Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Drew a Roosevelt tag in California

Well I am new to California and still trying to understand and figure out how the hunting opportunities work in this state. My deer hunting buddy here told me about these Share/PLM hunts they have in this state. So when I bought my deer and bears tags this year, I dropped a few entries for like $13 a piece into some of these random draw elk hunts.

I checked today, I'll be damned I drew an antlerless Roosevelt elk tag on the Smith River PLM area. With most areas you have to then buy the tag if you draw. This one is free and does affect my preference points! The state drew five antlerless tags for that 25000 acre area. I have had crap luck for years drawing tags in Colorado, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming and I drew in California of all places the first time applying. 0.43% draw odds for the tag.

I grew up in Western Washington and hunted Roosies a few seasons back in my youth but had a very low success rate like many. Hopefully the option to take a cow and a massive lack of hunting pressure will give me a chance to put some meat in the freezer. I haven't hunted Roosies in over 20 years... any useful info or tips would be welcome.

Congrats, sounds like an amazing opportunity

You will learn more at the orientation meeting than you will here. Growing up in Western Washington you know exactly what you are in for I'd say. Steep and thick. I will make one wild ass guess..although it is some 25k acres, I'd guess, left undisturbed...most of the elk numbers will be closer to the 101 highway, and the farms, fields and pasture. I worked on logging machinery on the North Fork some years ago and never saw elk or sign...but there is continual carnage on 101 right near the state line. Signs warning of elk crossings and elk 'proof' (hah) fences on the lily fields. Just guessing.

My hunting partner drew a Del Norte cow elk tag for a December hunt. He’s pretty happy right now.

Good deal haverluk. You will have 10 days to get your elk. As mentioned above pay attention at the orientation. I drew a Del Norte cow tag 5 years ago and it was fustrating to try to get an elk when the ranches we could hunt on had the elk fenced out. I finally got one on the next to last day. I was just off of highway 101 and some woman saw me do it and called 911 on me. Several sheriff cars showed up and a deputy walked up to me and asked if he could talk to me. I replyed sure and while you are here could you validate my elk tag? That took the wind right out of the womans sails.

This year I drew a NW zone bull elk tag and the season starts in 5 weeks.

I've come back toward home, driving down Hwy 101, south of Brookings just before the turn off for CA Hwy 97, where a lot of those high fenced areas are for Lillies being grown. Its always been way after dark, when the rain is dumping like being poured out of a 55 gallon drum on your windshield. Your windshield wipers on high, just re arrange the water on your windshield. I've been in bad weather ALL over the country, and none of it compared to when the rain dumps on Hwy 101, which is just a mile or two off the Pacific near the town of Smith River.

More than once, between say 10 PM to Midnight, I'm driving down 101, doing only 30 to 40 mph, the rain is that bad. Suddenly with the high beams on, wipers on high, you'll notice movement in a wet blurr. Foot off the gas, and then side wumps on the car. High fence on each side, Elk out on the roadway, running around.

I have never hit any elk, but I've had a bunch of them run into the side of my vehicle, as they run back and forth on the roadway in the dark.. I am sure they see, but they are just in a panic. There is fence that is 12 to 15 ft high... just 10 to 15 feet past the ditches. Slow down to a crawl, and they are still running into the sides of your vehicle. I'm sure they are hitting the fences, trying to get off the road.

Its hard to imagine unless you've actually been in that situation at that location. This area is just a couple miles north on Hwy 101, just before you intersect hwy CA 97, and make a left turn when going south bound. If you are heading North on Hwy 101, its about a mile and half north of Pelican Bay Prison or the town of Ft Dick.

Thank Goodness at that time of night, there isn't that much traffic on Hwy 101.. if any tracking at all.
The locals know not to try barreling down the road in that area... and the way the rain dump always is, that close to Pacific Shore, you are not able to see even 10 feet in front of your front bumper...its almost like you are driving underwater, in the dark....

but there sure is a lot of elk in that area, that you'll never see when its broad daylight...

Well, everything worked out. Just finished butchering and vacuum sealing the rest of meat. Still need to grind burger but that can wait until after deer season.

Left the house Friday morning at 0400. Picked up my deer hunting buddy two towns over and were heading north by 0445. Made it to the house we stayed at just after noon. My father drove from WA and got stuck in some construction. He arrived at 1300. Dropped gear and we headed to the Del Norte Rod and Gun Club to meet with the Green Diamond Resource Manager and a local warden. Myself and three other tag holders/parties were present. The brief was detailed; keys and maps were provided, tags were issued, and were released to scout. The gist of the brief was only shoot what you have a tag for, stay on the gravel roads, stay out of the active logging areas and don't mess up the water bars in the roads that they are shutting down for the winter. We entered the property with high hopes.

We went out and started looking for sign, checking clear cuts and getting familiarized so that we could make a hunt plan for the morning. I heard an elk bugling in the timber 500 yards up the hill from a promising looking clear cut and so we hunted there the next morning. Hunted all morning. Up in the hills, crossing areas, dark creek bottoms... nothing. Went out and had lunch and came back in to set up for the evening. At another promising looking series of clear cuts, I posted my dad on one, my deer hunting buddy on another and I still hunted about a mile and a half up that road glassing 4 more clear cuts. Just at legal sunset, I heard a stick snap in a creek up ahead. I stalked in and heard a group of elk in the thick stuff within 60-75 yards off the logging road on the uphill side. I took what cover I could and tried to wait them out to come in the open either on the road or into the clearcut. Nothing. As it was getting darker I made a soft cow call. That got their attention and they started to work towards me. I had an elk within ten yards. I saw an ear flick and some ferns move as it stopped. I couldn't see it in the darkness of the forest even though it was still legal shooting light. They lost interest and continued up hill. I backed out excited that I got close.

Sunday morning, I repeated the same play in hope to relocate them... nothing. Seeing where they had been the evening before was impressive. It was nasty thick cover and was being used as a bedding and staging area. Knowing that they had worked uphill the previous evening that became the next play. That afternoon we mapped out another road system from another gate that would get us to the uphill side within 600ish yards of the previous encounter. We got in there and it was like an elk super-highway. Alright, it seems like we are getting these elk patterned. I stumbled into a patch of chanterelles and picked some for dinner. Dark came. No elk seen or heard. I was happy that I tried the uphill play but time was getting the better of me and there was a storm coming in that evening.

Monday morning, we woke up to typical NW weather that I grew up in in Western WA. Wet.... light rain, heavy rain, drizzle mist and fog. A note from the brief was that many, if not most of the antlerless hunters find their success basically road hunting. they simply are able to cover more ground. So that is what we did. I had on an old set of my Marine Corps Gore-Tex rain gear, my dad drove and my deer hunting buddy was navigator. We drove the road system for hours. The blacktail deer were out and moving so the elk had to be too, right? Visibility was crap in the truck at times so I elected to ride in the back of the truck most of the morning in hopes spotting a herd further in the forest than was viewable from in the cab... Nothing but deer. I got in the cab to dry off and have a cup of coffee about 1230ish. We came another big blacktail doe with her fawn. I am just happy to be there at this point. Spending time with my dad and my buddy on this quest to make some meat. I am not discouraged but I have to leave the next day to head home so I don't miss the wife's Bday. Then it happened. My dad spotted elk in the road ahead. I jumped out, rifle in hand and got into a shooting position. There was two of last year's calves and two mature cows both about the same size probably 70-80 yards up ahead. I take the clean shot I have on one of the cows, quartering-to and try to break some shoulder in the process. It is steep on the downhill side and I do not want to pack further than I have too.

First shot, hard hit. She spins around and I am waiting for the other elk to clear and I get ready for a follow up. They clear and she looses her footing and goes down. She is still kicking a lot and I carefully close the distance to make a head shot. Even after an obvious lights out shot like that she continued to flop for a few more minutes. She stops. I take a moment and say thanks. I realize that not only did we get it done but she is dead in the road and this will be one of the easiest big game recoveries that I have had. My dad turned and backed up the truck. No big trees around for overhead hoisting and too big to put in the truck dressed so I got out a tarp and broke her down on the spot. I took my time as we had fresh water, coffee, game bags and ice chests ready. Took three hours from the first shot until we drove away. We ran into some of the others that had drawn the same tag and none of them had seen elk yet. One hunter from another group had taken a shot and wounded one but was unable to recover her. They even brought out a couple tracking dogs and and spent 8 hours after her. Nothing. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity, make a successful hunt with my dad and friend and then to have her dead in road with daylight to spare was icing on the cake.

We headed off the property and back to town. I cracked a celebratory bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed and made a tenderloin dinner that couldn't be beat! I processed some loins, steaks and a roast for my dad to take home with him and we hit the sack. Well rested the next morning, we all headed out. My only regret is that I wish my young sons could have shared experience and memory with their grandpa. Luckily, I have a feeling that I have some time to make some more great memories. Drive home was good and I made it in time for my oldest's little league game!

She yielded 202 pounds of boneless meat. My guess would be about 550+ pounds live weight?

Rifle is a custom 30-06 shooting Barnes 175 LRX at 2860.

Congrats on a great hunt.

A well told story of a great hunt. Good thing you are experienced at wet weather hunting. That's when good things happen. My sincere congratulations.
PS...this .30-06 you speak of...never heard much about it...didn't know men shoot elks with it. Grin.

Cool!

Nice write up. Enjoyed it!

Maybe I missed it but was your tag a cow only?

Yes, antlerless only tag. The state lottery draws 5 antlerless tags (landowner) for that property and the timber company sells the 5 bull landowner tags for ridiculous money. I drew one of the lottery antlerless tags.

Congratulations. When I lived in California, I put in for elk for many years. Never was lucky enough to draw a tag. Enjoy the meat.

L.W.

Great story and some good meat for the freezer! Congrats!!!