Free: Contests & Raffles.
Ill post more later, but this hunt was the worst elk hunt exp in my life! I woulda rather hunted WA general rifle gives u an idea how bad I thought this was. IDFG may wanna change permit hunts,6 other guys I talked to were never coming back. Disgusted is putting it lightly in their words.
Bumper to bumper traffic on fs roads and this isn't being sarcastic !
We will return for the last few days of the season to see if we can fill one of the tags.
Quote from: huntnnw on October 17, 2013, 03:02:20 PMWe will return for the last few days of the season to see if we can fill one of the tags. I was going to recommend that if it is at all feasible for you. You will see way fewer people (usually after the first 5-7 days) and I have found in several of those hells canyon units that the last week can be pretty darn good. The elk come out of hiding from that initial mad rush as things start to settle down...bulls will start to form up bachelor groups and get more visible again feeding out on ridge tops. Several times I have just skipped opening week altogether. I presume then that is what kind of ruined it for you...just tons of people? Every pull out had 3 rigs...every herd of elk had multiple hunters glassing/stalking them? I agree with Idahohuntr go back. I dont hunt those units but we always make it a habit to go to our unit in the selway the last 10-12 days of the season. Way less hunters and in our area the bulls seem to come into a second rut in that time frame making it easier to find them.
It was a permit hunt...225 bull tags..335 cow tags. I spoke with a bio last week at IDFG and shared my exp with him..he agreed with exactly what I said about the elk. They are trying to get the herd cut down as it has exceded carrying capacity, but the terrain has created some huge mangement issues with large roadless areas and private on other side protecting the elk. He said the long term goal is for the unit to be an exceptional bull hunt
It ends Nov 3rd and its any weapon..we are headed back the 1st to see if we can fill a tag or 2
Yeah its pretty long....by our 5th day on the hunt about 80% of the people had left and I guess its pretty empty from there on out. The damge was done by then anyways shoving the elk onto private or 2-3K feet in elevation down into the wilderness. My hope is with the pressure being down now for awhile and cooler temps now that the elk will be out a little more.