Elk & Muley October Idaho salmon unit 28/36b

[guserto4]

First time western hunter from the midwest trying to do all the research I can prior to making decisions about spots to hunt.

My 3 friends and I are choosing the Salmon unit of Idaho for availability of tags and variety of things to see & do. I will rifle hunt elk, 1 friend wants to rifle hunt mule deer and the other two are currently going "for the experience" and may not purchase tags but hike with, pack meat, hang out at camp, fish and most importantly, cut the trip costs down for me. We are searching for a less people and a more wilderness situation, with the expectation of packing gear in 0.5-a couple of miles in for a base camp. We plan on 7 days of hunting and will probably get a wall tent (but not lug in poles).

I am looking at a few spots in Unit 28 & 36B as it seems that's where best statistical success has been over the past few years but am hoping some of you could chime in regarding whether or not I'm headed in the right direction. One place I'm considering, in large part because I'm hoping the remoteness will lead to success, is heading south into the Frank from Ebenezer Campground or Clear Creek TH, NE of Dome mountain OR near Crags and heading north. I understand the Sagebrush wolf pack is dominant and is large in numbers there but I am hoping the remoteness means we won't deal with other hunters too (I have not talked to a biologist yet, but will after green up). Is the north part of this unit worth looking at? I assume the areas of unit 28 north and northeast of Leesburg and then moving south past Cobalt have lots of hunters due to easier access... but am I correct? I've also heard that the wolves have decimated unit 21 in recent years, but I don't see data to suggest there's a dominant pack in the area (perhaps no prey left?). Then I think about bouncing to the opposite side into 36B and hear Morgan creek and that area is chalked full of hunters too. THEN I consider closer to the Sawtooth zone where it looks like demand for tags is so high IDFG withdrew the OTC tags until they could figure out a way to distribute fairly.... Anybody willing to let me know how accurate some of my assumptions are or have any suggestions on what I'm looking at/direction I'm heading? PM me please!

Also, and this is going to be a stupid question so brace yourself (again, first-time Midwest hunter) where do people park? Trailheads? Campgrounds or is it really the side of the road wherever you're not completely blocking egress?!

 

[Irrelevant]

I looked into 36B a few years ago. I highly recommend calling the biologist in Salmon, he gave me some decent info. After I talked to him I drug the fam back there for 8 days to camp/scout during the summer. I ended up picking a different area of ID as I just didn't see enough critters to justify the expenditure (NR tags, gas, time, etc.). Now, that's just me, I certainly saw deer and elk; bucks and bulls. But I had certain metrics in my head I needed to be met and 36B didn't do it.

Though it's crowded I keep hearing the SE corner is where it's at (prior to this winter). Everyone I know down there says... yeah there's lot of people, but.... and they always come back with a truck full of meat.

 

[Elkwithastick]

I too am looking at 36B but for an archery hunt. I usually hunt Sawtooth but it's such a pain to get a tag that I'm looking at other units nearby. I've played around in the Pioneer units but have spent very little time in the Salmon units. I have friends quite successful around Challis and they say the area is good. But they are rifle hunters and it's a different game. Parking is pretty much where you can find it and be out of the way and don't destroy things, respect the country, the people and the animals always. It's all wicked steep country so get prepared and then prepare some more. It's one thing to go in a couple miles, quite another with 60lbs of meat on your back. The stats look good enough but I'll be all over it this summer to take a better look. Google earth is nice and I use it a lot, but you have to get boots on the ground to really decide. I'm like neffa3, I'm looking for enough animals to justify the effort and expense, but proximity to my base in Lowman is also a factor. Good luck

 

[elker]

If you're a newbie to elk hunting, coming into an area that you're not familiar with and trying to hunt bull elk is going to be difficult. I'm assuming you're going to be hunting bull elk. Might want to consider a cow elk, maybe coupled with deer. I've spent a lot of time hunting/scouting both units and both of those areas are not an easy hunt. Steep, rugged, goats and bighorn sheep are plentiful, if that tells you something. Should be a decent year, it was a hard winter, although I've seen quite a few deer and elk in the past month there. Send me a PM if you want more info.. Wolves haven't been too hard on the herds, in December, when the elk are low, I could easily see 1000 elk a day in unit 21.