Idaho Archery elk otc

kvw4x4

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LAST EDITED ON Feb-19-18 AT 07:48PM (MST)[p]we are planning our first elk hunt in idaho and would like to get a little help and guidance in the right directions, between onx google earth and gohunt.com i have picked a couple units i need to decide what unit now and areas in these units,
My favorite is unit 36b up near buster lake and a couple other areas. Also unit 48,
Any help tips advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Kevin
i live in Washington and have archery hunted here but never out of state
 
This is a super general question. You said you have picked a few units to choose between. If you say the units you've narrowed it down to you might find a few guys on here that could give you a little more info.
 
>This is a super general question.
>You said you have picked
>a few units to choose
>between. If you say the
>units you've narrowed it down
>to you might find a
>few guys on here that
>could give you a little
>more info.

Thanks added the units I have in mind
 
I haven't hunted those area's. Closest I've hunted is 50 which is a fair elk area but tough country which is the same as a lot of Idaho. However by narrowing it down you probably more likely to get some feedback. Good luck.
 
on the plus side, there will be no shortage of rigs with washington plates in any of the areas you mention. you should feel right at home.
 
What we did for Idaho was find the unit with a somewhat high success rate and that was within a certain driving distance from our home. I pulled up a map to see access points and made sure there was enough area to hunt in my allotted time. I did not want a unit with a lot of atv access. I then looked at google earth and was able to zoom in and find water holes, possible elk bedding areas and see how steep the terrain was.

We have been very successful using this method each year
 
>What we did for Idaho was
>find the unit with a
>somewhat high success rate and
>that was within a certain
>driving distance from our home.
>I pulled up a map
>to see access points and
>made sure there was enough
>area to hunt in my
>allotted time. I did not
>want a unit with a
>lot of atv access. I
>then looked at google earth
>and was able to zoom
>in and find water holes,
>possible elk bedding areas and
>see how steep the terrain
>was.
>
>We have been very successful using

>this method each year

Thanks for the reply. I sent you a pm
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-18 AT 08:16AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-18 AT 08:15?AM (MST)

The unit I hunt in is 48 with sometimes in 43. Pull up the nearest big city in those units on google earth and zoom in to see all the roads that get you the furthest back away from people. Then you can even order a hiking trail map of all the different trails and see if you could use one of those to get back into the back country a little. Unit 48 is very steep country, the elk that we get in are usually at 8k feet and last year there were even higher.

Most drainage's that have water and timber will have elk in them. Google earth does no justice for the mountains of the Sawtooths, they are steep so come in shape but just know the elevation will wear you out until you get use to it.

Unit 48 use to only give out 400 tags a year but now its unlimited. Last year, each creek area that you could park at had 5-6 trucks at them with full camps set up. We went to a different area in the unit and I called in a 7x7 for my buddy and then we spent the next 2 days packing that out. I dont know what it is about 48, but man there are a lot of out of state hunters.
 
>LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-18
>AT 08:16?AM (MST)

>
>LAST EDITED ON Feb-22-18
>AT 08:15?AM (MST)

>
>The unit I hunt in is
>48 with sometimes in 43.
>Pull up the nearest big
>city in those units on
>google earth and zoom in
>to see all the roads
>that get you the furthest
>back away from people. Then
>you can even order a
>hiking trail map of all
>the different trails and see
>if you could use one
>of those to get back
>into the back country a
>little. Unit 48 is very
>steep country, the elk that
>we get in are usually
>at 8k feet and last
>year there were even higher.
>
>
>Most drainage's that have water and
>timber will have elk in
>them. Google earth does no
>justice for the mountains of
>the Sawtooths, they are steep
>so come in shape but
>just know the elevation will
>wear you out until you
>get use to it.
>
>Unit 48 use to only give
>out 400 tags a year
>but now its unlimited. Last
>year, each creek area that
>you could park at had
>5-6 trucks at them with
>full camps set up. We
>went to a different area
>in the unit and I
>called in a 7x7 for
>my buddy and then we
>spent the next 2 days
>packing that out. I dont
>know what it is about
>48, but man there are
>a lot of out of
>state hunters.


I don't mean to be a d#$k, but maybe its cause guys give out information on public forums? I used to but don't anymore.
 
Well we ended up picking a totally different unit. In The lemhi zone. And then I talked to the elk biologist this morning for almost 30 min. I'm super excited about the change of plans.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-15-18 AT 05:31PM (MST)[p]I have hunted the lemhi units off and on for 25 years it has 1/3 the elk it use to and I seen more archery hunters last year then ever before. Oh ya lots of wolves too. That said 10 % of the hunters kill 90% of the critters the rest of us just get lucky once and awhile.
 
Outdoorsdan said it. True statement. Social media n people spilling their guts have opened up the hunting world to anyone with internet and common sense.
 
>Outdoorsdan said it. True statement. Social
>media n people spilling their
>guts have opened up the
>hunting world to anyone with
>internet and common sense.

I have been archery hunting the pioneer zone units 49 and 50 since I was a boy in 1979. In 2011 the population took a positive spike increasing by 50% in those units. I remember posting about this on various forums, thinking I was doing some people a favor. I also gave out various information via posts and pms. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think I caused the proliferation of hunters there (I couldn't handle the guilt, lol), but I didn't help it. The numbers:
2010 unit 50 archery hunters 348
2017 unit 50 archery hunters 993

2010 unit 49 archery hunters 333
2017 unit 49 archery hunters 765

The first 10 years I hunted unit 49 (my honeyhole) in the 80's I only saw 2 other hunters, that's in 10 years of hunting. So, if you want to stop complaining about the hunting getting worse, stop posting information on forums. ;)

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm learning to not give much info away. I probably have said a thing or 2 to much. Yes a lot of hunters but I also feel if you can get the minimal 2 miles off the road you drop like 75% behind.
 
Thanks. I am not sure if I agree on the 2 miles away. It used to be that way. It's amazing how many "backcountry" hunters there are now. 2016 I shot a bull within eye distance of a roadway after finding 10 guys hunting my "honeyhole", packing out of the backcountry, and re-assessing the current situation. I found bulls had fled the backcountry for areas without people.

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
>Thanks. I am not sure
>if I agree on the
>2 miles away. It used
>to be that way.
>It's amazing how many "backcountry"
>hunters there are now.
>2016 I shot a bull
>within eye distance of a
>roadway after finding 10 guys
>hunting my "honeyhole", packing out
>of the backcountry, and re-assessing
>the current situation. I
>found bulls had fled the
>backcountry for areas without people.
>
>
>Pet Door Sales and Installation
>www.utpetdoor.com

Very interesting point
 
I have to agree, I keep hearing people say if you get a mile or two off the road you get rid of the majority of the hunters. It might have been that way 20 years ago but with the wilderness athlete wave or people I see just as many in the back country unless your ten miles in on horses as I do a little tucked away spot three hundreds yards from the road. However I just love the back-country.
 
>I have to agree, I keep
>hearing people say if you
>get a mile or two
>off the road you get
>rid of the majority of
>the hunters. It might have
>been that way 20 years
>ago but with the wilderness
>athlete wave or people I
>see just as many in
>the back country unless your
>ten miles in on horses
>as I do a little
>tucked away spot three hundreds
>yards from the road. However
>I just love the back-country.
>

Agreed, love the backcountry. Hate seeing people. ;(

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
>>I have to agree, I keep
>>hearing people say if you
>>get a mile or two
>>off the road you get
>>rid of the majority of
>>the hunters. It might have
>>been that way 20 years
>>ago but with the wilderness
>>athlete wave or people I
>>see just as many in
>>the back country unless your
>>ten miles in on horses
>>as I do a little
>>tucked away spot three hundreds
>>yards from the road. However
>>I just love the back-country.
>>
>
>Agreed, love the backcountry. Hate seeing
>people. ;(
>
>Pet Door Sales and Installation
>www.utpetdoor.com

Some good points, Dan.

Fish and game should make archery hunts controlled
in those units
Not to enjoyable spending your hunt trying to get away from the crowds!
 
Unfortunately the days of otc tags I believe are coming to an end. It saddens me that I can't go hunt the areas I have hunted for years because they are over run with hunters.

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
>Unfortunately the days of otc tags
>I believe are coming to
>an end. It saddens
>me that I can't go
>hunt the areas I have
>hunted for years because they
>are over run with hunters.
>
>
>Pet Door Sales and Installation
>www.utpetdoor.com

It's still possible to get away from people. In fact the 2-3 mile rule has always worked well for me. I've hunted both the same units you mentioned for a while now and the last 3 years I don't think I've seen another hunter once I left the truck. There is A LOT of country in those units you mentioned, maybe try exploring some of the parts you haven't seen before.

It sure would be a shame if they went to draw just because people are seeing more hunters than they used to. In my opinion, the unlimited archery option in Idaho works well. I don't see any reason to change it. Elk #'s throughout the state are going strong.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-22-18 AT 05:01PM (MST)[p]Well, numbers don't lie. And you probably never saw the "good ole days". Family owned what is now Sun Valley, "the Brass Ranch" was our family ranch. Grew up riding/exploring that country. Started hunting it in 1979. We owned 2 acres in Ketchum with horse corrals and 5-10 horses. Mother would drop me off a horse on top of a hill way back in, I'd hike myself out in 4-5 days and she'd pick me up on a 2 track on the day we decided. Lot's of heavy gear, but I loved the solitude, even when a kid. There are a few areas in 50 I may not have seen, but not many, and I have probably hunted all of 49.

11398oldglassingvert1.jpg

Circa 1981 in unit 49 top of the line gear!!

76481oldbackpacking3.jpg

Sometime in the 80's, and anybody whom has been in 49 knows that peak

42246danelk83.jpg

killed some bulls in that area as well.

Point is, I know that country better than most, and as good as anyone else, and it isn't as good as an experience as it used to be. I will give you this one, it is big country, and there are still places to go, but they are getting fewer.

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
Haha. You're definitely right. I'm too young to know what the huntin was like in the 70s and 80s in there, and I'm sure it was a lot less crowded back then. Archery equipment has gotten a whole lot more effective since then and I think through out the west you are going to find more archery hunters than you used to. It's just easier to do these days. It sounded more like you were talking about crowding in the last 10 years or so, and I just haven't noticed that as much. It ebbs and flows like everything else, but I still tend to find places to get away.

Those are some great pictures and that country really is some of my favorite to hunt elk. I was in no way saying you don't know how to hunt or don't kill elk in there. It looks like your success has been better than mine in that country (That is one beautiful lookin bull there).

I was just merely saying that I've found a lot of places in those units that I haven't seen another person (and I've seen plenty of elk), so if that's your goal, then it can still be done. I spend more time in 50 than I do in 49, but still, I haven't seen the competition that you are seeing in the backcountry. Definitely not anywhere near the amount of people that would justify changing to a draw for archery tags.
 
And on a side note you basically lived my childhood dream! I started calling elk for my dad in that area when I was just a little kid and would have liked nothin more than gettin dropped off and left back in there for a few days. In fact, still wouldn't mind that kind of trip!
 
It was sooo much different back then. Cabelas gear became top of the line, and was too expensive most of the time. LOL. No internet to become an overnight sensation. But, the bulls were much more vocal!

68885idahoelk13.jpg

The bull I killed in the other photo was 2012, this bull 2013

So after killing bulls in 2012 and 2013, I went back in 2015 (I drew AZ in 2014) up MY canyon in unit 50 (one of several honeyholes in 49 and 50). I started setting up my backpacking tent (I hunt solo backpack most of the time), and suddenly started hearing voices.

52338elkbackpackcamp.jpg


2 guys were about 200 yards below me, looking for an arrow that one of them had shot and they believed hit a bull. I knew the 2 guys as the year before I had stopped to talk to one of them while ferrying meat down out of MY canyon. Well it upset me enough to leave the next day. Went into MY honeyhole in 49 and found guys there as well. So, PLEASE don't tell me it is the same as it was. ;) But I would like to check out your area? lol.


Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
The last two years I have moved on from 49 and 50 hunting. I believe there are better units. I will go back as this area is like coming home to me. But for now, I will "ditch the crowds".

Pet Door Sales and Installation
www.utpetdoor.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-26-18 AT 06:15PM (MST)[p]Outdoordan,

Quit whining, I've heard the "good ole days" line 100x. More people, more competition, but the elk numbers in those zones are as high as ever. It's frustrating...I know first hand... but a draw tag is the absolute worst thing that could happen to residents in this state. I'll take a few more hunters with the option to hunt my spots every year vs the potential of never hunting them again. Glass half full my man.
 
I try not to get into these debates much, but talk of going to permit only disgusts me. If you want to be the only guy on the mountain then buy your own mountain.

Mike Henne
 

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