HELP! Idaho Unit 22 Archery Elk

[sagebuster]

Don't need your honeyhole, just need your help. Lost my Sawtooth zone honeyhole in the Pioneer fire last year. Now I am in Unit 22, in new territory. I am hunting at the 5,000 foot level, instead of the 7,000 feet I was at in the Sawtooth zone. I'm in steep and heavy national forest timber edged by BLM open prairie. The first two weeks of September have been hot...80 degrees in the shade during the afternoons. I've been working the cooler draws where there is timber and plenty of running water and have seen maybe a half-dozen cow elk and one 5-point bull that came to a watering hole I was sitting on. I had him at 58 yards, but just couldn't get on him.

Fast forward to this last weekend, the 15th, 16th, 17th, and I am back to the same area when it is 20 degrees cooler. I've only cow called so far, covered miles of prime territory, but heard maybe three half-hearted squeals in three days. I saw more bears than elk. The rut, or at least the pre-rut, should be heating up by now. I know the bulls are in there...there is enough sign to give me hope. But these bulls just don't seem interested as yet. What gives? Any of you Unit 22 elk nuts having the same problems? Any advice out there? I'll be back hitting it hard again this next weekend, but at this point I am frustrated. I've seen no sign of other hunters in the area, so these elk are pretty much virgins to my calls. I'm only cow calling sporadically, setting up, going thru a sequence of calls, then waiting patiently for a half-hour while nothing responds. HELP!

 

[tttoadman]

In 27 last year, the bulls would come in to try to get a look at you without ever responding. I would throw out a bugle and sit and wait for an hour. The curiosity will get to them eventually.

 

[excaliber]

I'd be hunting much higher in the unit. We were in there last year scouting and most of the Elk activity and sign was closer to the top where the Wolves were. I'd move if that's all you are seeing there.

 

[Rwbrew3]

I hunted unit 23 last week and Monday and Tuesday this week, i know they where really hot and heavy the week before, guys at camp got a few on the ground and said the elk where talking up a storm, then they just shut down, never laid a eye on one, i know they where running dogs on the bears up a bit higher but i though with the cold snap they would get active again. Spoke with a ranger and he mentioned lots of wolves entered into the area and they could be causing a problem. All i know is i covered that entire area and never lifted my bow. We did a few bugles but mostly cow calls. At a loss here too !!

 

[sagebuster]

Thanks brew3. Funny about the dogs running bear. Sunday morning my son and I set up to call in a likely spot at dawn and we no sooner started cow calling when we heard dogs barking in the distance. I thought 'this isn't good'. We had seen a good sized bear in a draw below us late on Saturday at dusk, and I thought then the area we were in was prime for hound hunters. We were stepping in bear crap everywhere. Sure enough, those dogs came up the draw we were calling in, ran a bear literally between us, we had to get out of the way, and we ended up with one hound begging us for water before she resumed the chase. So much for elk hunting.

Haven't seen any wolf sign, but that doesn't mean they aren't around. Coyotes were howling on Saturday night, but they could very well have been wolves. What do I know, I was half asleep. Maybe the rain this week and the dusting of snow we got higher up will get the elk into gear this weekend. The rut should be in full swing by now. We heard a few weak squeals on Saturday, but basically they were silent and hunkered down.

Wished I had the controlled hunt tag for bear. We had that bruiser at 40 yards on Saturday. Woulda made a nice rug.

 

[Rwbrew3]

Good luck, I think it's about to Pick back up. Might want to check on your tag, mine was good for Elk,bear,wolf and mule deer - my elk season is over but at least I was able to pick up my bear rug while out ther !!

 

[Ridge Runner]

They were hot in McCall zone on Tuesday. Was fortunate to shut one up for good before 6" of snow fell last night.

 

[DocV]

Been hunting 22 this week and we haven't heard ANYTHING! Got a shot at a lone spike that didn't call back, didn't come to calls. Nothin. We braved the snow and rain the last two days and hoping it heats up this week. There hasn't been nearly the hunting pressure there was last year, but the wolves have definitely been active.


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[sagebuster]

DocV...I'm thinking the wolves have really shut the elk down in Unit 22. Its not just that the elk are quiet...they are reluctant to sound off when normally they wouldn't be. The rut has to be in full swing...the fall equinox is this weekend, usually coincidental with the peak of the rut. Plenty of cooling rain this week, with a dusting of snow in the higher elevations. That always spells magic to me. My motto is 'Hunt All Day and Hittem' Hard' this weekend. Four days...Lord give me the opportunity.

Ridge Runner...one of my son's buddies whacked a big boy in the McCall zone over the weekend. Not gonna be any elk left if you guys keep that up. Congratulations!

 

[Rwbrew3]

Anyone going back to unit 22, I’ll be back the 2nd week of September, hoping for a better hunt !!

 

[idahomuleys]

Rwbrew, just read through the posts about you getting a bear. Did you use your elk tag on one in unit 22?

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[sagebuster]

Rwbrew3...I was on private property, gated, in unit 22 last season. 380 acres that bordered National Forest and BLM land...prime. Near Council. Right now, that area is threatened by fire, but I really hadn't planned on going back...although if I had a bear tag, I'd think about it. Some nice rugs walking around where I was. I moved over to unit 32 the last week of September last year and got into elk, including a nice 6x6 bull, on BLM land surrounded by private property. Had a good hunt there, settled for a spike while my son put down the big boy. New trespass laws make that spot iffy for a hunt this year. Haven't purchased an elk tag yet.

 

[Rwbrew3]

Rwbrew, just read through the posts about you getting a bear. Did you use your elk tag on one in unit 22?

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NO Sir, is shot the bear the year before up near Riggins.

 

[Rwbrew3]

Rwbrew3...I was on private property, gated, in unit 22 last season. 380 acres that bordered National Forest and BLM land...prime. Near Council. Right now, that area is threatened by fire, but I really hadn't planned on going back...although if I had a bear tag, I'd think about it. Some nice rugs walking around where I was. I moved over to unit 32 the last week of September last year and got into elk, including a nice 6x6 bull, on BLM land surrounded by private property. Had a good hunt there, settled for a spike while my son put down the big boy. New trespass laws make that spot iffy for a hunt this year. Haven't purchased an elk tag yet.[/QUOTE

I tried for 18 but didn’t get drawn, sure hope the fires get contained...

 

[Im.new.here]

NO Sir, is shot the bear the year before up near Riggins.

You can use an elk tag on a bear? That's real? Or am I misunderstanding...