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Author Topic: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt  (Read 10051 times)

Offline BIGMIKE

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Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« on: January 24, 2019, 01:39:56 PM »
Hello, I'm planning an out of state Elk hunt in Idaho this season for a Bull and Mule Deer. I was hoping to get feedback from folks who used Cold Meadows Air Strip/ Chamberlain Basin in Frank Church Wilderness, Idaho. I'm looking for recommendations on a Plane/Pilot who can drop couple of people plus hunting equipment. Is there good Elk hunting near the vicinity of the air strip or is it better to bring inflatables and do a float hunt. Got Tags for Elk, Deer and Wolf (maybe tagging a wolf can help pay for the expenses) :chuckle: Thanks.
« Last Edit: January 24, 2019, 03:35:29 PM by BIGMIKE »
Happy Hunting and Fishing

Offline lewy

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2019, 02:02:02 PM »
I've hunted the frank for elk/deer/bear/wolf, I would recommend looking else were for elk. The deer hunting can still be good in Nov. If your looking for an experience and some incredible country, that it is
Go hawks

Offline idahohuntr

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2019, 02:19:12 PM »
Definitely incredible country and unique - but tough place to hunt.  Bring a fly rod...fishing can be off the charts if the hunting is slow or you need a break!
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood..." - TR

Offline vandeman17

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2019, 02:29:04 PM »
I've hunted the frank for elk/deer/bear/wolf, I would recommend looking else were for elk. The deer hunting can still be good in Nov. If your looking for an experience and some incredible country, that it is

agreed with this. We went in two years ago and saw lots of deer and good bucks but elk were scarce. Had wolf shat about 25 yards from where we set camp
" I have hunted almost every day of my life, the rest have been wasted"

Offline lewy

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2019, 02:41:32 PM »
We actually seen as many or more wolves than elk....true
Go hawks

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2019, 02:58:19 PM »
It's unfortunate, but because the Frank Church is a wilderness it isn't going to see any predator management. 

USFS was sued by environmental groups for using a helicopter in the FC to collar wolves and deer for a study, the court even ordered the destruction of the data they had already obtained.  Idaho Fish & Wildlife can no longer pay professional wolf hunters/trappers operating in the wilderness either. 


No relief coming any time soon.
 



Offline KFhunter

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2019, 03:14:26 PM »
I think this is cross post worthy, anyone planning to hunt in the frank church would want to be well armed with info ahead of time.


Numerous wilderness units are producing lower harvest than historic high numbers - in part because of predation.  However, I'm not aware of any major reductions in seasons/opportunities. I think NR tags were cut for late season deer hunts in the Frank Church, but that seemed like *R's getting tired of being overrun by *NR's??  Elk harvest rates are pretty comparable to non wilderness units...somewhere in the 15-25% range...pretty normal for OTC units IMO.  But yes, they are at a low compared to what they were historically. 

Its worth noting - those wilderness units are one of the only remaining elk hunts in the world where you can buy a tag OTC and go hunt elk with a rifle during the rut...you won't ever see seasons or opportunities like that in heavily motorized access areas...so not sure its fair to say opportunity is less relative to non-wilderness units. I'd say its probably more opportunity, but its not as good as some of the old days of the 60's-80's.  Different baselines.

Overall, yes, Idaho is experiencing tremendous deer/elk harvest...I think the winter of '16 '17 has been the only real downward pressure on those harvests of late.

Thankyou, I just want to emphasize again, the increased herds and success is in the accessible units and the decreased herds and success is in wilderness units.

I operate in some Idaho units that are fairly accessible, it's a mix of motorized access and non-motorized backcountry, with access very similar to the Kettle Crest and Abercrombie areas in Washington. As you know Idaho flies units about every 5 years to do herd counts, our elk herd has grown by nearly 40% from the previous survey to the most recent survey. Perhaps I am wrong, but I attribute the gains to excellent habitat created by USFS treating maple thickets to benefit aspen and sage growth and the access for ranchers and predator hunters to be effective at taking cougar, wolves, and coyotes . We don't have many bear in the area I'm referring to and wolves have never been able to take off either, the sheep and cattle ranchers are pretty effective whenever they have livestock losses. What stands out is that most of these effective actions that help elk and deer herds could not occur in wilderness.



R's = Resident hunters
NR's = non-Residents

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2019, 03:18:15 PM »
Idahohuntr has given great advice, bring a fishing pole.

Offline BIGMIKE

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #8 on: January 24, 2019, 09:14:25 PM »
Thank you for all the input so far. Any of you guys did a fly in drop camp in Frank Church? Middle Fork, unit 20A? Or is it better to drive in? Maybe via horse drop camp?
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Offline grade-creek-rd

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2019, 07:42:40 AM »
Give George Doris of G&S Aviation a call. He flies out of Cascade (and is the guy who dropped those guys into Cold Meadows/Chamberlin Basin area for their "death hike" that they did a podcast on). I have flown with George several times, and before that I flew with his brother and dad since 1991 when they owned McCall Air. Cold Meadows is aptly named, be sure to take the right gear!

Grade
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Offline fishngamereaper

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #10 on: January 28, 2019, 08:03:11 AM »
I think you need to focus on one or the other. If you want a better chance at a bull go the end of Sept and drive in with a good base camp. Hearing them bugle is about the only way to find them in there. If you want deer fly in and get dropped off in the back country in Nov along the migration route.  :twocents:

Offline tgray

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2019, 10:21:19 AM »
Give George Doris of G&S Aviation a call. He flies out of Cascade (and is the guy who dropped those guys into Cold Meadows/Chamberlin Basin area for their "death hike" that they did a podcast on). I have flown with George several times, and before that I flew with his brother and dad since 1991 when they owned McCall Air. Cold Meadows is aptly named, be sure to take the right gear!

Grade
+1 for George, I have flown in a couple times with him

Offline Johnny Doe

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2019, 10:26:41 AM »
I would suggest McCall Aviation.  Flown with them more than a couple times into Chamberlain (for work, not hunting).

Like the others suggested, I would look elsewhere for elk.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again!

Offline huntnnw

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2019, 11:24:00 PM »
I have a friend who hunts the frank every year on horse in Sept during the rifle  hunt and the elk hunting is tough. Every year is different he says one year you can be into 200 head of elk and the following year not a single track. Its a very tough unit to traverse country covering ground to find elk and even harder on foot. Just to move one draw over can be not doable or a day or more to move.

Offline fisheral87

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Re: Frank Church Wilderness Bull Hunt
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2019, 06:44:37 AM »
I flew in to unit 27 last year.

Pm me and I’ll send you my number.

Al
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