Hello in ID Panhandle

W

westbranch

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Sep 11, 2017
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ID Panhandle
I have lurked on Hunt Talk on and off for a couple years. Grew up hunting deer, bear, grouse, and turkey on a family farm in NE MN. Moved to the ID panhandle last summer from MN and had my first try at mountain hunting. I grew up hunting some thick big woods public land in MN but the national forests of North Idaho are much different. Unfortunately for 2017 only had day hunts due to a new job and was mixing scouting in the hunting.

For 2018 I am planning on going for all of it, spring turkey, spring bear, applying for a controlled mule deer hunt, general deer tag if I don't draw that, and the Panhandle A tag for elk.

Picture my wife took in August on a scouting hike:

IMG_20170826_124555-PANO.jpg
 
Welcome!! I have hunted up there on the Washington side quite a bit...interesting part of the lower 48 and hardly any level ground.
 
Welcome. I visited the panhandle for the first time this year...got into some checkerboardy public land stuff and we filled our whitetail tags in no time and saw a bunch of elk!! You'll like it.
 
Thanks all! The steepness is definitely tough on the knees and ankles. All of the ridges and canyons I have hunted have been narrow and steep. The few days I did hunt this year, I was not hunting smart when it came to that!

I wanted to make it to some of the checkerboard areas this year but did not fit it in. Already blocked off Thanksgiving weekend for whitetails next year in some of those spots :D.
 
Beautiful picture! I'm planning on going to North Idaho this spring for my first spot and stalk bear! I'm excited to see the country there! I hear its beautiful!
 
I think the area in the picture would be good for fall spot and stalk bear hunting. Those open hillsides were covered in huckleberries. Saw a lot of bear crap and a nice mule deer in velvet there. It might be my spot this next year over labor day weekend looking for a deer or bear.

With 400 inches of snow and elevation over 6k ft I don't think it would be a good spring bear spot. But I will probably check out some nearby areas.
 
westbranch said:
I think the area in the picture would be good for fall spot and stalk bear hunting. Those open hillsides were covered in huckleberries. Saw a lot of bear crap and a nice mule deer in velvet there. It might be my spot this next year over labor day weekend looking for a deer or bear.

With 400 inches of snow and elevation over 6k ft I don't think it would be a good spring bear spot. But I will probably check out some nearby areas.
Click to expand...

You won't find "spring bears" there unless you are hunting in July. :)

Yep, those are prime areas for fall bears. Spring bears will be lower in the drainages and clearcuts, as well as any south facing slopes lower in elevation. North Idaho has some great fishing as well.
 
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