88N

I'm from Washington state and fairly traveled. I've always respected hunters and wanted to learn to hunt. I'm currently in Iraq. When I get back home I would like to get onboard and learn how to hunt. I know where there's lots of wildlife all over Washington but never had nobody to teach me. Anyhow, I aim to do it and would like advice from folks that know how it's done. Ya'll are the folks. I have an open mind and hope ya'll can help me get started before I get home.

WAYNE1

Hey 88N....Welcome aboard.....It's heart warming for me to hear from someone that's putting their life on the front line's for me & my family. "God Bless" ya.....when ya get your butt back here safe and sound...let me know...I'll take ya hunting for anything ya want to hunt. Are you a bow or rifle or blackpowder hunter..??. I'm in the N.E. corner of the state, and have whitetail, some mulie's, bear, cougar, bobcat, turkey, grouse, quail, and some pheasent..but not many of those....My wife and I go waterfowling just west os Moses Lake....Make sure to keep us posted on how your doing over there....Anything ya need we can send ya..??..Don't be scared to ask....your family here

trapper T

88N,,Welcome aboard, and thanks for your service for freedom. What parts of WA are you from? What are your interests? Here these guys are great at giving a wealth of knowledge and some good hospitality, you'll learn a ton. Also for a local connection you may try the South Sound Longbeards site, it's an NWTF chapter with a lot of good guys on that forum too.

HEy if you need some help, I too would be glad to give you a hand, just look me up I'll be around either this site or the other metioned.

Again Thanks for your service, most of us here know what your sacrificing and why!

What branch of service? I'm a former Salior myself.

88N

Thank you both for your warm welcome. It really means a lot to us over here when ya'll support us. I'm not a hunter.....yet! I don't even have a rifle besides my army issue M16A2 and that's not mine. I'd like to get to huntin some large four legged critters to put in my freezer and on the grill well mid-size from what i learned on this webpage. Elk, deer carabou... something of that sort. I know where there's tons of elk.. but like I said I've never had anybody to teach me how to hunt so I wasn't able to learn that skill.
I don't need for much here. We have a small PX to supplement our needs and small desires. We get three hot meals per day which is more than I can say for these folks over here we came to free. US ARMY trapper 4 years and 4 months, I was stop-lossed in Nov. 3 months before my ETS. Now I'm close to promotion so I'm thinking about being dumb enough to re-enlist... I'm from Snoqualmie WA home of Mt.Si (twin peaks) and Snoqualmie falls.. You can bet I'm pretty upset about the tree huggers takin over weyerhauser's land up round my part and all the development's they've been puttin up on the ridge so when i finaly do decide to settle down it'll probably be round Ellensberg Cle elem area.

88N

acording to this website http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/elk/northrainier.htm
It seems we might be able to get some black bear or cougars..

oh yeah as for a rifle, i've been thinking about getting either a 308 or 30-06 I think these should have the takedown power I'd be needing for elk or deer.

comments, suggestions, pointers, tips, types
my ears are wide open as are my eyes. oh yeah i also read something about tags and points.. having no experiance in hunting I would like to be enlightened if one of ya'll would be so kind as to enlighten me on these things.

WAYNE1

88N...never had a 308...but have had a 30.6, and a 270....I alway's picked to use the 270 first....good fast straight shooting rifle... The point's ya get are only if you put in for a special tag...and don't get picked...But anyone can buy a general tag over the counter for Elk, Deer, Bear, and Cougar. If you hunt with a bow....you do get better and longer season's than with a rifle. We do have carabou...but their protected. Animal's everyone has to put in a special drawing for are...Moose, Goat, Sheep..........re-enlist....wow....bless ya if ya do....I almost did when I was over in Japan....Thank "GOD" the saki wore off...

88N

ok, now this post may merit a long reply so please bear with me.
a few questions
1)How to track animals?(I know to look for tracks but i know nothing of age of tracks and other signs)

2)How to dress an animal? (ie deer, elk, cougar)

3)If your bow hunting season is longer can you still use the short time for rifle hunting?
(I am interested in bow hunting but know less about bows than rifles)

Agent Zero M

88N,

Great to hear from you! Up until about a month ago I lived in North Bend, so we were neighbors!!! I'mstill pretty new to hunting, but I think I've developed some pretty good skills. One of the difficulties I've run into, especially on the western part of the state, is finding areas to hunt. Lots of public land is closed off or overrun with hunters, so lots of time the trick is to get permission to hunt somebody's privately owned land.

This year I'm transitioning from rifle to bow for deer and elk. The learning curve is there, but I'm picking it up much faster than I thought I would.

If you get rotated back by the fall, give me a shout.

Be dangerous - Stay safe.

88N

Yeah, sweet we'll have to linkup and find some deer or elk to shoot.. have you been over the hill lookin for them elk? there's lot's up there but they're on the other side mostly. i rekon we could pack our freezers with a couple of em.

trapper T

88N, hey it sounds like your pretty close to me, at least when your stateside, I'm down in Black Diamond. I do hang out over in Cle Elum quite a bit too. I'd love to move there, but the money keeps me on the "left" side of this State.

On your questions about game techniquies, they' are easier to show than to explain, at least for me it is, and your rifle choices aren't bad, but I'd go with the 30-06 it's long been the best all around gun for any game, and in a pinch every store that carries ammo will have 06's behind the counter. And if you can get any info you can on hunting via the internet for now will help, maybe even go to the game dept site, read,read and read some more. That's the best way, take it all in and then you can start to sort what info you find prudent as you go along. Keeping an open mind is great when trying to soak it all in.And remember it isn't about the taking of game(although it's nice to score)but being out there and taking on the challenge of outwitting their sight and smell.

On bow and rifle, WA. state has a declare your weapon policy, which means when you buy a Deer or Elk tag they will ask you what you'll use.Your stuck with that season for that year.But you can say hunt deer with a rifle then pick to hunt Elk with a bow. It may sound confusing but it's not.

Anyway keep in touch, and it's good to here from the Boys on the front,Godspeed And we'll talk at you later.