WA Hunters Who've Hunted Idaho?

[Elknut1]

  Are those hunters who've hunted in these parts of our State coming back to elk hunt? Would you consider hunting it or are you coming back again in the near future? Will gas prices effect your decisions or was the quality of the hunt not what you'd hoped for the last time?

  I'm very curious as I've seen quite a few WA plates over the years in the Central part of the State where we hunt. Let me add that it doesn't bother me at all to share our elk with you folks!! (grin) Have a great hunt!!!

  ElkNut1

[boneaddict]

I'll be there.  I'll grumble about gas, but I just worked 5 out of the last 6 shifts or days as double shifts.  I'm salaried, so no double time or time and a half, but they do pay me straight pay, so thats 5 extra shifts just for gas for this fall.  Nothing will stop me from my passion.

[Gobble]

Are there any more over the Non-resident counter tags left?

[GoldTip]

Last time I checked there were plenty of Idaho NR tags left for OTC.  But you'd better check quick because they start selling like hot cakes when all other western states get done with their drawings and guys realize they do not have elk tag for the fall.  Also, residents are allowed to buy a second deer or elk tag at non resident prices if they so choose.  With gas prices what they are, there probably won't be as many doing that as have done it in the past.

Elknut, to answer your question, yes I will be hunting Idaho this fall and next fall and the fall after that as well.  The gas prices do not make me happy, but they are what they are, and as boneaddict pointed, they will not keep me from doing what I love.  But gas prices are hurting a lot of folks.  My nurse just decided to take a transfer to a clinic within our system that will save her around 10miles each way on her drive, driving her 4-runner at 20mpg in town, that saves her around 5 gallons a week, can't say as I blame her. 

I feel badly for the guys who have already bought tags who are from the west side of Washington, living in Spokane, I have a 70mile one way trip to where I deer and elk hunt, so I don't have it all that bad anyway, I drive that far to where I hunt here in Washington anyway.  Those wetside guys have just a bit further to get to where they hunt. 

[WDFW-SUX]

Im making 3 trips to Idaho this year one for scouting, one for archery elk and one for late deer.

If gas doubled in price it might slow me down but I doubt it......Id probably just take the wife's Subaru Forrester instead of the truck

Are there any more over the Non-resident counter tags left?

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/cms/licenses/quota/nrquota.cfm

[Skinner]

I've got two trips planned to your parts and theres not much that would slow me down.  I think of it pretty much everyday.  Where I'm settin up camp, which ridge I'll be on opening morning, and all my gear I will take.  Helps that my deer trip fuel bill is split between 4 guys.  The first trip is with a horse trailer w/4 horses and one other guy.  Could be a little more spendy, but I'll gaurantee you will like the pics when I return.

[Machias]

I'll be hunting Idaho again this year, love having 4 months and all three weapons choices for elk!

[Elknut1]

  It's great to see so many are willing to put up with inflation & still do whatever it takes to hit the elkwoods! It's tough on all of us but it's not stopping my Son & I from cashing in on our NM elk draw! We'll be heading out that way mid Sept. it should lighten our load by 2500 when all said & done!

  What do you folks feel your elk hunts will run you this year?  Oh yea, don't let the wives read this thread, unless they elk hunt too !!!! (big grin)

  ElkNut1

[Bearhunter]

Ill be taking my annaul trip to idaho no matter what the gas prices get to, thats why I work a winter, spring, and summer so I can go hunt in the fall!  The only way I wont make the trip is if I draw the Wenaha or Peaches tag this year.  I have also two trips planned to Eastern Montana one for Elk in September and a second for Deer in November, those will be a couple pricey trips.  Cant put a price on a good time though!

[Intruder]

I am but it's only about 40-60 miles for me.

[boneaddict]

I'm figuring at least one trip to Montana for elk (not counting another for deer later), and then at least a weak in Idaho with Dad once we coordinate.....damn I don't want to know I better go sign up for some more shifts.................Tags are already bought, hopefully I bought the right one.  I don't quite understand the concept between A tags and B tags. 

[GoldTip]

Bone, the "A" tag is what I'm guessing you would most likely want as it offers the most time to be spent hunting elk with Archery equipment during archery only seasons, but still give some time for modern firearm or Muzzleloader hunting.  The "B" tag is the tag you want if you plan to spend more time in the woods with a modern firearm but would still like some opportunity to hunt during an archery only season as well.

[Intruder]

I don't quite understand the concept between A tags and B tags. 

A tags (at least in the panhandle) emphasize primative weapons by giving you more and longer seasons for them.  B tag favors rifle hunting.... longer rifle season, shorter bow, etc.

Yea... what Godtip said  

[WDFW-SUX]

I'm doing the A tag.

[bullchaser]

Salmon A tag last year to few elk to many wolves for me. I need to find a new unit.

[TheHunt]

If I do not get drawn for anything else I will be going to Idaho. 

[boneaddict]

Well, the A tag was what I picked as it looked the best for me.  So GOOD DEAL! 

[Elknut1]

 Bone, yes the A tag is the one you want for archery related hunts! The way it works is this, the A tag allows ones to hunt in most Zones, (the one you've chosen) Aug 30--Sept 30  Now in many of those zoned units if you were not successful with archery then another season opens Oct 5-14 for spikes only with a general firearm in your same chosen unit. (check regs for verification of your chosen zone) If still unsuccessful in many units a cow only season opens in Nov 10-30 with muzzle loader only! Different zones have different date opening & closures so ones need to check regs for your units!

  ElkNut1
 

[Machias]

And if you STILL haven't put a tag on one there is a Late Archery season as well.  Sure makes the $372.50 elk tag much more bearable!

[boneaddict]

and......after the end of August, you can buy an extra tag and kill two if you want.

By the wy, I didn't see any of your names on the Super hunt raffle drawings for Idaho.  There was one guyfrom wa and he is from Puyallup.  Good luck to him.

[bucklucky]

I just had to cancell my cable TV, and the wife is picking up more hours to try and stay on top of the bills. I cant afford to leave the house right now. Good thing I have elk and deer in my yard. Tough times here.

[WDFW-SUX]

I got my A tag today.........Idaho here I come!

[steeleywhopper]

I have always wanted to hunt Idaho and have never had the chance to. I have listened to my dad and grandfathers stories of hunting out of Dixie for deer and elk way back when. I have talked my buddy into putting in for  Idaho tags next year. It is alot closer than Montana or Wyoming, which we put in for every year. The fuel price increase has actually helped me do something that I have always said I was gonna do. I try not to let the higher prices hold me back too much. I do not do as many one day trips, instead I will go for 2 or 3 days at a time.
 My grandfather and I are going to be going to Prince George B.C. for a moose hunt this September and that gas bill is gonna be spendy. Oh well, all in the name of the hunt!

[SkookumHntr]

---Hey steelywhopper, Im hunting up there as well in sept, who you huntin with?

[MHWASH]

It wasn't the gas prices that kept us from going this year, it was all the extra snow fall. We heard there was higher than normal winter kill, and dad said he did not want to chance it again. The last time he hunted Idaho it was after the bad winter of '96. I was going to take him where I got my elk in 2001.

 I hope to guide him in '09 and I can try again in '10. I plan on hunting in rougher terrien than what the old man can handle.

[spin05]

Yea my buddy quit hunting mccall,ID area after he got surrounded by wolves with nothing but a bow.....

[actionshooter]

I just got back from the Salmon area looking for boo boo, and I'll be going back to Frank Church for deer. If I could work in Elk I would be there but it doesn't look good right now.   You guys are really making me think though.......

[257 Wby Mag]

I'll keep going come hell or high water, this will be 9 in a row...

[M_ray]

I don't hunt it for Elk ... I should though ... but usally I hunt the Whitetail rut hunt in November but this year I'm counting on the alternate combo tag or a antelope tag in Montana! If not I'll be back praying on the Gospel Hump!

[M_ray]

I love the Whitetail rut in Idaho and gas prices wouldn't make me miss it!!!!

[dreamingbig]

Haven't been over there yet but will do so in the next few years.  Gas prices would not prevent me from going this year if I had it planned.  Vacation time is my limiting factor.

[runningboard]

I and my little girl will go this year but it's not that far for us. panhandle is about 15-20 miles depending on which way you go, just couldn't pass up their awesome deal on youth tags and licenses. Only drawback for me is that youth tag must be same type as adult "mentors". I wanted to use bow but my little girl is "LITTLE" and can't pull a bow big enough to hunt squirrels. Will get to use my 35 ackley for what I built it for though.

[Elknut1]

  Not sure yet about the winter kill for sure, but I will say this isn't the elks first rodeo, they're tough critters for sure & they can can take some serious abuse from ole man winter & bounce right back! They migrate out where we live, (near McCall) they're just returning now so I'll be checking things out as I normally do! I worry more about the wolves than I do the snowfall.
  At any rate we'll do our best to get a few on the ground!
  Most of ID is OTC.

  M_ray, great photos there, I love the black & white, nice touch!

  ElkNut1

[boneaddict]

Steely, I think Dixie is still producing.

I keep watching for the wolf tags.  May want to stick one in your pocket Elknut1 if they are as cheapas they are saying.  I hear they respoind to a bugle real well. 

[GoldTip]

Bone, you didn't see my name in the super hunt raffle for Moose?  I bought a ticket and sent it in.  Hmmmmmm, I better check that.

[rosscrazyelk]

I have hunted the clearwater and I will be back someday.

[Brushbuster]

I hunt ID every yr. Normally for elk & deer but this yr will be deer only so one trip instead of two.

[anglinarcher]

i hunted it for deer last year but never got one.
Looking for a better spot this year.

[Opportunist]

Not this year. Idaho is always our go to archery elk hunt if we don't draw tags any where else. My plate is full this year in Oregon with 3 back to back elk hunts. We switched to Idaho as our archery elk hunt in 2000 from eastern Oregon. I hunted central Idaho twice and saw alot of washington plates myself compared to when we hunted down in southeast Idaho. In one evening drive in southeast Idaho we saw plates from 8 different states.

My best bull came out of Idaho on an otc tag. We connected on two bulls on that trip, definetly a trip for the books, literally. Our two bulls scored within 2 inches of each other and our gutpiles were within 300 yards of each other, killed in consecutive days. I killed mine while he was fighting another bull. Of course the other bull was bigger, but I didn't give a *censored*.
In fact that was the first year you could buy a second tag in Idaho, of course I didn't and the other bull stood there after my bull was dead broadside at 15 yards, roaring his guts out at me. I had to take off my face mask to get him to run off.





We hunted the same area for three years then switched areas and my hunting partner pulled out this bull.



I'll be going back in 09. I'm taking my son for his first out of state bowhunt. Idaho really has their *censored* together as far as promoting youth hunting. Sorry about the grainy pictures they are 35mm scanned and burnt to a disc.

[Elknut1]

 Opportunist, great photos & hunts!!!!

  Looks like quite a few border jumpers here!! (grin) Good Luck to all.

  ElkNut1

[Todd_ID]

I'm one of those border jumpers!  I work in Seattle, so I decided to live in WA so I don't have to pay Idaho's income tax.  The $1000 in licenses and tags each year is nothing compared to paying income tax.  I did make the choice to live as close as possible to my stomping grounds, so Clarkston it was.  With the price of gas not going down anytime soon, I'm seriously considering picking a unit that is closer to home and not coming home as often.  I normally take all of September off, so you'll see my smiling face on a mountainside somewhere.

Now....it'll be a different story if I ever draw a Blue Mountains elk tag!