Dworshak unit

Think about heading back up there to try elk hunting again. It's been 10 years sense I was last there. Wolf's and fish and game screw up had elk numbers way down. Was wondering how numbers are doing now?

Elk are good
The winter wasn't as severe as southern Idaho.

Thanks for info. Love that place. Not much for big bulls, but I have some great time there.

This is awesome! I was looking for a thread on the Dorshak area and here it is.

I just bought tags for 10A, which I've never hunted before. My previous was in 36a or B I can't recall.

According to many articles and forum commentaries the area is great for whitetail but not as great for elk.

Any idea about mule deer or possibly black bear?

I'm sorry for the questions, but other than what I've read my knowledge of the area is a bit limited.

Very excited to be going back to that great state.

Hi Cacklercrazy/Waveone,

I hunt 10A for whitetails around Dworshak, generally around Thanksgiving. In the area I hunt, I generally see elk in decent numbers. I can't say I have ever seen a mule deer where I hunt and I have seen plenty of bear sign. I'm not sure what the hunting pressure is like for elk, but like I said when I am in there I see them (so they are there). Good luck!

Thanks idgator.

I have heard - and read that the Dworshak area is great for whitetails. Apparently there have been some dandy's taken at one time. Hope that is till true.

What I 've also been told though is that the Elk there have been heavily impacted by the wolf population.

Is that your experience too ?

I bought a wolf tag btw....

Hi Waveone,

I've been hunting the area maybe the last 6 years + or - (I don't live up there, but travel up for a few days of hunting each year), so I don't really have a historical perspective on what the unit used to be like. Like I said, when I go up in late November, I see elk. Last year, in two days of hunting for whitetails, I probably saw 20 ? 25 elk (2 bulls). If you're interested in hunting the area I would give it a shot. Definitely have a whitetail tag. I've seen a couple of nice ones come out of there ? seems every year there are a few, so you know they are in there. I go up there every year with my wolf tag as well and I've never seen a wolf or a wolf track or heard one howl or seen scat maybe I'm hunting in the only part of the unit that doesn't have wolves, but I think the wolf population may be exaggerated. If you're still on the fence about going up there ? check out the harvest statistics on the F&G website and/or give the biologist a call for the area. Good luck and happy hunting!

Thank you idgator, much appreciated.

I've gathered that about the whitetails up there whereas I've heard little to nothing about the elk up there. So your coms are appreciated.

Did you happen to see any bears?

In terms of ELK, did you happen to notice if they were mature bulls? Rag horns?

You are correct, F&G website is great but I like reports from the field by hunters- direct so to speak.

How was the pressure from other hunters?

Thank you sir