Idaho unit 21

[darrindlh]

Has anyone ever hunted unit 21 out of idaho. I have been bow hunting unit 59 for the last 4 years and want to try to hunt with my rifle. How is the elk and the hunting?

Darrin

 

[FULLFAN]

Darrin.

I know it is not unit 21 but it is close. I hunt in 21a and have since 1983. The elk numbers are way down and have been going that way for sometime now. I am thinking the wolves have something to do with it. I gun hunted for 3 weeks last year and only saw several spikes and a rag horn.
I have met and become good friends with guys that hunt there every year, some I reseect as very serious hunters and they put bulls on the groung every year. But not last fall, it was just like the elk have vanished, very littel sign. I am hoping the the wolf hunts are bring them into check, and hope that the elk numbers will come back some day. But i might not see it in my time.


I know the area I hunt ( around gibbonsville) is some of the roughest ground I have ever hunted, and the hills keep getting steeper every year.

If I was looking for a place to hunt I would not look into 21 and 21a.

just my .02 though...

 

[Elkmen]

I have not hunted in 21 but have worked there. Typical Salmon River country, straight up and straight down. There is some limited road access that will take you near the top. The Idaho regulations for 2011 has a map showing a comparison, rated against the management objectives of each unit. It shows that 21 is not meeting managements objectives for either cows or bulls. The problem is wolves, that country has been overrun with them. If you go, check out the Stealhead and Salmon regs they are in that area during some of the hunts. Go to the IDFG website and get on the Hunt Planner, there is a huge amount of information species by species and unit by unit for the entire state. Its a tremendous resource for the hunter. Hope this helps.