I THOUGHT THE state’s fishing regulations were difficult to decipher. And then I tried to read up on elk hunting rules in advance of Saturday’s modern firearms opener.
Game Management Unit numbers, variations in whether hunters can harvest cows or spikes, or antlerless elk or elk with a three-point minimum, all start to blend together and make your head spin.
There’s only one Game Management Unit open for hunting elk by firearm nearby, and event that is a stretch — its GMU 6064 in the Quinault Valley.
The vast majority of Western Washington elk hunting is conducted in the southwest portion of the state, and even then it’s a mostly fruitless search as the state Department of Fish and Wildlife pegs elk hunter success rates in the single digits.
Sure, the chance to bag an elk and the subsequent winter’s worth of sausage, steaks and brisket (oh, elk brisket is a tasty treat-I think it makes for divine barbecue fare when compared to a bovine brisket) is worth the trek south and a long, cold day in the woods.
But with success rates so low, elk hunts are more about camaraderie with your hunting companions and safely consuming cold ones around a post-hunt campfire.
So enjoy the journey. I love coming across these dignified creatures here on the Peninsula. After growing up with city deer growing in numbers and eating any and all vegetation in Port Townsend, I consider deer “rats with hooves.”
Elk, however, have a certain elegance, a grace to match their power … and yes, they taste delicious.
Early-season archery and muzzleloader seasons have come and gone here on the North Olympic Peninsula and there are a few weeks left before hunters can search for the elk during the late-season archery and muzzleloader seasons begin on Nov. 23 and run through Dec. 15.
Anglers meet Tuesday
An escape from election night angst will be offered Tuesday by The East Jefferson Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.
The Anglers will meet at the Port of Port Townsend Commissioners Office, 333 Benedict St. in Port Townsend at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
North Olympic Salmon Coalition Executive Director Rebecca Benjamin will speak to the group following a social coffee half-hour from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a short business meeting.
Refreshments will be provided and the public is welcome to attend.
Trout planted in Jefferson
Fish and Wildlife stocked numerous lakes around the state, including Gibbs, Teal and Lake Leland in Jefferson County.
“Fishing at lakes throughout the state should be phenomenal over the next few months,” said Larry Phillips, WDFW’s inland fish program manager.
“Most trout are 13 to 15 inches long, with a few larger ones in the mix,” he said.
Lake Leland received a plant of 2,000 rainbow trout; Gibbs got 350 and Teal was stocked with 150 trout.
All are in the 1-pound range.
The fall fish plants are in response to anglers’ requests to increase fall and winter trout fishing opportunities, said Phillips.
The effort also includes stocking lakes across the state for the Nov. 25 Black Friday opener, which offers anglers the opportunity to skip the shopping malls, get outside and enjoy fishing on the day after Thanksgiving.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
