my first idaho elk archery hunt

[donruss85]

hello all. this will be my first time ever hunting elk or hunting in idaho. im not looking for anyone to hold my hand or a step by step lol. just any tips for a first time hunter and i have a few units i have been looking at if anyone would be willing to talk in detail about units please pm or email me i dont wanna take people spots just tips on the units and what the terrain really is like and such. thanks for any help

Don

 

[MT_mulies]

I lived up in northern Idaho for 2 years, so I know a little bit about there. Now I live in SE Idaho so I can let you know about this area alittle too. Where will you be hunting?

 

[donruss85]

as of this moment im pretty set on the lemhi unit. i plan on this eing a diy backpack hunt i am a taditional hunter (recurve). one friend says he is coming with he can be flakey tho so he might back out, regardless i am definitly going.  i checked out the areas on google earth but would really like to know how rugged the terrain really is? and like i said this is my first elk hunt and i know pretty much nothing about them. i am doing research and watching youtube on elk seminars and hunting stuff

 

[MT_mulies]

Ok I've hunted that general area. It is pretty steep and rugged up there. The elk numbers are pretty good there. I would spend a lot of time glassing. I'm guessing that you won't get a scouting trip since you aren't from around there. So I would spend a day hunting/behind the binoculars trying to find them. We hunted in that general area last year and spent a day watching elk and then patterning them (since they came out of the trees in the morning and back in the evening in the same spot we figured they were still in summer habits). We had our chance, but some unfortunate/comical things happened and we didn't get to seal the deal for about a week of chasing elk. Last year we went the first week of the season and they weren't very talkative except for the first 10 min and the last 10 min of the day. But other years I've had them bugling all day long the first week of September. Also there are wolves in that area. Last year every night when we went to sleep the wolves would sing us to sleep. My brother didn't sleep much, but it only affected me the first night then I was good to go haha. You should be able to find elk. If you don't find them in the first day or two you might want to move drainages. I've noticed they will move around a little bit, but there always seems to be 1 or 2 big drainages they prefer.

 

[donruss85]

awesome thanks for the advice. what are drainages though lol i have no clue what the terms are for the terrain there. also what altitude should we place our main camp? i have been reading everything i can on elk hunting idaho and watching everything on you tube such as diy otc hunt vids and the gritty bowmen and stuff and i am learning alot

 

[MT_mulies]

Haha no problem. A drainage is where all the water would run or does run from the side of a mountain. It is comprised of lots of canyons. I tried to do a screen shot and attach it so hopefully you can get an idea. I hunt as high as possible and put my camp there as well. I like being above the elk in the morning. It is a lot easier for me to chase elk downhill then uphill. Plus it is less walking in the morning so I get another 10-15 min of sleep haha. Also you will have to watch your thermal winds. In the morning they blow downhill and the afternoon they blow uphill (usually).

 

[Talon]

If you decide on Lemhi, let me know. I hunted that are 3 years ago and loved it. There is a lot of roads that are closed off during elk season and it makes it perfect for access via mountain bikes with very little effort. You can get a few miles in and the go up the draws to hunt. It was a great hunt but the wolves were there. Other hunters would use bikes to access the areas as well. However, they would day trip. Just go a bit further and hike over the ridge to another basin and you are golden.

 

[Talon]

Forgot to mention, I highly recommend the new elk101 online course. It will really improve your elk knowledge and increase your opportunities 

 

[Freemachz]

I am starting to work the Bear River Zone.
I understand unit 75 has good bulls.  Started scouting an area in Emigration canyon, outside of Ovid/Montpelier.  I also have a cabin in Fish haven, ID and work Bloomington/Paris.
Not to pirate your thread, but any insight, tips would be great.  First time working this zone as a non-resident.  Archery only