My college roommate and I are both new to elk in ID. both moved here 6 yrs ago, and first hunted '05 season. I'm from Wyoming, and he's from MT. We got an awaking last year for our first ID elk hunt. THICK underbush! STEEP terrain! neither would deter us from the hunt. but the # of hunters and 4wheelers, and getting pinned down behind a fallen tree by another hunter's flying lead... was an eye opening experience. learned some lessons, like, need to be further from boise (crowds), and in an area where the 4wheelers don't have the run of the land. Being new to the state, we have to go through the paces of finding 'our' area, and getting to know it. This year we are looking at hunting area 34 near Deadwood Res, area 12 going towards Lolo Pass near Walton lakes, or area 27 east of Landmark near little pistol creek. we plan on backpacking in for the duration of the hunt. we know the terrain is steep and forests and brush can be nasty. We plan on doing a fly-over on 34 and 27 in a week, then deciding what tags to try and get. Any thoughts (other than "go home and stay outta my woods") on these places from guys with experience there would be greatly appreciated.
WYO and MT boys new to ID hunting
- Thread starter Kman1972
- Start date
T Bone
Well-known member
Your thought process is right on. By packing in a mile or three, you'll rid yourself of most of the yahoos. Choose some rugged terrain and get back in there. You'll find lots of elk.
I've hunted units 33,34, 50, 36a, 66a. Great archery hunting in any of them if you do some homework and legwork.
I've hunted units 33,34, 50, 36a, 66a. Great archery hunting in any of them if you do some homework and legwork.
Moosie
Grand poopa
Uhhh nope, other then that .... it's about it ...
J/K
My stompin' grounds are in some of those places you mentioned. So it's hard to tell you exactly were to go but I'll give some general advice. You'll always run into people. No matter were you go anymore. Heck we've been back in places and kilt us a ccritter and someone walks out into the opening the same time as we do... It happens. That being said, if you leave the roads rou'll loose 50% of the hunters. Hell if you get out of your truck you'll leave 25%
If you venture off 1 mile (more or less) you'll be in the top 10%. Problem is, you'll be in the 5% of the hunters that are going to be you're toughest problem.
Topo maps and driving are your friends prior to the season. Elk arren't the smartest animal, heck, they are out there to survive. think of big canyons that people won't be at due to access and hunt it right. By hunting it right I mean be were you need to be when the sun comes up.
Thivk brush and alot of hunters close to Boise with Big hills ?!?!? Sound like you found Unit 39
There is nothing wrong with Unit 39 ...except, there are 90% of the "hunters" on the roads all the time and 1/2 of the 10% left hikeing are A-holes. I've ran into more Punks in 39 then I care to mention. That being said there are also some nice bulls in 39. Way better then the units I tend to go too, but I don't run into those guys either Terll us why you've ben here 6 years and haven't hunted till laast year ? I hope it's because you and your roomate were chasin' Tail !!!!!
i hadn't hunted since i left Wyoming in '96. my buddy and i just got back on the same shift at work the year before, and was his first year back chasin elk. i watched him plan his trip... toppo's, makin plans of attack via maps, makin gear lists, etc. and i got the itch again real bad. so went out and invested a big chunck-o-change in gun and gear etc (wife still b@tch@ng) to get back into it. its all i been thinking about since. last year we were in 32a, near lookout mtn above cascade. the area looked great when scouted, but when season opened... filled with 4wheelers, deer hunters, bird hunters, etc. we hiked back to where we thought we wouldn't find anyone, and got shot over by a guy sittin on his 4wheeler. we are not afraid of the work, and this year will go back in a few miles. we're looking at chinook mtn. between pistol creek, and little pistol creek, in area 27. long pack trip, but wilderness area and no 4wheelers, and have 8 days to find some meat. hoping someone has some experience there. thing we will head in there for deer hunt/scouting trip end of Sept. by the way, stumbled on this site last week, and been reading your forums, really enjoy it. thanx
Moosie
Grand poopa
How did ya stumble on it ? Were yu searching for "boobs) and it linked you here ?
Welcome aboard. I'm in the Boise Area. MAybe we'll share info over lunch sometime ?
Smitty19
New member
Kman,
If you get off of the road in 33,34 you'll loose almost everybody. There are some great animals in those units. Good luck this season. I can give you some area's to start lookin if you want.
If you get off of the road in 33,34 you'll loose almost everybody. There are some great animals in those units. Good luck this season. I can give you some area's to start lookin if you want.
just got back from 7 days on OR coast with the wife. had a great time, parked on the beach with the fifth-wheel. would love to talk huntin over lunch sometime, not sure when though. smitty... all info you can give is much appriciated. amazing how hard it is to find time to scout, and when you're new to the state, there's a lot to scout. didn't get to fly over 34 and 27 yesterday, smoke too thick in the mountains, and my buddy doesn't have his instrument training completed. i have heard some very good things about the area around deadwood res. wouldn't mind hunting it. still thinking about packing in to the warm lake side of 27 though, hunting the wilderness on a backpack just sounds great. we are still looking at area 12 past Kooskia going towards Lolo pass also. We have to make up our minds soon, and get our tags bought before it's too late. will get together this weekend with the other 2 guys i hunt with, and make the final decisions.
Ithaca 37
New member
What did you decide?
We are going to area 12 near walton lakes. antlered only rifle in Oct. will start scouting area soon. my buddy got up there a few weeks ago and like the terrain, but didn't get in too deep. we're going up 1st week of Oct for a 4 day whirl-wind backpack through the area to scout, then head up to hunt 10/18-10/28. topo maps show some good areas we're excited to get in and scout.
