Idaho Elk trip

[CountingCoo]

Well at least she isn't laying out there with a jaw blown off.

 

[noharleyyet]

Good job, good eats!

 

[Jamen]

Good job, good eats!

Thank you!! cant wait to enjoy some with family this weekend!

 

[Outdoorsfl]

Nice, congrats!

 

[Jamen]

Nice, congrats!

Thank you!!

 

[Westelker - W. Colorado]

Day 3 or Wednesday if you will. We decided to drive far back into the mountains as we could and frequently get out and hike out to good glassing spots in hope to catch something moving. 5 moose that morning and some mule deer. We spent the whole day glassing and hiking until a bit after lunch. We decided to go back to where the elk were last seen and see what we could find. This time from the back side. When we got to the base of the mountain, we would have to climb us 3 flat landers looked at each other and we all had the same thought. How the heck will we get to the top of that. I believe it was a bit over 1,300 in elevation change and the summit was around 7,300 if i remember correctly. Which isn't a lot to most western hunters. This being my real firsthand hunt out west i don't count the badlands it was a true test and eye opening for us 3. Our friend whose uncle we stayed with was like a gazelle going up and down the mountains. My legs were fine for the most part it was my breathing that was the issue. But we took off our layers and grabbed our packs knowing it would be the rest of the day to get where we needed to go and off, we went. There was a nice trail for part of the way but then we had to make the climb. We got part way, and my feet were feeling it. I could tell i had blisters forming on my heels, but we kept going. We got 2/3 of the way up and us 3 were shot. We needed a 10-minute break to regain our energy. So, we set up i took off my boots tended to my feet and bandaged up the heels. Grabbed some quick snacks and water and off we went back up.

Almost to the summit we made a plan two of us would go one way the other two the other. Trying to side hill on this steep mountain through sage, chokecherry and a host of other brush made it slow going but we eventually made it. Exhausted we made our camp for the evening. We got to see the farm off in the distance and we would be right where the elk were on Sunday evening and could see in every direction. We felt really good about the location. Glassed up a few more moose and some does. Stayed til dark and grabbed our headlamps and headed down the mountain.

Once we got back to the farm, we went to meet his aunt who was there for the evening. After chatting with her for a bit the uncle told us to go try a spot in the morning where the neighbor has seen some semi fresh sign. This was in the semi same area as Tuesday and where the 40 were two weeks ago. Thursday was make it or break it day. We all had to leave friday and we all knew it would be a very fast hunt with the limited days.

The grass looks sweet and tender. Country looks similar to NW Colorado, great elk habitat.

 

[brymoore]

Congrats.

I don’t understand your public land tags vs private land tags comment. Idaho doesn’t work that way unless your buddies were hunting high fence.

 

[Jamen]

Congrats.

I don’t understand your public land tags vs private land tags comment. Idaho doesn’t work that way unless your buddies were hunting high fence.

From my understanding they were a depredation tag that had to be used on private land only. I do not know the ins and outs of that they talked with the game and fish there and that is what they were told.

 

[brymoore]

From my understanding they were a depredation tag that had to be used on private land only. I do not know the ins and outs of that they talked with the game and fish there and that is what they were told.

Got it. I forgot about depredation tags. They usually outline an area to hunt on private property.