Idaho Elk Unit 61 - late Muzzle Loader hunt - East or West side

[Dwilli]

I’m starting the hunt opening day and I’ll be there all week in island park. I’m going to focus on the west side of 20 near the park boundary as a start. I got some other areas I want to see on the west side of the unit out by hwy15. I’ll have a second week off work to hunt once the snow falls and pushes elk down. All I need is a little luck.

I will arrive in IF the 8th, my friends house. I got my s x s stashed with my trailer there, bringing a 16 x 20 wall tent with stove. Setup somewhere day before season, just getting ducks in a row, or trying. I am out for whole season and can relocate as the weather pushes me down lower. My s x s has a heater, I made sure when we bought it with late hunts in Idaho in mind. I have hunted around Harriman but not this late so I am feeling my way on this one.

 

[Chromanz]

I will arrive in IF the 8th, my friends house. I got my s x s stashed with my trailer there, bringing a 16 x 20 wall tent with stove. Setup somewhere day before season, just getting ducks in a row, or trying. I am out for whole season and can relocate as the weather pushes me down lower. My s x s has a heater, I made sure when we bought it with late hunts in Idaho in mind. I have hunted around Harriman but not this late so I am feeling my way on this one.

Nice,
We got an air bnb in island park. I got my SXS also. I do plan another week there around December 1st or after the first big snow.
It’s a new area to me but I’m pumped for a new adventure. That’s why I hunt new areas, to chase the great unknown. It’s a huge area.
Shoot me a PM and we can exchange contact info, always nice to know someone in the woods.
I got a buddy with me, we plan to glass and cover ground that week. Find an elk and make a move from there. This is my first ANY bull elk tag so I’m kinda partial to that idea. The bulls should be back in bachelors groups that time of year. In the higher transition areas before the big snow/freeze.

 

[Dwilli]

Nice,
We got an air bnb in island park. I got my SXS also. I do plan another week there around December 1st or after the first big snow.
It’s a new area to me but I’m pumped for a new adventure. That’s why I hunt new areas, to chase the great unknown. It’s a huge area.
Shoot me a PM and we can exchange contact info, always nice to know someone in the woods.
I got a buddy with me, we plan to glass and cover ground that week. Find an elk and make a move from there. This is my first ANY bull elk tag so I’m kinda partial to that idea. The bulls should be back in bachelors groups that time of year. In the higher transition areas before the big snow/freeze.

I plan to glass and look for them, I am trying figure out the pm part of this. I took will work near Yellowstone watching weather. I carry in reach mini 2 and a few other trinkets as I am usually by myself with my golden retriever. I put my email out but have no idea if it was the way to do it.

 

[TheTone]

Elk will bail out of that country regardless of snow some years and some go north some south. Just depends on what they choose to do. Snow and temps can be really rough but luckily most snow is really powdery. When I lived in that country I never knew anyone that shot much on that hunt. People would complain they saw elk but conditions made it really tough to get to them.

 

[Dwilli]

Elk will bail out of that country regardless of snow some years and some go north some south. Just depends on what they choose to do. Snow and temps can be really rough but luckily most snow is really powdery. When I lived in that country I never knew anyone that shot much on that hunt. People would complain they saw elk but conditions made it really tough to get to them.

Thanks, I got the whole season to chase them. I hunted around Harriman a few years back, snow pushed alot south to winter ground in Oct. Hopefully we can find a pocket of some.

 

[Dwilli]

Nice,
We got an air bnb in island park. I got my SXS also. I do plan another week there around December 1st or after the first big snow.
It’s a new area to me but I’m pumped for a new adventure. That’s why I hunt new areas, to chase the great unknown. It’s a huge area.
Shoot me a PM and we can exchange contact info, always nice to know someone in the woods.
I got a buddy with me, we plan to glass and cover ground that week. Find an elk and make a move from there. This is my first ANY bull elk tag so I’m kinda partial to that idea. The bulls should be back in bachelors groups that time of year. In the higher transition areas before the big snow/freeze.

Two one seven four nine three three six four eight, text works

 

[BAKPAKR]

How did the hunts go?

 

[Dwilli]

Snowy, I ended up 13 days in my wall tent, seen tracks but could not get up on them. Bears were active, grouse was plenty, snow on the east side was deep neat Yellowstone, made walking/ snowshoeing interesting.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Snowy, I ended up 13 days in my wall tent, seen tracks but could not get up on them. Bears were active, grouse was plenty, snow on the east side was deep neat Yellowstone, made walking/ snowshoeing interesting.

Sounds like you gave it a great effort.

 

[Gkunsman22]

Hey there
Drew the Idaho island park unit 61 late muzzle loader elk tag. This is an either sex elk tag. Start 11/11-12/9 End.
I’m looking to get advice on which area to focus on. East or West side of the Highway?
I’ve spent time fishing the creeks and driving the roads but never hunted the area. I live in idaho a few hours away. I saw elk on the road to Henry’s lake laying in someone’s yard a few months back before I drew the tag. That’s the only elk I’ve seen in that unit lol.
I’m hoping the snow can push the elk down from the higher grounds after the rut, or they stream out of the park after the snow? Get em all on private property and knock on 1 door, it could be that simple.
Hey I bet we find out!
I also drew a turkey tag and deer tag in Idaho, closer to my home base.
I’ll expect to purchase a wolf tag and have the appropriate ordnance for that situation.
Any tips or advice on this unit is appreciated. I hope to meet some new folks and make the memories of a lifetime hunting. That’s why I hunt, for the adventure and the chance to tame the great beast of the wild.

I’ve had great info and contacts on HT before.
Thank you HT

Hey I drew this tag this year any helpful info?

 

[TheTone]

Hey I drew this tag this year any helpful info?

Welcome to Hunt Talk

 

[Chromanz]

Welcome to Hunt Talk

This is a migration hunt, timing is everything. Hunt the Montana boarder areas, 4x4 or snow machine will be required. I suggest getting an Airbnb in island park. Harvested a beautiful fox on that trip, no elk. Saw elk but there were 1000 yards away in the rocky, nasty, steep areas. If this was a modern fire arm hunt you’d have a much better chance at harvesting. Don’t be picky just fill your tag. Lots of moose, I saw more moose than any other animal. Found 1 nice moose shed.
Good luck

 

[Gkunsman22]

This is a migration hunt, timing is everything. Hunt the Montana boarder areas, 4x4 or snow machine will be required. I suggest getting an Airbnb in island park. Harvested a beautiful fox on that trip, no elk. Saw elk but there were 1000 yards away in the rocky, nasty, steep areas. If this was a modern fire arm hunt you’d have a much better chance at harvesting. Don’t be picky just fill your tag. Lots of moose, I saw more moose than any other animal. Found 1 nice moose shed.
Good luck

Thank you! I have a 4 wheeler with tracks would that be useful? To put the tracks on before the hunt or keep tires

 

[Gkunsman22]

Welcome to Hunt Talk

Thank you

 

[Dwilli]

Hey I drew this tag this year any helpful info?

I hunted it last year, I stayed east of the hwy and dealt with deep snow, key is to stay on them as they move through across the hwy. I found more sign west of Island Park, Kilgore road and north. The contential divide had a few seen and grizzly. I got the cow hunt this year just before your hunt.
Good luck

 

[Dwilli]

Thank you! I have a 4 wheeler with tracks would that be useful? To put the tracks on before the hunt or keep tires

I did not have tracks but could not reach Yellowstone border, deep snow, tracks would help lots. Lots of grouse.

 

[Gkunsman22]

I hunted it last year, I stayed east of the hwy and dealt with deep snow, key is to stay on them as they move through across the hwy. I found more sign west of Island Park, Kilgore road and north. The contential divide had a few seen and grizzly. I got the cow hunt this year just before your hunt.
Good luck

Awesome good luck to you! let me know if you see any bulls!

 

[Dwilli]

Awesome good luck to you! let me know if you see any bulls!

I can do that, I am going in early and bear / Wolf hunt.

 

[Chromanz]

I was there for 2 weeks in December. We used tires the entire time on my sxs. I meet up with Dwili and made friends with him.
I hunted the west side of the hwy by Kilgore rd. All the elk we saw were up high.
Lots of sign down low but they move thru the unit fast. They can be right on the road or miles up the mountain.

The migrating elk blow south into other southern units. There was an area I liked but never hunted “three mile creek rd” east of Spencer Idaho. It’s a big unit, look for corridors or migration routes. There are elk there(in the unit), I noticed smaller groups of 4-12 elk. Not the massive migration herd I wanted to see. I saw sign from the big herd but never seen those elk. Snow helped, we saw sign everywhere in the unit.
I have the sawtooth elk tag this year on the other side of the state.

 

[Chromanz]

Dwili
I’ll be in Illinois 11/5-11/10
Let tag a big whitetail together!!
We are staying in Springfield!
PM me if your in your stomping grounds that time frame.

I got the sandhill crane and sage grouse tags this year, year of the birds!
Crane opens next week!