Post by: MichaelJ on July 06, 2009, 04:44:13 PM
Michael
Post by: colockumelk on July 06, 2009, 04:52:24 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on July 06, 2009, 04:58:38 PM
I've heard that the Unit 11 hunt isn't nearly as good as it has been in years past. But being as I've never shot a bull elk and I'm a college student I'm looking for a respectable bull for the unit and need the meat. Nevertheless I'm super stoked!
And yea I will keep 'my' state to myself... don't even think about buying an OTC archery bull tag!!! ;)
Michael
Post by: WDFW-SUX on July 06, 2009, 05:01:16 PM
Its Vandals :chuckle:
Post by: MichaelJ on July 06, 2009, 05:06:31 PM
If anybody wants to get any info to me I'd much appreciate it. The regional office is already close and since I have very limited internet access the best way to get ahold of me is to email me and I'll get it on my phone and can reply back. My email address is John6946@vandals.uidaho.edu
Thanks guys I'm super stoked...
Michael
Post by: colockumelk on July 06, 2009, 05:26:17 PM
I hate you. You are one lucky SOB....peaches now this ;)
Its Vandals :chuckle:
Hopefully he doesn't eat that tag like he did in Peaches :chuckle: Go WILDCATS!!!!!
Post by: MichaelJ on July 06, 2009, 05:31:33 PM
I hate you. You are one lucky SOB....peaches now this ;)
Its Vandals :chuckle:
Hopefully he doesn't eat that tag like he did in Peaches :chuckle: Go WILDCATS!!!!!
Ouch man.... way below the belt!!! lol
Michael
Post by: 1arrowfromhotstreak on July 06, 2009, 05:32:47 PM
Post by: jackelope on July 06, 2009, 05:35:04 PM
stay away from the motorcycles before your hunt.
Post by: bucklucky on July 06, 2009, 06:03:01 PM
Post by: HUNT on July 06, 2009, 06:15:59 PM
I have a lifetime hunting liscense in Idaho and can't seem to draw even though I'm in the resident quota..... Only 1 tag in 18 years :bash:
Post by: colockumelk on July 07, 2009, 09:45:00 AM
no motorcycles mike...
stay away from the motorcycles before your hunt.
Unless it has training wheels. Do you have training wheels Mike? :chuckle:
Post by: MichaelJ on July 07, 2009, 03:53:38 PM
Any good places where I can order GOOD maps? I'll talk to my supervisor tomorrow and see if i can't get something in the way of USFS maps of the area...
no motorcycles mike...
stay away from the motorcycles before your hunt.
lol no worries and this time its with a rifle so I won't need to draw the bow back! lol I'll also have 2-3 buddies with me so that'll help a lot on the packout! lol
Congrats on the draw man!! I'll see what I can dig up for ya. I know what I would be looking for in there, I think it was already stated ;) :IBCOOL:
Thanks Charlie! I called Travis yesterday and he said congrats but no more hell hole packs! lol
You are one lucky SOB!!!! I grew up not far from that unit. My dad killed a bull in that unit when I was a kid. A friend of mine killed a bull in that unit a couple years ago. All I can tell you is shoot a BIG bull. Hunt the breaks where there is less hunting pressure. If you put in the work you can kill a bull of a lifetime. Good luck and keep up posted of your progress!!!! Congrats....
I have a lifetime hunting liscense in Idaho and can't seem to draw even though I'm in the resident quota..... Only 1 tag in 18 years :bash:
Yeah I feel super lucky! Couldn't believe it when I seen the results! In 2008 the draw odds were little less than 6% I believe so I sure feel lucky! I should've put in for moose/sheep! lol
Time to save for a nice spotter and a new pair of boots... ;)
Michael
Post by: andrew_12gauge on July 07, 2009, 06:31:07 PM
Post by: MuleySniper on July 07, 2009, 06:41:01 PM
MS
EDIT: Whoops! Nevermind, he has had buck tags, seen some nice bulls there though so I'll see what he has to say! Yeah, your lucky to get that tag!
Post by: Elkstuffer on July 07, 2009, 08:35:17 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on July 07, 2009, 10:12:33 PM
I've actually contemplated that very thing... lol with a friends E. WA rifle rut tag, and getting my bro a buck in WA, and getting a buck in ID and my elk tag I've actually though of taking school off... lol
However I'm pretty sure the more I realize the logistics of this hunt, that I'm going to head in on a wednesday evening, hunt thursday, friday, saturday and sunday atleast one weekend... We'll see what happens! lol
MuleySniper, that would be great if he had some info!
I talked to the biologist today and he seemed sorta closed mouth. He didn't mention any areas to check out, especially once I mentioned Eagle Creak and China Garden/China Creek areas... he said that by my hunt the elk are still herded up and have been pushed into the breaks between the top and the snake/salmon rivers.
He said that last winter they saw more elk than they've ever seen and thats the reason for the increased tags. A bull to cow ratio of 33 to 100 cows seems pretty great with 26 of those 33 being branched bulls!
I'm working on getting maps and getting in shape right now. Will begin scouting when I get back to school in late august! Can't wait!!!
Michael
Post by: Elkstuffer on July 08, 2009, 09:40:07 AM
Post by: UncleBuck on July 09, 2009, 11:55:07 AM
Post by: MichaelJ on July 10, 2009, 09:48:53 AM
Elkstuffer, yeah it should be a good hunt. But with 80 rifle tags in there for ten days before me, and 71 other guys in the unit I'm not gonna be holding out for a 360 bull... lol
Pretty sure that the first weekend its gonna be 330" goal than after than 300"... We'll see how my scouting trips go and how lenient my teachers are when I tell them I'll be taking off for awhile... lol
A question for you guys that know the unit. I'll probably be scouting in September and will be getting a good idea of the quality/class of bulls in the areas I'm hunting. Can I expect the elk to be in different areas come the 25th of October? What about from 10-25 to 11-24? Do they have a predominantly different summer range and winter range that I should know about? Thanks guys... ;)
Michael
Post by: HUNT on July 10, 2009, 09:58:20 AM
Post by: agchawk on July 10, 2009, 12:30:32 PM
Who ever told you that unit 11 is not as good as it used to be is smoking crack. I spend countless days in unit 11. Huge bulls that no one hunts. Most guys hunt the easy areas. I would hunt the breaks between Eagle creek and the Salmon river. This is steep nasty country which keeps out the rift raft. The 2nd area which I would recommend is China Garden creek. You can access this area through the nature conservatory. This is the area that burned a couple of years back. I would do a back pack overnight hunt down on the breaks. It is a good half day hike to climb down. Getting back up is a different thing. Get your self a good spotting scope and you will see hundreds of elk on the breaks. I bait bears in the fall and see huge bulls in the 350 plus range. Every year I will talk to some *censored* who tells me they can't find any elk and complaining that the area is too steep and has no roads. If you got a good set of legs and don't mind hunting you will get a chance at some big elk. good luck.
MJ, I hunted Unit 11 last season (Drew a Mule deer tag). We hunted the Eagle Creek area along the Salmon River and had an AWESOME time. We were the only folks hunting the unit in that area so we had the entire area to ourselves (There were others camping in there but they were taking boats across the Salmon and hunting Unit 13).
We saw countless deer every day we were in there but only saw one bull during that three day weekend. However, that one bull was BIG and we sat no further than 200 yards from him for over an hour watching him round his harem up. Of course, as I stated before, we were hunting Mule deer so we were not actively seeking the elk out. Just thought I would throw some info your way. The post I quoted above says it all IMO...they are in there! If you need anything, or have questions about access, gear, terrain, etc feel free to contact me and I'll fill you in via PM.
Good luck bud! Hopefully Eagle Creek road is in better shape than last year....cracked my front right wheel assembly driving that damned thing last year! Also put a nice gouge in my passenger side door panel and screwed my tube steps....but it was well worth it!
Post by: MichaelJ on July 10, 2009, 04:20:47 PM
Tell your buddy good luck! Maybe I'll see him up there...
AGchawk, PM sent your way buddy... Thanks for the advice every tid bit helps!
Michael
Post by: MichaelJ on July 12, 2009, 08:44:08 PM
Michael
Post by: jjhunter on July 12, 2009, 08:58:21 PM
Post by: MichaelJ on July 12, 2009, 09:11:31 PM
Michael
Post by: Branden on July 12, 2009, 09:13:45 PM
Well its official! Got my elk tag in the mail today!!! :IBCOOL:
Michael
Sweet.