Selway

lewy · Feb 16, 2005

No one answered my note on hunting Selway. It sounds like I will have the whole Unit to my self. I hope they have some Elk in there. If not does anyone know of some good bars in the area.

Blank · Feb 16, 2005

Any particular reason you picked the Selway units? What area and direction are you coming in from? More elk south and east of that area, but bulls probably not the same age class. Archery hunting good anywhere. Better bars and women in Salmon, Challis, Leadore, Idaho Falls.

Paul_Crawford · Feb 17, 2005

I hunted the area around Elk City one year. 5 of us killed 2 good bulls, and I missed a good one. PC

bittersweetmuleymeat · Feb 17, 2005

Alot of that country is tough and unforgiving. Even with the early rifle you still have bulls within 50yds you cant get a shot at. Very few open areas. Can get alot of horse travel. Be careful.

foxtrot4elk · Feb 18, 2005

lewy, there have been some great bulls taken over the years out of the selway. I've hunted there twice. I would plan on having horses if you really want to get anywhere.
bittersweet is very correct,"tough & unforgiving",as most of the north 1/2 of this state, its pretty much hunting solid timber. good luck foxtrot4elk

supersider34 · Feb 18, 2005

here is a pic off the top of Devils peak or point. By the fire look out. Several pics together to give you an idea.

foxtrot4elk · Feb 20, 2005

Great pic layout 34. Looks just like that all the way thru the clearwater, the joe,the couer d' alenes, hell most of North Idaho! LMAO I love it!
foxtrot4elk

supersider34 · Feb 20, 2005

We hunted up there and it is the nastiest area I have hunted. There was elk in there as we had them answering calls but never connected on any. We where camped at the trail head of Hells Half Acre. Some really rough country up there. My friends Aunts B/F guides up there and he told us after we got back that the best place to hunt is across the river after you pass the Magruder turn off. Towards Paradise. He said no one will cross the river. It is pretty wild up there. I crossed it the next year looking for bears and found some grizzly tracks in a swamp in there. Also saw a ton of elk sign over on the south side of the river.

martinc · Feb 21, 2005

I'm planning a hunt in unit 17 in 2006. Do you know if there is a lot of hunters in the Bear Creek area. Since this is on the Montana side, I assume most Idaho residents would enter from other sides. Am I right ? Still unsure if we will backpack or get horses

Martin

supersider34 · Feb 21, 2005

Not sure where that is. I dont know. Sorry.

Muskieman8837 · Feb 24, 2005

Lewy
I am going to be hunting in unit 20 this september what unit are you planning to hunt.

mtmuley · Feb 24, 2005

Martin, Are you talking about Bear Creek on the Bitteroot side? mtmuley

martinc · Feb 25, 2005

Yes, right on the Idaho-Montana border. We would enter at Bear Creek Pass. Do you have info on that area ?

Martin

bittersweetmuleymeat · Feb 25, 2005

Why did you pick Bear creek Mt to enter? Just curious, its a pretty good sized hill to get over on the border. Trail is good going up. Can get alot of hikers, especially on weekends.

RockyDog · Feb 25, 2005

I know the folks that run Bear Creek Outfitters. They have a few camp locations in the Bear Creek drainage. Big country, but early rifle season during the rut tends to thin the mature bulls out enough that you cant count on seeing one, always a chance though.

foxtrot4elk · Feb 25, 2005

Just got off the phone with Clearwater region F&G. All you gents planning on hunting there (Selway) really ought to call them. They told me the elk #s are in a steady decline there. Now thats not to say there aren't any elk left but if you excpect to pack in there & be overrun by elk you might want to rethink. I guess it all depends what kind of experience you're after. 1-208-799-5010 this is their # if anyone is interested.
foxtrot4elk

martinc · Feb 25, 2005

I would fly into Missoula so coming from the North or the East would be easier. I don't see the upslope on the trail, not sure we are talking about the same exact spot. The trailhead looks fairly high on my map, you would have to climb a bit but then you would go downhill into Idaho.

Guys, do you think that the 2 outfitters ( Ken Francisco,Bear Creek Outfitters and Tom Henderson, Bitteroot Outfitters)in that region would give me a fair picture of the hunting pressure in that area or would they lead me anywhere else no matter what ?

I will also phone biologists as foxtrot suggested...

lewy · Feb 25, 2005

foxtrotelk did they say why they were declining in that area. The last couple of years I have heard the wolves and bears have had alot to do with it. I don't think it is the hunting pressure. I could be wrong. I am looking at heading into unit 20. Any leads are much appreciated. Thanks Lewy

lewy · Feb 25, 2005

I have a couple of friends that have hunted Selway before. There Uncle horsebacks in every year and does well. We are kinda looking at Unit 20. Going in somewhere near Dixie. We are planning on camping and hiking in somewhere so looking for a Unit with a few roads and or hiking trails to get back in on. Any help would be great.
Thanks Lewy

RockyDog · Feb 25, 2005

Ken Francisco will.

elknut · Feb 25, 2005

I took my largest bull 6X7 out of Bear Creek. It's very steep and deep as stated above. Not much pressure, however I'd suggest a horse. We road 26 miles to camp. Very wild country, I'd like to go back again - just way to many area's to hunt.

martinc · Feb 25, 2005

Thanks RockyDog, I will send him an email.
I also feels that it is mostly the predadors, since I saw everywhere that there is a lot of bears in the region. The number of tags is controlled by a quota, so the pressure should be reasonable.

Since I'm not experienced in elk hunting, would you guys tell me if the fact that the rifle season is in september can also explain the decline, if the rutting season is disturbed by too much pressure ?

martinc

foxtrot4elk · Feb 25, 2005

You're correct about it not being the hunting pressure, because of the tag cap the hunting is tightly controlled. Its as always a combination of things. The 96-97 winter was the big killer. I was very shocked that the #s were still declining (even more shocked to hear it from F&G!!) Habitat is closing in on their term "climax stage vegetation" mature closed canopy forests across the board aren't so great for wildlife. They (F&G) even admitted that predation is a severe problem. The black bears have learned the elevation lines to concentrate on during spring calving and are mangling the elk calves. Now this wasn't enough so we had to throw the wolf back into the equation. That little killing machine known as the cougar didn't come into the conversation this time.But I got the picture anyway.The elk calve survival rate is very low around 15% this is not even close to maintaining #s much less expanding them. There are elk still in the Selway but its certainly not the crown jewel it used to be.
foxtrot4elk

bittersweetmuleymeat · Feb 25, 2005

Theres alot of impact from wolves you will never here the FWP admit. (mabey 20 years from now) Thats all I have to say about that!

mtmuley · Feb 26, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-05 AT 07:55AM (MST)[p]bittersweet is right. I know that most Idaho hunters use the Lost Horse drainage for Selway access. mtmuley Also, I have never been clear to the border up Bear Creek. I know guys that have, so I'll ask some questions.