idelkhntr
New member
I've been hunting the Island Park Zone, Unit 61 for the past seven seasons during archery. I know the area very well and start my scouting around July. Each year I branch out a little further than I did the past year. Usually though I end up back at my old trusty spots. I hunt public land on my own. Usually I set up my camper right before the season starts and leave it up there for the season. I know a guy that leases land in the area and set up camp there so I don't have to worry about the Forest Service rules for length of camping. In the area I hunt I usually hike 3 to 10 miles a day depending on what the Elk are doing that day. Sometimes I can get into Elk within a couple of yards into my hike. The terrain is timbered with some steep areas in it. As the Grizzly Bear populations expands west, there has been an increased chance of encountering one over the past few years. Each year it seems there are more and more hunter/grizzly encounters. Not to mention that I'm getting older, in my early 50's. My wife isn't all that happy or comfortable with me hunting alone as much as she used to be. I did purchase a Spot locator last year to make here happy. It worked out great when I got my Moose on the ground so I could get help. My work schedule allows me to hunt after work most days, I live about 20 minutes from my hunting area, and weekends. It would be nice to find someone that is compatible that would like to hunt the area. Finding a good hunting partner is like finding a good fishing partner. You have to first off find someone that is compatible, has the same hunting ethics and similar interests. It took me years to find a good fishing partner, but unfortunately he still lives in Illinois and doesn't Elk hunt. I think this should be enough information to at least get started.
