SE Idaho elk hunt. Hotel help please?

Cactusbuck · Jan 16, 2018

Hi,

Last month we purchased elk B tags for Bear River Zone in SE Idaho for 2018 (non-resident). We're taking two seventeen year old boys on their first elk hunt. They're whitetail hunters from Minnesota and play hockey.

We're planning to stay in a hotel due to their school schedule. They're flying to Idaho and I am driving from AZ. We'll be hunting the last week of elk season (Oct. 18-24th).

Could you please tell me if we should stay in Preston, Soda Springs or Montpelier? The trophy size of elk is a low priority for us on this hunt. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Jason V.

Dikndirt · Jan 17, 2018

Montpelier

Cactusbuck · Jan 17, 2018

Thank you so much for your reply. Just needed a nudge in the right direction and I'll take it from here. If you need help in AZ around Williams please let me know.

Stubaby · Jan 17, 2018

Do you have a camp trailer?

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

www.cloverleafrifles.com

https://youtu.be/l3xHt-xeNYw

Cactusbuck · Jan 17, 2018

Unfortunately, no camp trailer.

Elkhunter96 · Jan 18, 2018

There is a new hotel in Soda Springs. I would stay there.

HalfAce · Jan 18, 2018

If it were me, I'de personally stay in soda springs since it's closer to better Elk country, you can go in any direction and possibly find an Elk. In my experience, the area south of Montpelier isn't as good of Elk country during season, so you would be at the southern end of the good Elk hunting. Just my two cents.

Dikndirt · Jan 18, 2018

I am not sure about this but I don't think the Bear Lake section extends all the way to Soda Springs, Montpelier puts you right in the middle of the Bear Lake unit.

Dikndirt · Jan 18, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-18-18 AT 02:42PM (MST)[p]I was wrong.. the Bear River elk Zone does go all the way to Soda but nothing north of there or east. Montpelier is more centrally located. I am quite familiar with this area. P.M. me if you are interested.

Cactusbuck · Jan 18, 2018

It's awesome to hear the whole unit holds elk. That's a huge relief. Thank you the information. I will let you know how it turns out for us!

Deepcolor · Jan 18, 2018

Look at the Black Canyon Motel in Grace also. Hunter friendly and right next door to a butcher shop and cooler. Show up a couple days before the hunt and knock landowner doors on the NW end of the unit. There is also really slick access to NF from the west side.

Cactusbuck · Jan 19, 2018

Dikndirt sent you a PM. Thanks.

idelkslayer · Jan 22, 2018

I would wait to decide until you know which areas you plan to focus on for your hunt. Being in Soda Springs makes it easy to use the highways to access both the east and west sides of the bear river zone. But if you know that you will mostly hunt the east side then Montpelier would be best. Vise versa for staying in Grace.

No matter what you choose the distances aren't that far, so you can stay at any of those places and hunt multiple parts of the zone.

Stubaby · Jan 22, 2018

LAST EDITED ON Jan-22-18 AT 02:48PM (MST)[p]My parents have a vacation farm house in Paris. They are finicky about the house but we have full electric hookups, sewer dump, fire pit, and five acres for letting the kids drive quads and stuff around.................

All of us kids out grew the house so now there's basically our own KOA with big shade trees in the field next to the house.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

www.cloverleafrifles.com

https://youtu.be/l3xHt-xeNYw

PleaseDear · Jan 22, 2018

I have stayed in Garden City on the Utah side of your unit(s) and had good fortune up some of the canyons along there to Paris.

Robb

Cactusbuck · Jan 22, 2018

Great to know Robb. Thank you!!

Deerlove · Jan 23, 2018

One more word of advice don't speed in Soda, they'll catch you coming and going.

Stubaby · Jan 23, 2018

Don?t speed in any of those small towns. If you have license plates that aren't from ID, consider yourself a target.

Those cops have nothing better to do.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

www.cloverleafrifles.com

https://youtu.be/l3xHt-xeNYw

Cactusbuck · Jan 23, 2018

Thank you the heads up on speeding. That's a great way to blow the trip budget!

trophyhunter · Feb 4, 2018

Good Luck on your hunt. Book your motel early before they are booked out. Find a motel close to restaurants. There are not many so do your homework. A camp stove and can goods cooked in your motel room can save a ton of money as well as time waiting for a table. Remember the town of Grace is small, blink your eyes and you missed it. Good access to hunting up the big canyon north east out of Grace.

What ever town you end up in remenber the towns are very small with Montpilliar being the biggest. The Best Western is good with a big restaurant accross the street and market down the road.

We found flying kids into Salt Lake and the 2 1/2 drive each way to pick them up was much cheaper than flying them into Idaho. The last leg from Salt Lake to Idaho costs a fortune plus waiting times for the departures just was not the way to go for us..... wastes to much time IMO.

Good Hunting,

))))???->

Cactusbuck · Feb 5, 2018

Thank you for the valuable information. We decided upon the Caribou Lodge in Soda Springs. My Dad decided to come along and purchased a general deer tag. He's dreamt of hunting Unit 76 so Soda allows a centralized location. We're all excited and feel confident that we've made a great first step thanks to you all. I hope to return the favor soon. PM me with questions about hunting AZ and I'll respond.