Elk Idaho

[jeffnvegas]

Drew so called premier tag in Idaho. One of 5 rifle permits in the rut. Been here going on my 4th week and have seen more elk on a bad day in my back yard. One or two bugles tops. One great bull spotted on Private land which cannot be hunted without a written signed permit from the owner. Most are Corporations and out of six people/owners that I left multiple messages with zero return calls.
Whether posted or not now law says the permit is required. Ever try finding a rancher during roundup.....
To add insult to injury one large section of public that was supposed to be a good area just had an almost out of control prescribed burn right at the start of this season. Multiple helicopters and emergency vehicles all making that area ppretty much null. Talked to 4 out of the five other tag holders and only 1 I know of so far have bagged a 290- bull. Wounded warrior guy had a special extra tag and bagged a bull on his friends private land. Going on 4th week here. 4 5 gal cans of gas for ATV and 100 gallons of diesel. Giving it two more days. Gave up trying to contact G&F rep Rachel. No service here so phone tag doesn't work. Stopped at Nampa office at 4pm one day figuring some help might be available but no one available. All in the field. Sure would have been nice if a disclaimer about new law requiring written permit from landowners to hunt even unposted land. Your own personal responsibility to figure out if you are on public or private even without markings or fences.
I know some will say sour grapes and you gotta get outta the truck etc. But everyone I have come across including bowhunters are not seeing didley and I have bivy camped and hiked and have video from hours of glassing.
Just a heads up if you plan on applying for the 40-1 controlled hunt.
Don't bother..

 

[LuketheDog]

Talked to 4 out of the five other tag holders and only 1 I know of so far have bagged a 290- bull.

20% success sounds like about the standard rate for elk hunting in a given unit...

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Area 40 is not necessarily a bad area for Idaho...

 

[TLowell02]

Sounds like you may need to take up a different hobby. What is an "almost out of control" prescribed fire?

 

[Brow Tine]

Believe me, I know what you mean about Idaho. It will be a cold day in hell before I return there again. But I read reports like these prior to my trip and went anyway so it was my bad.

 

[ida homer]

Believe me, I know what you mean about Idaho. It will be a cold day in hell before I return there again. But I read reports like these prior to my trip and went anyway so it was my bad.

LOL, sometimes even blind squirrels can't find a nut.

 

[ida homer]

I don't doubt your hunting hard.

But you didn't research well. This is very clear due to your lack of knowledge on the very well publicized new private land changes here.

You will also hear from ANYONE that has ever hunted unit 40, that the elk are in very isolated pockets and there are NOT elk all over
the unit. There are vast tracts without any elk. If you talk to guys that are in the know, live here and are very experienced hunters
that get it done every year, they will tell you that you probably shouldn't be passing on bulls around that 300 - 310" mark in unit 40.

I think you threw your name in the hat for a unit you read about on Eastman's. It wasn't the hunt for you. It was just simply a research mistake.
Sorry it didn't turn out how you had hoped.

 

[JLS]

Sounds like you may need to take up a different hobby. What is an "almost out of control" prescribed fire?

Same thing as almost pregnant.

 

[Brow Tine]

Well there's a reason non-resident licenses never sell out in Idaho. There are at least six better options. For the money I just expected a better experience.

 

[kmott]

actually they did sell out.



wherebouts in 40 are you hunting??????????

 

[ida homer]

Well there's a reason non-resident licenses never sell out in Idaho. There are at least six better options. For the money I just expected a better experience.

Jeez, another guy that doesn’t do his research. All 3 of the sentences in your post are literally and factually wrong.
Now when people see a post written by the handle “Brow Tine,” they’ll have little faith in it.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

Montana like $800 with point system, wyoming like $600 with point system, colorado like $700 with point system, utah just dumb, idaho like $400 with no point system. Yea so many better options.

 

[KayakMacGyver]

Perhaps I'm just too cynical, but I'm having a hard time buying into this rant. Anyone else feel like this is a bait post for future internet scouters?

 

[JLS]

Montana like $800 with point system, wyoming like $600 with point system, colorado like $700 with point system, utah just dumb, idaho like $400 with no point system. Yea so many better options.

Still a good option, but it won’t be $400 for long

 

[Red Fox]

I think maybe he is right Idaho is not for everyone, having written permission is getting more common in the western states than in the past. The main thing I see is thinking it would be an easy hunt by using a rifle during the rut.

 

[RockinU]

Man, I think you and I do this for different reasons...

 

[rtraverdavis]

It seems to me you Idaho guys would love a post like the OP. Idaho sucks right? Don’t hunt Idaho, right?

 

[timmy]

Haha this is an interesting post. I have the late tag. Looking forward to the hunt.

 

[Roughwater]

Don't mean to critize, seems like folks have dona enough of that for ya. But if not hunting on Private land is of concern you need to get you a hand held GPS with the HUNT chip or OnX chip for your state so you will have a good Idea where the fenceline is. Idaho doesn't seem to be very hunter friendly. They like to close roads at critical times and do something like a prescribed burn during hunting season.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

In my lifetime of hunting when I havent tagged out it's always been the state and units fault...it was never my fault.