Idaho Experience

[jkilburg]

I spent nearly ten days in Idaho chasing elk, getting frustrated by the elk, and being excited by the elk all in the same breath. We saw some quality bulls, saw a lot of mule deer, some sheep, and several people.

It was a rollercoaster, but I wouldn’t imagine it any other way. We didn’t fill our tags, but this being our 2nd elk hunt, we were very close at times to letting an arrow fly, and that in itself felt like a win.

I do want to share a story of a gentleman we ran into. He was open to conversation, but I caution this blanket approach. We were hiking in with camp on our back and he was camped along the main trail. We cordially said hello and he asked how we found this place. Thanks to a a local contact and some due diligence of my own, we had colocated areas of interest in the particular area. He proceeded to tell us how crowded it had been, and how out of staters have flooded his area (I saw a Washington plate on his truck). He also proceeded to talk about a ruined shot opportunity on a 5pt due to an ATV rider. Followed by the classic I wish NR hunters in Idaho had to do a draw. I responded with a hey, I apologize if NR hunters have caused issues for you, but we’re here to do the same thing as you and have spent a lot of time and money to get here.

That day we got into elk after setting up camp 3mi in. It was the best first day in my very short elk hunting career. And yes, we ran into two NR hunters on our way up the mountain.

The next day we ran into this gentleman again. This time he had three other gents. All cordial, and all working the same bulls we glassed the night before on the mountain. This time, the gentleman he was hunting with were comprised of two NR hunters and one other resident. His story of the ruined 5pt changed to I hit one in the shoulder after we described the two big 6pt bulls we glassed. We chatted a little bit, had a few laughs and then went on our separate ways. That was the last time we seen them as we had packed out on day 3 to reassess and re-gameplan and they were gone.

What I know is there were three quality bulls in 4 separate drainages which this gentleman was eying. We had local insight and e-scouting intel to work off of as in-person scouting was not possible for us. And we just happened to pick a similar area but made an effort to hunt away from them. However, I only saw one other NR plate in the entire 45min drive from town at any camps or trailheads, most of the others I spoke to coming into the area were native Idaho residents, and I ultimately didn’t see that many people hunting. Maybe all of 8-9 other hunters in nearly 10 days. But, I quickly learned people can be possessive of the animals they are interested in regardless of how each of us scout.

I would definitely go back to where we were, and outside of this gentleman, every Idaho resident we ran into was extremely nice, appreciative of the info we shared, and reciprocal in what they shared. But, I know there’s more people out there hunting that are like this gentleman, and I think we need to reassess our disdain towards those who work hard and put in the time on their hunts. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, it simply matters what kind of hunter they are. And, we need to get away from the entitlement of animals being “ours” and more focused on how we can lift others up in the process of their elk hunt.

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[franktnk]

Loved the story. Texas hunter here. I hope one year I can make it further north and hunt elk in the northern states. Colorado is as far as I've made it. I completely agree with you on NR vs Resident. We are putting in the effort to hunt and do the things we love. It shouldn't be "our" state vs outsiders.

 

[Geewhiz]

I love it when nonresidents say "scouting was not possible for us". Scouting is always possible, you just choose not to exert the effort.

 

[Rotnguns]

You and your friend paid for your tags and you were hunting public land. You don't owe an apology to anyone. Glad you had a great experience and hope you come back and fill your tag next year.

 

[Stillness0039]

Glad you ultimately had a nice time.

Concerning the gentleman: there is always going to be that segment of society that takes an issue with the mere existence of other people, acts a victim, and claims some sort of entitlement. No different in the hunting demographic.

I've been in Idaho a while now and I still to run into "I've been hunting this spot for 30 years" which the implication that I'm somehow infringing on them, or that they deserve some sort of credit for that. As Rotn said you don't owe an apology for fully legal use of fully public land.

I've learned to just not give those people the time of day. It is their problem, not mine or yours.

 

[ID_Matt]

I am an Idaho resident and I do get tired of the constant complaints of non residents being EVERYWHERE and ruining units. Unless F&G has deceived us, non residents only account for 10% of elk tags so it is hard for me to say they have anything to do with the crowding problem.

 

[Smfigari]

I love Idaho and (if my wife would let me) I would move there in a heart beat. I have a few good friends up there who I have witnessed complain about NR hunters blowing up their unit and ruining it. I showed them that the state gave out fewer than 15 NR elk tags in a very large three unit region so what they were saying just simply couldn't be true. Unfortunately, it seems like the loud minority heard louder than the vast majority.

 

[Ross]

I find it entertaining how residents act toward nonresidents. Driving in I have been flipped off and yelled at for driving a non resident rig. This little souvenir was left on my truck a few years back . To each their own just leave my stuff alone and I’m all good, I have hiked by many of them with racks on my shoulder smiling a few have asked when I got them and I replied when you were sleeping I was an hour into this mountain.

 

[mooster]

I'd kindly remind him that were all enjoying the public land we all pay for. proximity of home has no bearing or priorty of use of our public lands.

 

[jkilburg]

I love it when nonresidents say "scouting was not possible for us". Scouting is always possible, you just choose not to exert the effort.

In-person scouting wasn’t possible this year for me. My father passed away in the spring and I had an estate to handle. I love when assumptions are made regarding NR’s as if they’re lazy.


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[jkilburg]

You and your friend paid for your tags and you were hunting public land. You don't owe an apology to anyone. Glad you had a great experience and hope you come back and fill your tag next year.

The apology wasn’t truly an apology to him. It was a more like I’m sorry you feel that way. I’m out here doing the same thing you are.


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[199p]

Nice bro good shit

 

[BKIdaho]

He’s frustrated because his place has changed over time. He voiced it.

You’re frustrated because he tried to make you feel guilty about going in where he hunts and you’re voicing it.

How are you different?? Am I missing where he cusses you out, interfered with your hunt, etc.

You want people to be positive and not complain, set an example by doing just that.

 

[butcherboy]

Sorry for the loss of your father.

I’ve never had a bad interaction with NR’s in NM. Now fellow residents, that’s a different story.

 

[Vabaseball10]

I’m an Idaho resident, first year elk hunting and there is a lot of people out. The ones I saw “destroying” the hunts were mostly our own residents on dirt bikes going everywhere they wanted to go to not walk. I’m sure there are some out of state people that do the same particularly boarder state people. But 90% residents have a much bigger impact than if 50% of the 10% out of staters

 

[jkilburg]

He’s frustrated because his place has changed over time. He voiced it.

You’re frustrated because he tried to make you feel guilty about going in where he hunts and you’re voicing it.

How are you different?? Am I missing where he cusses you out, interfered with your hunt, etc.

You want people to be positive and not complain, set an example by doing just that.

Some may say this post is a complaint. I would say this post is reiterating we can all hunt and be supportive of eachother no matter if we call Idaho our home or not. It’s to shed light on incorrect mindset of NR hunters ruining hunting for resident hunters.


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[Rotnguns]

I’m an Idaho resident, first year elk hunting and there is a lot of people out. The ones I saw “destroying” the hunts were mostly our own residents on dirt bikes going everywhere they wanted to go to not walk. I’m sure there are some out of state people that do the same particularly boarder state people. But 90% residents have a much bigger impact than if 50% of the 10% out of staters

I agree. Dirt bike riders are notorious for going around gates to access closed roads. During the gigantic Pioneer Fire of 2016, dirt bikers ignored road closures in the Boise National Forest, to the point that they impeded firefighting efforts. Finally, the sheriff and forest service had enough, and made a dedicated effort to catch and prosecute them. In one case I know about, the judge hammered the offenders - they lost their motorcycles and paid heavy fines. That's probably what it's going to take to put a stop to this sort of thing.

 

[WIHUNTER]

I hunted Idaho for the first time this fall. I had a great time. Everybody I saw waved and smiled. I only talked to two residents, and they were very friendly and shared some info on the area we were hunting. I can't wait to go back and hope to draw a tag again in the near future. Beautiful area and saw plenty of elk.

 

[Mr.Ktm]

Good write up. In the future if any conversation around nr comes up you can always ask “do you only hunt Idaho?” Usually sparks good conversation either way they answer

 

[cmorris6]

I spent nearly ten days in Idaho chasing elk, getting frustrated by the elk, and being excited by the elk all in the same breath. We saw some quality bulls, saw a lot of mule deer, some sheep, and several people.

It was a rollercoaster, but I wouldn’t imagine it any other way. We didn’t fill our tags, but this being our 2nd elk hunt, we were very close at times to letting an arrow fly, and that in itself felt like a win.

I do want to share a story of a gentleman we ran into. He was open to conversation, but I caution this blanket approach. We were hiking in with camp on our back and he was camped along the main trail. We cordially said hello and he asked how we found this place. Thanks to a a local contact and some due diligence of my own, we had colocated areas of interest in the particular area. He proceeded to tell us how crowded it had been, and how out of staters have flooded his area (I saw a Washington plate on his truck). He also proceeded to talk about a ruined shot opportunity on a 5pt due to an ATV rider. Followed by the classic I wish NR hunters in Idaho had to do a draw. I responded with a hey, I apologize if NR hunters have caused issues for you, but we’re here to do the same thing as you and have spent a lot of time and money to get here.

That day we got into elk after setting up camp 3mi in. It was the best first day in my very short elk hunting career. And yes, we ran into two NR hunters on our way up the mountain.

The next day we ran into this gentleman again. This time he had three other gents. All cordial, and all working the same bulls we glassed the night before on the mountain. This time, the gentleman he was hunting with were comprised of two NR hunters and one other resident. His story of the ruined 5pt changed to I hit one in the shoulder after we described the two big 6pt bulls we glassed. We chatted a little bit, had a few laughs and then went on our separate ways. That was the last time we seen them as we had packed out on day 3 to reassess and re-gameplan and they were gone.

What I know is there were three quality bulls in 4 separate drainages which this gentleman was eying. We had local insight and e-scouting intel to work off of as in-person scouting was not possible for us. And we just happened to pick a similar area but made an effort to hunt away from them. However, I only saw one other NR plate in the entire 45min drive from town at any camps or trailheads, most of the others I spoke to coming into the area were native Idaho residents, and I ultimately didn’t see that many people hunting. Maybe all of 8-9 other hunters in nearly 10 days. But, I quickly learned people can be possessive of the animals they are interested in regardless of how each of us scout.

I would definitely go back to where we were, and outside of this gentleman, every Idaho resident we ran into was extremely nice, appreciative of the info we shared, and reciprocal in what they shared. But, I know there’s more people out there hunting that are like this gentleman, and I think we need to reassess our disdain towards those who work hard and put in the time on their hunts. It doesn’t matter where they’re from, it simply matters what kind of hunter they are. And, we need to get away from the entitlement of animals being “ours” and more focused on how we can lift others up in the process of their elk hunt.

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Awesome picture! There are no secret spots anymore, unfortunately. I understand residents’ frustrations, but everyone is afforded an opportunity, especially on OTC.