Idaho Middle Fork Tag 20a, 26 & 27 (Help)

[Maxxis31]

I really think that the physical part of that country is the easier part. Its the mental fortitude that is the hard thing. You won't know about that until you go. That's the test that you will have to pass to be successful, and by successful I mean to have fun, not necessarily to kill anything. Not really game rich country in my experience. Be prepared to maybe not see anything living for days at a time. Good luck to you, one way or the other it will change your life.

Thats really good advice right there. I have spent plenty of time in idaho, but none where you are going. However i could suggest minimising burning energy in areas that you have already covered. Like don't spend 4 hours climbing a ridge to get into a basin to hunt for an hour then having to walk 4 hours back down to your camp, take it with you and spike out often to always be in with a chance and move around letting the terrain and animals decide how far you should move and how long you should be in an area for. Stick to the ridges, play the percentages, utilise the prime times for animal movements, let out a few bugles on a regular basis, you never know when you will start one up, zig zag glassing into gully heads on either side of a ridge if the terrain allows you to do so to double your chances of locating animals, and always keep that positive attitude.

Look forward to the big hunt report with pictures and advice for any other hunters who might want to head in and i hope you have a great hunt.

Thanks guys for the advice. I plan on filling my Oregon Archery tags before I come then I will be less stressed about putting meat in the freezer and wont have to feel like I need to fill my tag. I will be taking my spotting scope and plan on putting it to good use, I will also be setting up a wall tent as a base camp on the edge of the wilderness and spike camping in until we find what we are looking for. I will defiantly be keeping a positive attitude not sure how I would ever have a bad attitude spending two solid weeks in the woods in late Sept. with no cell phone, seems like a dream come true to me, elk or no elk.

 

[Maxxis31]

Thanks everyone for the posts, pictures and P.M.'s Keep them comming.

 

[Steelhead]

If'n I can hike up to here in tennis shoes, you'll be just fine!!

 

[Maxxis31]

Looks like a walk in the park.

 

[LCH]

That looks like some incredible country.. Be sure to post up your account of the hunt Maxxis!

 

[Maxxis31]

That looks like some incredible country.. Be sure to post up your account of the hunt Maxxis!

I will defiantly have a report successful or not.

 

[T Bone]

There was one certain area I found while sheep hunting that held some good bulls that were dumb as bricks. I do not believe it to be humanly possible to get a bull out of that area before spoilage during normal September weather.

 

[Maxxis31]

There was one certain area I found while sheep hunting that held some good bulls that were dumb as bricks. I do not believe it to be humanly possible to get a bull out of that area before spoilage during normal September weather.

I would love to know the type of area you found them in I would imagine that would hold true to many parts of the unit. PM me if you don't mind sharing.

 

[Maxxis31]

Thanks for all of the replies and PM's fellas!!!

 

[Maxxis31]

Ttt

 

[kmf]

Very nice pics.

 

[Maxxis31]

Ttt

 

[Steelhead]

Brother at this point I think what you need is more boots on the ground and less 'ttt'.
I'll have a report for ya come late-August.

 

[Maxxis31]

Brother at this point I think what you need is more boots on the ground and less 'ttt'.
I'll have a report for ya come late-August.

I agree I'm just sitting here at work board the last few days. I have been getting plenty of boots on the ground shed hunting out here in NE Oregon. I figure it will be July before the snow is melted enough to get up to where I want to scout? How soon do you think I'll be able to get up into the high country? Snow level here is already about 6000ft. I am really hoping to be able to make a trip late July to early August that way I will be able to see the potential of the deer and hopefully find them in the same place they will be during mid Sept.


This is what I have been doing to kill time. The big 6 points are two different bulls running together.

 

[T Bone]

The earliest I've been in to the Crags trailhead is July 4th weekend. We were punching snow on some parts of the trail.

I agree I'm just sitting here at work board the last few days. I have been getting plenty of boots on the ground shed hunting out here in NE Oregon. I figure it will be July before the snow is melted enough to get up to where I want to scout? How soon do you think I'll be able to get up into the high country? Snow level here is already about 6000ft. I am really hoping to be able to make a trip late July to early August that way I will be able to see the potential of the deer and hopefully find them in the same place they will be during mid Sept.


This is what I have been doing to kill time. The big 6 points are two different bulls running together.

View attachment 46889

 

[JLS]

I hate the road to the Crags trailhead. I pulled 4 horses and gear up there. I put an exhaust brake on my Dodge after that trip.

 

[Steelhead]

TTT. Bugling bulls on the ridge we discussed...

 

[Maxxis31]

Sweet!! sent you a PM

 

[Nunyacreek]

Only time I was in the middle fork there was a herd of elk with two very kill able Bulls 3000 feet above the airstrip and about 15 guys with elk tags on the airstrip. And frankly had I been elk hunting I might have left them unmolested as well. Kind of a brand new definition of steep...

 

[Maxxis31]

Only time I was in the middle fork there was a herd of elk with two very kill able Bulls 3000 feet above the airstrip and about 15 guys with elk tags on the airstrip. And frankly had I been elk hunting I might have left them unmolested as well. Kind of a brand new definition of steep...

I'd probably be the crazy one that headed up after them. 3000' is only 1/2 mile