Central Idaho

[SlimWhitman]

First I'll say thank you to anyone who has posted good info on here. I've been lurking and reading for a couple months now and learned a ton.

I'm in the planning stages of an archery elk hunt to central Idaho next September and was wondering if anyone with more intimate knowledge wanted to talk a little more in depth. I have the area pretty dialed in(zone wise) but really want to bounce some ideas and maybe share some of what I've been working on to see how I'm doing. I'm an engineer with too much access to cool computer tools so my co-workers think I'm pretty crazy for what I've been doing between Excel, GE, and GIS.

I don't want to put any areas on blast so I'll keep it to DM's. I'm planning on starting the phone calls here shortly once I get a little more info on the right things to ask. So if anyone knows good people to talk to I'd be forever in debt.

I probably could've started with "this is my first western hunt and archery hunt", but that's not the approach I'm taking. I'm 31, currently working towards mountain shape, and chances are this will be a solo trip. I'm open to teaming up. At this point I'm planning on taking a trip in June sometime to scout and verify everything I've come up with.

 

[ElkNut1]

A lot depends on what zone you are choosing?

ElkNut1

 

[JollyRoger]

Really does depend on your particular zone. After 2 weeks and about 150 miles I can tell you exactly where the elk are not!

 

[paleraider]

I would look carefully at where the fires were this year and go from there. It seems a lot of people from the Boise area hunt the McCall and Sawtooth zones. I would look at the Smoky-Bennet, Pioneer, and Salmon Zones.

 

[SlimWhitman]

I was pretty focused on the Sawtooth Zone. Looks like the fire is taking over but its not in any areas I was looking at yet.....

 

[Broomd]

Good luck with this...

 

[SlimWhitman]

Good luck with this...

And what would that be?

 

[Idaho CTD]

The Sawtooth and Salmon zones usually have the highest success rates.

 

[paleraider]

I was pretty focused on the Sawtooth Zone. Looks like the fire is taking over but its not in any areas I was looking at yet.....

That is a very rugged area.

 

[Arbutusbucks]

That is a very rugged area.

This. Put on your big boy pants.

 

[SlimWhitman]

This. Put on your big boy pants.

That's the point, right?

 

[theleo91386]

That's the point, right?

The guys that think they have big boy pants get humbled in that country. Go there and check it out in June and be prepared for a reality check come September.

 

[b0nes]

There's mountain shape and then theres central idaho shape. That country will put hair on your chest.

 

[SlimWhitman]

If I only did things I thought were easy I'd lead a pretty unfulfilling life. I know I'll be humbled, that's part of why I want to do it. This isn't just some crazy idea I came up with and thought it would be fun to try. This is what I do when I get home from work, this what I do when I take breaks at work, this is what I go to sleep thinking about and what I wake up to in the middle of the night thinking about, this is what I do on Friday and Saturday nights, and this is what I'll do until September 2017. And then I know I'll be humbled more than I probably have ever been in my life, and thats part of what drives me. I've got a year to become the most prepared I can be, then it's all on me. If the sawtooth zone was unhuntable it wouldn't sell out, and the stats wouldn't look like they do. I'm just here to hopefully meet some good people along the way that are willing to help a guy learn the right way. So, thank you to those who have offered.

I'm not 100% on the sawtooth yet, but it has been where most of my effort has gone. I'm staying focused on it while looking at some other options before I have to pull the trigger on the sawtooth tag.

I was hoping I worded this to not look like a "where to hunt" thread. Apparently my writing skills suck, and that's why I'm an engineer.

 

[SlimWhitman]

There's mountain shape and then theres central idaho shape. That country will put hair on your chest.

Thank God bc mine is pretty lopsided at the moment. Then I can finally rock that v neck sweater I got for Christmas with proper chest hair cleavage.

 

[tipsntails7]

If I only did things I thought were easy I'd lead a pretty unfulfilling life. I know I'll be humbled, that's part of why I want to do it. This isn't just some crazy idea I came up with and thought it would be fun to try. This is what I do when I get home from work, this what I do when I take breaks at work, this is what I go to sleep thinking about and what I wake up to in the middle of the night thinking about, this is what I do on Friday and Saturday nights, and this is what I'll do until September 2017. And then I know I'll be humbled more than I probably have ever been in my life, and thats part of what drives me. I've got a year to become the most prepared I can be, then it's all on me. If the sawtooth zone was unhuntable it wouldn't sell out, and the stats wouldn't look like they do. I'm just here to hopefully meet some good people along the way that are willing to help a guy learn the right way. So, thank you to those who have offered.

I'm not 100% on the sawtooth yet, but it has been where most of my effort has gone. I'm staying focused on it while looking at some other options before I have to pull the trigger on the sawtooth tag.

I was hoping I worded this to not look like a "where to hunt" thread. Apparently my writing skills suck, and that's why I'm an engineer.

All your probably going to get is zones, if your lucky someone might throw you a bone. Call IDFW and talk to anyone who is familiar with the area. Call the station chief of the fire crews that work in the area, I've always gotten the BEST Info from guys on hotshot crews and the like regarding wilderness area's

For me elk hunting has to be fun, as that's why I'm doing it. That area is not a real fun place to be. There are elk in there. But there are also places I would be worried about getting elk out of as well.

It is absolutely not a place I would send a new guy into but if you want to saddle up more power to you.


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[SlimWhitman]

All your probably going to get is zones, if your lucky someone might throw you a bone. Call IDFW and talk to anyone who is familiar with the area. Call the station chief of the fire crews that work in the area, I've always gotten the BEST Info from guys on hotshot crews and the like regarding wilderness area's

For me elk hunting has to be fun, as that's why I'm doing it. That area is not a real fun place to be. There are elk in there. But there are also places I would be worried about getting elk out of as well.

It is absolutely not a place I would send a new guy into but if you want to saddle up more power to you.


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I'm not looking for zones, units, trails etc. I don't want someone to tell me where to go. I'm looking to talk to someone about what IVE been doing, or what else I could be looking for. I don't want an answer, I want to know why it is the answer.

 

[SlimWhitman]

Call the station chief of the fire crews that work in the area, I've always gotten the BEST Info from guys on hotshot crews and the like regarding wilderness areas

This is an example of what I thought I was asking for. That is a huge help! I don't plan on going in to the sawtooth wilderness. Most of the spots in the sawtooth zone I was looking at are not in wilderness areas, even though I like the idea of getting away from motorcycle and atv trails.

 

[KurtR]

I will be leaving for my first elk hunt in 7 days. We will be in the Mcall zone and the most help I have got was from wardens and biologist. Very nice and helpful people.

 

[Broomd]

And what would that be?

That would be well wishes of "good luck"....