Idaho Unit 39

[gator77]

Hello..

Looking for any information for this unit this year if anyone can share. Will be hunting this unit again for the early Nov. Gen. Season, and just checking to see if the wolves are still present. My only chance to scout is Labor Day weekend, and my brother, from Meridian, is a firefighter with the forest service. So he is plenty busy about now and doesn't have a whole lot of opportunities to check it out either...

Last year we were told by the locals the wolves had the animals pretty quiet and skidish. During our season we didn't see a whole lot in the area so we are going to give it one more shot this year. Is it much of the same this year?

Thanks in advance...
Gary

 

[highcountry32]

The wolves aren't too bad in 39, Saw a couple of nice bulls west of Lohman Thursday, a lot of that unit depends on the weather, nasty enough to keep the other hunters out, or it gets a little busy

 

[gator77]

Thanks HC,

I know we were rained on quite a bit last season. It was a really weird season weather wise and didn't have a whole lot of pressure. Although we didn't see a whole lot of animals either so that might explain it.
It's hard to take what we see over Labor Day into our hunt in November as alot can change.
Thanks for the information. It helps a couple of guys who don't have a whole lot of time to scout together...

 

[Kentuck]

I lucked out and took a bull in 39 last year. A friend and I are returning this year. We'll at least know where to start. I saw one set of old wolf tracks and a warden told me that earlier in the summer there was a pack around about where we hunted. Heard some guys say they saw some take a deer down not far from where we hunted.

With all the fires in the NE part of the zone it will be interesting how the critters are located. My buddy is a firefighter with the FS and is in Idaho right now. Got shipped out Monday and is on the Cow Fire.

 

[gator77]

Congrats on your past success Kentuck. We scouted that area over Labor Day last year and saw a ton of sign all over the place, but only heard one bugle the entire weekend. The folks in Prairie mentioned that the animals quieted down quite a bit with the presence of wolves. We also spotted some track along side the road one morning but didn't see anything. Things were quite different during the season as we didn't see a whole lot. Only a couple of groups of cows and calves.
It was a funny year last year for weather though. Started out butt cold, and all the sudden we had the heaters off in the tent and removed alot of our bedding it was so warm. With the fires, it will be an interesting year. I am looking forward to my brother returning so I can ask him how things are looking...

 

[gator77]

Hello again...

Just wanted to refresh this one and see if anything is going on in Unit 39 that people would like to share.
My brother and I were only allowed 1 day to scout over Labor Day due to him fighting fires. Heard 5 bulls bugling over the course of that day, which is better than the 1 we heard over the entire weekend last year.

Anyway, I heard from him that apparently someone has been contracted to come in and dispose of some wolves that have now populated the area. Anyone else heard of this? And if anyone has been in the area recently, and would like to share what they saw, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hope everyone is having a great season....

 

[Kentuck]

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to getting up there.
Have you hunted this unit very much? I was wondering what the typical weather pattern is for this area. Last year we had rain and some snow on top but it didn't stay on the ground long. Fog hampered us one morning. I did see one camp that had snowmobiles on a trialer next to their camp so I thought maybe that area gets some serious snow or they were ultimately prepared for everything.

 

[gator77]

Last year was our first year in that general area. We had been hunting 39 down in the lowlands on Private, but the owners up there have since sold off most of that land. So we headed up higher.
As far as the weather goes, I know they are getting some snow up there now, but we will see come the opener. It is an area I have been told can get lots of snow in a short amount of time. So we try to be prepared for the worst. Just hope it doesn't rain as much as it did last year. I'll take snow over rain any day.
Best of luck to you and your camp. A little over 3 weeks and I can't wait to get to the hills!

 

[tageater]

Just got back from the horseshoe bend area of 39.... it's tough hunting the pure timber areas, but there was plent of fresh sign and we did happen upon a few does. I'm just confused as to where the dang critters go, there's just so much area for them to hide in. But i'll be back up for the nov. 1st elk.My brother and i are kind of narrowing it down to a few areas, i think. NO CONFIDENCE, in that statement.

 

[Kentuck]

Got back last Saturday from 39. Had a good hunt but didn't tag out. Saw over 50 elk and 4 confirmed bulls. Just couldn't get on the right ridge at the right time. About half the elk were a long, long way off. About 15 bulls got taken from the area we hunted the first few days. Saw elk everyday, and a friend saw at least one bull everyday except one. Other hunters or daylight beat him everytime.

 

[tufcntry]

i just heard a crazy number that there were over 100 4 point deer killed this year so obviously there were plenty of deer this year

 

[Kentuck]

I stopped in the office at the Boise River WA and was told that the early snows had already moved a lot of deer down to the WA. Lots more than usual. Last year where we hunted I came across one set of deer tracks and this year there were as much deer sign as there was elk. I'm going to say that the elk kill will be high this year too. I personally saw two nice 4-pointers hanging in camps.