Idaho Elk Hunt 2019

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  • MoJoy99

    Member
    Apr 28, 2018
    31
    Fort Washington
    There aren’t many tags left for ID. Plus, as of July 31, all the left over quota tags over are open to all to obtain 2nd tags. They should go quick?

    I am looking at hunting in Aug/Sept 2019 so tags don't go on sale until Dec 31. I think I will get my tag pretty early. It is looking like Palisades or Tex Creek are the way to go. The guy from Elk Shape mentioned Pioneer Mountain as well, but I think I will stick to the eastern side of the state. Access looked pretty decent with quite a bit of camping.

    My biggest concern is, at least according to the the interactive maps, there are tons of trails and forest roads through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Seems like it would be pretty challenging to get away. You can see the image and what I am referring to. Maybe it is not as bad as it seems.

    I do appreciate all the info. This has been a huge help in getting my research started. Have you guys talked to biologists or rangers in the area? I've seen it mentioned in other places, but it is not something I am familiar with as not very necessary for whitetail. Any recommendations on who to contact for the above mentioned part of ID? Is this something that you have to pay for?

    Good luck to you Crabby!!!! Take some pictures - terrain, scenery, your trophy.
     

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    Devonian

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 15, 2008
    1,199
    I am looking at hunting in Aug/Sept 2019 so tags don't go on sale until Dec 31. I think I will get my tag pretty early. It is looking like Palisades or Tex Creek are the way to go. The guy from Elk Shape mentioned Pioneer Mountain as well, but I think I will stick to the eastern side of the state. Access looked pretty decent with quite a bit of camping.

    My biggest concern is, at least according to the the interactive maps, there are tons of trails and forest roads through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Seems like it would be pretty challenging to get away. You can see the image and what I am referring to. Maybe it is not as bad as it seems.

    I do appreciate all the info. This has been a huge help in getting my research started. Have you guys talked to biologists or rangers in the area? I've seen it mentioned in other places, but it is not something I am familiar with as not very necessary for whitetail. Any recommendations on who to contact for the above mentioned part of ID? Is this something that you have to pay for?

    Good luck to you Crabby!!!! Take some pictures - terrain, scenery, your trophy.


    I’m hunting the area just to the east in Wyoming this September. I called the biologist for the area and it was helpful. Just have a few trail heads and drainages picked out to ask him about. Show him you’ve done your homework and he’ll be more open with you.
     

    MoJoy99

    Member
    Apr 28, 2018
    31
    Fort Washington
    Awesome picture Wilcam. I take it you have a trail cam set up. I suppose Elk are like whitetail in that the younger ones tend to be more tender....:bannana:

    On another note, I came across the staff roster including the biologists for ID at https://www.fws.gov/idaho/documents/Contacttable.htm. Posting more for myself so I can find it easier next time I am looking.

    The more research I do, the more excited I get. Regardless of the outcome, this will be an awesome trip.

    For Crabby and Wilcam, do you hike in each day or camp overnight near the area you intend to hunt?
     

    wilcam47

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 4, 2008
    25,976
    Changed zip code
    Awesome picture Wilcam. I take it you have a trail cam set up. I suppose Elk are like whitetail in that the younger ones tend to be more tender....:bannana:

    On another note, I came across the staff roster including the biologists for ID at https://www.fws.gov/idaho/documents/Contacttable.htm. Posting more for myself so I can find it easier next time I am looking.

    The more research I do, the more excited I get. Regardless of the outcome, this will be an awesome trip.

    For Crabby and Wilcam, do you hike in each day or camp overnight near the area you intend to hunt?
    yes the younger are more tender and tasty, the bulls can get rutty tasting similar to the whitetail. Honestly Id rather take a cow for the meat but Ive yet to kill a bull/spike--its on my bucket list. Ive killed 2 cows one with a rifle and one with my bow.

    I usually atv in relatively close to where I know they are then walk in a ways and either set up where I can get a good shot or stalk in and try to ambush them. The bad part is some people atv all the way in to where they are and either push them out or away from where they are to get a good shot.

    In other somewhat related news, logging operations about a mile or 2 away from my property has opened up a new logging road. So that is going to open up what was previously secluded woods. I used to see numerous elk in there because no one could drive in with the atv's. But now since they cut a road in, that is going to change the dynamic of the area. My hope is it pushes them down the hill towards my property. Which has everything they need...food, water and shelter. One neighbor does shoot some but they still come in there for the water and food.
     

    CrabbyMcNab

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2009
    2,474
    We have gone with a bivvy set up 6 miles in and camped at the campground. Both have their merits, but I do like having all my crap at the truck for camping. When leaving from the truck each day, we were the only ones that we knew of after the 3 hour hike in. Thee is an article about the deer kill from the 2016 winter in Tex Creek, supposed to have been hard for the deer and not so much for the elk.

    I will have the AAR upon my return mid October.
     

    MoJoy99

    Member
    Apr 28, 2018
    31
    Fort Washington
    So, some you have mentioned hiking about 3 to 4 hours to get away from other hunters. The trails and roads are only about 1 to 2 miles apart and average about 4 to 6 miles in length. Are you going down the trail for a while then going off? Looking at the satellite view and topo view I can't really distinguish one place over another as good area to look for Elk. How do you decide which trail heads to use?

    There are not many campgrounds in the area either. I am not sure of the rules in the national forest if I can camp on the side of the road/trail or am I limited to using a designated camp site.
     

    MDHunter

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 12, 2007
    1,207
    Free America
    If you end up going solo and using a bow, please think about taking a decent caliber handgun with you as well. The grizzlies out West are a lot more aggressive than Alaskan grizzlies or the black bears we have out here; a guide lost his life a few days ago in Wyoming, fighting off a young sow grizzly that attacked he and his hunter unprovoked. Tragic story, he left a wife and 5 children behind...
     

    Devonian

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 15, 2008
    1,199
    If you end up going solo and using a bow, please think about taking a decent caliber handgun with you as well. The grizzlies out West are a lot more aggressive than Alaskan grizzlies or the black bears we have out here; a guide lost his life a few days ago in Wyoming, fighting off a young sow grizzly that attacked he and his hunter unprovoked. Tragic story, he left a wife and 5 children behind...

    I was in Wyoming hunting about 30 miles south when the guide was killed. Really sad, the guide seemed like a really solid guy. We hunted in a group this trip and we all carried handguns because of the grizzly threat.
     

    MDHunter

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 12, 2007
    1,207
    Free America
    I was in Wyoming hunting about 30 miles south when the guide was killed. Really sad, the guide seemed like a really solid guy. We hunted in a group this trip and we all carried handguns because of the grizzly threat.

    And the Libtard Governor of Wyoming just cancelled the Grizzly hunt for this year...
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    Been following this on another forum for a bit. Lots of things seem odd about this encounter/attack/escape/mauling. Here's an account of what went down..

    https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/article_b4d14d59-e76a-5da6-9929-b9422416a744.html

    https://trib.com/lifestyles/recreat...cle_c5913d2a-4889-5fa9-89d8-e44562b06717.html

    "We can’t say that bear spray wasn’t completely effective."

    If they can't, then I can. The bears killed the guide. The spray didn't stop them and its verified that he unloaded the can - at some point - on the sow.

    Still, lots of takeaway from this. If I ever get all my ducks in a row to elk hunt out west (hopefully next year - things are falling into place), I won't go back into a kill site unarmed (and preferrably with a shotgun), whether is in grizz country or not. Ant don't let your guard down even if there's no sign of bears on the kill.

    Can't understand how the horses stuck around....
     

    MDHunter

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 12, 2007
    1,207
    Free America
    A judge blocked the hunt temporarily. Wyoming’s governor is a republican and approved the hunt.

    Thanks for clarifying my mis-stated info. It looks like another judge has declared the Yellowstone grizzly population under the Endangered Species Act. Politics trumps sound biology once again.
     

    MDHunter

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 12, 2007
    1,207
    Free America
    Been following this on another forum for a bit. Lots of things seem odd about this encounter/attack/escape/mauling. Here's an account of what went down..

    https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/article_b4d14d59-e76a-5da6-9929-b9422416a744.html

    https://trib.com/lifestyles/recreat...cle_c5913d2a-4889-5fa9-89d8-e44562b06717.html

    "We can’t say that bear spray wasn’t completely effective."

    If they can't, then I can. The bears killed the guide. The spray didn't stop them and its verified that he unloaded the can - at some point - on the sow.

    Still, lots of takeaway from this. If I ever get all my ducks in a row to elk hunt out west (hopefully next year - things are falling into place), I won't go back into a kill site unarmed (and preferrably with a shotgun), whether is in grizz country or not. Ant don't let your guard down even if there's no sign of bears on the kill.

    Can't understand how the horses stuck around....

    The other thing that got my attention - looks like the guide and hunter got to the dead elk before the bears ever found it; so when the bear attacked, it wasn't trying to reclaim its meat, it was just doing a full-on assault, without any provocation as far as anyone can tell.
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    The other thing that got my attention - looks like the guide and hunter got to the dead elk before the bears ever found it; so when the bear attacked, it wasn't trying to reclaim its meat, it was just doing a full-on assault, without any provocation as far as anyone can tell.

    Yeah - I saw that too, but I think its hard to say whether the bear had claimed it or not. I mean, just because they weren't there gnawing on it or sleeping on it doesn't mean they didn't consider it theirs...

    I thought it was interesting that they determined that both bears had eventually attacked the guide and that they dispatched both bears. Granted the cub was 1.5. Also surprised that the sow weight was only 250, although they said she was in good health.

    Sad all the way around.

    Shotgun: slugs and buckshot. Might have been a different story.

    I just can't imagine the horses not going ape shit and ending up in California. Weird.
     

    MoJoy99

    Member
    Apr 28, 2018
    31
    Fort Washington
    That really is unfortunate about the guide getting mauled by the bears. Definitely something to think about when preparing, whether it will be a solo hunt or with some other people.

    As for my planning, I think I am leaning more towards hunting CO. I am going to drive, so CO is a bit closer than ID. All that being said, still drinking from the fire hose on this. I might do one of the Elk University courses. I see a lot of updates on the FB page with successes. Why not try and stack the deck!?
     

    wilcam47

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 4, 2008
    25,976
    Changed zip code
    The other thing that got my attention - looks like the guide and hunter got to the dead elk before the bears ever found it; so when the bear attacked, it wasn't trying to reclaim its meat, it was just doing a full-on assault, without any provocation as far as anyone can tell.

    Didnt they say she had a cub or cubs? Thats enough anywhere.

    On a different note I had an elk bugling back and forth yesterday morning. He wasnt too happy about me bugling so he took off over the hill. So either he was young or he was smart. Late yesterday afternoon I heard him "woofing" back on my side of the hill so he came back towards the water hole.
     

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