Idaho 20A/26/27 Elk, Mule Deer

Vek · Aug 11, 2004

I and two other disillusioned Washingtonian elk hunters went and bought three of the last 5 Middle Fork A elk tags. We plan to head over there smack in the middle of october.

I've since been poring over the gazetteer and the topos. Road access looks quite limited, but I've zeroed in on a couple of spots where it appears we can hunt as I like - pack a small camp 3-6 miles in up a main trail, and hunt out of there. My only concern is that the rest of the A tag holders will be doing the same thing. I've also kicked around getting flown into the Cold Meadows or Chamberlain Basin or other airstrips and hiking 3-6 miles in out of there. For driving, I'm eyeballing the upper Camas Creek drainage, and the upper Loon Creek drainage. Can anyone here shed any light on elk numbers, hunter numbers, and opportunity in the spots I've mentioned? Also, how is the mule deer hunting in this area?

Thanks,

WoodMoose · Aug 11, 2004

Vek,
I'm hunting the Middle Fork as well, B tag though, in September. Never been there before so I can't help much as this will be an exploratory trip for me. Wolves seem to be a factor in most Middle Fork areas.

csutton7 · Sep 6, 2004

VEK--I was supposed to get a B tag and 4 buds and I were going to pack into 20A with horses, but I can't make it then, so I may just keep my A tag, I have until the 8th to turn in for a B tag(I'm on the waiting list and had 6 tags reserved, of which 4 of my buds have taken)--anyway I will be going by myself(backpacking) and I was looking in that area also--but I will have some info on 20A when my buds come back---I'll post or email ya--I have never hunted this area either and will be soloing it---chris

jameister · Sep 7, 2004

I have hunted in these units for twenty years. what you need to know is steep and steeper is the only way to describe the backcountry. Chamberlain basis is high and open and cold meadows is high and rolling. but these were fire victims. fly in and have the pilot show you the country from the air before you sent camp.. usually a lot of fly-in camps in both at the airstrip.

I will give you a tip on elk: get out of the lower canyons and onto the ridges, and you will see bulls. you will also pay a price in sweat to do that. find cows in early october and you find bulls around. by middle or late October the bulls are moving into the thickest, steepest, most inaccessible tangled remote locaations they can find to lick their wounds and regain weight by winter...

Find high pasture meadows and you can glass up elk. deer in October are high and away from river bottom. Only in November do the rutting bucks come down from the higher grounds, although fair and middling bucks can be found with does on river bottoms all year.

We are going in last week of deer season, draw only late hunt this year for the big muleys coming down from snow. cold hunt, but I have always seen bucks.

For hikein hunting, to get away from crowds, I fly in to dirt strips, find the steepest way out of camp, up to the "upontop" country, and start hunting from there. we typically packed only boned out bulls and deer, from 5-6 miles to the airstrip.

Now I am older, and the small bulls are safe from me, as this is too hard a hunt for a meat hunt.

Email me with questions about specific areas, and I can answer them or direct you to a good long term friend who is the local game warden, and has been the backcountry ranger there for 20 years.

Jameister

RockyDog · Sep 7, 2004

Jameister, i think you gave some solid advice. Care to post any pics of the elk/deer youve taken over the years? You must have had some real good ones.

Vek · Sep 7, 2004

Jameister and others,

Thanks for resurrecting this link. Jameister, I sent you an email.

Thanks again,

Jerry

jameister · Sep 7, 2004

regarding showing pictures of animals:

Actually I have only taken very average animals, and although I may have hunted there since 1984, it has not been every year. What I have seen is some good 5-pt deer, and some pretty typical 6 and 7 point bulls, but never in range of my rifle-sites. seen a few from the airplane and more on the pack strings, but the outfitters are having harder times getting truly big animals, it is just hunted a lot more than it used to be. The last few years have been dry, and the wolves eat a few, so animals are not as numerous as some years past.

I am just a dummy that keeps going back to try and get the big one in country that is so good to be in it does not matter. I am still in search of my first 6 point bull. And still looking for a first buck over 4 points. What I have seen is that weather makes it all happen or not, and if it snows deep and hard, then the animals come down to you. And I have floated the river in April, when the animals are still visible on the wintering grounds, and there are a lot more animals than hunters ever see. Herds of elk, deer, sheep along the river.

I am sure there are better places to find bigger animals and more of them and easier hunting. but if you want to do a wilderness hunt on foot, and maybe find a hot spring to camp next to,,, then it works for me.

csutton7 · Sep 7, 2004

Jameister--do you have any contacts for pilots who can fly ya in?

I'll second the Thanks for the info-and where are the hot springs????-chris

RockyDog · Sep 7, 2004

Jamiester, ive spent alot of time in that country in the winter/spring so i know what you mean about there being a heck of a lot of deer and elk that areny seen during hunting season. Last couple years there hasnt even been enough snow in dec/jan to push them down to viewing range from the roads or rivers. I think eventually there will be a big snow during rifle seasons and some realy bombers will get killed. Every time we have a big snow season up here in montana some real toad elk get killed in areas where i would never have expected them.

jameister · Sep 8, 2004

I agree with you completely.. If only we could buy our tags after we see how much snow falls. When I lived in central Idaho, 1982-1984, we could hunt the back country with regular tags, if we did not fill out early rifle.. and if it snowed a ton, then we could hop on a plane and be in thick, or if it did not snow that year, we could just go fishing or wood cutting. Now we gotta decide to hunt sep/nov, or October. And as a non-resident, I dont even get much time to decide.. but the knack is sep for elk, and Nov for deer and late elk too, if it snows deep enough.

Middle Fork Aviation in Challis. Tell Pete Jamie Sturgess sent you. 208 879 5728

also McCall Air Taxi in McCall if you are flying in to lower river also can use Salmon Air Charter out of Salmon.

I cant really tell you where the hot springs are, cause I am a little bit secretive (outright selfish). But there are a few that show on the topographic maps if you get the 7 minute quads. but if you really want to help carry an elk out sometime, Come in with us and I will show you!! I call that the good-neighbor show-but-dont-tell policy.

Jameister

chasendeer · Sep 8, 2004

The hot springs are nice, ang I hope to be in one this time next week with a elk in camp.
Talk to you later,
Jay

csutton7 · Sep 8, 2004

jameister--thanks for the info--figured as much on the hot springs--I'd be secretive about them also--I am getting some maps from the Forestry dept(Challis) and I may order some better ones if needed--which means I will be ordering--

I talked to McCall Aviation today--I need to figure out where I'll end up, but I'll call Pete also(mega thanks) once I know what I'm up to--I'd like to get away from the Middle Fork, so I need to find a landing strip that's somewhat close to where I'd like to be --

again thanks for the tips--chris