DIY Idaho 2019

[adieatrick]

Hello all- Looking for to plan a OTC DIY archery elk hunt for 2019 in Idaho to shake things up a bit. We have been hunting in Colorado for the last 8 seasons and while some years have been awesome, we are looking to try something else. Have about a half dozen areas picked out and need to nail one or two down.

Looking at the Island Park, Sawtooth, Brownlee, LOLO, Salmon and Lemhi areas. Has anyone hunted in any of these areas or can you recommend one over the other and why? For those of you looking to hunt Colorado and are seeking information, I can help you there in exchange for information in Idaho. Feel free to PM me if you would rather.

Thanks in advance-

 

[Jim Carr]

All the zones you mentioned have good elk hunting and good numbers with the exception of the Lolo,not saying its a bad hunt just you will have to work hard to find them.They are all quite a bit different as far as terrian and habitat.I'd suggest going over google earth and maps and focus in on the kind of country that best fits you and your hunting style.Of the 6 the salmon and sawtooth lag a little behind in the thropy quality.

 

[adieatrick]

Jim, thanks for the response.

As far as trophy quality, I'm not concerned about that at all. Really just want to deal with animal's with an opportunity to notch a tag. Just looking for meat in the freezer. Of the ones listed, which would best fit that bill? I tried to PM you, but can't get it to work via mobile.

Again, thanks for your time!

 

[mike.adams.467]

Island Park is grizzly country, big time. You can’t leave an elk overnight without risking a bear finding it. Something you need to keep in mind.


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[adieatrick]

Mike, I saw that was one of the heavily populated griz areas, which concerns me to an extent. It seems I always run into bears...but not the want to kill me kind haha. Do you have any recommendations on where a guy should start? I have been pouring over online data, and it is fairly daunting. Just when I think I'm onto something I see conflicting information that makes me second guess the units all together.

 

[idahohikker]

You'll find conflicting info because that corresponds with people's expriences--good, bad, and the other. As stated, all those zones have decent populations. You can review population numbers on the Fish and Game website under science and talk to biologists to drill down more. The main advice is to be careful with the wilderness areas because the densities are lower. Mostly, just pick an area that you want to hunt and go for it.

 

[KHNC]

Lemhi is very populated with hunters! I know that from first hand experience! No way ill go back to that area in september. ANY place with decent access was flooded with camps!

 

[adieatrick]

This is all good information guys, really appreciate it. Keep it coming please!

 

[beardedbowhunter]

Everyone I know that hunted Idaho had a really hard year, including myself. Hardly any elk, elk that wouldn't talk and tons of hunters. I hunted 14 days for elk and 8 days for mule deer and during that entire time I saw 2 small bulls and 5 cows. That was between 2 very large zones. I am seriously considering not hunting Idaho next year. So many hunters, out of staters, camps all over, 4 wheelers heard driving around in every location and people back in deep.

 

[mike.adams.467]

Lemhi is very populated with hunters! I know that from first hand experience! No way ill go back to that area in september. ANY place with decent access was flooded with camps!

Lemhi county is huge and is adjacent to the Frank Church Wilderness Area. You could walk for days in some of that country and never see another hunter.


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[mike.adams.467]

If you want to shoot any elk, look at the late cow hunts around Challis or Salmon. Units such as theBeaverhead and Island Park have any elk archery hunts but rifle hunts are limited to spikes and cows. Diamond Creek is pretty much limited archery only. TexCreek has a pretty good late cow hunt.


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[adieatrick]

Mike,

Those late cow hunts are archery I assume? Are they in September or October? Thanks for the help!

 

[idahohikker]

The late cow hunts are in November/December and are rifle except in one zone. Archery is any elk so you have the opportunity to shoot a cow in September on that hunt.

 

[KHNC]

Lemhi county is huge and is adjacent to the Frank Church Wilderness Area. You could walk for days in some of that country and never see another hunter.


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I did not go into the Frank Church, However, once the heavy snow hit the high country last september, we drove the unit for days looking for a decent lower elevation place to hunt. EVERYWHERE was full of camps and hunters. There was no point in staying in the high country in the deep snow. It was obvious the elk had moved lower from the few tracks and tons of elk on private.

 

[theleo91386]

I did not go into the Frank Church, However, once the heavy snow hit the high country last september, we drove the unit for days looking for a decent lower elevation place to hunt. EVERYWHERE was full of camps and hunters. There was no point in staying in the high country in the deep snow. It was obvious the elk had moved lower from the few tracks and tons of elk on private.

Welcome to the reality of driving along roads looking for spots.

 

[bigdesert10]

Just research stats and maps and pick a hunt. There are elk in all of them. All of them change based on weather. Any of the OTC hunts are going to be packed with hunters anymore, so might as well not use that as a metric for selection. Also, take any advice you get on spots (positive or negative) with a grain of salt.

 

[adieatrick]

Out of the units listed, which one would provide a timbered hunt? Not really wanting a sage flat type hunt and I see some have lower elevations. Just not sure which would fall into that category. I'm a lot more familiar with the mountainous/timbered style of hunting.

Thanks guys

 

[idahohikker]

Google Earth will show you that. Find the country you want to hunt in terms of the terrain, picturesque setting. There are so many nonresidents flooding into Idaho and Colorado these days trying to find the best unit that it's tough to say. Archery stats and hunter numbers very pretty wildly year to year anyway.

 

[KHNC]

Welcome to the reality of driving along roads looking for spots.

Not sure what you are thinking we did. Can you explain a method of getting from one section of the unit to another without driving? Seems like it is virtually impossible to get into any type of elk country, without first parking your truck somewhere to start hiking. We searched OnX and GE extensively trying to find lower elevation basins to check out. We had a solid high country plan until the snow crushed it and moved the elk down. Maybe you know some hover craft method or magic carpet trick we havent tried yet.

 

[theleo91386]

Not sure what you are thinking we did. Can you explain a method of getting from one section of the unit to another without driving? Seems like it is virtually impossible to get into any type of elk country, without first parking your truck somewhere to start hiking. We searched OnX and GE extensively trying to find lower elevation basins to check out. We had a solid high country plan until the snow crushed it and moved the elk down. Maybe you know some hover craft method or magic carpet trick we havent tried yet.

My point is of course there's camps every where along the roads that are easy to get to, and yes I have ways of working around that. Sorry you've not had to deal with this sort of thing your entire life and haven't developed strategies around it. Seems like your learning curve is well deserved. Best of luck next year.