My September in Idaho

[Todd_ID]

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times....

I spent 16 days on the mountain in N. Idaho with 3 other buddies.  One was there 10 days and the other 2 were there 8 days.  We were in an area that I had never been in before, even though I grew up pretty close to the area; they hadn't been there either.  From day one I was into elk, but they were acting weird for some reason: the herd bulls would answer and immediately start moving away from both cow calls and bugles.  I had found probably 20 "spots" on the topo maps and Google Earth that I wanted to check out, and all of them but 1 had good herds of elk; most of the spots I had found were known to the locals to have elk, but the prevailing theory was, "Yeah, that bull's always there, but who's going to go down after him?"  I did in every case.  We started to figure out where the herds would go when heading away from us, so we changed tactics and would be there waiting for them.  I can testify to Elknut's Threat system of calling as I was able to put herd bull after herd bull in the laps of my partners, but they were never able to connect for various reasons.  In the end there were 5 shots taken with 4 misses (brush and one string jump) and one brisket hit.  We looked hard for 2 days for the one that was hit, but never found a drop of blood or any sign that he was going to die, and I'm pretty good at tracking, too: the arrow had nothing but fat on it.  Now I'm patiently waiting for the December archery season to try and fill my tag. 

It was a great year as far as elk calling and encounters, but I think I put a bit too much pressure on myself to get my buddies to kill elk and didn't spend enough time on my own hunting.

[Todd_ID]

A beautiful meadow in one of those holes that had elk and no people.



A midday break trying to conserve energy.

[Todd_ID]

I found an old hoot owl in one of those holes, too.

[Todd_ID]

I saw one of the more funny things that I've come across.  A guy with his wife and kids were out riding grouse hunting and stopped at an old lookout tower that I was planning on heading out from.  I got to the parking area and saw them trying to save a 4 wheeler from going over a 2000' cliff.  The wife had not set the park brake quite correct, and it rolled back toward the cliff.  One lone 2" dead spruce was the only thing it could hit, and fortunately for them it dead centered it.  Nobody was on it, but there would have been nothing left to sell on Ebay if it would have went over the cliff!  And, to boot, it wasn't even their 4 wheeler: they had borrowed it from a buddy.  I was able to use my winch and pull them to safety...barely.



Here's a picture of my buddy next to the tree that stopped the 4 wheeler.

[bear]

Sounds like you had a good time with some action.   Bear

[Todd_ID]

We had great action, but the bulls were sticking hard to the brush, so a bull 15 yards away is a safe bull.  It wasn't the elk's fault we didn't kill one, though.  We worked probably 2-4 different bulls each day, so there wasn't much down time.

I wish I would have had someone videoing me on one bull, though.  I had set up on a herd bull at about 80-100 yards out putting my buddy about 60 yards downwind where the bull should land right in his lap.  I started a threat sequence and the bull came unglued.  He ran right at my buddy but stopped maybe 30 yards short and turned back to his cows.  He then came around me and snuck in silent from upwind.  I never heard him until he was 15 yards away.  I was kneeled down facing where he should have came from, so he's dead behind me.  I turn slow and quiet to where I think I can get a shot.  I draw back on the bull at 20 yards now and am already trying to figure out how to pay the taxidermy bill, because he's a 360-370 STUD 6x6.  There's a tree trunk that I'm backed up to that I have to lean around to shoot.  I only have to lean maybe 1" or 2", but gravity takes over on my 30# pack and I fall over turtle-style at full draw.  He stands there trying to figure out what the hell he's seeing, and I'm trying to sit up without any success.  He walks out to 30 yards and turns broadside again.  I finally get sat up enough to draw and shoot, but my D-loop had turned when I fell, and my peep sight was rotated way out of whack.  I could see enough to shoot, though, so I tripped the trigger.  Somehow, someway I hit about 4" to the right of where I wanted and pinwheeled a hemlock tree trunk.  Talk about blowing an opportunity on a monster bull!

I do wish that I could have gotten that sequence on video, though because it would have made every blooper video for the next 50 years!

[MichaelJ]

Todd sounds like you had a blast!  I was up in 11 yesterday scouting and found my bull... 350+ 6x6 in a hell hole with 8 or so cows and he's not going anywhere.  Seen a bunch of other elk and a few raghorns but we got fogged out something awefull and was gettin snow/rain...  Sure can't wait for my opener!

Michael

[tlbradford]

What a great story and it sounds like you guys had a great time.  I was howling at the picture of you tipping over.

[jstone]

Great story and pics. I hunt Idaho once in a blue moon, ( By Stanley) I love it. When life slows down i will go back.

[bucklucky]

Great story Todd, wish I was there to see you muff your oportunity at a monster bull turtle style 

[ribka]

Good story and pics
Have hikedand scouted a bit in N Idaho. Unit 1. There are sure some steep, nasty  and thick areas there!

Would not be much fun to pack an animal out of some of these areas.
You guys see any bear?

Did you guys sleep on the hammocks?
Camp next to road or hike in and set up camp?

[Todd_ID]

Good story and pics
Have hikedand scouted a bit in N Idaho. Unit 1. There are sure some steep, nasty  and thick areas there!

Would not be much fun to pack an animal out of some of these areas.
You guys see any bear?

Did you guys sleep on the hammocks?
Camp next to road or hike in and set up camp?

Didn't see any bear, but I saw their sign every day that was fresh. 
Yeah, the hammocks saved the day by allowing us the rest that we were missing by getting back to camp at 9 and asleep by 11 only to wake up at 3:30 each day.

We camped on a road and took the truck from camp each morning.  Several nights were spent in the woods because of the distance from hunting to camp problem.  The hammocks are not a great substitue for a night's sleep in a bed, but they worked out pretty well.

[GoPlayOutside]

Sounds like a great hunt.  Hopefully you can get back into the elk.  Good Luck!