SE Idaho Bannock zone

[tam33arack]

Hi my name is Frank and have been a black powder hunter for years and am retired now so not constrained by time frames just not as physical as I used to be. Because of things happening this year will be hunting late and was thinking of hunting cow elk in the Bannock zone or Lemhi zone. I have never been in the Bannock zone but it does have a long late season hunt for cows. Hunted area 50 before so area 51 is appealing. Any advice pertaining to these hunt zones would be appreciated.

 

[BrianID]

I've hunted elk in both the Bannock Zone and Lemhi zone. Both wouldn't be easy hunts.
In the Lemhi zone you will find many of the elk require hiking up steep mountains and may be a more physical hunt than you want. The advantage to the Lemhi zone is that you would likely see many more elk. You will just have to hike to get to them and then have to pack them out.
In the Bannock zone the elk are hunted hard for 3 months every year and have learned places to avoid hunters. Many of the elk in the Bannock zone have learned that private land allows them to get away from hunters. The advantage to the Bannock zone is that many of the areas that hold elk won't be as physical. There are places in the Bannock zone that would be a hard physical hunt too but the main difficulty in the Bannock Zone is trying to hunt elk that are mostly on private land that you can't hunt.
I wasn't trying to sound pessimistic, but the truth is that it isn't easy hunting elk on general season tags on public land.

 

[tam33arack]

Hey , thanks Brian,,,,thanks for all the info, it is frustrating when you hunt all day then as you come in you finally see elk, on private land. That has happened to me many times in the sawtooth and pioneer zones. I appreciate your honesty,,, may just pass on it for this year and hope for a draw next year or if I get motivated I may go spend some time up in Bannock.

 

[huntid73]

I have hunted the Bannock zone my whole life, and have to partially agree about the pressure. I think the late hunt this year will move the elk quite a bit lower, and should be a good hunt. I have heard of a lot of farmers around the Nov, Dec. timeline who will allow hunters in so the elk don't wreak havoc on their haystacks or winter wheat. I know that if we have a winter close to last year, access will be difficult to most public land. Might have to try to check out some spots this Oct/Nov, and maybe call a few landowners.

 

[Duck-Slayer]

Heck, I would hunt the Pioneer zone, if you have before.
Matt

 

[tam33arack]

Thanks guys, will be traveling till the end of oct, then I'll have a chance to go out and do some scouting, pioneer zone was interesting but probably like bannock most of the elk seen were on private land.