Anyone Familiar with unit 27 Idaho

[DontBlink]

I drew the late season tag for this unit and I was wondering if any of you have ever hunted this unit during the late season. I know it is a roadless area for the most part. I plan on hiking in a few miles and hunt the steep country along the middle fork. So I guess my real question is, what kind of country am I looking for during the late season. From what I have heard the burn areas are pretty productive. I am going on a scouting trip over labor day weekend to get familiar with the terrain so hopefully I can get so good info before going.

Any help I would appreciate.

Thanks

P.S. I am going solo on this hunt so if anyone else drew this tag and wants to do a joint effort let me know. I could use the company.

 

[kcebcj]

I have spent time in unit 27. If you're talking Nov 1-18 for deer then the breaks along the Middle Fork can be productive. (Marble Creek, Indian Creek, Pistol Creek drainage's at the Middle Fork). Unit 27 is a better elk unit and they are all over till the snow shoves them down

Let me give you some advice about that country late. If your along the Middle Fork the only way out is up Panther Creek north east towards Chalis or west towards Yellowpine. If the ground is not frozen and you get a storm about half the snow will go away that time of the year. If the ground is froze whatever the storm dumps will stay.

I came up the Indian Creek drainage the 5th of November about 10 years ago and the horses were pushing snow with their chest at the top. There was very little snow at camp when we left about half way down the drainage towards the Middle Fork. All I'm saying is watch the weather!

That is big country. The Indian Creek drainage is 17 miles long and has a good horse trail. Where are you going to enter from?

 

[DontBlink]

You are correct about the Nov. 1-18 deer hunt. I have been looking at coming in from Myers Cover and then hiking along Camas Creek towards the Middle fork. I have also been looking at starting from yellow jacket and hiking to the middle fork. My only concern will be if I can get to that country that late in the season. I am going to be taking an ATV for most of the ride in, carry all my supplies and gear. Once to the trail head its all on foot or snowshoes.

I am having trouble locating those creek drainages you mentioned. Indian creek sounds good but 17 miles might be a bit much for me to pack out if I do shoot something.

What part of idaho do you live in? I might be paying you a visit to get some more information from you, if you don't mind.

I'm glad you say the elk hunting is good. I bought a tag just incase I come across a bull. But my main goal is a 160" + buck or bust.

 

[fj40mojo]

You are correct about the Nov. 1-18 deer hunt. I have been looking at coming in from Myers Cover and then hiking along Camas Creek towards the Middle fork. I have also been looking at starting from yellow jacket and hiking to the middle fork. My only concern will be if I can get to that country that late in the season. I am going to be taking an ATV for most of the ride in, carry all my supplies and gear. Once to the trail head its all on foot or snowshoes.

I am having trouble locating those creek drainages you mentioned. Indian creek sounds good but 17 miles might be a bit much for me to pack out if I do shoot something.

What part of idaho do you live in? I might be paying you a visit to get some more information from you, if you don't mind.

I'm glad you say the elk hunting is good. I bought a tag just incase I come across a bull. But my main goal is a 160" + buck or bust.

Not to rain on your parade but you can drive a pickup right to the edge of the Frank Church ie no need for the ATV. Beyond that it's all designated wilderness and therefore no mechanized travel of any sort. I've hiked from the Crags Campground near Golden Trout Lake all the way through the Big Horn Crags down to the Middle Fork and back to the Main Salmon solo. Not a trip for a greenhorn, I did it at the hight or summer. Not saying it can't be done, but late season you will have the potential for storms that might seal you into that country for the winter. You will be a long ways from the river breaks with only your LPCs (Leather Personel Carriers) for transpo.

 

[DontBlink]

That is what I am really concerned about, getting snowed in for the winter. I am going to rent one of those search beacons just incase something goes horribly wrong.

The ATV is just for getting me in if there is snow on the ground, going over some of the those mountains to get to my destination in a pick up would be tricky and really easy to get stuck. I am going to watch the weather really close and plan my trips for the very first week of the hunt, after that if the weather permits I will go in again.

I see where you started your hike from on the map. That must have been some jaw dropping country you were hiking in : ) How long did it take you to the do the out and back trip?

 

[kcebcj]

You are correct about the Nov. 1-18 deer hunt. I have been looking at coming in from Myers Cover and then hiking along Camas Creek towards the Middle fork. I have also been looking at starting from yellow jacket and hiking to the middle fork. My only concern will be if I can get to that country that late in the season. I am going to be taking an ATV for most of the ride in, carry all my supplies and gear. Once to the trail head its all on foot or snowshoes.

I am having trouble locating those creek drainages you mentioned. Indian creek sounds good but 17 miles might be a bit much for me to pack out if I do shoot something.

What part of idaho do you live in? I might be paying you a visit to get some more information from you, if you don't mind.

I'm glad you say the elk hunting is good. I bought a tag just incase I come across a bull. But my main goal is a 160" + buck or bust.

Looked for my map that covered that country and can't find it so... Camas Creek if my memory is correct is near the headwaters of the Middle Fork kinda southeast. Anyway I'm not knowledgeable about that area.


If you look along the west side of the Middlefork down river from Camas Creek you will see Pistol Creek, Little Pistol Creek, Indian Creek, then Marble Creek. Between Little Pistol and Indian Creek there is a look out on Bald Mt. that literally overlooks the Middlefork. I have seen more deer in the country below bald Mt toward the Middle fork than anywhere else in that particular area. The elk hunting there used to be really good before the wolf deal. Don't know about now! I accessed that country using the Mule Trail or Indian Creek trailheads.

There is a airstrip at the bottom of Indian Creek and a horse bridge to cross. The fella at Stanly Air Service in Stanley used to fly into there. If I was going to hunt bucks only and could afford the plane fare I would fly in the last two weeks of the season and back pack hunt the breaks on either side.

Good luck on whatever you choose to do. "Watch the weather"

 

[fj40mojo]

That is what I am really concerned about, getting snowed in for the winter. I am going to rent one of those search beacons just incase something goes horribly wrong.

The ATV is just for getting me in if there is snow on the ground, going over some of the those mountains to get to my destination in a pick up would be tricky and really easy to get stuck. I am going to watch the weather really close and plan my trips for the very first week of the hunt, after that if the weather permits I will go in again.

I see where you started your hike from on the map. That must have been some jaw dropping country you were hiking in : ) How long did it take you to the do the out and back trip?

I took a week to make the trip through. Traveled light, sleeping bag, fishing rod, minimal food, Aussie Hootch for shelter. I was dropped at the Crag Campground, when I reached the confluence of the Middle and Main Salmon I blew up the water proof bag in my pack laid on it like a raft and paddled across to the road. Hitch hiked back to Salmon. Trickiest part is the trip down the breaks, old topo maps showed a trail that I discovered does not really exist. Another option you might consider is taking a small boat (canoe or such) and crossing the Main at the confluence, stashing the boat on the south east bank of the Middle Fork, there is a trail that goes up the Middle Fork on that side and there are lots of beaches to camp at. Hunt the breaks from the river up and avoid that high country all together.

 

[kcebcj]

I want to add some to what fj40mojo posted. If you can find beg or steal some old topos of the Middle Fork country or any country for that matter you will be blown away with the trails that used to be maintained by the forest service and are still there. Only the main trails are maintained anymore and that's about all you will see on the current topos. Those old trails will be pretty much gone on the big grassy hill sides but in the timber and across rock slides they are still quite prevalent and if horseback they can still be used with a little work.

There was a old outfitter by the name of Lafe Cox that had a ranch in Johnson's Creek near Yellowpine that guided all of the Middle Fork country but mainly the drainage's that I described in an earlier post. Through a friend who knew him personally I was able to learn about trails made by him that existed in almost every drainage and were blazed. It sure made getting around that country a lot easier

If you're serious about hunting big bucks there are better places such as unit 45, 18 on the Snake side and remote areas of 76 with snow, but for elk the Middle Fork used to be the best.

 

[DontBlink]

I have been thinking about floating the middle fork to by pass all the mountain passes. That time of year the flows should be pretty low and traversing the river shouldn't be to hard. This way if it does snow I am not stuck trying to go back over the top of a mountain.

From everything I have researched the breaks are the only way to go during that late season hunt. There are trails that take up from the bottom and travel all along the east side of the the middle fork. I should run into some elk in there that have dropped down from the higher country too.

Thanks guys for the info. I am in the process of trying to find one of those older maps.
I talked to the fish and game officer for that unit and he said the deer hunting is starting to pick up but the elk are struggling and it is not all caused by wolves. Because of old timber stands and noxious weeds they said elk habitat has slowly faded. But having wolves doesn't help the population either.

Have any of you ever floated the middle fork before?

 

[kcebcj]

I have been thinking about floating the middle fork to by pass all the mountain passes. That time of year the flows should be pretty low and traversing the river shouldn't be to hard. This way if it does snow I am not stuck trying to go back over the top of a mountain.

From everything I have researched the breaks are the only way to go during that late season hunt. There are trails that take up from the bottom and travel all along the east side of the the middle fork. I should run into some elk in there that have dropped down from the higher country too.

Thanks guys for the info. I am in the process of trying to find one of those older maps.
I talked to the fish and game officer for that unit and he said the deer hunting is starting to pick up but the elk are struggling and it is not all caused by wolves. Because of old timber stands and noxious weeds they said elk habitat has slowly faded. But having wolves doesn't help the population either.

Have any of you ever floated the middle fork before?

Floating the Middle Fork has been talked about but I have never found time to do that. I would think a kayak of sorts that you could get all your gear into would be a way to go, so if you had to portage you could. Interesting idea. Probably would have to get a permit from" Obama"

You going alone or do you have a partner? If you do that would sure like to hear how it turns out.

Just had a thought if you have a crampons throw them in as there could be a lot of ice along the river's edge that time of year. Been there done that!

 

[DontBlink]

As of right now I am going it alone on this adventure. Nobody I know put in for this tag and actually out of the 300 some people who drew the tag, most of them are from out of state. But I am still leaning on some guys to join me on this adventure.

I have a 9 ' pontoon boat that was designed for the south fork of the boise river. It might be able to handle the river at low flows. The only down side I have found about the float idea is one the ice like you mentioned and two, it could be a long float. Also I would need a second car at the end of journey to get me back home so finding a partner is really important right now.

The other option is to pay a guy to pack me in and come pack me out. It shouldn't cost me too much since I don't need a wall tent or anything else, just a ride in.

 

[fj40mojo]

As of right now I am going it alone on this adventure. Nobody I know put in for this tag and actually out of the 300 some people who drew the tag, most of them are from out of state. But I am still leaning on some guys to join me on this adventure.

I have a 9 ' pontoon boat that was designed for the south fork of the boise river. It might be able to handle the river at low flows. The only down side I have found about the float idea is one the ice like you mentioned and two, it could be a long float. Also I would need a second car at the end of journey to get me back home so finding a partner is really important right now.

The other option is to pay a guy to pack me in and come pack me out. It shouldn't cost me too much since I don't need a wall tent or anything else, just a ride in.

By pontoon I assume you mean a catamaran type and yes it will handle the Middle Fork at low water easily. You'll want to wear a wetsuit while on the water. If you are unable to find a partner you can contact Blackadar Boating or River Rat Express and they will shuttle your car from the put in (Dagger Falls?)to the take out at Cash Bar. How many days are you planning for the trip? I would think that if you don't have an elaborate camp and float for 3-4hrs during the slow hunting hours in the afternoon you could plot out your camp sites to hunt a different area each day. If you are able to find yourself some of those old topos pay particular attention to how close the contour lines are together, that is some steep country.

 

[DontBlink]

I was just thinking that same thought this morning about the wet suit. Heck I probably would need a dry suit during that time of year. Never thought about hiring a guide service to move my car, they probably wouldn't even charge me much.

HA, I know that country is steep in there. I have been doing some calculating on google earth and in one section from bottom to top in .93 miles the elevation gain was somewhere around 3800 to 4000' gain. that is almost vertical.

I am planning on atleast four days for the first outing. But if I decide to go with the float hunt I will pack more food just incase I want to go longer. I think in four days of hard hunting and glassing I should be able to spot atleast a few decent bucks, maybe even a bull elk.

I don't know if I asked you this but have you ever floated the middle fork?