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

[Maxxis31]

I bought my middle fork zone B tag for 2015. I am not 100% sure where I will be hunting yet or if I will have a hunting partner. Either way it should be a good adventure and hunt.
I have one friend that just moved to Idaho that is buying the tag but isn't 100% sure how much time he will have off to go. Two more guys are undecided.

If anyone has hunted the Frank Church and has any advice it would be very much appreciated. This will be my first trip hunting out of state and I will be taking the first two weeks of the season off. The spot I am thinking of hunting is about 7500-9500 feet.

I have a little info on the hunt but don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket. I will have two full weeks to find a bull and buck to shoot. I plan on being mobile so if I am not getting into elk I can pack up and move locations. Looking for just general info but specific information is welcome also. I am sure it will be a very awesome hunt and I have a good part of a year to gather as much info as possible to hopefully up my odds on a successful hunt.

I will also have the deer tag so I will be able to change tactics if the elk aren't bugling yet. I would love to kill a big old high country buck so I will be actively looking for both while I am out.

Thanks in Advance,

PM's Welcome

 

[Maxxis31]

ttt

 

[JLS]

What is your mode of transportation? Flying to an airstrip? Backpacking? Horses?

This is tough country. Steep. Rocky. Some of the trails are very unforgiving if you have a horse wreck on them. If you are using stock, make sure they are absolutely dependable. If you have a dipshit horse, leave it home and I mean this in all certainty.

Get as far away from the trail systems as you can. Same with the airstrips.

Our trip there was an epic fail that was salvaged by some out-of-this-world fishing. Think minimalist/lightweight in your approach. We were too elaborate. If I was doing that trip over, I would go two horses per person and utilize backpacking gear and food. I would plan on two days worth of 12-15 miles per day to get in. It's doable

 

[Apparition]

Ok.............buy the tag first and then ask questions about the area, guess as long as you shoot the elk before trying to quarter it, you should be in good shape :

Seriously, thats a huge area, the only advice I could give is put as many miles in as you can, the hard part is going to be finding the elk, you could hunt for a week and never see a track much less see an elk. If you have access to horses that should up your odds, allowing you to cover more ground. Good Luck!!! I hope its your dream hunt!!

 

[Buck Fever]

Steep, deep, and unforgiving but a fun area to hunt if you're in good shape!!

 

[Maxxis31]

Ok.............buy the tag first and then ask questions about the area, guess as long as you shoot the elk before trying to quarter it, you should be in good shape :

Seriously, thats a huge area, the only advice I could give is put as many miles in as you can, the hard part is going to be finding the elk, you could hunt for a week and never see a track much less see an elk. If you have access to horses that should up your odds, allowing you to cover more ground. Good Luck!!! I hope its your dream hunt!!

I am pretty confident it will be a fun hunt. Not sure about a dream hunt but thats ok. I plan on putting in plenty of time and miles. I have an idea of where I will be going in but the more info I can get the further ahead I will be. If i didn't think I could get into elk and deer I defiantly wouldn't have bought the tag. I will be going in on foot also, I will be ready for steep and deep.

 

[Maxxis31]

Ttt

 

[Maxxis31]

Ttt

 

[brymoore]

I think I told you what I know. Good luck!

 

[Duck-Slayer]

also, I will be ready for steep and deep.

No you won't..... you can try though, maybe if your some kind of freakish in shape guy than maybe, not much out there that compares, you can go train over at hells canyon though... Good luck,
Matt

 

[Maxxis31]

No you won't..... you can try though, maybe if your some kind of freakish in shape guy than maybe, not much out there that compares, you can go train over at hells canyon though... Good luck,
Matt

Maybe not physically, but mentally I am prepared to do what it takes to get the job done. I will be doing pleanty of steep mountain climbing this summer in preparation. I live at the base of the Elkhorns which offer some pretty rugged terrain.

Any suggestions on where to find a monster muley??

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Yea, almost any unit in Idaho that are early, gonna try a general unit this year, heard of 3 that are over 200 that were shot in velvet, only for sure 2, mine and 1 other, good too see you didn't take that comment the wrong way, was just poking fun...
Matt

 

[Blacktailbc]

Steep and Deep is a good description......I've only hunted the fringes, and that was enough for me....

 

[JLS]

All Maxxis has to do to get ready is go out to Hat Point and hike down to the Snake and back up, a couple of times a week.

 

[Maxxis31]

I don't take too much to heart or get offended or discouraged easily, I know it will be a tough hunt for sure, but I also know I have what it takes to get the job done and plan on having a successful hunt. I'm just as excited or maybe more excited about hunting muleys in September with a rifle as I am elk it the rut with a rifle. I have found some monster bucks here in Oregon while archery hunting up high. I've never been able to close the deal with my bow but if I could have been packing my rifle I'd have several on the wall by now.

I will make sure and post some pictures after the season.

 

[JLS]

Can't wait to see your photos. Incredible country, one of these summers I'm going to lose myself there for about two weeks.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Steep and Deep is a good description......I've only hunted the fringes, and that was enough for me....

thats beautiful country right there,,in nz our elk have to live damn near on vertical bluffs,,
so its beautiful but easy,,would love to go for a long walking flycamp in that part of your world

 

[Blacktailbc]

Busted our humps to get this one on a rainy day in 20A,,,,,

 

[Ultrahunter]

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.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

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.