Thank you very much for your post(s) on Idaho hunting. I'm new to the site. But, in researching units for this upcoming 2021 rifle season... Your name has come up in some of the posts. Ultimately, I decided on 36b going back and forth on many units. I have backcountry experience from years of backpacking. However, I've never backpack hunted. I've packed a few deer out on my back in the Sandhills of Nebraska. But, that pales in comparison to the elevation changes and overall rugged country that I've seen in Idaho. I'm unable to PM people yet as I'm new to the forums. Frank Church wilderness would be a dream hunt. But, I would have to save a long time to afford the trip in and out. As, I don't have access to pack animals. Nor, the money to fly/jet boat in and out. Hiking in would be logistically possible. However, packing out and floating down a river I've never navigated isn't in my wheelhouse. Again, thank you very much for the posts. I would love to pick your brain on unit 36b when I'm able to PM people. It looks like a unit that will have quite a bit of pressure. But, I'm confident if I work hard? I can get away from road hunters, casual hikers that don't stray too far from the truck, and not getting so far in that I run over the guided pack animal trips. Navigating the trail system usage for ATVs is a little mind boggling. Nothing sucks more than busting through some thick rugged country, only to find that someone took an ATV right past you to your destination! lol
Andrew, Oh, I feel you there. Those Sandhills will wear you out. I’ve packed several deer out. One was 3.5 miles in. After that day... I decided to start boning out the deer and skinning out the head. Glad to hear you had success out there. I’m looking forward to Archery hunting out there. It’s an amazing place to stalk deer in some places.
There are ways to access the Frank without flying or getting in on horses if you go early. 36B you aren't going to be able to hike very far in any direction without running into a road or trail, be it a motorized or non motorized trail. 2021 will be an interesting year since the tags are unit specific for NR now. If you are archery hunting only in 36B you may not have much competition for deer. I'd say most of the NRs who have deer tags will show up for rifle and stay for the duration.
Sneaky,
I sent you a PM last week. However, I think they drop off after a while? Anyway, thank you for your time.
I just came across this post. I tried my own thread just to see if anyone could tell me if I was warm or not in the area I had started to scout in 36B. I live on the unit but have just started bow hunting for elk and this will be my first year hunting elk. I have tried for spike only units in Utah where I used to live without any luck either but had put in a lot of work. I know folks are very secretive and protective of their knowledge. I feel the same way but I also feel that if I was ever successful through the hard work of putting boot sole to the ground and glass on the hills that I would understand that if someone was looking in a general area and like me now, asking if I am hot or cold in a general area, that I could do a lot to help them by letting them know they are wasting their time in a particular area without ever giving up a honey hole so to speak. I don't think I have posted enough to PM anyone yet but will keep posting to gain that privilege. With the amount of time I have between a very demanding job, home schooling 3 kids full time and keeping the house in order I thought to seek advice from the forum but know I will get a cold shoulder from most, and the ones who may respond will be the big brother and advise me on just keep putting in the scouting time and that no one will give advice for specific areas. Some of the areas in 36B I am interested in knowing whether I am getting hot or cold is Squaw Creek. I've noticed that on the west side of the road near the end that Martin, Sheep and Pack Creeks look like rugged area but get the feeling that it just doesn't look like elk habitat. As I looked northwest I found that up Garden Creek Rd. looked a bit more elky than Squaw Creek area but put 20 miles of sole up past Buster Lake last Sunday with no signs like rubs, print and only three piles of petrified elk poo. I am just not experienced in what Elk look for in terms sustaining habitat. I usually think about whether the area has water near and is there forage, cover and escape routes. I found this last week however with the sign results I just listed off above. I was thinking on pushing further northwest in the unit and head up Morgan Creek. Seems like a lot of forested basins that I could traverse up but again I think about areas that look like open parks with forest all around. Not sure if elk in Idaho matriculate towards these open meadow park areas for forage. Lengthy response to your outdated post but just thought it was worth a try to see if we could brainstorm about area without giving up any of your actual hunting ground locations. Thanks.
