10 yr old son's Idaho Elk hunt--Unit 19

[abe henderson]

Last fall I asked my nine-year-old son if he had any dreams or goals in life. He told me he wanted more than anything to go on a horseback elk hunt and shoot a bull, although he said just seeing a bull elk in the mountains would be awesome!  After talking for a while I realized that he thought the only way to do it would be to hire an outfitter when he was much older. I asked him how much he thought that would cost and he replied,  thousands of dollars.  I asked him to  write down all the things about his dream that he could think of, which he did.

I started researching all the out-of-state elk hunting  opportunities that were available.  It didn't take long to learn that Idaho had just reduced their minimum age to 10 years old and that they had ridiculously cheap out-of-state youth tags.  I researched harvest Statistics and talked to wildlife biologist and settled on unit 19.

In the meantime I worked with my son to help him develop a savings plan that would allow him to save enough money for his own license and tag and $50 to help with gas. Right now he's just a few bucks short.  My folks have horses so I talked to my dad about joining us and getting some pack saddles and bringing a couple horses along.

I'm taking two weeks of vacation and we are planning to hunt the last two weeks of September.  I've been doing map research and I'm planning on going in by myself for a long weekend in early September to scout.

If anyone has any General information that they would be willing to share please feel free to shoot me a PM.  Right now I'm thinking our primary strategy will be spot and stalk at higher elevations off the trail system.

Thanks in advance!

[johnnyaustin44]

Good on you. Im sure thats a hunt he'll never forget nor will you. Sorry I dont have a lick of info for you guys. 

[1bugman]

Very cool, what a great trip and can't wait for the story.

[WapitiTalk1]

Abe, it sounds like you and your hunting partner are gonna have a grand time!  Although the OTC tags don't normally sell out (for many units/area), you may wish to get yours soon just to be safe.  I have not hunted that unit before but 19 is one of the units that is marked as "below state elk objectives"..just a point of information.  What kind of weapons are you guys gonna be using (I believe that B tag is any weapon for two weeks)?  Just curious.  If you haven't done so already, I'd get the USGS 7.5 M topos for the area so you and your hunting partner can do your remote scouting/map work.  He'd probably really dig pouring over those maps, looking for "elky" areas (N facing slopes, benches, trail systems, possible seeps, etc.) and then actually stepping foot on those places you've scouted once you arrive in SEP.  Best of luck to you and the young elk hunter this fall!       

[andrew_in_idaho]

One thing I do want to point out are those real cheap non resident youth tags(youth mentored) do require a licensed adult with the same tag accompanies the youth. I can't tell from your original post if you and your dad are planning to hunt as well so just thought I would mention it.

[Hamhock]

We attempted a hunt in that unit 8 years ago.  We packed across the wind river bridge.  You can drive to the bridge 20 miles or so upriver from riggins.  Make sure you are in great shape and make sure your horses are in mountain/trail shape.  We had a horse get severely injured after falling down a hillside into the creek below.  Be careful especially with a young boy on a horse on those trails.  Don't mean to scare you from hunting in there just be careful. The fact that you are going in early to scout will give you an idea of what I mean. 

[abe henderson]

Thanks all for the advice.

I did spring for an elk tag, so no worries there.  Thanks for pointing that out though.  I really wanted it to be a life lesson--how to plan for and get what you want in life.  That's why I was excited about the price, because it put it within reach for him even at this young age.

I'll be able to check out the terrain when I'm up there, thanks for the warning though.  Did you see much game up there? From what the biologist said, the elk are pretty spread out in that unit.

[pd]

Happy for you guys!  Good luck.

[p-ohana]

I'll be hunting that area in 2016, I have family that hunt that Unit.

[wall of wood camp]

You are in for a fantastic trip.  Your son is going to remember this hunt for the rest of his life.  There are some really good areas in that unit and yes the elk are spread out but they are always in there on the first day and then filter back throughout the week.  we hunted the north side of the river from that unit last year and had a great time.  We took two Bulls out of there and think we would have died trying to pack out the one if it weren't for the horse.  cant say enough about those horses first time I ever hunted with horses and wow they were worth their weight in gold when it came to packing I might still be down in that deep old hell hole that we found my nephews first Bull in.  We spotted him from the ridge top and planned a stalk down to him and the plan came together perfectly came in 200 yards above him and that is where all the fun stopped and the work began.  the first picture is looking across the river into unit 19 the second picture is my hero Dan the Horse

[Magnum_Willys]

Just figure the first year as a scouting trip and enjoy it.  Big area not hunted by horses much - just a couple trails to access and some quad competition.  Wolves were very bad but have eased up last 3 years.  Only one outfitter to compete with and he doesnt go in 19 much.

An elk is possible there.  Not as likely as the Toutle but possible.  Good Luck !  Pack extra gas - last food/gas Elk City if coming in from the North.  Nothing in Dixie except showers and ice.

Good Luck !

[abe henderson]

Thanks for the tips.

Wall of Wood Camp--what was the traffic like where you were hunting?  Thanks for the pics.  I showed them to Josiah and he got pretty amped up.  Where the elk very vocal when you were in there?

Also any tips on local butcher shops where we can hang meat?

[wall of wood camp]

ABE the Elk were not too vocal when we were there but still vocal enough.  They were on the tail end of the rut.  The Bull in the picture was running about 8 cows around scraping the ground with his antlers and bugling his head off.  We are pretty sure their was another Bull down there trying to take his cows but couldn't figure out where he ever disappeared too.  The Bull I shot was trailing a cow and bugling the night before right below our camp.   there were plenty of hunting camps and hunters in the area we were in but the big camps if you were willing to walk in more than a mile past the gates at the end of the roads where they were camped you would get past them.  My nephew says they are all out of staters and they come every year but are there more for the party and the camping then the hunting.  if you get over closer to the quad trails you were in the middle of hunting city with people and four wheelers going every direction you turned.  we were so much better off staying away from the clear cuts and getting into the deeper darker timber holes where nobody wanted to go