Salmon Elk Hunt for Veterans

NevadaJames

Active Member
Messages
216
Hello guys and gals,
I am taking out some veterans for a buck deer and antlered elk in 2018. I am not looking for any honey holes just trying to get familiar with the area. I understand that the terrain is steep and drainages are long and nasty. I am just trying to get the best shot opportunity for some disabled veterans. No monsters just meat tags and to get the veterans into the field and out of the house and doing something to get their minds off of issues they have.
I spoke with several guys from Fish and Game and decided to get some of the OTC tags in the Salmon unit. I'm looking at unit 21A to start out and maybe unit 36 just wondering what everybody thinks or if they have a spot I should look at first. I do have wall tent and atv's and possibly horses if needed. I plan on doing a lot of scouting when it gets closer to the season just to see what I have and where the animals are moving. Thanks
James
Freedom Hunters
www.freedomhunters.org
 
If it's just for meat, why are you going for a OTC bull tag? Idaho OTC bull tags are notoriously difficult to fill. Put in for some cow hunts. Way more likely to find success. My two cents.
 
I think looking into green field hunts and ag areas with cow or doe tags would be much more suitable for disabled vets. I can't imagine you wouldn't get support from some private landowners to assist with access for disabled vets. An OTC bull hunt just about anywhere in Idaho is really not conducive to what you describe. Best of luck!
 
Just for your information, unit 36 is not in the salmon zone (sawtooth zone), is a looong way from unit 21A, and does not have an otc elk tag.

I like the suggestion of private land, I bet a guy could knock a couple doors and find some ranchers willing to let some vets on.

Really wish I could be more help.
 
>Just for your information, unit 36
>is not in the salmon
>zone (sawtooth zone), is a
>looong way from unit 21A,
>and does not have an
>otc elk tag.
>
>I like the suggestion of private
>land, I bet a guy
>could knock a couple doors
>and find some ranchers willing
>to let some vets on.
>
>
>Really wish I could be more
>help.

Check the regs Dan. 36 is an OTC bull elk tag, at least for the 2018 hunt. Looking like it will be controlled next year. You are correct about the zone though.
 
I did mention the same thing to the group of veterans but several of them wanted the opportunity to try and harvest a bull. It would be some of the veterans first big game animal.
 
The hunt is open to any and all veterans. Active duty and retired. We just ask if you were discharged it be Honorable Discharge.
 
36 is hard to get tags for. The Sawtooth zone sells out in minutes if not seconds.

I think you could swing a bull hunt but you'd need to find a place that's accessible yet not overrun with hunters. That will be hard and take some knowledge of the area. Horses could help or atvs on rough roads, something like that.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-30-18 AT 09:22PM (MST)[p]I have been hunting in the salmon zone 21 and 21a for the ast 15 years....It is big country that rivals wilderness areas as far as vastness and steepness. I hunt hard and put many miles on foot and get miles away from roads. Even with that, elk hunting is hard. I have chased elk over Rocky cliffs and bumped into sheep, its that wild and steep. I would consider an elk harverst every 4-5 years the norm, and most of those rag horns. This is not a hunt for the week at heart or someone not in good physical shape.

There are better units and like others have suggested, would look at cow hunts that are in more forgiving country
 
I appreciate all the good feedback. I am just hoping these guys get shots on an animal. When I told them it would be hard putting in for a bull elk tag that the opportunity was better for cow elk everyone all said they would like the opportunity to harvest a bull if they could. So I got them bull elk tags. I know it will be difficult for some of the veterans but the challenge will also be good for them as well.
I know several of the veterans I am taking out will have a difficult time walking and adjusting to the climate and terrain. But I have to give it a shot and see what I can do. I will be out scouting on most of my days off and trying to make contact with anyone I can and get some intel.
I have veterans from all eras coming on this hunt from Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan so I gotta make the best of it. I'm just worried about some of the amputees I am taking out on the terrain but they ensured me they are not going to stop and wanted to hunt hard like everyone else so that's my plan.
 
Nevada James,

I am willing to donate my time to help you on this hunt if your in need of some volunteers I can get a few people to help. Please let me know thank you.

Teresa Johnston
 
Hello Teresa,
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I am super excited to take these veterans out and wish them the best of luck in harvesting an animal. I really just want to be there to see their excitement in their face when they have an opportunity to take a bull or deer and for them to experience the outdoors and be around other veterans.
If this hunt goes well I'll be doing more big game hunts in Idaho I spoke with Fish And Wildlife and we have numerous other tags in for veterans as well such as Bull elk , Moose, and Bear tags that are only for non-profit organizations designed to help out veterans. So I hope I get to see a lot of Idaho and experience these great hunts as well. And any and all help that you are willing to offer would be great. I a plan on spending some quality time up there before the hunt to try and locate some animals before they get here to increase our chances of harvest.
My contact info is below.
James Hamilton
Freedom Hunters
Outreach Coordinator (West Coast)
[email protected]
775-233-7322
www.freedomhunters.org
 
>>Just for your information, unit 36
>>is not in the salmon
>>zone (sawtooth zone), is a
>>looong way from unit 21A,
>>and does not have an
>>otc elk tag.
>>
>>I like the suggestion of private
>>land, I bet a guy
>>could knock a couple doors
>>and find some ranchers willing
>>to let some vets on.
>>
>>
>>Really wish I could be more
>>help.
>
>Check the regs Dan. 36
>is an OTC bull elk
>tag, at least for the
>2018 hunt. Looking like
>it will be controlled next
>year. You are correct
>about the zone though.

Sorry, should have been more specific. This is a limited quota tag, not limited entry tag. This has been highly coveted in the past and sells out in minutes. OTC implies you drive up and buy a tag, that is not the case. I have invited several of my friends on this hunt and none of them were successful in getting a tag. I worked at my Aunt and Uncles lodge in the Sawtooths and my Aunt still owns a cabin there. I know the Sawtooths pretty well. Sawtooth buck.

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A few more from the West Coast veteran hunts I've helped out with. And we have several more large group veteran hunts coming up for 40 veterans in March 2018 for upland game birds.
 
Great job! Good luck on your hunt, if you make a decision on area, post it up, I may have some information.
 
Man I love it. Great cause....well done. I think all your vets wanting to hunt should put in for the same controlled bull tag hunt and an adjacent cow hunt as a second choice. If someone draws the bull tag awesome. The next best thing to pulling the trigger is to be standing next to the guy doing it.
 
So I have been looking at unit 36B and Unit 28 pretty hard seems like it might be easier for some of the guys I'm taking out and I have a phone call in with the wildlife biologist as well to see if he might be able to help us out with a good starting point. I'm pretty unfamiliar with this unit as it will be my first time in the Challis hunt area I'm mostly a Tex Creek or Burley area guy and a lot of other states lol. So anything helps I know it will be hard hunting and I already told the group that the first legal bull they see I would recommend harvesting due to the fact I'm unsure of the area and to fill the tag if possible and I will retrieve the animal however steep and nasty it may be.
 
James,

I sent you and email with my contact information I am willing to scouting with you on the weekends you can go please let me me know willing to help my fellow vets.

Terrie Johnston
 

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