Post by: wazzu99 on January 12, 2013, 06:44:33 PM
Wazzu
Post by: ANDERWAGON on January 12, 2013, 07:11:05 PM
Post by: 300rum on January 12, 2013, 08:41:30 PM
I will assume so. The first thing is that you need to be in the best physical shape possible and then work out twice as hard after that. I would suggest a blend of p90x/insanity with an emphasis on insanity and squats with weight. You also need to be in the best mental shape possible, don't go with anyone who whines, if they complain down here they will break down up there. Those mountains can be bad, bad.
Water can be tough to come by, very, very, tough. The problem can be that you will find a spring/water chance on a USGS map but it will be on an ultra steep slope a mile down in a hole. Water on the top of the ridges is very hard to come by. There is lots of water but it is just so far away and brutal steep to get to. On top of that you can be anywhere from 6k-10k feet and if you don't drink you will be locking up at night with the worst cramps you have ever had in your life.
During the regular season, plan on being in a tee shirt one minute and then a blizzard the next. Two years in a row now we have been in the 60's and then in the teens and snow at some point. The bad stuff doesn't usually last too long that time of year though.
I like hunting the last week or so of the season and would suggest it. You will see rutting activity early up there, say around the 22nd or so. Bucks swelled up even pushing/lip curling on does with satellite bucks watching the action. I haven't watched one breed this early but they were doing everything but! The next ridge over you may find a bachelor group of 4-5 bucks together, kinda weird but I have seen it now a few times.
A .22 pistol is nice (if your buddy packs it like mine does) as there are lots of grouse up there. Every year we run into multiple grouse and multiple courses of fresh protein! We almost count on it now.
There are wolves so grab a wolf tag as it is $35 or so, dirt cheap! I haven't seen one but we heard them last year. You have to call into IDFG like 3 days after you shoot one but for some reason there is cell phone service on some of those ridges (U.S. Cellular).
As far as Elk goes, we see bulls every single year and good ones too. I just don't want to pack them out.
You may not see many deer, let alone bucks. Those bucks have pretty nice mass and a 24" 4 point is a pretty respectable buck up there. One year we only saw a half dozen or so with hard, hard hunting. There are nice bucks in there but the airstrips are like the forest service roads around here, you still have to get away from them.
Post by: fishngamereaper on January 12, 2013, 09:01:27 PM
Check with Mcall Air, they where pretty good. I think there is one called Joe's as well, but that was a few years ago. Its pretty straight forward, you pay them, tell them how long you are staying in for. They drop you off and tell you they will try and pick you up on the selected date. They also tell you that if the weather is bad they could be anywhere from 1 day to who knows how many days late to get you.
You also cannot be even slightly afraid of flying, the plane ride is an experience in itself.
Any other questions just hollor.
Post by: Bigshooter on January 12, 2013, 09:41:43 PM
Post by: wazzu99 on January 13, 2013, 09:41:03 AM
Post by: Killmore on January 13, 2013, 12:06:31 PM
Post by: huntnnw on January 14, 2013, 09:38:49 PM
Post by: deerslyr on January 14, 2013, 09:44:38 PM
I love the guys preaching fitness...sorry its all about what the drive of the individual..I know guys who are in amazing shape, but lack the drive to get after hunting.
I know guys who have the drive but are lacking the fitness that I pass up all day and just cant compete in big country....to be a good back country hunter you need both.
BTW brocka on here did this hunt last year, I know he doesnt like to post on here much but maybe he'll chime in
Post by: kentrek on January 14, 2013, 09:56:24 PM
I love the guys preaching fitness...sorry its all about what the drive of the individual..I know guys who are in amazing shape, but lack the drive to get after hunting.
I know guys who have the drive but are lacking the fitness that I pass up all day and just cant compete in big country....to be a good back country hunter you need both.
BTW brocka on here did this hunt last year, I know he doesnt like to post on here much but maybe he'll chime in
ive been "out marched" by a "unfit" 63 year old not too far from the frankchurch..id been doing 40 mile days through out september bike hunting..i thought i was in shape ? mental is 90% of it...thats def one thing ive come to relize after hunting
with an old vet...its only bad till he brings up a story from vietnam...
Post by: huntnnw on January 14, 2013, 10:14:04 PM
Post by: deerslyr on January 14, 2013, 10:20:14 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on January 14, 2013, 10:28:59 PM
I love the guys preaching fitness...sorry its all about what the drive of the individual..I know guys who are in amazing shape, but lack the drive to get after hunting.
You bet. :tup:
Post by: brocka on January 15, 2013, 07:05:46 AM
I love the guys preaching fitness...sorry its all about what the drive of the individual..I know guys who are in amazing shape, but lack the drive to get after hunting.
I know guys who have the drive but are lacking the fitness that I pass up all day and just cant compete in big country....to be a good back country hunter you need both.
BTW brocka on here did this hunt last year, I know he doesnt like to post on here much but maybe he'll chime in
We planned this hunt out all the way, all we needed was to pay but ended up putting it off for a year. The weather & fires in there kept us from spending the extra cash on the fly in. We ended up just doing a backcountry hunt from a trailhead in a different unit. Its still on the list though.
Mental drive is alot of it I will agree, but being fit makes it more enjoyable & easier. A 100 lb backpack is pretty heavy when its on your back. Especially on day 5. And your out of water.
Post by: Mr Mykiss on January 15, 2013, 08:01:25 AM
Oh and the guy who's buddy is getting his pilots license... and you're gonna then fly into the Church on one of your first flights... I'd rather walk. Seriously I think there is a backcountry flying course that you have to take first.
I get nervous as hell flying having the experts fly me in there.
Don't worry buddy you'll be fine, just remember to turn around in the widest part of the canyon and let your right wing come within 10' of the right rock wall and then within 10' of the other cliff wall as you make a 180 deep in the canyon and don't forget that you need to loose 600' of elevation while doing this... you want to hear about the landing... :chuckle:
Post by: jstone on January 15, 2013, 08:16:07 AM
Post by: Mr Mykiss on January 15, 2013, 08:19:32 AM
Post by: fishngamereaper on January 15, 2013, 08:53:27 AM
Whats the price for the flight round trip per person? Maybe out of stanley? or i guess where ever some of you have flown from
It was like $300 round trip, but that was 6 years ago...Check their website if they still have one.
Mykiss sounds like he has flown in a few times. His description of the flight is spot on, tree tops, cliffs, quick drops, cross you fingers when you land hoping a moose or elk doesnt step into the runnway...etc
And BE in SHAPE.....The Mental part is alot of it, but like most back country hunting, if you dont have the legs and lungs, then your more likely to fail...internal drive only gets you so far. It might get you the kill but it wont get you up and down 2000ft ridges to get your kill out.
Post by: brocka on January 15, 2013, 10:23:06 AM
Post by: westside Elkhunter on January 15, 2013, 11:26:19 AM
Post by: woodywsu on January 15, 2013, 11:58:44 AM
Myskiss, I wonder if I worked for the place you do. PIT-tags and fishing?
Post by: brocka on January 15, 2013, 12:02:51 PM
I have been looking into doing a fly in hunt. I saw there are a few airstrips to pick from. Just curios what helped the most to pick the airstrip you flew into? I Have looked at Idaho's web site and a few other internet search's but still haven't picked one.
McCall air has some good recommendations. Id start there.
Post by: Mr Mykiss on January 15, 2013, 12:12:30 PM
Myskiss, I wonder if I worked for the place you do. PIT-tags and fishing?
Surprised you remember that summer :chuckle:
Post by: fair-chase on January 15, 2013, 12:19:35 PM
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 12:49:48 PM
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 12:52:46 PM
Expect the price to be right around $1 per pound round trip including your personal weights; the more you take in the more expensive it will be. We did it with 3 people/10 days worth of supplies for right around $300/person, but we were living pretty basic... lots of people brought wall tents, fancier meals, etc and I can only guess what their pricetag was.
Yet another reason to be in good shape... the less you weigh the less you'll pay. :chuckle:
Post by: jstone on January 15, 2013, 02:59:34 PM
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 03:21:56 PM
Tagging to follow along.
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
We had a group of fellas start a float trip from our strip... they were after wolves. Said they filled 10 tags that way the previous season... that would be a blast! Gotta worry about the river freezing over in November, though... there were a few points upriver that would have been impassable unless you took the boat apart and ferried it around the ice on land... frozen enough you couldn't pass, but the ice was too thin to drag the boats over.
Post by: fillthefreezer on January 15, 2013, 03:27:41 PM
Post by: fair-chase on January 15, 2013, 07:32:39 PM
Tagging to follow along.
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
We had a group of fellas start a float trip from our strip... they were after wolves. Said they filled 10 tags that way the previous season... that would be a blast! Gotta worry about the river freezing over in November, though... there were a few points upriver that would have been impassable unless you took the boat apart and ferried it around the ice on land... frozen enough you couldn't pass, but the ice was too thin to drag the boats over.
That would be awesome to fill that many wolf tags, but I think I would be to much of a wus to put into that water in November. :chuckle: If I recall the float permit season ends around August 1st (guessing). I would think that there would still be adequate water flow and reasonable temps in mid September.
Sorry for the thread jack, back to the planes. :chuckle:
Post by: fishngamereaper on January 15, 2013, 07:41:58 PM
Post by: kentrek on January 15, 2013, 07:46:14 PM
Tagging to follow along.
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
We had a group of fellas start a float trip from our strip... they were after wolves. Said they filled 10 tags that way the previous season...
any chance they could have been joking ?? i mean i tell people all the time that my honey hole is full of wolfs in hopes theyl stay away..ten wolf tags filled makes me alil jealous...regardless thatd be a great adventure :tup:
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 08:44:20 PM
No joking.. they were serious about it. Floated all the way to the confluence... it was gonna be a 12-14 day trip they figured. They had all sorts of howling apparatuses and stuff... They spent serious cash to fly in their raft and gear.. no way were they kidding. :)Tagging to follow along.
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
We had a group of fellas start a float trip from our strip... they were after wolves. Said they filled 10 tags that way the previous season...
any chance they could have been joking ?? i mean i tell people all the time that my honey hole is full of wolfs in hopes theyl stay away..ten wolf tags filled makes me alil jealous...regardless thatd be a great adventure :tup:
Post by: kentrek on January 15, 2013, 09:11:09 PM
any chance they could have been joking ?? i mean i tell people all the time that my honey hole is full of wolfs in hopes theyl stay away..ten wolf tags filled makes me alil jealous...regardless thatd be a great adventure :tup:Tagging to follow along.
Been dreaming about a 15 day float hunt and fish trip through the area for years.
We had a group of fellas start a float trip from our strip... they were after wolves. Said they filled 10 tags that way the previous season...
No joking.. they were serious about it. Floated all the way to the confluence... it was gonna be a 12-14 day trip they figured. They had all sorts of howling apparatuses and stuff... They spent serious cash to fly in their raft and gear.. no way were they kidding. :)
that is awesome..lol now im even more jealous...
Post by: Alan K on January 15, 2013, 09:42:53 PM
One thing to add, dont think you need to fly in to have a quality back country hunt in the Frank Church. Ive driven in before, set up a good base camp and day hunted into the Church. Plenty of animals to be had that way as well. You might save some money and try driving in once or twice to get a feel for the country. Plenty of access points out of Elk City, McCall and Stanley.
I too was looking into this hunt for my father and I. The more I research I do though, the more I realize that yeah it might be some remote country but there is really no shortage of hunters that hunt it. Looks like in 2011 there were 646 deer hunters that hunted unit 27 (including the unlimited controlled hunt tags). That's on par with a lot of other units, and 20-25% of a lot of the most heavily hunted units. Then throw in the idea that most of those people fly in to a dozen or so airstrips and hike from there, the areas within 5 miles of each of these airstrips have to get some serious pressure. Of course all of that said I haven't been there to see it with my own eyes, but that would be my educated assumption.
I do plan to give it a shot before I die, but for now it's taking a back seat to some other hunt plans. At least flying in is taking a back seat. Starting to look for some corners to hike/pack into from the edges.
Post by: Bigshooter on January 15, 2013, 09:47:45 PM
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 09:48:54 PM
One thing to add, dont think you need to fly in to have a quality back country hunt in the Frank Church. Ive driven in before, set up a good base camp and day hunted into the Church. Plenty of animals to be had that way as well. You might save some money and try driving in once or twice to get a feel for the country. Plenty of access points out of Elk City, McCall and Stanley.
I too was looking into this hunt for my father and I. The more I research I do though, the more I realize that yeah it might be some remote country but there is really no shortage of hunters that hunt it. Looks like in 2011 there were 646 deer hunters that hunted unit 27 (including the unlimited controlled hunt tags). That's on par with a lot of other units, and 20-25% of a lot of the most heavily hunted units. Then throw in the idea that most of those people fly in to a dozen or so airstrips and hike from there, the areas within 5 miles of each of these airstrips have to get some serious pressure. Of course all of that said I haven't been there to see it with my own eyes, but that would be my educated assumption.
I do plan to give it a shot before I die, but for now it's taking a back seat to some other hunt plans. At least flying in is taking a back seat. Starting to look for some corners to hike/pack into from the edges.
Just to give you an idea, there were 9 other camps besides ours at the airstrip we flew into... most had been coming there for 10+ years.. some 25+. There were 4 other parties that set up satellite camps and didn't just do day trips. All said and done, with the smallest camp having 2 people and the largest 9, there were roughly 50 people at our airstrip. Most the longtime campers have certain areas they hunted and we tried to respect their turf... we saw lots of deer and ended up with some respectable animals but no 200 inchers came out of any of the strips as far as we heard. One of our party members had the largest buck yet at rough score mid 170's and we left with 3 days of the season remaining.
Post by: hirshey on January 15, 2013, 09:50:56 PM
You only need to go straight up about a mile from the landing strips to get away from 99% of the people that fly in. Most guys never get out of eye sight of the strip. Except for at loon creek. There's a lot of guys that hunt way back from that strip.
We were 8 miles from the strip and ran across a boned out animal from a few days prior... the guys even left their disposable razor blades and some trash behind. We brought it back to our airstrip but nobody claimed them.
Post by: Bigshooter on January 15, 2013, 09:53:36 PM
You only need to go straight up about a mile from the landing strips to get away from 99% of the people that fly in. Most guys never get out of eye sight of the strip. Except for at loon creek. There's a lot of guys that hunt way back from that strip.
We were 8 miles from the strip and ran across a boned out animal from a few days prior... the guys even left their disposable razor blades and some trash behind. We brought it back to our airstrip but nobody claimed them.
That's must be the 1%. I have never seen anyone that far in off any of the strips I have flown into. hirshey did you meet an A.J. Detter by chance when you flew in?
Post by: huntnnw on January 15, 2013, 11:47:16 PM
Post by: BULLBLASTER on January 16, 2013, 08:37:57 AM
Definitely a hunt I will do...gotta find a partner that's committed. The other thing with the hunt numbers is how many of them went in by horse or foot in the unit and not just the airstripsin the next few years ill be in! Lets start planning!
Post by: wazzu99 on January 16, 2013, 09:38:32 AM
Wazzu
Post by: coyote_out on January 20, 2013, 07:25:46 PM
Post by: actionshooter on January 20, 2013, 08:08:45 PM
One thing to add, dont think you need to fly in to have a quality back country hunt in the Frank Church. Ive driven in before, set up a good base camp and day hunted into the Church. Plenty of animals to be had that way as well. You might save some money and try driving in once or twice to get a feel for the country. Plenty of access points out of Elk City, McCall and Stanley.The more I research I do though, the more I realize that yeah it might be some remote country but there is really no shortage of hunters that hunt it. Looks like in 2011 there were 646 deer hunters that hunted unit 27 (including the unlimited controlled hunt tags). That's on par with a lot of other units, and 20-25% of a lot of the most heavily hunted units. Then throw in the idea that most of those people fly in to a dozen or so airstrips and hike from there, the areas within 5 miles of each of these airstrips have to get some serious pressure.
BINGO,
There are no shortage of hunters there.
I have done it several times and in my experience there is an even split of "strip hunters" and "spike camp hunters".
Don't expect a hunt in there where you don't see anyone else.
Post by: huntnnw on January 20, 2013, 10:11:22 PM
Post by: Bigshooter on January 20, 2013, 11:35:14 PM
there are 30 airstrips... some are private..the key would be getting to a airstrip of least use or able to pay to access a private one
Not important. Just hike 5 miles straight up from any strip and you will get away from 99% of the people. You have to remember most strips there will only be 20-30 guys in there at a time. I have been the only group in at a strip before. The more popular strips like Loon there's only going to be 50-60 guys in there at a time. It's really easy to get away from people.
Post by: jstone on January 21, 2013, 08:06:18 AM
Post by: hirshey on January 21, 2013, 08:41:05 AM
50-60 guys seems like a lot? do they just camp at the air strip and walk out from there? so spike camp 5 miles or so from there and lot less people? what makes one popular and one not so popular? I would rather go to a less popular and pack in from there would be less a chance to run into someone.
Depends on the year.. 2 years ago there were about 40-50 people at our strip but my friends were the only ones setting up spike camps.. Then he came back with a nice buck and there were about 20 people setting spike camps this year..
Post by: Bigshooter on January 21, 2013, 04:44:42 PM
Post by: actionshooter on January 21, 2013, 05:59:03 PM
there are 30 airstrips... some are private..the key would be getting to a airstrip of least use or able to pay to access a private one
There are 15 airstrips that are public and no-one is going to let use or just buy your way in unless you are staying at one of the resorts or using an outfitter.
50-60 people might seem like a lot. But very few if any of those 50-60 guys are going to spike out. Most will do day hunts from the strip. I wouldnt call Hirshey's experience normal.
The airstrips I have hunted (several) , as I have said before, the number of "spike hunters" and "strip hunters" has seemed about even to me.
Just my experience :twocents:
Post by: get one leakin on May 29, 2013, 10:52:20 PM
Post by: wazzu99 on June 05, 2013, 09:16:16 AM
Post by: norsepeak on June 06, 2013, 12:17:32 PM