New Elk Hunter

Expatmedic

New member
Jan 22, 2019
4
Hi everyone, I looked for a place to post an introduction but I didn't see one.


I have been invited to hunt Idaho Elk Fall 2019 zone 10A Dworshak.


I have never hunted Elk, and have only been on a few deer hunts.


I would appreciate any help especially with information about the zone itself. 


I have good gear ie base layers, rain shell, camping gear etc.  I was planning on using my 257 Weatherby and limiting myself to broadside shots of 300 or less.


Please chime in, help, critique away. 


Thank you all for the help and advice.
 
Welcome to the site Expatmedic! :welcome:

I have never hunted Idaho, so can't really help there. Sounds like you might be joining some folks for the hunt though? Have they been there before? How experienced are they at elk hunting?


 
Hi, I am going be joining a group of other hunters and fisherman for a combined trip.  The other guys are very experienced hunters but not so much with Elk.  There is one person that is going to hunt with us that knows the area.  He and I are chatting a bit but figured I would get established here and learn along the way.


I would like to learn more about Elk behavior.
 
Good suggestions already. Make sure you get in good shape, know how to break down an elk if you happen to shoot one, and make sure you have a way to get the elk out. I would also suggest doing research on what to keep in your pack.

As far as elk behavior, there's a lot that goes into it. Some of that depends on what time of year you are hunting. Do you have dates that you plan on going?

In general, know that elk depend on their senses to survive, the best of which is their nose. There's no cover scent or magic spray that is going to fool an elk's nose. You need to pay attention to the wind at all times.

Another generality when it comes to elk behavior is their daily routine. Typically elk will be moving near dawn and dusk and be bedded down throughout most of the middle of the day. Their bedding areas are security areas for them, so think thick timber, possibly blow downs, with areas they can escape quickly. They also prefer a flat area for bedding, which could be a bench on a slope or could be very small if it's a single elk.

Let us know if you have more specific questions. Spend some time reading other threads on here when you have time as there's a lot of information here from a lot of very successful hunters. I would also recommend taking a look at the University of Elk Hunting Online Course here on Elk101. There is a ton of knowledge built into that course and that would speed up your learning curve real quick. www.elk101.com/online-course

If you do sign up for the course, use the promo code Forums10 to save $10 :wink:
 
Expatmedic said:
Thanks everyone, I plan on taking the Elk Uni. course and perusing tons of threads gathering info.

Sounds good! Fire away anytime you have more questions. As I mentioned, there's a lot of knowledgeable folks around here :upthumb:
 
E scout like crazy. Cross reference google earth and Idaho sdf website. It has good maps with roadless layers and whatnot.
 
Start setting aside some money for a good boots and a good pack. For just about everything else, you can get away with budget friendly items to start. After your first year, you will know what you want to upgrade and what skills need improvement.
You're taking the right steps - get that first hunt under your belt and you'll be hooked.
 
I hunt Idaho extensively and i can say don?t be afraid to move around elk don?t stay put but if you can get on good feeding and or water without busting them they usually come back
 
A trip to the Orofino country might be well worth the effort. Depending on when your hunt is, you can stack a scouting trip to get an idea of the land and unit, coupled with steelhead fishing. If a trip isn?t feasible, consider ?e-scouting? with google earth and/or OnX. Get a good grasp of tracking animals and being very familiar with bedding areas and their scent.
 
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