I moved to SE Idaho 10 years ago for grad school and haven't found a reason to leave. I have moved out of the big city (of Pocatello) to the village of Arimo with fresh air and lots of open space. I landed a job with IDFG in 2006. Even though it is often a difficult and thankless occupation, I enjoy working to make hunting better for everyone that comes to this neck of the woods. The job is a lot of driving and dealing with people, and when I do see monster bucks or bulls at work they are usually in the back of someone else's truck or on winter range which could be 50 miles away from their hideouts during hunting season. I save up vacation, sick leave, and comp time for hunting season and I usually manage to spend about 20 nights in a tent or under the stars during September and October. Probably the best thing I have going is that my wife always lets me go hunting. I wouldn't trade her for the world.
I tend to hunt a place until I know it well. Then I move on. People may think I'm crazy to discover a honey hole, only to leave it behind, but what I really hunt for is the adventure. In the past few years I've notched tags in units 68 (73 5/8" archery antelope), 69 (5x5 mule deer), 71 (cow moose), 73 (4x4 mule deer, and an old heavy 5x6 mule deer), 75 (cow elk), and 76 (culled a mature 2x2 mule deer). I probably spent an average of 10 days hunting and 10 passed shots for each of the animals I've killed. The main hunt that I'm scouting, mapping, and planning for next year is somewhere that I admire as I drive past every week or two, but I've never laced up the boots and made the climb up to where I think the big boys hang out. It will take some effort to get in, but I don't think I'll have much competition. If I do get something, I can probably strap the head to my pack and let the body roll down, down, down to the truck (I say that to give you a mental image of the place, but know that good meat is precious and I will pack it out before I bring the horns). That's the kind of place I like to hunt.
I'm not entirely out of new places to hunt in SE Idaho, but I am beginning to think further afield. I've done some drop camps in the Frank Church wilderness and plan to do a few more. My short list for the coming decade also includes an adventure to Alaska looking for a moose.
Other hunts that I am working on, but fate will decide when the time is right:
I am putting in for Idaho bull moose.
Once the Idaho moose is done, then I will start putting in for mountain goat.
If I'm not too old after drawing both moose and goat, then I'll consider sheep.