Elk city A tag vs Selway B tag

[kvw4x4]

Looking for some guidance on these 2 elk tags,
We (4 of us) have Elk city A tags, Which is archery for all of September in unit 15, we have a location picked out, yesterday I noticed Selway B tags that are still available, this would be a rifle hunt starting September 15, the 2 locations on paper are within a mile of each other, Why do i keep my Elk city archery tag if i can hunt the same dates with a rifle tag a mile away?

 

[Ward1987]

Haven't hunted the A tag, but our crew hunted the Selway B tags. My dad and uncles started in the 90's, my first trip out was 2005. We stopped going I think 2009 or 2010 as the wolves had pretty much shut things down, not many elk and the ones there weren't talking. Back then I would agree, if you're not an archery nut your chances are much quite a bit better with a rifle. How things are now I'm not sure, but two reasons I could see sticking with the A tag are there will less hunters it looks like, and the elk may be hanging closer to elk city in unit 15 to try to get away from the wolves, just guessing though. The last trip we were out there nobody in our crew even saw an elk in 6 days of hunting, but 2 miles or so out of elk city driving back a 6x6 bull was drinking right on the opposite bank of the river.

 

[Ward1987]

Also, if you haven't been out there it's thick and rugged country, there is no glassing really and most shots are probably 50-60 yards max even with a rifle, so not quite the advantage it might be in other units where you could reach out 300+ yards if needed. It does make it a lot easier when they're at weird angles or behind some brush though

 

[Indian Summer]

I hunted on the B tag way up White Cap Creek. Like any wilderness once you get up higher the timber gives way to more open country and glassing opportunities. But these days there isn’t much to glass. I guess if I had to pick I’d gun hunt because if you see a bull you better kill it. Opportunities are few and far between in there.

 

[Ward1987]

I hunted on the B tag way up White Cap Creek. Like any wilderness once you get up higher the timber gives way to more open country and glassing opportunities. But these days there isn’t much to glass. I guess if I had to pick I’d gun hunt because if you see a bull you better kill it. Opportunities are few and far between in there.

Yeah I should've been more specific, we only hunted 16A, and really just the western side of it. Definitely looks like things open up as you go east from there. Sad to see what has happened to the elk out there, even more so the moose. We used to see Moose every year, then just some sign and the last few years I cant remember seeing even old moose sign.

 

[The10%]

If there is tags still available, there is a reason why. Elk city A tags are 15-20%, where as Selway B is like 10% success rates. There is also hardly any roads in the Selway

 

[kvw4x4]

If there is tags still available, there is a reason why. Elk city A tags are 15-20%, where as Selway B is like 10% success rates. There is also hardly any roads in the Selway

This is what’s weird, remember 1 mile distance between rifle or archery hunting. 3rd week of September. Archery unit 15 (elk city) is 13% success. Rifle unit 19 (selway) is 21%,

The local biologist says keep our archery tags. Does that mean the spot we like is maybe not great

 

[The10%]

This is what’s weird, remember 1 mile distance between rifle or archery hunting. 3rd week of September. Archery unit 15 (elk city) is 13% success. Rifle unit 19 (selway) is 21%,

The local biologist says keep our archery tags. Does that mean the spot we like is maybe not great

Never hunted 19, but it is almost all wilderness. I imagine most of that success rate is coming from people with stock, and outfitters. I assume if there was a unit with easy access, elk, and otc rut rifle tags it would be the first tag to sell out in Idaho.
Nothing wrong with an Elk city A tag

 

[Indian Summer]

Numbers don’t lie. I was in there for 7 days with livestock and saw one bull. I saw one guided hunter kill a bull as well. They were over 20 trail miles in.

 

[Fyrfytr1805]

Dismal reports as usual for these units.....

 

[Indian Summer]

Don’t do it!!! If you read any success stories from there they are old. Either that or a guy got really lucky. There is one elk there. But that’s a lot of country to sift through looking for the last one. Wolves have decimated the Selway.

 

[Fullfan]

As mentioned, if there are Idaho tags available. There is a good reason

 

[OregonSteeler]

I hunted that archery Elk City A tag last year. To be blunt, it sucked and I wouldn't go back if the tag was free. PM me if you'd like details.

 

[ikeG]

You gotta have a different mindset to joyfully hunt these units. Treat it as an adventure and don't watch any TV or YouTube elk hunts prior to going. Get a deer, bear, and wolf tag in addition to your elk. There's guys/clients that do well every year but they earned it. We've killed 2 bulls, 2 mulie bucks, and missed 1 bear and a couple wolves on the selway b tag. But if I told you how many days & miles were invested to do that you would be discouraged.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[Zengelhart1]

For the guys who hunted this unit how was the deer population? I have a unit 19 deer tag 2024 and was planning on going in the November time frame to Try and catch some of the rut action.

 

[coyote_out]

Unless you can scout heavily I would probably look for different tags. But an Elk tag is better than no elk tag.

 

[gtriple]

Dismal reports as usual for these units.....

Yep. Have hunted Elk City 2 years in a row and it is even worse than many OTC Colorado units. Won't be returning.

 

[Customweld]

For the guys who hunted this unit how was the deer population? I have a unit 19 deer tag 2024 and was planning on going in the November time frame to Try and catch some of the rut action.

Access in that November timeframe can be problematic. The north section closes in pretty fast.