1 for 3 in Idaho

[Kentuck]

Well, got back home yesterday from our annual elk hunt in Idaho. I unfortunately did not get an elk. I saw 16 elk total including 3 legal bulls (2 spikes). One of our party killed a 4X5 on opening morning and my other partner missed a spike. Opening day was a on Saturday this year and I won't hunt that zone again when season opens on a weekend. What a zoo. Some guys there must have had stock in an ammo company. Never heard so many shots on an opener of anything. One guy a couple hundred yards down the ridge from me was essentially shooting at everything he saw. Hope they were all bulls but I don't know. I do know he shot over a box of shells in just a couple of hours. I wanted to go down there and slap him. He must have had buddies around the area because there were others doing the same amount of shooting. Crazy. Heard too many stories of folks fighting over elk, many shooters shooting at the same elk. It was a shame to witness. Between the pressure and weather the elk really holed up the rest of the week. Only saw two elk personally the rest of the week. We had rain and snow almost everyday. It was a hard hunt but since one of the camps next to us consisted of guys that had hunted this area since they were kids and only got one themselves, I felt we did pretty good. This makes two years in a row I didn't get an elk. Bummer.

 

[wyemjohnson]

keep at it, you will get your elk. Just need to get out there. It is hard to put all your marbles into 1 week or so and be successful on an opening weekend rifle hunt with too many hunters (if you want to call them that).

 

[SacFireJT]

That sux...what unit?

 

[Kentuck]

We were in 39, right outside of Boise, which explains the crowds. General unit + Near major population area = bad experiences. This is the third year I've hunted this unit. I got an elk the first year, struck out last year and this year. Probably won't go back. At least not until the opener is during the week. I've got some pics I'll download today.

 

[wmidbrook]

ID is a tricky place to learn and I sure haven't in my short amount of time there. I haven't had success there either. I do know that I won't be going back to the Pioneer Unit. I will go back up into the 3 Rivers country for bear tho. Maybe next year.

 

[hank4elk]

Don't give in yet Kentuk, they don't call it shopping... I'm going back next year. Sounds like a case of General public land hunt. Welcome to the club.

 

[Kentuck]

Some pics of camp, vistas, wolf track, bear "bathroom" and my friends elk.

 

[dw33]

Man, sorry to hear about your hunt. So, I will never put in for near Boise I guess. A box of shells? jeez

 

[bodega]

Kentuck:

Bummer about the result but it sure looks like beautiful country. Much nicer scenery than the inside of an office. Would you go back to ID again but to a different unit?

 

[Kentuck]

Bodega,

I would definately go back to ID. We put in for their draw hunts which have better than 50% averages but with no point system it's tough to draw. I would even hunt this unit again but definately not when season opens on a weekend. They have fixed opening dates in Idaho. This unit's general elk season always opens on Nov. 1. The last two years we haven't seen this many people at all. After the weekend the number of hunters went way down. Even more so after the snow hit. It's tough to leave an area when you get to know it but with the wolves moving in it's probably time.

 

[snowflake77]

I just got back from a unit 39 hunt and can't disagree with you more. Where you hunting on the burm of 21 or what? I hunted unit 39 non stop from 10/26 to 11/6 without seeing another person. heard a couple of shots on 10/30 and also on 11/4. The best hunt I have had in a long time. Few wolf tracks and cat tracks. Could have shot at least 5 bulls just nothing that I was going to spend a grand on mounting. The one that I wanted to shoot disappeared after a close up glimpse and run. One of those "better hurry up before you run out of light cause you don't know where he will be in the morning" I should have known better. Easily a 325-350 bull. Very few cows around but I did see 28 different muley's with 4 of them bucks and the largest was close to 25". Shot one of them last time so was holding out for the elk. I still wish that the seasons would overlap like they did a few years back.


Can't give up my spot but it is way out there.

 

[snowflake77]

Just a few pics of my sights and sleeping arrangements.

Please do not take my response as smart. Just wanted to give you my experience and tell you there is more in the road/trail/ridge less traveled.

 

[Huntr Pat]

Kentuck,
Great story maybe 2009 is your year. Still looks fun and cold.

 

[Kentuck]

Snowflake77,

We were hunting near Idaho City. Easy area to get to, though we were going pretty far in. I've hunted this area two years prior and have gotten to know the area. We sorely debated on moving but with such a large camp and moving to an unkown area wasn't appealing to me. The snow did keep us from hunting a couple of our spots though. That didn't help. We were just looking for meat also.

Kentuck

 

[snowflake77]

Crooked creek, 312, 348? The snow did get in the way didn't it? Wed. the 5th had to be the most beautiful day that I have hunted in those mountains. You could glass all over and see the tracks from Tue. snow. The problem was that there was 10" to 15" of snow running across those ridges. I can attest to the roads being not quite up to par. Rented a new Sub. and ripped the front spoiler off. Got a new one and installed it with tools from Wally world in Boise before I left for $50.
Nothing wrong with meat hunting. With flying in I would have given it to the first camp I came across on the way out. I did that last time I was out. How long have you been hunting in that area? I have been coming out off and on since 99 and have seen some major changes in the size of the heards. I think the localized fires have played as big of an affect on the location/size of the heards as has the wolves in the area that I frequent. Have considered for the last couple of years to give 35 a shot since it has not seen as much fire in the locations I have been looking at. Just wish the wife would allow me to do it more often. She does not like the idea of me going by myself for such long journeys. I still have not gotten sick of MRE's. I can tell you that I won't take another Chili Macaroni with me.

 

[Kentuck]

We were off of 304. Hunted a couple of different drainages off that. We've hunted here for three years now. Might be thinking of another state or location next year. Interesting part is the number of folks that leave after the weekend. A lot of folks pull out after 3-4 days. I think it's because the elk move so far down the drainages that hunting from the bottom up might better. It's a huge zone though. With it opening on a Sunday next year I think I will skip it next year.

 

[RoosterKiller]

Hey Kentuck, try area 20A,26,and 27 it's all one hunt area.it's an open hunt and you get your tags over the counter.it's an either sex hunt which overlaps with the deer hunt.Also the deer tag is good as a cat or bear tag.
Since a lot of the area is wilderness most weekenders shy away from it. You may like that better.this hunt opens up Oct 1.I'll be up there Sept.28th scouting for elk and hunting mule deer.
good luck

 

[Kentuck]

Thanks Rooster. Going to pass on Idaho this year. Actually, unless I get drawn here in CA I probably won't elk hunt this year. I'll keep your info in mind for next year though.