Idaho First Round

[Sierra_Dave]

Well, I just got back from the first round of Elk hunt in Idaho and after close to 50 miles of hiking and flying over the middle fork region [Frank Church WA] in bush planes, it is like a war zone. The area has been devastated by wild fires and you just cant comprehend how vast and complete the destruction is without flying over it. It is very sad.

They are saying that the area will not recover in a generation. There are areas where every living thing is gone. The drought made both the trees and under-growth tinder dry and both are gone.

So, I hiked for over 10 miles a day [typically up 3000 feet and down - ugh] and did not see a single sign of elk or deer. I went ridge running since the trees have blown over onto most of the pack trails.

There are some small patches of vegetation left, but not enough to support even small herds of elk. They have likely moved to low elevations, which is where I will be headed on trip number 2.

Wish me luck,
Dave

 

[84toyota]

You might be surprised how well some of that area comes back... I've seen some areas that were devestated by wildfire turn out to be some of the best hunting... Especially if there is water around...

Ken

 

[quack_head]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sierra_Dave @ Oct 3 2007, 04:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well, I just got back from the first round of Elk hunt in Idaho and after close to 50 miles of hiking and flying over the middle fork region [Frank Church WA] in bush planes, it is like a war zone. The area has been devastated by wild fires and you just cant comprehend how vast and complete the destruction is without flying over it. It is very sad.

They are saying that the area will not recover in a generation. There are areas where every living thing is gone. The drought made both the trees and under-growth tinder dry and both are gone.

So, I hiked for over 10 miles a day [typically up 3000 feet and down - ugh] and did not see a single sign of elk or deer. I went ridge running since the trees have blown over onto most of the pack trails.

There are some small patches of vegetation left, but not enough to support even small herds of elk. They have likely moved to low elevations, which is where I will be headed on trip number 2.

Wish me luck,
Dave[/b]

Don't knock mother nature. It is the fools that fight mother nature to be sad for. As for the burn. The young and females will thrive on the ash and new growth.

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Well, after 30 years of hunting, I know only a couple of things about Elk. One is that Elk like the cover of woods and that the very steep mountains of Idaho are bare of alot of woods. I suspect that slopes that steep will lose their topsoil to mudslides. The amount of the fire burned area is what strikes you. The bush pilot who flew me back had more than a couple years under his belt too. He was just as struck by the vast amount of burn.

No doubt that it will come back, just not that fast...

The last kicker is the re-introduction of wolves means that without security cover, young and old will be easier prey. During the fires, a group of mountain sheep were wiped out by wolves. There are no young and females to come back there.

I will be going back to Idaho to hunt Elk again this season, but sobered up a bit. I wish you all the best of luck on your Elk hunts.
Dave

 

[JohnR2]

We are leaving for Panther Creek in zone 28 in the morning for deer and elk. Eight or nine years ago it burned in this area and now it has lots of feed. The burned out trees are falling and making it had to walk in some areas. The fires west of Panther Creek may have pushed the deer and elk to the east but I'm sure the wolves have moved also.

Good Luck Dave!!!

 

[barel74]

my cousin is heading for 28, at the end of the week. My uncle lives just out of Salmon, says it's cold, but no snow yet.

 

[Wogg]

Was up there in Aug on one of the Fires near Ketchum, talked with several folks who were seeing alot of elk and not to far up the mountain. Hope you do well, Im heading up to area 39 at the end of the month.

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Wogg,

My sister lives near Boise and sends me local paper stories about Elk and her husband is an old Elk hunter. There are record numbers of Elk down low. I was up scouting for a few days pre-season [was all set for 2 week scout & hunt] and then went back to Fish & Game and swapped my middle fork tags for 39. Have you hunted this zone before? I will probably head up a few days before 11/1. I've been hitting up the IDFG for info too. I suspect weather will really affect herds this close to farms and low plains.
Good Luck,
Dave

 

[Wogg]

Dave, I am heading up there with Kentuck and another friend. Kentuck hunted there last year, I have been up there a few times but only to fight fires so huntin there should be a neww experice. We will be leaving on the 30th and should be up there that evening which will only give us 1 day to scout but thats just how it worked out with work and all. Kinda figured that the local fires might have pushed some extra animals into that zone. Where you gonna camp?

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Wogg,

I am probably going either 29th or 30th. I talked to one of the wildlife biologists for this region, he said there are lots of Elk in the Region. I am looking at the portions of 39 near unit 35 and the east side. It depends on weather. If there is alot of snow, I will be forced lower and west. I plan on drive the forest roads in the eastern zone and when I find either Elk or buskbrush and cover that looks good, I will camp there.

There are almost 3000 people with tags for that zone, so I expect company. I will hike 2-5 miles from the forest road and camp there.

I think the fires in the surrounding units may force a lot of Elk into this Unit. The fires that you were on near Ketchum, may have pushed the Elk from Unit 43 and 44 into 39. If we're lucky.

There are Elk in the bench areas near Boise already and they normally only get there in the dead of winter. You know better than most what those fires did to the underbrush and vegetation. Elk gotta eat.

The only thing that troubles me, is my brother-in-law says that 39 is known for alot of ATV hunters. Oh well, it should be fun.
Good Luck,
Dave

 

[Kentuck]

I'll be draggin Wogg and his buddy around in 39. Hunted there last year for my first elk hunt and lucked into a nice one. Only saw one other elk the rest of the hunt. We went in blind last year so at least year we have a starting point and one of us has seen the area enough to get started. You never know. At least we'll be hunting.

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Kentuck & Wogg,

I dunno if you guys have read this :

http://www.idahogamewardenmagazine.com/Iss...93/Default.aspx

This is closer to Boise. As far as I can tell from Inciweb fire site, most units around 39 got some fire. I already talked to the wildlife biologist and now I am going to call some rangers in the Unit and see If can pester them. I looked at a small portion the lower portion of this Unit when I drove out in Early October. It looks like just what they said, good winter grounds.

I like some of the valleys up east that run from 35 into 39. 35 has seen both fires and more wolf pack activity than 39. The only problem is on google, it looks like it few wooded areas and a lot of Forest service roads.

They dont have spot kill maps so you can see herd travel or concentration areas. I'm trying to bribe relatives to scout for me, but so far no luck. lol.

The main barriers seem to be the payette river above and the boise below. I wonder how the fords look this time of year?

I'll let you know what the rangers say.
Good luck,
Dave

 

[Kentuck]

Dave,

Intesting story there. Feel for the guy that got kicked by the elk. That had to hurt.

Attached is an article I found on the IFG website last year about the unit and some of the plans the had for it. A few years old but still good. I know of a few guys that would have gotten elk last year if they would have wanted to shoot spikes. I hope to find a bigger one but don't know if a spike would walk away from me. That's some dang good eating.

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Kentuck & Wogg,

I talked to a couple of Rangers and got some more info. The "Middle Fork Road" is one of the few roads plowed in that area. So, if it were to be unseasonable heavy snow, that would be the best bet for a way out on that side. The closure of gates on roads was not likely to change much this year. It is shown on some of the maps for vehicle access. From the weather site and talking to the rangers, there should not be that much snow.

I expect to drive-up on the 29th that I may drive around on the 30th and settle on a spot on the 31st early and hike out. I would hope to get some more field info from hunters in neighboring zones since their seasons openned 10/15. What butcher did you use, you might want to call him. They get the fresh info, too.

There is cell phone coverage around Idaho City, but unless you're on a peak, not much after that heading east. I'll be driving a tan mitsubishi 4x4 Montero.

Thanks for the PDF.
Good luck and good hunting!
Dave

 

[Wogg]

Dave, I think we are heading out on the morning of the 30, hope to settle into camp around mid afternoon and scout all day the 31st. Benn keeping an eye on the National Weather site and so far seems like they have been getting about the same as we have here on the east side of the Sierras. We will be in a blue Chevy pickup and a blue Dodge Pickup, look for the Jesses sticker on the Chevy. Thats good news about the Middle fork road. Good luck and kepp us posted. If i hear anything else before season I will let you know.

 

[Sierra_Dave]

Hey,

I just read this from the AR site:

"I and my hunting partner were up in Unit 39, Boise Zone, just last week, scouting for elk and deer. Five day trip. We were 31 miles in the boonies, off the pavement, on Black Warrior Creek. Nights were about 26* F, and days were pleasant once the sun came up.

Didn't see but a very few does tracks, no elk tracks, other than my partner saw one cow elk.

I talked at length with an Id. F&G Officer up in that Black Warrior Creek Canyon, and he told me that there were two wolf packs working that particular area, the Big Buck Mountain pack and the Steel Mountain pack. They have been hammering the game."

That area is in the Eastern portion off of Middle Fork road heading toward the Sawtooths. Wolves must be pushing down from Unit 35, where I know they have been for some time. Not the best news, but it helps to narrow the zone a little.
Dave

 

[Kentuck]

Here's a link to the 2006 wolf activity map in the IFG site. http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/wildlife/...ctivity_map.pdf

We talked to a warden at the check station last year and there had been a pack spotted back in the summer in the area we hunted. I also talked to a guy that said the guys camped next to him had seen some take a deer down near there the week before. I'm praying they haven't setup shop in our area. I was told last year that if you see wolves or lots of wolf sign, hunt somewhere else.

 

[BDB]

Good luck to all you guys hunting Idaho this year. Some very pretty country and DAMN steep

Last year I found a few elk carcasses that looked to be taken by wolves and there was a pack of about 11 working our general area. Those wolves sure don't seem popular with the locals

I hope you whack another big one Monty (and Wogg and Sierra Dave too of course)

 

[Kentuck]

Thanks Steve. If I get one maybe we can do a little bbq on a LS hog hunt!

 

[BDB]

Works for me. And if you don't get one this trip we'll still be fine on game for the grill.