New Solo Bowhunter.. Idaho Elk help please

[mrdeadheadr]

Hey everyone, I had a taste of my first success in Utah on a cow elk with a guide I was with a few weeks ago. I am mostly interested in hunting for harvesting quality meat. I am not too far from idaho, and was trying to start planning my first solo elk hunt for next year if im lucky enough to score a tag and figured this would be a good place to start.

I'm not asking for anyone's honey holes, but if anyone is willing to help a passionate new bowhunter on any advise on where to backpack hunt 20-30 miles to hopefully come across any elk for the 2025 season. Please let me know thanks!

I could use some help in knowing what trailhead to start/park to get into an area since I drive a regular car no good clearance.. ha.

I know this may be asking a lot, but if anyone is willing to help please hit me up thanks!

 

[chukar_chaser]

Idaho elk are doing amazing right. Pick any of the front range units and pick a trail. There will be elk. They are everywhere.

 

[Beendare]

Idaho elk are doing amazing right. Pick any of the front range units and pick a trail. There will be elk. They are everywhere.

Yep, lace up your boots and hit the trail…in literally any unit. Finding them is the fun part…the challenge….otherwise hire a guide to hunt for you.

 

[mrdeadheadr]

Thanks guys good to know, what units are considered front range?

 

[WeiserBucks]

Thanks guys good to know, what units are considered front range?

All the ones that start with the number 8

 

[Fork N Horn]

Always remember to use your peep sight when you draw back. I missed a 20+ inch fork n horn because I had buck fever… that will never happen again. I don’t have any recommendations for units in Idaho…. I live/hunt in California. Good luck on your trip.

 

[mrdeadheadr]

Ok ha.. would panhandle units hold just as much elk? Lol

 

[WeiserBucks]

Ok ha.. would panhandle units hold just as much elk? Lol

There's elk in every zone you can buy a tag for. Pick the type of terrain you want to hunt and move forward trying to get a tag.

 

[AlwaysChasinTailNHorns]

Hey everyone, I had a taste of my first success in Utah on a cow elk with a guide I was with a few weeks ago. I am mostly interested in hunting for harvesting quality meat. I am not too far from idaho, and was trying to start planning my first solo elk hunt for next year if im lucky enough to score a tag and figured this would be a good place to start.

I'm not asking for anyone's honey holes, but if anyone is willing to help a passionate new bowhunter on any advise on where to backpack hunt 20-30 miles to hopefully come across any elk for the 2025 season. Please let me know thanks!

I could use some help in knowing what trailhead to start/park to get into an area since I drive a regular car no good clearance.. ha.

I know this may be asking a lot, but if anyone is willing to help please hit me up thanks!

Not sure if you are familiar with E scouting using mapping software like GoHunt, OnX, or Huntstand but these can all be amazing tools using their filters in finding roads that lead close to your desired hunting destinations. They also have 3D imaging that aids in the scouting process of what units you’re looking at so you can slightly (and I mean slightly because even 3D doesn’t do some slopes justice) gauge terrain features that you think may hold elk that time of year. As far as Idaho experience I can’t help with that all my elk experience is in Washington and Colorado. Good luck!

 

[Danny Hoey]

Ok ha.. would panhandle units hold just as much elk? Lol

I would start here, https://idfg.idaho.gov/ifwis/huntplanner/stats/?season=general&game=elk&yr=2023

and go from there. Idaho is a wonderful State with lots of different terrains and hunt types.

Good luck.

 

[Idaboy]

I would first get a tag...

 

[nwcomechanic]

Isn't it supposed to be rough with wolf predation in certain areas worse than other that lead the elk herds to be very skittish and or silent?? thanks

 

[Wrench]

Isn't it supposed to be rough with wolf predation in certain areas worse than other that lead the elk herds to be very skittish and or silent?? thanks

Yes.

 

[nwcomechanic]

Yes.

Sorry not meaning to state the obvious or seem like a dingus.

Grew up overseas, started hunting after moving to NW Colorado 10 years ago. Never even heard of an elk I don't' think before I moved to CO.

Curious how you deal with it up there and if you've had encounters?

 

[Wrench]

Sound like elk. Rake....but be quiet on the loud calls. Raking is your friend.

 

[elkliver]

ummm Did i read your post right about backpacking 20-30 miles?

 

[mrdeadheadr]

Not sure if you are familiar with E scouting using mapping software like GoHunt, OnX, or Huntstand but these can all be amazing tools using their filters in finding roads that lead close to your desired hunting destinations. They also have 3D imaging that aids in the scouting process of what units you’re looking at so you can slightly (and I mean slightly because even 3D doesn’t do some slopes justice) gauge terrain features that you think may hold elk that time of year. As far as Idaho experience I can’t help with that all my elk experience is in Washington and Colorado. Good luck!

Hey man, I live in WA.. would you give me any advice on where to find elk here? Going to hunt first time next year here.

 

[AlwaysChasinTailNHorns]

Hey man, I live in WA.. would you give me any advice on where to find elk here? Going to hunt first time next year here.

I’ll point you in the right direction. First is deciding if you want to hunt Roosevelt in the western portion of Washington or Rockies in the eastern portion (I grew up hunting western Washington). Second is downloading an e scouting tool that will show you land ownership so you can identify public lands and get boots on the ground and scout and glass your tail off in the offseason because elk hunting is hard no matter what anyone tells you and you gotta put in a lot of work and have some luck involved to kill bulls especially in Washington. Spending time in the woods and finding bedding, dark timber, food sources, water (and not all isolated but finding these things within a reasonable distance of each other will help your odds of getting on fresh sign and finding elk). Now you can do all of the above things and also look into a private timberland permit which is basically a permit you can acquire that the timber companies use for a tax right off that allows you to hunt the private timberland which are usually less pressured areas but honestly you’re gonna see other hunters no matter what usually so don’t let that discourage you just stay patient and keep working hard. If you have any other questions let me know and good luck.

 

[bergie]

ummm Did i read your post right about backpacking 20-30 miles?

Backpacking in 20 miles doesn't sound and depending on terrain/trail system might not really that bad.

However, I don't care what the terrain looks like a 20 mile one way trip to pack out an elk would be absolutely horrible. If you are alone that makes it horrible multiplied by 4 or 5, depending on the size of the bull.

 

[BKIdaho]

Yeah, 20 mi by backpack is a non-starter, so take that as advice #1.

Forums like this will not give info on where to hunt. 20yrs ago maybe. Advice you might get I’d be suspect they are F’ing with you.

Like others said, most units hold elk. IDFG has a lot of data that can at least say which units in N Idaho have the most tags and most success, key drivers to start with.

Lots of YouTube to help with country that is elky, just know it’s different in N Idaho than AZ.

It’s that time of yr, so take a day or weekend and go now, hike w Bino’s and find elk. Talk to hunters in field now and get advice, which you’ll get because you’re making an effort. Asking on here isn’t really making an effort, right.

Also, learn about pre-Rut, rut, and post rut, along with typical migration as when you hunt, where you hunt will have the elk in different places.

So there is some useful, though very basic ones that can start you out.

You only really learn things, in the field, during hunting time, over time, meaning years, so gun/bow or not, now a a good time to just GO….