Back from Idaho

[Rufenit]

My cousin and I just spent the last three days in the Clearwater area around Orfino. We arrived in Lewistown around 9am and stopped at the Bighorn to purchase our license. We asked as many questions we could think of. We were sent to an area called Mason Butte on the NW side of Dwarshack Reservoir. We drove around that area till dark and spoke to a couple of loggers. They said they hadn't seen any for a couple weeks.

The next day after speaking to a few locals( who, by the way, want to help). They recommended Pierce and headquarters. We did see two sets of  day old tracks above pierce. Around Headquarters we spoke to several guys on sleds who hadn't seen anything. We went back to pierce and called until dark with no response.

The next day we were told there was good sign on the back side of Weippe. There is a company that builds logs for log homes. I can't remember the name of the road but it was fairly easy. We drove that road out five + miles and started to see a large number of tracks.  Every elk track we saw there was a dog following. We hiked in a half mile or so in about a foot of snow.  We called for an hour or so and didn't get any response. This was also the area with the most deer and elk tracks.

We used the wounded rabbit but I think its getting over used since everyone we talked to said they were using it.

The local hound hunters won't let there hounds run freely in fear that the wolves will get them. I think the next time I go I will try calling using hound sounds of a treed cat or something similar.

If anyone is going that direction I hope this helps, good luck

[CamoDup]

  wish I could of been there.  Too bad you guys didn't have any kill success.  Alot of good info in that post. 

[trophyhunt]

We hunt really close to headquarters and everytime we've been there we have heard wolves.  We would just howl by our mouths and the next night or that evening there would be wolves close, did you wait a while after calling? I'm no expert by anymeans, it just seems in two different places in Idaho we have been it took a day or a few hours to get them to respond. Maby they were just far off to begin with. It's too bad you didn't wack any, it's seems like there is a bunch in that headquarters area.  I would also go to the wintering grounds for the elk and you should find wolves there, I don't think they are too far from pierce.

[Hornseeker]

We hunt really close to headquarters and everytime we've been there we have heard wolves.

Ditto. There are a good number around there!

[ddublu]

Im the cousin that went with Rufenit and if I remember right we did go down close to the feeding area, but unfortunately we didn't see any sign in that area either.   We probably waited about 1.5 to 2 hours where we were calling near Weipe, but no response. It was hard to get around most areas because of the amount of snow on the ground and a lot of the roads weren't plowed so even with 4x4 you would get stuck.   By far the most deer and elk sign were near Weipe and so were the Wolf sign.  It was a fun trip for sure, can't wait to go back and try again.

[CamoDup]

Welcome aboard Dano!   

[sebek556]

  thanks for sharing the info with us