Central Idaho

[theleo91386]

The thing that you need to accept is that you are not going to get away from the people. You are going to be hunting with guys on top of you and pushing the elk around a lot. If you do go in far enough to get away from the guys operating from roads and trail heads than you're probably in to far to get an elk out by yourself. I don't see a location for where you live but I'm guessing you'll be traveling to a higher elevation than you live at. Know that the first 2-3 days are going to suck even if you are in "mountain" shape. Your body adjusting to elevation is no joke and happens to everyone that hunts higher than where they live. Most guys never put in their stories the muscle and joint aches they feel the first few days of their hunts along with restless nights sleeping and possible headaches. Be prepared going in, that this hunt is going to be painful and all you can do is mitigate the pain. Look for secondary elk habitat, the stuff that doesn't look all that great but "might" hold elk. All the stuff your looking at online for "prime" elk habitat has been looked at by you and 10 million other people. The "hunter athletes" go farther in when they can't find elk in the "prime" country closer to them. The most successful guys change plans and use the pressure to their advantage. Be ready to change tactics, everyone loves chasing screaming bulls but there's opportunities to be had on ones that aren't. I backed off of my favorite hunting spot this year because there were some drop camp hunters rite by it. Three guys spent a week putting on tons of miles and vertical to get a 6 point shot 2 miles and 2,400ft above their camp, with one of them supposedly having a torn ACL. They were "real" elk hunters and were chasing after bugling bulls to call to. They'd have been more successful hunters had they changed their tactics and not used their calls.

I hunt the Sawtooths but not in the that zone. If you're set on going in there you'll need to keep your mind open to trying different strategies to be successful. The basics stay the same (wind,noise, movement) but hunting solo and on foot, the classic setup and call techniques can end up being your least likely chance at success.

 

[bigdesert10]

You're on the right track scouting in June. That will give you an idea of what you're getting yourself into. As was stated above, you should do all your scouting / exploring considering not only where you can get to, but how difficult it will be to pack out your animal by yourself. The hard part isn't getting into the high country, it's getting the animal out, and doing so with minimal damage to the meat. So if you're not confident you can pack the meat out over the course of multiple trips to and from the hunt location, you're probably not ready to shoot an elk there. That's what you should train for even more than just regular old mountain shape.

Even without snow on the ground, the going will be slow. Those of us that get in deep are all either packing camp on our back or are on horseback (or both).

Also, (this might seem pretty basic, but I don't know how much time you've spent in mountains) never ever ever leave basic survival gear behind for the sake of an easier pack with the meat. Things can change in those mountains in a hurry, be it temperature, fog, or injury. Give yourself a fighting chance if things get ugly. I'm not sure where you're from, but the temperature swings in the Sawtooths (and mountains in general) can be pretty extreme, even in the heat of summer. 70 or 80 during the day can easily turn to the 30's at night.

I realize that a lot of the advice that has been offered up on this thread is more about surviving your hunt than it is about being successful there, and there is a reason for that, but don't let the difficulty of the area discourage you. Lot's of people hunt there successfully. Just know your limits, take your time, and make your decisions with eyes wide open, understanding the risks, and you'll be fine. Best of luck.

 

[Joe Schmo]

Where we camp in the Sawtooths it gets down to the 20's...in August.
If you go into STANLEY BAKING co. in Stanley, ID they will probably be able to give you the best info on current elk movements in the region...

 

[paleraider]

Also, (this might seem pretty basic, but I don't know how much time you've spent in mountains) never ever ever leave basic survival gear behind for the sake of an easier pack with the meat. Things can change in those mountains in a hurry, be it temperature, fog, or injury. Give yourself a fighting chance if things get ugly. I'm not sure where you're from, but the temperature swings in the Sawtooths (and mountains in general) can be pretty extreme, even in the heat of summer. 70 or 80 during the day can easily turn to the 30's at night.

This is very important! As I am by myself in the back-country I usually pack my sleeping bag, food for 2-3 days, and most of my clothing (down jacket, gloves, hat, rain gear), as well as the usual survival gear with me every day. This does add some extra weight but I feel far better carrying it as things can change quickly in the mountains.

 

[Joe Schmo]

I just got back. We told a group of hunters (not NRs) about where two different herds of elk were. They were no BS, 1/2 mi from their camp and probably 500yds from a 4-wheeler trail. They never went and got em. A bit of advice...don't assume that everyone is Cam Hanes and hiking to the top of a mountain to do pushups just for fun...get off'n the road in a good place and you'll find success.

 

[cuerro viejo]

You're on the right track scouting in June. That will give you an idea of what you're getting yourself into. As was stated above, you should do all your scouting / exploring considering not only where you can get to, but how difficult it will be to pack out your animal by yourself. The hard part isn't getting into the high country, it's getting the animal out, and doing so with minimal damage to the meat. So if you're not confident you can pack the meat out over the course of multiple trips to and from the hunt location, you're probably not ready to shoot an elk there. That's what you should train for even more than just regular old mountain shape.

Even without snow on the ground, the going will be slow. Those of us that get in deep are all either packing camp on our back or are on horseback (or both).

Also, (this might seem pretty basic, but I don't know how much time you've spent in mountains) never ever ever leave basic survival gear behind for the sake of an easier pack with the meat. Things can change in those mountains in a hurry, be it temperature, fog, or injury. Give yourself a fighting chance if things get ugly. I'm not sure where you're from, but the temperature swings in the Sawtooths (and mountains in general) can be pretty extreme, even in the heat of summer. 70 or 80 during the day can easily turn to the 30's at night.

I realize that a lot of the advice that has been offered up on this thread is more about surviving your hunt than it is about being successful there, and there is a reason for that, but don't let the difficulty of the area discourage you. Lot's of people hunt there successfully. Just know your limits, take your time, and make your decisions with eyes wide open, understanding the risks, and you'll be fine. Best of luck.

X2 and don't be shocked if you get a foot a snow one night. Also know you just cant call in any paid packer to pack out a bull if you get in a bind. In the non wilderness areas also get use to a few bikes roaring past you at mock two.

 

[mitchellbk]

Wow, what's up with all the fear mongering? I think he already knew what he was getting into. 1st page of everyone jumping on him sheds some light on that it's probably a good place to hunt elk. In the Pioneer zone I knew a guy who sat on a wallow close to a hiking trail, he 'packed' out a bull in a game cart. Central Idaho tough right?

Pretty disappointing thread. An engineering guy comes on and mentions GIS analyzing and such, willing to share what he researched. But, everyone else just showed up with negativity.

 

[tipsntails7]

Wow, what's up with all the fear mongering? I think he already knew what he was getting into. 1st page of everyone jumping on him sheds some light on that it's probably a good place to hunt elk. In the Pioneer zone I knew a guy who sat on a wallow close to a hiking trail, he 'packed' out a bull in a game cart. Central Idaho tough right?

Pretty disappointing thread. An engineering guy comes on and mentions GIS analyzing and such, willing to share what he researched. But, everyone else just showed up with negativity.

I don't think it's fear mongering, I think it's reality. He has never done anything like that, and he picked one of the most brutal places to do it.

Being realistic with a skill level that has never been tested is a pretty good idea.




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[bigdesert10]

Wow, what's up with all the fear mongering? I think he already knew what he was getting into. 1st page of everyone jumping on him sheds some light on that it's probably a good place to hunt elk. In the Pioneer zone I knew a guy who sat on a wallow close to a hiking trail, he 'packed' out a bull in a game cart. Central Idaho tough right?

Pretty disappointing thread. An engineering guy comes on and mentions GIS analyzing and such, willing to share what he researched. But, everyone else just showed up with negativity.

I understand where you're coming from, Mitchell. There are very accessible areas in Central Idaho, but I don't think he's coming out to road hunt. My understanding is that he's after more of an adventure. That being the case, I think it would be irresponsible to neglect mentioning the risks and how to minimize them.

 

[SlimWhitman]

Wow, what's up with all the fear mongering? I think he already knew what he was getting into. 1st page of everyone jumping on him sheds some light on that it's probably a good place to hunt elk. In the Pioneer zone I knew a guy who sat on a wallow close to a hiking trail, he 'packed' out a bull in a game cart. Central Idaho tough right?

Pretty disappointing thread. An engineering guy comes on and mentions GIS analyzing and such, willing to share what he researched. But, everyone else just showed up with negativity.

Some of it was expected. Luckily some guys have been really helpful (especially broomd ). I know some people come in to this after watching a cool episode on Sportsmans channel and have pretty unrealistic expectations so its probably warranted. I don't consider myself one of those. Maybe just my personality type of being slightly hardheaded and endlessly wanting to prove people wrong, but all of the horror stories pretty much made my decision for me, so thanks guys!

Anyone who knows me knows I don't half a$$ anything I get in to. As far as the terrain goes, I'm doing everything I can do to get in the best shape I've been in, and the terrain isn't going to change. So there's not much more I can do other than deal with it when I get there. And I'm d#$% sure not picking a zone because I think it might be easier.... No matter what I'm preparing for the worst, and I enjoy the heck out of type 2 fun, that's half the reason the backcountry stuff is appealing.


There is a long list of things I can do between now and then other than things I cant change, learning elk and the area being #1. That was what I was hoping to get some ideas about with this. Evaluating my cyber scouting methods is #2. As far as the GIS stuff goes, I like to bring something to the table if I'm asking for help. Apparently some aren't too interested, which is perfectly fine. I planned on carrying this out before I got on this forum.

Once again thanks to those who offered advice. Especially Elknut for talking my ear off one night. He didn't tell me any awesome areas and I wasn't looking for any. We just talked about elk hunting and it was incredibly helpful. I'm open to advice about the terrain as well, I'm just more interested in the whys and hows than just hearing how bad it is and how screwed I am.

 

[theleo91386]

Wow, what's up with all the fear mongering? I think he already knew what he was getting into. 1st page of everyone jumping on him sheds some light on that it's probably a good place to hunt elk. In the Pioneer zone I knew a guy who sat on a wallow close to a hiking trail, he 'packed' out a bull in a game cart. Central Idaho tough right?

We aren't being negative, were offering reality checks for the guy. If he wants to road hunt or get to places he can use a game cart he doesn't have to come here for research purposes. People going into Central Idaho blind can find these spots on a map and think because they can reach areas like these that they can hunt them, but they can't. Nowhere in these photos can a solo guy go in on foot kill an elk and get it out before it spoils. The bottoms of the canyons are over 6,000 feet above sea level and the majority of the ridges are between 7,000-8,000 feet above sea level. All of it has seen snow in September requiring respect from even the most experienced hunters. For a first elk hunt (and doing it solo) it's a disservice to talk about rainbows, butterflies, and rain down positivity on the guy.

 

[muliehunter]

Pm sent.

 

[SlimWhitman]

Pm sent.

Never got one and your box is full

 

[muliehunter]

Pm sent again.

 

[D_Eightch]

Having the same plan this thread is good to read. I think the reality checks are a damn good response. Most people looking at these areas should already know it. But again, 1st hand experience and reports helps big time. Makes you look at those maps a little closer

 

[ndbuck09]

Solo pack out: bone meat, get it into 5 bags, skin out skull, remove lower jaw. 3 trips to get meat out (front and rear, front and rear, misc meat and cape/skull last.) Little over 20 miles total. One way in is 2100ft up and 500ft down to elk. That's what it takes solo.