Ollin Magnetic Digiscoping System

Idaho - Frank Church Wilderness of No Return

Thanks Gene...
 
I've guided in unit 27 since 88, full time 88-94, and part-time (1-3 hunts per fall) every year since. from loon creek to the main salmon. This is very tough country. extremely tough. I've also backpacked out only 1 bull, and used stock for 63. I prefer the mules to my back for bulls. You used to be able to get a nice buck in there, but they are now hard to find, in fact a rocker buck is about as hard to find as a 170 bighorn. That being said, its also my favorite country to hunt in the world. The country grows on you, and its a real wilderness experience.
 
368, and 367 is the best I have personally seen. lots of 330's, some 340's, and some 350's do come out of there. go to www.huntidaho.com and check out bighorn oufitters. Thats where I work now, and they get as many big ones as anyone. back in 92 jerry jepson guided a guy that got a 388 legitimate. I only saw photos. We definitly cannot compete with AZ or NM, but I do love the frank church. That being said, in that country, if you see a 4 year old 6 that goes 280 you beter whack him if you want to be eating elk that winter.
 
I'll throw in my two cents because I was in unit 20a last Oct 1st through the 6th. Right dead center of the Frank, the Root Ranch to be exact. It was a little over an hour flight in over some gorgeous country. The facilities were very nice and the "hunting" was difficult.

On average we awoke at 4am (when the generator kicked on) had breakfast and then were on the saddles before 5:30.

It took nearly 2 1/2 hours on horse back just to get on top which then put us at about 8:00 before we started hunting.

I can tell you this about the elk in the Frank Church. They are scared to death!

Either that or their voice boxes have been ripped out! In 5 days of hunting we (8) hunters saw a cow and a calf. Granted about 4 of the hunters didn't leave their horse but rest of us put in quite a few miles. We found a group of elk and hunted them for 3 of the days but only bumped them in the timber and weren't even rewarded with a visual.

We did see 3 wolves. One was on the runway in fact. Either the elk don't bugle up there (because I didn't hear a single one) or they keep quiet because of the wolves.

I'd pick the later. There are a lot better places to hunt elk then in central Idaho wolf country.

For example. I archery elk hunted in September below the Salmon River straight south of the Root Ranch. I think we counted 22 different bulls in one week.

For the record, I had an A-tag and was just along for the experience while in the Frank.

bulldown
 
I'm sorry you had a bad hunt bulldown. I have guided a few guys who could tell a similar story without the Ranch, 8 guys in the same camp, long rides, wolves or generator involved. Don't let one bad hunt ruin you on an area.
 
Arcat, do you come out from arkansas every year to guide for them? I actually recommended Bighorn OUtfitters to a guy named Chris Thomas and he has booked a hunt with them this year. He was not sure where they would be camping him at though. Could i email you and get information on where your camps are at? I ran into one younger guy who guides for Bighorn and he was telling me about the river float elk hunts. Have you ever guided one of those?
 
Sadly I am only a shell of the man I used to be as the song says. Since I got married and moved to Arkansas where my wife had a better career than hunting guide in salmon. I do try to come out for at least one or two hunts every fall. I don't know for sure which ones this fall, but I figure its going to be late. I have not guided a river float but my buddy Trav who is still full time has done several. They are bigtime fun, and successful also. email me any time.
 
littleben, we hunted there last year and had a ball (in unit 27). we killed one 300 inche bull and by the time four of us got him out that was all we wanted. It is great country out there.
 
gar man, did you see any other hunters out there? what was the pressure like?
 
Its crowded more and more each year. stay away!! not really, it is big enough country that the limited number of tags can spread out everyone. the out of state tags are gone about now, so you would need outfitter and tags, and wiht them you will find solitude. if you can do without a generator.... and a ranch...
some good information here. no BS, except the one who brags there is no where on earth he wont shoot abull.. where is that stout fellow when I need him? I can find any slope with 45 degree angle repose slide rock with no way out but up, and NO ONE is ever gonna take an elk uphill on that stuff... packed out half a bull at a time.. that would be about 140 pounds for a raghorn. course it could have been a spiker, but that is a calf, not a bull. just kidding, there is no such thing as a small elk. Jim Zumbo wrote a nice piece on that years ago.
Jameister.
 
ARCAT, If you previously resided and guided in Salmon you probably understand the frustration with the elk herds in that area. I didn't say I had a bad hunt, just a little dissapointed. Like I said, I didn't even carry a tag. This was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt on this ranch. I visited it when I was 12 years old for a youth camp and hadn't returned until last fall (15 years). My father's health limits him when it comes to hunting so when he asked for me to accompany him on this hunt with his brothers and cousins, there was no way I was going to miss it. Even though I couldn't carry a rifle.

This is not a guided hunt, rather a do it yourself using their horses and facilities. I was hoping for a great expereince and that is what I got. It's just too bad we didn't have any success.


Now that was in unit 20a. I have a good friend who has been hunting 27 and 28 for last 20 years. They have had some incredible hunts but their success has slowed as of late also. However, they did punch 4 tags last year!
 
I grew up on a ranch in kansas, after college went to the middlefork from 88-94, got married, went to BC for two seasons, and now go to the middle fork for 1-2 hunts per season.

Bull down, I'm sorry I can't agree on the elk herd in frank church. The bull cow ratio is still high, the elk population has tripled since 88, and should grow more since the big fires of 2000. I guided a very unsucessful hunt last fall, and they do happen, but overall its still a great place to hunt bulls.
 
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