Unit 27 plane ride

Blacktailhunter12 · Jan 5, 2017

Hi guys,

I've been looking into doing a Backcountry mule deer hunt in the great state of Idaho and another member said that you can get a plane ride into unit 27 for about 500 bucks. If anyone has done this before just looking to get a little more info on it (what time of year, difficulty, quality of deer, etc.) and how your experience went.

Thanks in advance,
Jake

Weiserbucks · Jan 5, 2017

Buy a wolf tag

Blacktailhunter12 · Jan 5, 2017

I plan on getting a wolf tag no matter where I go. I don't want to miss that opportunity if I see one. I take there are a lot of wolves in That area the?

brymoore · Jan 5, 2017

Call Arnold Aviation in Cascade. I've flown with them 5 or 6 times.

Weiserbucks · Jan 5, 2017

You may get an opportunity at a wolf , make the most of it. Like any wilderness, there are a few big bucks and not many people. Good luck

Foxbow · Jan 6, 2017

Wolves,bear and some elk.
Deer are scattered.
Outfit out of Challis flies in there
Middle fork aviation
Very cool trip.

IdaMatt · Jan 8, 2017

We hunted it in 2007-2010. 2007 was pretty good, and then the winter of 07-08 hit and that area had a big winter kill. We still managed to kill a couple 140" bucks, there were far fewer deer. Still a fun hunt, with crazy steep country. My advice would be to watch this winter play out, I know 20a had a pretty good winter kill on deer last season, and 27 is basically the same area, the deer get stuck in deep canyons with nowhere to migrate to. Anyways, not trying to be negative, most statements for others on here are spot on.

Muleymemories · Jan 9, 2017

Arnold aviation. You will be in good hands.

Switchbacker44 · Feb 6, 2017

>Hi guys,
>
>I've been looking into doing a
>Backcountry mule deer hunt in
>the great state of Idaho
>and another member said that
>you can get a plane
>ride into unit 27 for
>about 500 bucks. If anyone
>has done this before just
>looking to get a little
>more info on it (what
>time of year, difficulty, quality
>of deer, etc.) and how
>your experience went.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Jake

Hey Jake, I've been hunting this unit for last 5 years. Good bucks, lots of elk,but deer are only in certain canyons. I'm flying over it next month with middle fk. Aviation 450 out and back,pm me and we can talk.

Switchbacker44 · Feb 6, 2017

Jake I'm heading in September,my advice go in one of the trailheads. The landing strips get overrun with outfitters.
>
>I've been looking into doing a
>Backcountry mule deer hunt in
>the great state of Idaho
>and another member said that
>you can get a plane
>ride into unit 27 for
>about 500 bucks. If anyone
>has done this before just
>looking to get a little
>more info on it (what
>time of year, difficulty, quality
>of deer, etc.) and how
>your experience went.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Jake

idhikker · Feb 7, 2017

Switchbacker,

I have some questions for you about unit 27 if you are game.

I've hunted there the last few years. I'll PM you if that's cool.

Switchbacker44 · Feb 7, 2017

I'm going in to wilderness end of March, flyover. Then mid April and back in mid may for spring bear..Yes pm me!!

kelsoboy1382 · Feb 26, 2017

I've been going in with Arnold Aviation since 2001 off and on and always have a great time. There are some nice bucks and bulls but definitely not an easy hunt. (Just as the others have said)But awesome country that you will never have a hard time with other hunters if you get in shape and get off the air strip a ways. Never had an issue with outfitters, in fact rarely (twice) have we ran into them. Good luck and if you wanna P.m. I can maybe help a little more. Hopefully this year doesn't take a big toll on them but not looking good from what I've heard.

Califelkslayer · Mar 19, 2017

I did it 93, right after a terrible winter kill.

Scores of deer carcasses in bottom of canyons. Bears were very fat. Good numbers of elk. We spiked 4-6 miles from airstrip, floated in rented raft, hunted other canyons between airstrips and flew out of another airstrip.

Great experience. We both had opportunities at small bulls but passed since they were miles from the river. I did mess up chance at great bull by not pulling the trigger in split second decision.

This was pre-wolf era.

Switchbacker44 · Mar 25, 2017

Hey hunters, I'm flying down middle fk. tomorrow with middle fork Aviation, so I will tell you how it goes, and what I see. The reports from airstrips on the river aren't good "dead elk everywhere".... I will try to post some pics, but haven't figured that out yet. It's 450/hr four 4 people or 2 w/ gear,rafts, packs etc.......Switchback

Mitch80 · Apr 2, 2017

I'm looking at heading in to 27 for elk and deer in September. Have grown up in idaho just have never been up in frank church much. I'm looking for info also. I have a friend with a plane that can fly my gear in so I have that part covered just need to figure out the area!

ID_MW · Apr 3, 2017

Has your buddy flown into this area previously? Many of the strips are primative at best. I won't dissuade anyone from trying the hunt, but I will caution everyone from flying with amateurs into the Frank Church. Best of luck on your hunts.

brymoore · Apr 3, 2017

I agree. Pilots in Idaho need to qualify to land at backcountry airstrips. I've turned down several free flights by pilots who have never flown into the Frank. The flight can be a rodeo with experienced pilots.

Mitch80 · Apr 9, 2017

He has done a lot of flying in to lots of different backcountry places but never the frank church wilderness.

Mitch80 · Apr 9, 2017

He has never flown into the frank church wilderness but has flown into other places in the mountains. He has lots of hours flying and is going to do a lot of back country flying this summer to prepare.

broomd · Apr 17, 2017

>Hey hunters, I'm flying down middle
>fk. tomorrow with middle fork
>Aviation, so I will tell
>you how it goes, and
>what I see. The reports
>from airstrips on the river
>aren't good "dead elk everywhere"....
>I will try to post
>some pics, but haven't figured
>that out yet. It's 450/hr
>four 4 people or 2
>w/ gear,rafts, packs etc.......Switchback

Wow. Sad to read this. That country is absolutely brutal on man and beast, add the awful Winter and it's no doubt a real mess.
Even with mild years with great deer and elk numbers that country makes for a very tough hunt with sparse game.
"Last resort" terrain.

broomd · Apr 17, 2017

>Has your buddy flown into this
>area previously? Many of the
>strips are primative at best.
>I won't dissuade anyone from
>trying the hunt, but I
>will caution everyone from flying
>with amateurs into the Frank
>Church. Best of luck on
>your hunts.

Yep, suicide waiting to happen, and in a place with what appears to be a brutal Winter kill...

Nuts.

kimbersig · Apr 19, 2017

any reports of excessive winter kill on sheep? they typically fair better unless they get trapped up high in deep snow.

Hnttillmt · Oct 10, 2017

Hey switchback you got a report for us on your September hunt? I'm flying in in a few days and would love a report on what you saw

Switchbacker44 · Oct 12, 2017

I just came out, also flew into the "B" in late August. The Elk numbers look really good to me. Deer we're hit a little harder, but good bucks still back there. The sheep were really high in August and the rattlesnakes are horrible. Good trips only encountered a few wolves, but they are getting pretty bold. Lots of bears, and one wolverine!!