Hunting Idaho # unit 66-A

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BUGLEMN

Guest
Has any body hunted UNIT # 66-A with a bow, and if so when are the elk in the rut? ( around what week to make are chances better)We are going to go up once for a few days to scout and bring in food for the hunt. The hunt goes from Aug 30th to the 30th of Sep. Any info would be appiated. A friend and I are going to pack in and I just thought I would post this to see if anybody knows this area. Thanks

BUGLEMN
 
Thanks for the info I kinda thought they might get going around that time but like I said this is a new area for us and any info will help. Thanks alot Pappabull.

BUGLEMN
 
We hunt in that unit/76 alot. Usually go up every year and I have to say it's getting worse and worse every year up there. I would make sure to get back in there a ways. More and more people seem to be showing up in that country. :(

We usually go around 15th for a week.

ODDNUT1
Kirt C.
Hunt Odds.com
 
I had a moose tag in 2004 in that unit. It also opened on Aug 30. It really opened my eyes to the number of people that bow hunt especially in that unit. There is a lot of great country in that unit but like the earlier post said, the number of people and camps are getting out of hand. Expect pleanty of company.... The elk were going good around the 20th....
 
THANKS FOR THE ADDVICE FORM THE BOTH OF YA. WE WILL HAVE HORSES SO I KNOW WE CAN GET BACK IN THIER A WAYS BUT IS THE UNIT VERY BIG? IT LOOKS LIKE IT BUT, THEN I THINK WE WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR OUR SCOUTING TRIP. DO BOTH OF YOU GUY'S SEE SUCCESS WHEN YOU GO? I'M JUST WONDERING. AGAIN THANKS FOR THE INPUT. IT WILL HELP.

BUGLEMN
 
I drew rifle bull 2 years ago for 66A/76, 300 or so bull tags were given that year, last year they upped it to near 700 rifle bull tags! and some 1500 cow tags! There are elk in there however with that many tags the numbers have got to be way down, but thats what the IF&G wanted, to reduce numbers, and I'm sure they have. I know that area has been plugged in a couple of the bowhunting magazines and subsequently pressure has been way up the last few years. If you're hunting 66A and are on horses, I've got a pretty good idea where you are headed, be aware that there is a well used 4 wheeler road that cuts right across the top of your drainage, alot of bowhuntes bail off on top from their machines and hunt down while you'll probably be hunting up from the bottom by horse, so if you think you'll be alone, you won't. 66A is not a big unit, then cut off the areas that don't carry elk and it becomes even smaller, you can drive a pickup around the unit in about an hour and a half. 76 is quite bigger but more scattered. Shoot me an email if you want more info.
 
I've hunted the area for the past five years, and feel I know the west end of the unit well. The elk seem to get quiter every year and they keep increaseing the rifle tags, so I dont know if I'm ging back. Russ
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-17-06 AT 11:40AM (MST)[p]ive hunted 76/66a for the last 4yrs and im not going this year.Like earlier posts every year the woods get more and more crowded. Weve had horses and went in 5 or 6 miles and you just cant get away from other hunters or pressured elk. weve had the most success the first week after that the elk just get more and more pressure as more people come. Dont get me wrong there are alot of elk just be prepared for alot of company. If you look at the number of hunters in those two areas it is 3 times as many as there are in any other unit in the state. Ive gone back during the deer season and that is by far when the elk are rutting the hardest they seem to know when they are being hunted. You can kill an elk if your patient and sit water holes or are good at stalking, they get real shy to calling in a hurry.
 
You'll do alot better if you leave your calls at home. We hunted 76 2001-03 and killed two 330" bulls and a raghorn. We switched areas because we got so burned out on the people. Two bulls were killed over wallows and my bull I killed while he was fighting another bull. I don't intend to go back archery unless they make it a permit hunt for archery. We had camps roll in that were packed-in in 66a with their horses and move down to 76 to try and get away from the people. Huge bulls though, a camp right by us killed a 380" bull. It was funny those guys had killed that monster and were still pulling out due to the amount of people. They actualy had a guy on a quad ride through the woods and try to get between them and the bull they were calling. That camp had learned too, quit calling and chase bugles or sit on water. I'd look for a different area.
 
Boy it sounds like it might be a diffacult hunt. Sounds like they are elk in the area but to many people for the area. thansk for all the input and advice form forkwest, deerlove and out of stater. We will probably give it a try. It's better than the places I've hunted here in my home state. Thanks guy's again

Buglem

ps outofstater i sent you a pm
 
This seems to have turned into a thread about both 66A and 76. I bowhunted 76 last year. As others have indicated, the number of hunters is amazing. Couldn't get away from them. The Diamond Creek area was like a shopping mall during the Christmas season. Moreover, EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE, has a quad and uses them liberally. We moved to the south in 76 to areas that are closed to quads, but that didn't stop Joe Bob and all his cousins from firing up the engines and heading into pristine areas where no engines are allowed. The elk were very skittish.
 
Souinds like these people need to have the fish cops called on them. I know I will have access to a sat phone I could call on them, but that doesn't pan out most of the time. Sound like some good ol' boys just don't care like usual. Not to say that all of them ride the quads were thier not supposed to. But a few ruin it for the rest of the hunters up there. I just don't know what to do. Sounds like the state that I hunt all over again. HEEFMAN did you see any success when you hunted the area at all? if you want to e-mail go ahead. Thanks for the heads up like everyone else.
BUGLEMN
 
Man, I went up there a few years ago, there was so many hunters it was like a freakin , it was . I doubt youll see many Elk, so make sure to take plenty of and . And dont forget to stay away from the sheepherders, dont want any of this . Be safe, and have a great time!
 
LOL! I LOVE THE GREEN GUY HUMPING THE LEG. CAN YOU SAY HUMPING ON THIS SITE WITHOUT GETTING IT DELETED? THAT MADE THIS SITUATION A LITTLE BETTER THANKS FOR THE POST
T-DOG.

BUGLEMN
 
Yeah, be careful what you say round here, like bessy says "the badge is still shiny" You would hate to get
 
I had friends hunt 66-A this year and I doubt they'll ever go back. They planned on staying the full first week but got so fed up with the crowds and, specifically, the ATVs riding off designated trails, that they packed it in and went home early. I think the final straw was when they got up early and packed several miles in the dark into a roadless area to find hunters cleaning a 6 pt. bull next to their ATV. Although this was early in the morning, the hunters claimed they only got the ATV after they dropped the bull. Right.

Fortunately, my experiences in other units has been much more pleasant.
 
Thansk for the advice Model70. It sounds like this place is a zoo and that there are elk but, you have to fight the people to get a spot sounds like UTAH. Well i just don't know what to do now. Any ways thanks to everyone who's posted here sound's like I need to find a differn't place to hunt.

BUGLEMN
 
I just moved to Idaho last year from Utah and didn't know where to hunt. I ended up at the last minute deciding on a unit very close to the ones being talked about. I picked a mountain range and started hiking. I hunted two days without seeing another person. During that time I called in seven different bulls to within 20 yards or less. I ended up shooting a 7x7 at 15 yards after missing a huge 6x6 earlier. Two days later I went back with a friend and his son, who both shot bulls within 24 hours of each other. One was a 3x4 and the other a 6x6. It was the most exciting hunt I've ever been on. For a general unit it was far superior to any Utah general area I had ever hunted.

My point is that I wouldn't completely give up on Idaho, I would just look for a different unit. There is some great hunting in many of the general units.
 
BUGLEMN, Just like PRN said don't give up on Idaho. We changed units in 2005 and my partner got a 300" bull and my other buddy and I both got shots at 6 point bulls we called in and saw very few hunters. We packed in with our horses to get away from the people. If you do go 66a/76 take treestands and hunt water or chase bugles. Good luck!
 
I'll echo what others have said. Find another zone and you'll be happier with your hunt. If your set on going 66a-76, then bush whack. Thats right if there is a trail into the area your hunting then there will be others there with you. I have had 4 years in that zone and last year was the last straw and I'll be scouting several other units that I can utilize the horses in. Have a great trip. Oh just one more tidbit, I heard the IDFG feels there are way too many elk in that area so they will be adding more tags. Even considering making a 2 elk area. You think the hills were saturated before!!!
 
I've learned that since the draw units are open for rifle in Id. these units draw ALOT of archery hunters. I drew a early rifle hunt in 04 and went a week early w/horses. Everywhere we scouted there were archery hunters packed in. Backpacks, horses, llamas, etc. My plan was if it was good I would get a leftover archery tag in the future. I'm off that idea now. I think the rifle draw units in Id. are magnets for archery hunters
 
Thanks again for all the post's from everyone. We'll just have to make the best of an area and go with it. Any other info you guy's are willing to spill you can e-mail me or PM. Again thanks alot fellers's.

BUGLEMN
 

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