hunting is that the type of animals that you see are never the ones open for shooting.

You got to run the ridges and find out about our area's particular type of elk hunting, at least for one of the two species. Plus it there some really beautiful country there in that part of Oregon.

I saw Bill last thursday morning at Cabela's and he said that you young guys ran him into the ground a little at least.

Guy Miner · Nov 6, 2011

Got out for elk one last time this morning. The season is still open, but I'm out of time for hunting. It sure was great! Likely about 20 degrees when I got out of the truck. Threw my pack on my back, picked up the big Ruger and walked slowly and carefully through some very interesting terrain, mostly along a ridgetop, in and out of the timber. Could have had a 10 yard shot, could have had a 300 yard shot. As it was, I had no shot!

Bear season is still open too - and I had that tag in my pocket. Have seen bear in this area before, but not today.

Jumped up a mulie doe at about 30 yards. She seemed more curious and lonely than afraid. She actually stuck around a while, feeding, and keeping an eye on me from short range while I moved along, looking for elk. Seemed to be glad for the company. I was.

So, that's it for elk, for me this year. It was interesting. I got some half day and full day hunts, and never had a shot opportunity. Didn't really figure that was a high probability, given the area I'm hunting.

Perhaps I'll draw either a bull or cow tag next year and hunt under more favorable conditions. If not, it's still a great excuse to go wander the backcountry, rifle in hand.

Regards, Guy

SJB358 · Nov 6, 2011

Oldtrader3":231l6bcb said:
beretzs":231l6bcb said:

Spike elk are elusive like Bigfoot! All kidding aside, I was appreciative to have the Zeiss 10x45's and the Swarovski 20x60 HD scope to really see the elk. Saved alot of extra stalking, but was still a little heartbreaking when I saw those little points on those raghorns. Scotty

Click to expand...

Welcome to the world of elk hunting. The next time that you go, it will be "bull, branched antlers only" and you will have spikes licking your boots! That is part of the charm with elk hunting is that the type of animals that you see are never the ones open for shooting.

You got to run the ridges and find out about our area's particular type of elk hunting, at least for one of the two species. Plus it there some really beautiful country there in that part of Oregon.

I saw Bill last thursday morning at Cabela's and he said that you young guys ran him into the ground a little at least.

You aren't kidding Charlie. I will take the challenge any day though. Don't let Bill fool you though, he is as tough as those mountains and very sneaky. Had a good time with him. Hope to get back there.

Guy, just being in elk country is reward for me. Getting a tag on an animal is a bonus. Nothing quite like it. Always a little sad when I'm done. Wished I had another week! Scotty

Oldtrader3 · Nov 6, 2011

Bill and Guy are correct though. The people that write game regulations for the state of Washington must also ghost-write Medicare reform legislation. They are any anti-hunter and have made the regulations a mockery of fair and reasonable rules.

I have been hunting elk in Washington since 1961, with 28 years out for living in California and Utah, but the laws now in this state resemble something written by Alice's Mad Hatter, Tea Party partiticipants of anti hunter, volkswagon driving, tree huggers. With hundreds of small areas and different regulations for each one of them.

The seasons were 3 months long in the 1960's in most remote areas which had larger herds and it was still actually possible occasionally to shoot an Rocky Mountain (RM) elk, based on skill and accessable regulations. I guess that it still is possible to shoot a Roosevelt elk on the Olympic Peninsula, if you are a salmander. But good luck doing it for someone like me! Forget the RM elk unless you have private ranch access.

C.Smith · Nov 7, 2011

Elk hunting is for sure difficult here, lots of hunters to boot. I quit hunting the area Guy referenced to because of the true spike regulation, to easy to make a mistake. I hunt the Blue Mountains now. No elk this year. Only had one day to hunt, opening day. Saw one herd of about 25 that had one bull, a fork horned bull and cows no spikes.

Did find out that my cow call works though.

My elk season is done now this year. Oh well.

Corey

SJB358 · Nov 7, 2011

The elk hunts do seem to come and go way too fast! Scotty

big rifle man · Nov 7, 2011

Thanks for the info on Washington state Elk regulations. My son lives in Port Townsend and has been asking me to go Elk hunting with him. I think I'm going to ask my son to hunt with me in colorado. Regulations are much better and Elk are plentiful. I didn't realize the technical glitches that were present in Washington.

Elkman · Nov 7, 2011

big rifle man

A couple of more issues for you to consider, Washington has the "most" hunters per elk of any of the western states, and is one of the most highest cost to hunt for a non resident.
We now have two kinds of elk tags here, one for western wa, and one for eastern wa. If you have a W. Washington tag you can only apply for hunts in W. Washinton and similar for eastern wa. Now the game and fish want to change that so any tag holder can apply on either side of the state. There are about 10 milion people on the West side and 1 million on the east side. This change will reduce the chances of people on the east side of the state drawing a tag and increase the number of tags sold. Quality hunting management has no place in this state, its all about tag sales.

DrMike · Nov 7, 2011

Bill,

From that intel, it is difficult to imagine what Fish and Game is trying to do. It does seem as if the regulations need to be reviewed and revised to introduce a measure of fairness into the system.

C.Smith · Nov 7, 2011

Of course it's all about sales they have to pay for all the free handouts. Washington is also one of two states a person can get a drivers lisence that is stamped not valid for ID. Even though that supposed to be changing. What no proof of who you are, no problem here is your lisence.

Corey

spike & true spike elk regs

Guy Miner

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DrMike

Ballistician

SJB358

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JD338

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Mountain Goat

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Elkman

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6mm Remington

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CatskillCrawler

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Oldtrader3

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Guy Miner

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SJB358

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Oldtrader3

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C.Smith

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SJB358

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big rifle man

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Elkman

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DrMike

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C.Smith

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