Idaho Unit Review
|
Idaho Unit Review
|
Click on the desired Idaho unit below to read a review. |
11, 11(a) ****************************************************************************************************************** |
17 - I drew moose for unit 17-5 in 2008 and believe me when I say this unit is every bit as rugged as Alaska, just in a different way. You will find some of the nastiest black timber on earth and better have horses or friends with packs to get stuff out. This unit is roadless wilderness except for 1 road (magruder corridor road) that disect the unit in half. In the past this area was renowned as a great unit and it may be in some parts but I didn't see it. I scouted on and off for 4 weeks and hunted for another 2 and saw one bull in teh 25" range. If you get up high abouve 8000 feet there are some good bucks in the high alpine basins, but nothing in that 180-190 class. Elk have plummeted in this area due to predation, but it is so big and so remote that there are still some big antlers floating around back there. While coming out, we met up with an outfitter packing out a 360+ bull and a smaller 320 class bull. *******************************************************************************************************************
|
Unit 21 - runs along the Main fork of the Salmon and borders montana. This is big rough country with the northwest part of the unit containing both the frank church and selway wildernesses. Yet down by the river and lower elevations it opens up quite a bit. I have hunted this unit every year for the past 10 years and the trophy quality is diffently down. If you hunt hard and get a few miles in you can still find a 180" buck but don't count on it. The last two years I have taken a 160 and a 145 and that was the biggest I saw. *******************************************************************************************************************
|
25 - I hunted the north eastern part of the unit up towards Yellow Pine and Johnson creek about 4 years ago on a late season cow hunt. This is some big country with dark timber but there is still good access. The hunt wasn't hard as 3 of us tagged out in 2 days, but we stuck around another 2 days to look over the country and I believe there are some good bulls floating around back there. We glassed two herds in the early morning with mulitple mature bulls and at least 2 that would go 300+. Wolves are there but there are still elk. They were very high 8000+ considering it was late in the year and realtively a ways in, but I feel this is a good solid unit with some trophy potential. On the way out we talked with an outfitter who had gone 6 for 7 on bulls for the year. Adam - Idahotrophyhunter@gmail.com ******************************************************************************************************************* |
27 - Early season rut rifle hunt. Hunting bulls in the rut with a rifle, how hard could that be?? Be prepared for some really rough country. Go high as possible in the early season. Don't except to see alot of elk. If you work hard enough you will see elk and harvest bulls. Expect to hunt from 10,000 feet to 8,000 feet in the same day. Note: if you don't harvest in the early season you can charter a plane and hunt the lower country on the middle fork later in the season. All around great experience, but very tough physical hunt. - Aaron ******************************************************************************************************************* 27 - Talk about public access! There is very little private land, but there is one catch though... It is some of the most rugged country in North America!! Almost the entire unit sits inside the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return. There are dozens of trailheads to choose from to access this vast country. The elk numbers have declined since the reintroduction of wolves but there are still bulls to kill for the hard working hunter. Another plus for this unit is that it offers a rut hunt for elk with a rifle on an over the counter tag. As the Frank church is a wilderness area it is walk in or horseback only. I recommend that you use horses as that country is as tough as it gets and getting an animal out of there is no picknic. Not to say that it can't be done (I've done it) but I do believe that horses sure would make it a more enjoyable hunt. Get in shape and do some homework and you will have a good time hunting "The Church" - Chad - highriversonny@yahoo.com *******************************************************************************************************************
27-1 Sheep hunt - This is stastically the hardest hunt is possibly the country to harvest a ram. After giving it a shot i would agree. This is roadless country that is absolutely huge. There doesnt seem to be a solid rock in the unit either which makes walking and climbing these hills exausting. We were there for 8 days and saw lambs and ewes only, not even any small rams. Never saw an elk, 5 does and fawns, a few mountain goats and several bears. Lots of wolf tracks and did hear howling one morning. This is really big country and i was told this before i headed in, but its hard to grasp how big it is until you are actually hiking in it with weight on your back. I would recommend flying into a back country air strip. We used Arnold aviation out of Cascade. They took good care of us. Travis travis.brown.23@hotmail.com |
29 - Unit 29 has been a great unit for quality elk, deer, and antelope for many years in the past. Unfortunately this unit has been hit hard by overhunting, bad winters, and poor game management. The elk numbers are stable but the number of large bulls are down in the last 10 years. Mule deer populations are poor and big bucks are unheard off now days. Antelope herds have been declining for several years and have not recovered. Draw odds for elk are decent but in my oppinion may not be worth it. Antelope tags are very hard to draw and the hunt incumpases units 29, 37A, and 37. The Whitetail have been increasing in numbers in the lower agriculture areas. Good luck hunting them without a guide or a lot of money to pay landowners for a trespass fee. In short I would stay clear of unit 29 until the herds recover. Plan on bringing extra fuel and water if you choose to hunt this unit. These things are not easy to find in this country. You may travel for 100 miles before you reach a gas station. - Marcus - letrfly@hotmail.com |
31 - Unit 31 Mule Deer is a poor hunt to apply for. I drew this tag last year and hunted late during the rut. I hunted 9 days out of the 10 day season and saw many deer but no large bucks. Finally harvested a 140 class 4 point on the last day after passing up at least 20 other smaller bucks. I only saw three 4 points and harvested the largest one I saw. This country is wide open with sage and cheat grass. Most of the deer will congrigate on the Snake River breaks during the rut and migration. The elk numbers are good and the bulls can be huge. There are very few tags for the draw elk hunt and its a hard hunt to draw. There are several bulls in the 375 inch catagory but hard to get to because of private land. Most of this unit is private. There are several areas to hunt however that are private but available to hunt for the public. My opinion is to steer clear of this unit for deer until the big buck numbers are better. Throw the dice on the elk hunt. If you are lucky enough to draw, GET ACCESS TO PRIVATE PROPERTY. Marcus- letrfly@hotmail.com 31 - Lots of deer but from what i've seen the buck numbers are way down. in mid November i would see near 100 does / day without seeing any bucks. This unit breaks to the Snake River. Lots of glassing country. Lots of country that is difficult to penetrate. Travis ******************************************************************************************************************* |
32a - I have hunted this unit for spring bear a few years in a row now with near 100% success. It is a fun hunt that if drawn should produce a nice bear. Stick to the onion patches on the sunny side of the ridge as the snow melts off for spring. This is a spot and stalk hunt only so baiters need not apply. The later part of the season has seemed to be better. Pass on the little guys because there are some nice bears up there. And don't forget to throw in your shotgun because there are a few turkeys up there as well. - Chad Lowe- highriversonny@yahoo.com *******************************************************************************************************************
|
37, 37(a) ****************************************************************************************************************** |
39
****************************************************************************************************************** 39- Big unit out of Boise. Unit has alpine areas around 10,000 feet to approx 2500 feet near Boise. Most lower areas are sage brush, higher areas are timbered. Lots of burns in this unit. Several areas to get way away from roads but this unit is very rough and getting game out of this unit can be tough. Lots of deer and elk killed in this unit. Tons of hunters as well. If you hunt anywhere near the road, expect competition. Travis ******************************************************************************************************************* 39 - I agree with Travis and Marcus. This is a great unit. I had the chance to hunt in this unit during the 2007 Mule Deer season. I am a person that is not big on lots of hunters but I will tell you that I saw plenty of them going to our destination. This was a great area to hunt due to the elevation and with some scouting from my fellow hunting partners-- they new where to go. This unit was just my cup of tea. I could get on top of a peak and glass 5 to 10 miles every direction. Big open basins, long ridges and slopes with timber. We did not see lots of deer but we did see some quality and I was lucky to kill a good buck in the mid 160s. We used the Blacks Creek Alaskan and Canadian packs to carry our bivwack camps in and we had all the comforts of home in these packs. ******************************************************************************************************************* |
40,41,42 - The Owyhee's. Need we say more. There are bucks there that have never seen a person. Lots of Juniper, sagebrush and small pockets of Aspen. You should be able to see 20/30 bucks a day in the late hunt. Hold out for a 180" plus. As the snow flies, move with the deer to lower elevations. Cover lots of ground to find the masses. South Mountain, War Eagle and Quicksilver Mountain will have bucks on it early in the season. The deer usually migrate towards unit 41/42 and some into Oregon. ******************************************************************************************************************* |
40,41,42 - The Owyhee's. Need we say more. There are bucks there that have never seen a person. Lots of Juniper, sagebrush and small pockets of Aspen. You should be able to see 20/30 bucks a day in the late hunt. Hold out for a 180" plus. As the snow flies, move with the deer to lower elevations. Cover lots of ground to find the masses. South Mountain, War Eagle and Quicksilver Mountain will have bucks on it early in the season. The deer usually migrate towards unit 41/42 and some into Oregon. ******************************************************************************************************************* |
40,41,42 - The Owyhee's. Need we say more. There are bucks there that have never seen a person. Lots of Juniper, sagebrush and small pockets of Aspen. You should be able to see 20/30 bucks a day in the late hunt. Hold out for a 180" plus. As the snow flies, move with the deer to lower elevations. Cover lots of ground to find the masses. South Mountain, War Eagle and Quicksilver Mountain will have bucks on it early in the season. The deer usually migrate towards unit 41/42 and some into Oregon. ******************************************************************************************************************* |
43 - This is a rough and tough unit. Road access is minimal. Horses or packing in are the way to go here. NOT FOR THE DAY HUNTER!!!! Has fair numbers of deer and the same for elk. I hunt this unit every year for elk and have watched it go from seeing 15-20 bulls a season to 5-7 bulls. I believe wolves have played a key role in their demise. Bulls to 370 have been seen. Mostly in the 260-300 class. Elk in this unit move around quite a bit, with a nomadic range of 10 sq miles. I have noticed bulls and cows from one drainage be 3 ridges over the next morning. Did I say they like to move! Deer on the other hand tend to be more territorial. It's not hard to see the same deer in the same area day after day. They are spread out though. Bucks to 200" are there, just extremely hard to find. If you find a good buck you don't want to shoot, come back next year, I bet he will be close by... -- Scott ******************************************************************************************************************* |
44 |
46 - I hunted this unit for antelope for the first time. Certain areas of this unit have a lot of water and other parts have nearly NO water. A large fire blew through this area last year and i have heard from hunters that hunt here regularly, that the antelope have moved out of the burn area where there is more sagebrush. There are quite a few antelope and did see some quality bucks. Quality for Idaho that is. Lots of roads and the roads i traveled arent too bad. Travis travis.brown.23@hotmail.com *********************************************************************************************************** 46 - Antelope Big unit, Lots of Public ground. Open flat terrain with some sage and grassland. Not a lot of antelope and the bucks are average size. To much water and a lot of hunting pressure durring the archery season. I would recommend looking in other areas first. Marcus letrfly@hotmail.com ******************************************************************************************************************* |
49 - This is a general deer hunt and there is a late controlled hunt. Havent experienced the controlled hunt. Never have deer hunted this area. I have archery elk hunted this unit for many years. There are areas with lots of roads and areas with no roads, take your pick. Lots of elk but the bull numbers have been down the past few years like the rest of the state. Lots of sage in the southern part of the unit with areas of quakey's. The northern part of the unit has more timber. I have seen a few good bucks while archery hunting, but nothing to write home about. Lots of little bucks, meaning spiks and forks. Closest towns are Ketchum, Hailey and Bellevue. Thats where i like to go to watch the 1o'clock college football! Travis ******************************************************************************************************************* |
52 - This unit is made up of basically all sagebrush and rock. Essentially no trees. Good access throughout most of the unit and easy walking, especially for Idaho. There are some good camping areas around with fishing in the local water sources. Gooding is the nearest town if you want to stay in a hotel or motel. The hunt I was on was a late hunt. Lots of deer, lots of average 4 point bucks. I would clasify this as an easy hunt, but not easy for 180 inch or bigger. As of today the draw odds are terrible for this unit. There is no general rifle hunt in 52. Travis travis.brown.23@hotmail.com ******************************************************************************************************************* |
60 - This is a smaller unit in eastern idaho along the Yellowstone border. This holds a good population of elk and some good bulls are taken every year. BEWARE..due to the location of this unit, it is crawling with Grizzly bears. I bowhunted this unit and ran into 5 different bears in 4 days. If you can draw the trophy rifle tag for the unit, you have a tremendous chance at a 330+ bull if you can time the migration. Elk get pushed out of yellowstone and head to the lower ground of the surrounding areas. Adam idahotrophyhunter@gmail.com *******************************************************************************************************************
|
65 - I hunted this unit for moose. It was a really fun hunt with plenty of moose. The average bull in this unit is in the high 30 inch category. If you work for it or are just plain lucky like I was, you can walk away with a 40 inch plus bull pretty easy(mine was 43.5"). The town of Driggs is really close so if you need a hotel it shouldn't be a problem to find one. The unit has plenty of public land that offers a great moose hunting experience. You will be pleased to hear that it really is not that steep but can get pretty brushy in spots. I would recommend this hunt to anyone looking for a good Shiras Bull. If it weren't for that "once-in-a-lifetime" stigma I would definatly apply again. If you draw this tag drop me a line and I would be glad to talk specifics. Chad - highriversonny@yahoo.com ******************************************************************************************************************* |
This is a steep unit, but a rifle hunters heaven. It has motorized restrictions, so no hunting from vehicles, but can use them to retrieve the game. I have hunted here several times in the last 5 years. Bad winters have wiped out a lot of the deer. Saw a few nice ones this year, but nothing huge.
|