boardwalk72
FNG
I archery hunted Idaho his year, 2nd to last week in September. My hunting partner had a Montana draw tag, so we traveled together and I hoofed it over the top from Montana and spiked over in Idaho for my hunt.
First night on the way to Idaho I saw 9 cows and small bull (spike or fork) near the top of the drainage in Montana. 2nd day in Idaho I hit 2 drainages glassing and looking for sign. Very quiet that day. 3rd day I had 9 cows and a small bull near the top on the opposite side of the drainage I was glassing. I glassed 2 other drainages that morning and they were dead. While I was watching the group on the opposite side I had a 5x5 and 2 cows cross from MT into ID. Once I had the opportunity I dropped from the top into the drainage and stalked that group. 3 hours in I got to within 75 yards and got busted by one of the cows. Bull bumbled about 10 yards and stayed in the timber with the other cow. I was quite a bit higher than they were and watched them for a good 15 minutes. Once they were out of sight I tried to get ahead to cut them off and I never saw them again.
Off to the other group, the cows were sticking in a small patch of timber between 2 slides. I came into that timber from below and bumped a spike laying in the sage and he ran directly at me. Stopped about 10 yards behind a tree. Waiting for him to walk - he took off running after a minute and didn't stop for anything. Wind wasn't to my advantage going in there so I was busted. Put on 11 miles that day according to my inreach.
After that it was nice and wet for a couple of days. Only thing I saw after that was 2 on the far side of the drainage again crossing over out of the drainage.
My partner in MT saw less than I did. MT hunters we talked to said hunting sucked in the area this year. Talked with a few out of state and they were not seeing anything. I didn't see another soul in Idaho as I sat glassing the 3 drainages I was watching.
First night on the way to Idaho I saw 9 cows and small bull (spike or fork) near the top of the drainage in Montana. 2nd day in Idaho I hit 2 drainages glassing and looking for sign. Very quiet that day. 3rd day I had 9 cows and a small bull near the top on the opposite side of the drainage I was glassing. I glassed 2 other drainages that morning and they were dead. While I was watching the group on the opposite side I had a 5x5 and 2 cows cross from MT into ID. Once I had the opportunity I dropped from the top into the drainage and stalked that group. 3 hours in I got to within 75 yards and got busted by one of the cows. Bull bumbled about 10 yards and stayed in the timber with the other cow. I was quite a bit higher than they were and watched them for a good 15 minutes. Once they were out of sight I tried to get ahead to cut them off and I never saw them again.
Off to the other group, the cows were sticking in a small patch of timber between 2 slides. I came into that timber from below and bumped a spike laying in the sage and he ran directly at me. Stopped about 10 yards behind a tree. Waiting for him to walk - he took off running after a minute and didn't stop for anything. Wind wasn't to my advantage going in there so I was busted. Put on 11 miles that day according to my inreach.
After that it was nice and wet for a couple of days. Only thing I saw after that was 2 on the far side of the drainage again crossing over out of the drainage.
My partner in MT saw less than I did. MT hunters we talked to said hunting sucked in the area this year. Talked with a few out of state and they were not seeing anything. I didn't see another soul in Idaho as I sat glassing the 3 drainages I was watching.
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