great over the counter units in Idaho? help?

[Idahomnts]

You can kill an elk in any unit that has an elk season. Guys get so wrapped up in "what unit or area area gives me the best chance". The main thing that determines opportunity is you the hunter, not so much the unit. There are guys that kill elk every year in units with single digit success rates. It doesn't matter how good of an area you are in, if you don't know what you are doing and aren't able or willing to put in the work you won't be successful. I can't remember who posted it but the best advice I have heard on here is, pick a unit pick a mountain and go hunt it. A better question to ask is how do I prepare myself to have the best chance at success? Become a proficient archer, learn to call, learn elk behavior, learn to play the wind and understand thermals, get in shape so you can avoid the roads and trails everyone else is using.

Solid advice !!!!!

And probably the best so far !
Get some boots that don’t wear a hole in ya , the best glass that you can afford if you don’t have any yet,
Commit,
and a guy can dang near solely on some gas money if your groceries are in line ,

Read available hunting regs and available hunts, look at some maps and go from there ,
There are desert elk around also , look at all the hunts
Idahofishandgame

 

[Sadler]

The secret to finding the best unit is for you to start an Instagram account, hashtag a lot of hunting lingo, mention filling the freezer .....a lot, cry, post things like “successful hunts arnt defined by killing an animal” “it’s not about the horns”, cry some more, share a bunch of other peoples grip and grins and then boom!! You’ll know where to go and never have to ask again.

 

[bluetick78]

Idaho has their units ranked with a numbering system, unit #1 being the best and unit #78 being the worst. We try to make things easy.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

SMH. St the thought of the OP when he posted it. And, the answers he’s gotten.



If you have never hunted elk, live by the reality that elk hunting can be defined by this statement. “Elk are easy to kill. Once you find them.” . Good luck and God Bless

 

[87TT]

You can kill an elk in any unit that has an elk season. Guys get so wrapped up in "what unit or area area gives me the best chance". The main thing that determines opportunity is you the hunter, not so much the unit. There are guys that kill elk every year in units with single digit success rates. It doesn't matter how good of an area you are in, if you don't know what you are doing and aren't able or willing to put in the work you won't be successful. I can't remember who posted it but the best advice I have heard on here is, pick a unit pick a mountain and go hunt it. A better question to ask is how do I prepare myself to have the best chance at success? Become a proficient archer, learn to call, learn elk behavior, learn to play the wind and understand thermals, get in shape so you can avoid the roads and trails everyone else is using.

You hit the nail on the head. If ALL five of you aren't TOTALLY committed to elk hunting, don't even make the trip. Sit home and watch videos. I don't know a single place in Idaho that is going to be easy for a new guy to have a chance. And realize that it may take several trips before you draw blood. The idea that there is such a place that five guys can roll up and get a bull is wishful thinking. Just do it.

 

[Wrench]

Wow. I can't find one elk hunting partner who has what it takes to make it, and you have a van load.

I'd STRONGLY suggest you guys break up into 2 groups, work different areas and compare notes.

There's not a single person who's done the leg work that is going to welcome 5 dudes into their area. If you were a single or a pair....you might have a prayer.

It's going to boil down to just picking a unit that has the typeof terrain you want to hunt and rocking on. You're looking at 5x the noise, scent, and movement of most guys.

Good luck.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Any place I've ever seen an elk on public is a honey hole or potential honey hole. I've already made the mistake of driving to identifiable of a truck. If we have more then 1 tag in camp we usually drive a bull straight home if we do luck out that way people wont see it in camp.
I refuse to tell people even what county I hunt in.
The only time I'm honest about where I harvest and animal is to the state and the taxidermist.

But any national forest with feed and water will have elk.

 

[Brendan]

It's not about the spot, it's not about the unit, it's about the effort you put in. Don't ask for locations, you're much better off spending your time learning how to pick them and hunt them on your own.

The alternative - pay for a location (e.g. scouting service where legal) or go guided. Guides have an incentive to put you on animals, forums like this have incentive to not ruin the units we like to hunt

Oh - and make sure everyone is pulling their weight, everyone is preparing equally. Or, ditch those guys who aren't and make them catch a flight home.

 

[Crippledsledge64]

I made the same mistake of asking when I first joined. No ones gonna give you reliable infor and for good reason and even if they do you’ll have a lot of competition from people reading the thread. Best advice is already posted, just pick a spot and go, also recommend getting some e scouting tools and Idaho fish and game website gives lots of info. Good luck

 

[TradAg02]

Best recommendation is to drive 5 trucks. There will be at least one in the group who will not want to leave camp after the first big push. Another will be too sore to hunt the second day. By the third morning someone’s feet will be too blistered to put their boots on. On the third afternoon someone will want a shower more than a bull. Having seen more hunters than elk, someone will call it on day four...you get the idea.

This is closer to reality than most would like to admit.


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[wind gypsy]

Wow. I can't find one elk hunting partner who has what it takes to make it, and you have a van load.

I'd STRONGLY suggest you guys break up into 2 groups, work different areas and compare notes.

There's not a single person who's done the leg work that is going to welcome 5 dudes into their area. If you were a single or a pair....you might have a prayer.

It's going to boil down to just picking a unit that has the typeof terrain you want to hunt and rocking on. You're looking at 5x the noise, scent, and movement of most guys.

Good luck.

No kidding! Sounds a bit much for me. I’d pick the the one guy least likely to quit and most likely to research and then find a way to split from the other three guys..

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Try Colorado. No elk left in Idaho. Wolves ate em.

Sadly, THIS IS,.. almost, the freakin' TRUTH,.. 50,000 Elk,.. GONE in, Central Idaho !
Could be the REASON,.. WHY, the Idaho F&G has,.. upped, the Wolf Tag "Limit",.. to 3 Wolf tags,.. per Hunter !!!
BUY 15 Wolf Tags and,.. have Fun !
Kill a HUNDRED of them Bastard's,.. NONE of us Idahoans,.. will say,.. "Chit" about it !
PS; Start accumulating Points in Arizona,.. that's WHERE, I got MY, Bull,.. last year !

 

[arwhntr]

Don't worry about the unit. Worry about having the proper gear, sufficient physical conditioning, elk knowledge and the right mindset. If you formulate a strategy, hunt all day and put miles on your boots you'll get your opportunity to harvest an elk no matter the unit. Best of luck.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Idaho has their units ranked with a numbering system, unit #1 being the best and unit #78 being the worst. We try to make things easy.

I Hunt, Unit 2 or, 3 as, EVERYONE,.. KNOWS about, how good,.. unit #1, is !
IF those 2 units fail me,.. I go to,..ELK City !

 

[Broomd]

I have lots of good info to share, but first I want info on Iowa bucks. My eight buds and I all want quality ones, nothing under 175" so start spilling the beans.....I want all the info posted on an open forum too, might as well get other clans in on this.....

 

[TexasCub]

Same shit different day, truck loads of guys from all parts of the country logging on here for the first time and asking where to go hunt out west.
It’s almost comical.

 

[sneaky]

Idaho has their units ranked with a numbering system, unit #1 being the best and unit #78 being the worst. We try to make things easy.

I agree. I've hunted both 66 and 66A. Both kinda sucked, but 66A sucked just a liiiiiitttllle bit more.

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[Fullfan]

double the amount of hunters, it's more like tripled....

This is the reason I no longer gun hunt Idaho. The unit I hunted has become a zoo in gun season. No so bad in Archery though.

 

[GregB]

If I had a nickel for every time someone posted “not looking for anyone’s honeyhole but....”

 

[wind gypsy]

I don’t mean to hijack the thread, but I’m always looking for a good starting point in other states. I appreciate the advice but I don’t get all the compass heading numbers and stuff you posted. Is there anyway you could just post the IPhone map link?

Thanks

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Happy to help