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ID Panhandle Moose

westbranch

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ID Panhandle
Moose tag arrived in the mail yesterday, so figured I better start a thread. This was my 4th year as a resident applying for moose tags, so got a bit lucky with the draw odds at <10% for this hunt. Kinda glad I did not draw the Nov hunt I put in for last year that generally has much higher draw odds, this should be a higher quality hunt. My neighbor two houses down has hunted the area for years, and has applied for moose tags most years. So I was going to feel a little bad telling him I had the tag, but it turns out he drew the Oct season tag for the same unit! He is older and will be sticking to an area with a lot more roads/atv trails. I hear there are good moose in that area but it also will probably get the most pressure from other tag holders. So need to explore more of the unit.

Tag is for 9/15-12/1 season, so going to focus on hunting the rut. The neighbor built me a coffee can moose call since he was making one for himself. The last few years hunting in a different part of the panhandle we have seen and heard quite a few moose during late Sept. So hopefully the calling gives some options for bulls.

It is a 2 hour drive from the front door to get to the edge of the hunting unit, but up to 2.5-4 hrs to get to areas I want to check out for hunting. Fortunately, schedule looks good for getting out to explore and I want to put up some trail cameras as well. So I'll make some updates this summer as I am out and about. I did get out and poke around the woods a bit last weekend.

The elusive mountain whitetail in the center of the pic, antlers in velvet with some solid bases. There was a second one I assume was a buck as well. After hiking through this spot, I doubt these deer get much pressure. Steep and thick like most of the area.
mtnwhitetial.jpg

This forest road is open to all vehicles, did not look like it gets much use. Old elk camp at end of road was clean, no garbage and some trees down that did not appear to be fresh so I wonder if anyone even drove down it in 2020. Bumped into a small group of cow elk just before I got to this road.
roads.jpg


Competition from the big bad woof:
woof.jpg

Off-trail on the way back down, dropped 1k ft in about 1/3 of a mile. Saw some elk wintering sign on the steep slope of the ridge.
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View of one of the more roaded parts of the unit. Going to be rough pulling a moose out of this country even with the roads.
moose mountain.jpg
 
4 years applying?!?! I’ll hold my negative thoughts to myself

I wanted to moose hunt sooner than later so I was chasing some of the higher draw odds a bit with some of the shorter seasons. Decided to change to a long season hunt, but still slightly better odds than some of the more popular hunts. Looks like 2021 ended at 9% odds which were a bit lower than last couple years. Was planning on switching to one of the unit 10 hunts next year if I didn't draw.
 
I think you drew my sons tag from that last picture. I mean the one he was supposed to draw 😂 it’s ok he’s only 18 he can wait 20 years to draw like his dad did builds character ha ha. Good luck on tag. Pm unit if you want too I might have some good intel depending where you’re at
 
I think you drew my sons tag from that last picture. I mean the one he was supposed to draw 😂 it’s ok he’s only 18 he can wait 20 years to draw like his dad did builds character ha ha. Good luck on tag. Pm unit if you want too I might have some good intel depending where you’re at

Bummer, but glad I got his tag! I'll send a pm.
 
Thanks! Yes, decent amount of clearcuts in parts of the unit. And I know that area gets a lot more pressure. Two other tag holders I know of plan to hunt that general area.
Here we have OTC tags and moose have trouble getting age on them. But Those bigger bulls could be leaving the cuts well before daylight but I bet they would stay within half mile of that area. Or pressure might be low enough there you can catch them in the cuts at first light.
 
What unit did you draw? I drew an Idaho moose tag last year in the Pan Handle. It was a fun and crazy experience.
 
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