Unit 15 water and feed

baerman · Apr 13, 2017

I drew a second season 15 archery tag! I've hunted the area back in 2011, first muzzleloader hunt, during a drought year. antler growth was horrible that year due to a poor winter/spring/summer drought.

How are feed conditions this year? hoping to see some better bulls this time around.

Anybody who has had this tag in recent years, how is the rut activity during this hunt? dates are Sept 15-24. In Idaho the rut is peaking then but my experience is it's just getting started near the end of this hunt.

BigDaddyL · Apr 19, 2017

My oldest son had the first hunt in 15 last year. My second to youngest son has the first hunt this year. Last year was our first year hunting Elk. We are a military family. The Bulls would talk for about an hour before daylight and stop after about an hour after sunrise. Pretty much the same thing at night. We were unsuccessful, but not due no opportunity. From what I have heard, the Rut usually hits 1st or 2nd week of October. Last year, it was really dry until the last or next to last week in August and then it poured filling up the tanks. The vegetation in my opinion had been overgrazed by the cattle ranchers. We will see how it looks this year and hope we bring a big guy home. I wish you the best of luck and hope this might help a little.

hank4elk · Apr 19, 2017

Conditions look good for spring, 1st time in years. Could be real good if grass keeps growing & we get a good monsoon early.

Elkextreme · Apr 21, 2017

Hopefully the wolves won't be an issue

baerman · Apr 22, 2017

>Hopefully the wolves won't be an
>issue

Wolves will always be an issue but it is what it is for right now. I'm from Idaho and hunt in wolf country. Just have to adapt.

Thanks to others for input on the feed situation. Already much better than 2011, last time I hunted in 15.

Good luck this fall!