Selway 17 2022

[Jordandjack03]

Just got back from Idaho, first it is a beautiful area to visit, we stayed at the Paradise campground which was also great. With that said, we hunted hard for a week and did not see any elk. We may have heard elk on our first day but it may have also been hunters. We hiked roughly 10 miles a day and hit Bad Luck MTN and MT. George hard. We did see some tracks but they most likely were old.
A couple of the outfitters that were way out there say they were leaving early due to not seeing any elk or fresh sign. We did get to hear the wolves and another couple hunting groups got shots off but no luck.
I find it amazing how much damage the wolves had done to the population there. I am sure it has not helped with the recent fires.

Anyway, loved the trip, loved the area, probably going to try CO next year with archery.
Just wandering what everyone else in the area did or if they had success. Hopefully the population recovers and if it does, I will definitely be back in the area.
Josh

 

[KHNC]

Killed my 2nd bull ever in the Selway-Bitterroot area near Fish Lake airstrip in 2005. Lots of elk in the area back then. I heard the outfitter we used pulled all his camps a few years later due to wolves and very few elk. Resorted to using it for spring bear hunts.

 

[evergreenethos]

I took a bull in Selway on opening day. We heard a few others (including what we think was the herd bull mine was the satellite for) and we saw a lot of fresh sign, but the only one we saw all week was the one I shot. Most days we could get one to bugle back at us once first thing in the morning, but that was it. It is an extremely tough unit and I feel very fortunate to have been successful.

 

[sneaky]

It's trophy country, but tough hunting. Fires actually help with forage in there. Not much to eat in old growth forest. Wolves are part of the equation. High numbers of cats and bears in there as well.

 

[Jordandjack03]

I took a bull in Selway on opening day. We heard a few others (including what we think was the herd bull mine was the satellite for) and we saw a lot of fresh sign, but the only one we saw all week was the one I shot. Most days we could get one to bugle back at us once first thing in the morning, but that was it. It is an extremely tough unit and I feel very fortunate to have been successful.

View attachment 464540

That is awesome. We came in 2nd week, I am tempted to go back and try again as it was such an awesome area and I learned alot from it. May not stay in 17 area though and may look at a different area. We stayed at Paradise campground. thinking we maybe should have hiked in from there and got further in. Live and learn. Congrats!

 

[Highlander1]

I hunted there with a few other hunters and an outfitter and it was terrible. Beautiful country but no elk. Pretty sure the guides knew that. Disappointed we wasted our money on that hunt. Would love to hunt the Selway again but very jaded after that adventure.

 

[MHWASH]

I'm not trying to be negative, but with all the negative talk on the Selway unit, I'm always surprised by the amount of out of state hunters that hunt the area then talk about how much of a disappointment the area is. It takes very little research to find out about the poor elk hunting there.

 

[TheTone]

I'm not trying to be negative, but with all the negative talk on the Selway unit, I'm always surprised by the amount of out of state hunters that hunt the area then talk about how much of a disappointment the area is. It takes very little research to find out about the poor elk hunting there.

They’re always going to just hunt harder, be in better shape or think it’s bs; at least until they get there and fully understand the size and scope of the country

 

[sneaky]

Lot of times it's the only tag available to them. You have to do the best you can with what you get. Elk are pocketed in that country, lots of empty basins, but elk are there. Hard to control predators in that country so elk and deer numbers are never going to be at the levels they were before the mid 90s.

 

[Highlander1]

In our case we talked to the outfitter and they told us a different story than what we experienced. Talked a wildlife biologist after the fact and they said approximately 100 elk in the whole unit. Pretty place but not great elk numbers.

 

[Rob5589]

100?! Talk about finding a needle in a haystack

 

[Howdy Partner]

Lol.
BS.

 

[Highlander1]

What’s BS?

 

[Fyaman1]

I guess that’s why they the tags never sold out last year

 

[Azone]

In our case we talked to the outfitter and they told us a different story than what we experienced. Talked a wildlife biologist after the fact and they said approximately 100 elk in the whole unit. Pretty place but not great elk numbers.

It’s slim pickings in there from my experiences but if there were only 100 elk left I doubt they would be selling tags for that unit. I’ve spent days hiking and staring at NOTHING in that place but I find 100 hard to believe. I mean if there were only 100 elk left the wolf population would crash, there are still plenty of wolves in that country. Unless the dogs are just living on mulies and whitetail now, just my two cents on the subject. But man that place sure is beautiful, wish I could have got to experience the pre wolf elk hunting in that country. No way in hell I would spend several grand on a guided elk hunt in that place though.

 

[sneaky]

What’s BS?

100 elk in that whole unit. That's nonsense.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Jordandjack03]

The only tags left this year are in LOLO for archery. We tried all day to get a tag but the site crashed. I ended up calling and they were sold out of elk and deer. May give the LOLO a try. If anyone has had any success in that area, would be great to hear. I am also going to talk to biologist to see thoughts. It is beautiful and my brother goes with me and fishes.

 

[Loo.wii]

Killed my 2nd bull ever in the Selway-Bitterroot area near Fish Lake airstrip in 2005. Lots of elk in the area back then. I heard the outfitter we used pulled all his camps a few years later due to wolves and very few elk. Resorted to using it for spring bear hunts.

How much is it to get out there on a plane

 

[16Racing]

Hunted the same unit and stayed in that same camp area. Killed my cinnamon bear there and actually seen a 5x5 but unfortunately was farther than I was able to make a shot. Not going back there this year gonna try the salmon region hopefully a little more elk there.

 

[Huntnnw]

The only tags left this year are in LOLO for archery. We tried all day to get a tag but the site crashed. I ended up calling and they were sold out of elk and deer. May give the LOLO a try. If anyone has had any success in that area, would be great to hear. I am also going to talk to biologist to see thoughts. It is beautiful and my brother goes with me and fishes.

Ill tell you now if you havent hunted it and are thinking about it you need to make it a 3-4 year investment. Can you get lucky ? yup, but the majority who have never done it and buy a tag cause it was the only tag almost never return. A friend of mine talked to 4 camps this year in a area we hunt and all 4 camps had never been there and all bought it cause it was the only tag left and none of them are returning lol