Idaho elk

[Skizzler]

Hi Everyone, I have been doing a ton of research on elk hunting in Idaho. I am going to try and buy a tag for an archery hunt Dec. 1st. I'm struggling to decide on what zone to try and get a tag for. Hoping maybe someone here has some advice. I will have horses and am planning on packing in quite a ways to set up camp. Right now kind of leaning towards zone 17. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance.

 

[436]

I've hunted unit 39 and unit 19 over the years when I lived near Boise, pretty good going there. Good luck Cheers

Idaho Any Weapon Elk Hunt Stats with OTC Tags

Elk Hunting Unit	Hunting Pressure	Avg. Hunting Days Per Harvest	Avg. Hunting Days Per BULL Harvested	Percent of Elk Harvested with 6+ Points
60 A	Low	15.0	15.0	0
66	High	17.3	22.3	21.1
16	Low	23.1	23.1	20
21 A	Medium	21.1	23.7	11.6
36	Medium	27.8	27.8	36.6
14	High	28.1	28.1	15.6
69	High	21.7	29.0	38.8
33	Medium	31.1	31.1	28.9
35	Medium	32.0	32.0	36.9
11 A	Low	21.9	32.1	44.3
19	Medium	32.5	32.5	23
34	Low	32.8	32.8	45.7
20 A	Medium	33.6	33.6	54.1
39	High	33.8	34.2	23.3
21	Medium	33.3	35.3	19.7
17	Medium	35.4	35.4	61.4
28	High	28.5	36.4	20.2
32	High	22.2	36.7	50.7
20	Low	37.7	37.7	32.8
9	Low	37.9	37.9	0
23	High	33.8	38.0	35.6
77	Medium	24.3	43.0	18.6
75	Medium	22.4	45.2	49.2
22	High	27.2	45.6	22
27	High	46.3	46.3	26.6
53	Low	38.4	46.8	55.5
36 B	Medium	37.1	47.0	20.4
8	High	24.2	47.4	15
3	High	36.6	48.1	0
10	Medium	48.2	48.2	40.8
10 A	High	48.4	49.5	10.5
6	High	31.8	50.5	15.2
8 A	High	38.7	51.0	18.2
25	High	51.2	51.2	31.6
5	High	33.9	51.5	14.9
4 A	Medium	42.9	52.2	15.6
19 A	Medium	49.9	54.6	45.4
62 A	Low	61.2	61.2	0
26	Low	63.2	63.2	23.9
24	High	53.5	64.3	12.2
4	High	44.4	74.4	12.8
15	Medium	76.7	76.7	12.4
67	Medium	41.1	83.8	75.1
64	Medium	30.8	90.6	66
32 A	High	35.8	91.0	23.8
2	High	44.8	91.1	22.8
78	Medium	32.7	91.9	20.7
16 A	Low	95.4	95.4	70.7
1	High	58.0	96.9	29.6
12	Low	107.8	107.8	38
65	Low	43.8	131.5	67.1
7	Medium	183.9	183.9	45.7
50	High	10.2	345.6	36.4
45	High	15.1	2014.4	0
29	Medium	21.0	No bulls harvested	0
37	Low	20.1	No bulls harvested	0
43	Low	32.6	No bulls harvested	0
44	Low	17.6	No bulls harvested	0
49	High	21.8	No bulls harvested	0
51	Low	92.0	No bulls harvested	0
52	Medium	13.2	No bulls harvested	0
36 A	Medium	9.0	No bulls harvested	0
37 A	Low	26.1	No bulls harvested	0
52 A	Medium	22.1	No bulls harvested	0
63 A	Low	9.0	No bulls harvested	0
73 A	Low	32.3	No bulls harvested	0

 

[huntinfool18]

There's no way those numbers are right. The lowest is 15days of hunting for a harvest.

Got to hand it to the guys who are spending over 2000 days and not giving up

 

[436]

There's no way those numbers are right. The lowest is 15days of hunting for a harvest.

Got to hand it to the guys who are spending over 2000 days and not giving up

You could be right, I just picked them off an Idaho site that gave them...

7 Reliable Spots to Hunt Elk in Idaho – Backfire

backfire.tv

Cheers

 

[Copper Basin]

An outfitter friend of mine harvested 3 bulls in unit 43 this year and 4 the year before during archery. No way those numbers are right. All hunting pressure should be high except for the selway or the frank. Not sure why you would hunt the Selway during early rifle. I know guys do it but it is a jungle and good chances for a bear. Good luck.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

figures don't sound right. Buddy in the bitterroot area hunts all the time even says figures not right. He has got his share of elk over the years and so have I taken a bull years back from that area. Darn good eating FOR SURE

 

[Elk Fire]

If you are going into 17, you better have a plan. That is not beginner elk country. Just getting to the unit is an adventure, let alone hunting it.

 

[dfanonymous]

If you are going into 17, you better have a plan. That is not beginner elk country. Just getting to the unit is an adventure, let alone hunting it.

eh, I'll bite. Tell me more..


units like that, epecially otc archery I usually pick up when I don't draw anything in any state, or sometimes if I do if I can split states and seasons. So I'm always looking for a good challenge in low sucess areas.

 

[thomasbangs]

I don't always agree with stats especially from the Idaho Fish and Game as it appears they lump cow/calf numbers and bull ratio numbers together and then average it out over the tag unit. I hunt in the Panhandle where I live, according to F&G elk are thriving. This is true in a certain unit and certain pockets of other units but not the entire Panhandle. As far as the data on the chart that was posted, say 10 hunters hunt 5 days and don't harvest a elk in a bulls only hunt unit, that would equate to 50 days hunting and no bulls harvested.

 

[BrentM]

Hi Everyone, I have been doing a ton of research on elk hunting in Idaho. I am going to try and buy a tag for an archery hunt Dec. 1st. I'm struggling to decide on what zone to try and get a tag for. Hoping maybe someone here has some advice. I will have horses and am planning on packing in quite a ways to set up camp. Right now kind of leaning towards zone 17. Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated, Thanks in advance.

That area is pretty rugged and definitely horse country.

2022 Deer Archery General Hunt Harvest Statistics | Idaho Fish and Game

The Idaho Hunt Planner provides all information the hunter needs for a successful Idaho hunt: regulations, seasons, drawing odds, harvest statistics, and hunt boundaries in one location.

idfg.idaho.gov

 

[ottobounds]

And be prepared for wolves and perhaps a grizz or two...

 

[sp6x6]

How are people thinking the stats are wrong, and which way.When I was younger and elk hunting was superior to now with the wolfs.I averaged 23-25 days for more than ten years.I put in 40- 50 days now and get zero.Im smarter, hunt just as hard and am more LR capable.I also use to hunt ID panhandle before wolf, in some real rugged terrain.Bugled 8 bulls there one day.Met a younger guy then that was bived out in high country across from my campmate night he said he would hear 20 bulls bugling

 

[thomasbangs]

I too can remember days in the Idaho Panhandle of several elk bugling even in the middle of the day and serenading our camp all night long, that was before wolves, now in the same area you're lucky to even hear a elk bugle, if you respond a lot of times they shut up, bugling elk bugle in wolves as well as hunters.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

back then didn't have that much of a problem with the wolves-would see as many as 10-15 cows- many younger bulls and the big boys were the last to do the switchbacks- that's the one was looking for the last bull out. Have many bugling and have several of there back teeth-polished up as charms