Carey Leckron of Corbett, Ore., found this quality 6x6 bull in the Ukiah Unit while hunting with his dad, Jim Leckron. Photo by Jim Leckron

It's more than meat on the table or antlers on the wall. It's possibility and determination that pushes us to go another mile. It's the sparks in the campfire that can be stirred and fanned back to flame, the stars that wink against the darkening sky and the glow of the wood stove in a canvas tent. It's the November rain falling on a moss-covered log, frost winking like diamonds in the moonlight, 2 inches of tracking snow on a mountain ridge, and the hope that rises with the sun on opening day. It's elk season in the Pacific Northwest, and there's nothing else like it anywhere in the world.

Here is our forecast for the Northwest's best elk hunting. We've talked to biologists, outfitters and successful hunters in both states to help you put the finishing touches on your elk hunting plans. We'll tell you which hunts offer the most animals and where you've got your best chance at tying your tag to a big bull.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
Only three states and one province offer hunting for the majestic Roosevelt elk, and for a flavor of the primordial hunt, there's nowhere like the rainforests of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. If it's Roosevelt elk you're after, here you'll find some of the biggest of the big.

There are plenty of elk on the peninsula, but you've got to put your time in if you crave the good hard work of packing one out of the woods. Jim Mansfield (360-374-9018), an outfitter based in Forks, recommends that hunters probe the cool, wet spots if they want to find elk during the rut. Learn their habits and pay attention to the routes they travel when they sense danger is near. The old bulls and their cows are creatures of habit and you can ambush them in these spots, season after season.

Last year, one of Mansfield's clients killed an old, battle-scarred bull. The animal's left front foot was torn off, its tongue was bitten almost in two, and it was missing several teeth. Hanging, the meat weighed more than 550 pounds. The elk's head and neck were so big that the taxidermist had to trim the form of a medium bull moose to get the hide to fit.

In Washington's Clallam and Jefferson counties, the elk herd is doing fairly well. Nine tribes here have reserved treaty hunting rights, which allow them to hunt elk for subsistence prior to the opening of the general season.

Grays Harbor and Pacific counties have good elk populations and an abundance of opportunity. Private timber companies, however, limit vehicle access. Foot traffic and bicycles are permitted. If you hunt on private timberlands, you'll have to work harder at it.

Jack Smith, the wildlife program manager in Washington's Region 6, recommends that hunters consider using river or bay access to explore the elk hunting opportunity in and around Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. The Wynoochee River, the upper Humptulips, the Hoh, the upper Quinault and Bear River are good bets for accessing elk habitat. Waders, a drift boat or a raft can help you locate unpressured elk on public lands.

EASTERN WASHINGTON
Dan Wood, a guide for Icicle Outfitters, was one of 25 people that drew a special permit hunt in the Malaga region south and west of Wenatchee. Not only did he score the coveted tag, he was also blessed with the snow and cold temperatures to get the elk moving. When he cut the track of five good bulls, Dan stuck with them until he bounced the bulls from their beds. At 75 yards, he dropped a 340-class 6x6 bull and watched the other four as they made their escape.