idaho unit 11 late elk

[goforbroke]

I'm helping my brother in a couple of weeks. He is coming from Washington and I'm headed up from Utah. Any tips and pointers would be most appreciated. We have not set foot on the unit. I have spoke to biologist and game warden.

Thanks

 

[acafton]

PM sent

 

[MichaelJ]

not as many big bulls as there used to be that's for sure. Shoot the first 300"+ bull you find and don't be afraid to hike off into the breaks!!

Mike

 

[goforbroke]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-23-11 AT 08:08PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the replys and pm sent. Is that the general consensus, a 300" bull=shoot.

 

[MichaelJ]

There's a few locals that if they drew the tag it would be 330"+ or bust but I still think you're going to be hard pressed to find a few killable bulls that big unless you got some local info/help. That country is pretty damn wide open on the breaks and the big bulls get picked over HARD during the first rifle season when they are still herded up. The IDFG has more than doubled the bull tags from 3 years ago, added a 2nd season, and done all sorts of things to help kill off the mature bulls in that unit.

IMHO 300"+ = shoot. If you don't think another hunter will find that bull you have a good chance of finding him in the same spot later on as the big bulls should be holed up in a knarly canyon somewhere recovering from the rut...

Good luck and post pics!

Mike

 

[goforbroke]

We are having a hard time finding elk. 5 spikes but nothing bigger. 23 miles hiked in 2 days and nothing. One guy had his tag 2 years ago and he is seen 1/4 the number of elk. Day and a half left.

 

[goforbroke]

Well our hunt stunk. 3 1/2 days hunting. Over 35 miles on the boots and never saw a branch antlered bull. We thought it was a decent unit, but everyone we talked to had as much luck as we did. .

 

[MichaelJ]

That sucks sorry to hear it... the unit has the potential to be a huge trophy unit in Idaho, but the IDFG seems to want to drop the unit to a trophy mule deer unit. I don't see how they can't have both... Here's some #'s I just went through and tally'd for you!

2005: 49 bulls Harvested
2006: 40 Bulls Harvested
2007: 43 Bulls Harvested
2008: 42 Bulls Harvested
2009: 91 Bulls Harvested
2010: 110 Bulls harvested

And you wonder why in the last 2-3 years that unit has gone down for trophy bull??? Really sad imho...

Mike