30 elk late

[nvbones]

So I drew my first Idaho CH elk tag in 12 years of putting in. I'm an Idaho resident and live up in the panhandle, I'm extremely busy at work and may not be able to scout before the hunt. I've been through the unit a couple times as my girlfriend has family in Salmon. I have gotten some really good info from a couple sources and was just wondering if anyone had any pointers that they would be willing to share through PM's. Thanks in advance for anyone that has anything.

 

[Goldberg]

I hunted that unit about 8 years ago on the November season. Went up the 1st week to just "look around". Saw a ton of elk, killed a small 6x6 1st morning I was out. Met a guy as I was heading out, he said I should have waited til late season, told me I would have seen a bunch more bigger bulls!
At that time all I saw were Montana hunters on the other side of state line. Seems the elk get pushed over into idaho. If I had it to do over, and realized that I may NEVER have the tag again. I would have spent a lot more time in the later part of the month.

 

[nvbones]

I plan on hunting thanksgiving weekend, but will try to make it down for a weekend prior to that in november. I may end up doing the same thing you did, elk is good eats, but I am after the biggest bull I can find.

 

[Deer]

Any luck?

 

[nvbones]

We've seen 1500 plus elk, 100 plus bulls, and not a single mature bull! Very different elk hunting than I'm used to. Only 2 6 points we've seen came off the mountains on horses. Tons of spikes and small rag horns. People are everywhere. The weather just hasn't showed up yet, supposed to get snow this morning but nothing special.

 

[nvbones]

Quick update: Had a great hunt, saw tons of elk, snow was not in our favor this year, ended up seeing 1 decent 6 point (~300) and my dad looked at the hillside it was on and said I wont even be trying to get over there. He's 68 so cant really blame him. I didn't feel it was worth it to be the guy who was breaking down/packing an elk for 3 days on a small 6 point, so we went elsewhere and we luckily came across 2 spikes bedded off a road at 8200 feet. Smoked one and put meat in the freezer. Beautiful country, tons of elk, could be a great hunt for some smoker bulls when the weather is in your favor, LOTS of other hunters.

 

[Blindnonresident]

HHHhhhmmm.

 

[nvbones]

HHHhhhmmm what?

 

[nvborn]

Wait 12 years to draw a tag and then kill a spike......that sounds like something I would do!