Early 2015 Plans?

[BULLBLASTER]

We may give up on WA elk. Has anyone rifle hunted the Sand Point , ID area out-of-state? Is it fairly easy to get tags and are there good elk there?

tags for that area are otc. Panhandle tag. I have seen pics of some big ones from up there. Havent hunted it myself tho. I havefound that most of the panhandle holds elk... just have to figure out spots they like.

[Elkrunner]

Trying to line up a back country Oregon archery hunt. Did it two years ago and it was awesome. Now that we know the area better, pretty sure that between my old man and I, we could connect on at least one bull.

Wish I could afford to go with you guys!

[WapitiTalk1]

We may give up on WA elk. Has anyone rifle hunted the Sand Point , ID area out-of-state? Is it fairly easy to get tags and are there good elk there?

Yes and yes (grin).  I grew up just across the state line, a bit to the NE, in MT from the area you're talking about.  The Panhandle Zone (Units 1,2,3,4,4A,5,6,7,9) has decent elk pops but vary by unit as far as state pop objectives go.  Palouse Zone (Units 8,8A,11A) are sprinkled up in the handle also.  Yes, tags are plentifull and seldom sell completely out from my experience over the past few years.  The beauty of ID is that you can multiple seasons with multiple weapons, and, you get a significant portion if not all of the rut, depending on the tag you choose.  Many (if not most) of the units I mentioned are antlered only which may or may not be a deal breaker for you.  Downside to the area is you're close to "ground zero" for wolves and they are all around. I hunt a long weekend in the WA early season but refuse to give up the elk rut so it's off to ID or MT for me each fall for the bulk of my elk hunting vacation.  WA needs to get wise to the fact they are losing thousands and thousands of dollars with their crappy elk seasons, particularly archery.       

[pianoman9701]

We may give up on WA elk. Has anyone rifle hunted the Sand Point , ID area out-of-state? Is it fairly easy to get tags and are there good elk there?

Yes and yes (grin).  I grew up just across the state line, a bit to the NE, in MT from the area you're talking about.  The Panhandle Zone (Units 1,2,3,4,4A,5,6,7,9) has decent elk pops but vary by unit as far as state pop objectives go.  Palouse Zone (Units 8,8A,11A) are sprinkled up in the handle also.  Yes, tags are plentifull and seldom sell completely out from my experience over the past few years.  The beauty of ID is that you can multiple seasons with multiple weapons, and, you get a significant portion if not all of the rut, depending on the tag you choose.  Many (if not most) of the units I mentioned are antlered only which may or may not be a deal breaker for you.  Downside to the area is you're close to "ground zero" for wolves and they are all around. I hunt a long weekend in the WA early season but refuse to give up the elk rut so it's off to ID or MT for me each fall for the bulk of my elk hunting vacation.  WA needs to get wise to the fact they are losing thousands and thousands of dollars with their crappy elk seasons, particularly archery.     

A wolf pelt on the wall would be worth an out-of-state elk tag.

[Fullabull]

Still not sure, depends on what they do with the early archery season this year.I hunted Idaho last year because of the poor season hear in WA. I enjoyed it enough that I might hunt there anyway.I loved hunting during the rut and having bulls talk back even in pressured areas. It's going to be a tough decision.

[csaaphill]

dunno yet thinking like pioano and say addios to WA
Sucks with I 594 is why

[LeviD1]

If they change the season ill stick with archery. If they dont ill be going rifle for the first time since I picked up a bow.

[ridgefire]

Idaho archery again unless i draw quality tag here in wa. Probably just buy a point for wyoming again but may put in for tag i have slim chance of drawing.

[zackmioli]

Making a big change next year. Gonna go east side for elk for the first time. It's more the type of terrain I enjoy being in. Sick of having all the land locked up on the west side.

Going to go high and deep and go with more of a backpacking style hunt. I'd love to pick the brains of anyone who does these style hunts!

Already changing my workout routine to get prepared.

[Hornseeker]

I think about it every single day...

This year was amazing, getting my first archery elk... and with my girlfriend standing right beside me when I squeezed the trigger...

September of 2015 will find her and I in either that same spot... camped for a full week this time, about 4 miles in from the truck....
OR
In a better spot if I draw my LE tag... which is the unit that MT thread of recent had the "444 New MT state record Non-typ" bull. Which turned out to be a 421 bull... Id still shoot him...

My dream tag... damn. I have 12 points.... please elk gods, please give me that tag next year!!!

Heres the question though... I've got a 383 bull... Do I actually go big or go home with that tag, thinking I may find one bigger than 383? Or do I just say, "Im gonna go have a stellar hunt and take a nice bull home"....

IM already stressed about it... now that is F'd up....

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

If you plan for it now you won't draw.  Expect the worst and hope for the best.

[elkchaser67]

I will be Archery elk hunting NE Iregon again hoping to make it 3 bulls in a row. Thenmight hunt WA not sure if I will rifle or archery hunt WA

[jeffitz]

Goin eastside for elk,dreamin of a big bull permit for the Blues or Chinook Pass area.probably wont get one even with 15 points but....actually pretty excited just try out somethin new,spikes are really tender anyway!

[deerslyr]

April 15- June 15 spring bear. hoping to do it with a bow

August 15th - sept 5 archery antelope

Sept 5th- 14th back country deer/elk (scouting for ram)

Sept 15th till quota is met - ram hunt

Oct 1st- 10th wa muzzle elk (hoping I draw, prolly the only nr dumb enough to apply for WA haha)

Guide the general season in montana.

Dam I have a busy year ahead of me.

[GotMyTag]

I actually have a 10 year plan.  This is for my family not just me.  And I do have a lot of nephews.

But 2015 goes like this.
Make sure I get my nephews some of the best tags in the west.  I really like helping the kids get great tags and getting them hooked on hunting.
Apply in many states in the best area's.
Do not miss any draws because then you are not in a higher point pools.

We will have at least 5 fantastic tags.  This year.  Last year we had so many good tags we had to turn some back in because you can only be in one place at a time.

We will get 3 fantastic deer tags in Utah.
We should get 2 of the best elk tags in Colorado.
We should get 2 of top 10 area elk tags in Utah.

So I think should will get 5 of these 7 this year.
If we do not draw what we think then we will get one of the best area deer tags in wyoming.  But if we do then we will just do points in wyoming.

Then we are in the running for a top 10 area antelope tag in wyoming.
We are in for pretty good odds at what I think is the best deer rut hunt in Nevada.
Then of course we are in the pray for tags in Idaho and Montana and AZ.
The kids are applying in Washington.  But these are horrible odds.
New Mexico we also apply for the best tags.
I could go on but you get the picture.

If we draw any of the horrible odds hunts then we turn back in some of the other tags.

2 years ago we did fantastic and this year we did fantastic.  2015 should probably be the best year yet.

I am not against going guided.  But currently there is no reason.
All these hunts will be DIY -- public land.

Oh yeah -- the odds are OK for some bear tags as well.  We would be getting some of the best ones here but my boy is having to work in Australia for 6 months and work is effecting some of the other nephews time frames.