It’s interesting seeing the success rate. Any idea on why it would be low? Idaho residents can reapply if they don’t harvest a moose so maybe they hold out? Granted it’s not a premium tag by any means but there’s moose there.
Idaho moose hunt 2020
- Thread starter WAres
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Huntin' Fool
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Unfortunately unit 12's moose herd has been on a long term decline following what happened just to the south in units 15 and 17 which closed the seasons 10 years ago or so.. Found the '97-'98 hunting regs - they gave out 65 moose tags in unit 12, 51 in unit 15 and 35 in unit 17. Now only 16 tags this season in unit 12. Idaho has been closing moose seasons only after success drops off. Only 3 out 16 filled last year.
Unit 12 used to be a top unit for elk, deer and moose in the 80's and 90's. Harvest has dropped 80 - 90% since for all three species. Unit 17 too. Unit 15 still has lots of whitetails.
Unit 12 used to be a top unit for elk, deer and moose in the 80's and 90's. Harvest has dropped 80 - 90% since for all three species. Unit 17 too. Unit 15 still has lots of whitetails.
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it seems the moose are on decline since they have really reduced tags the past couple of years.
One thing that can not be taken into account is the amount of effort people are putting into the hunt. I’ve talked to a bunch over the years where I honestly questioned why they put in at all since they seemed to care so little. Some of my highlights: only guy in a unit one year that didn’t fill his tag because he didn’t hunt until mid November because that’s when he thought the moose rut was, another that killed a mid 20’s inch wide bull and said he hunted hard for an entire week and walked about 15 miles in that time, another that killed a dink bull he was able to drive a pickup to but had passed on one around 50 inches wide because he wasn’t willing to walk 300 yards up the hill to go after it
Huntin' Fool
Well-known member
In 2000 - Unit 12 gave out 72 bull moose tags and killed 31. 2010 - 26 tags, 15 killed. 2019 - 16 tags, 3 killed.
Which is not the unit he is asking about
Huntin' Fool
Well-known member
2 guys with different tags on this thread. I've been refering to the 12 - 1 hunt. The 10A -2 moose hunt look to be doing better in recent years,, 6 tags and averaged 50% the last 5 years. I haven't worked or hunted in 10A, just drove through it. Hunted and worked alot in units 10 and 12 - all from '86 - '95.
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I was thinking the same. You never know who has drawn these tags and the effort put in. I know for sure, I’m going to hunt my azzzzz off as much as possible. Its my #1 bucket list hunt was a moose and I want to make sure I do my best with it.
I totally missed the other person jumping in with the 12 tag.
Fishnride
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Ya guys. I got the 12-1 tag. Been in touch with WAres too. We seem to be on the same page. Different hunts for sure, but similar vegetation and as was stated pretty rough success rates. I know it won’t be easy, but I too am planning on hunting harder than the average guy for sure. I get an OTC elk most years here in CO with the bow, when the average success rate is like less than 10% so I’m not totally discouraged by the success rate.
The way I see it it’s kind of a blessing. Only 3 bulls have come out of there in the last 5 seasons so the ones that are out there could be getting pretty big.
Im way too excited to wait and I’m goin all in for this hunt this year. Last night I booked flights for my first scouting trip for June 29-July 3. Hopefully I can turn a few up. Either way I’ll get a better lay of the land and access and compare to the maps I’ve been staring at for a few weeks.
thanks for all the great info.
The way I see it it’s kind of a blessing. Only 3 bulls have come out of there in the last 5 seasons so the ones that are out there could be getting pretty big.
Im way too excited to wait and I’m goin all in for this hunt this year. Last night I booked flights for my first scouting trip for June 29-July 3. Hopefully I can turn a few up. Either way I’ll get a better lay of the land and access and compare to the maps I’ve been staring at for a few weeks.
thanks for all the great info.
BAKPAKR
Well-known member
If your schedule permits, I would scrap the 6/29 - 7/3 scouting trip and go as soon as the season opens so you can have a gun or bow in your hand while “scouting.”
Slim55
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Cool picture!
Fishnride
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That’s a good question. I imagine it should. I’m heading out tonight for a week of scouting up there. Hopefully I can spot a few bulls and post a couple pics here next week. If I get lucky and see a few we might be able to compare them to Colorado bulls where it’s been pretty damn dry this year.
Huntin' Fool
Well-known member
I see that it is still raining there - the area from Lolo Pass north to the Canadian border is some of the wettest in north america - averages 60"+ precipitation/year. At least it's not snow today - I have been snowed on in July up there before.
rustednuts
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I would focus more on scouting and glassing then calling. Blind calling works on occasion for moose but is best used to close the distance, instead of locating moose.
Fishnride
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I got back about a week ago from what I would consider a great scouting mission. First of all, it literally rained almost the entire time I was there. It broke for the morning the day I left, but otherwise just consistently drizzled the whole time. The underbrush is thicker than anything I have ever seen. I saw a decent amount of moose sign leading in to the old logging cuts even though they were thick as a jungle. I spent most of my time driving the open logging roads and hiking all the gated roads that I could. Some were fully grown in, some were ankle high grass. I marked and noted the condition of every gated road in the unit on my maps and I come away with some promising access. I actually broke trail up on the Lolo trail through snow drifts for the first time of the year. I was trying to go far south along the ridge and pushed a little hard and got the rental truck stuck pretty good.
I really didn’t spend too much time actually looking for animals but I was able to find a few elk, a lot of whitetails, and one bull moose! I watched him eat vegation waist deep in a pond for about 15 minutes which was super cool. He was facing away from me most the time but I did take a couple videos and pics through the spotting scope. Not sure how big he will be come season, but his antlers protruded past his ears and visible branched, which Probably isn’t bad for June. Didn’t see any bear or wolves but saw some sign and one tree just destroyed by a big bear.
I talked to everyone I could in the unit including a brush cutter and the local CO. Got some good info and can put a few more pieces of the puzzle together.
No doubt it’s gonna be a tough hunt, but I’ve got a couple of good strategies lined up and eliminated some ideas that I now realize won’t be effective. All and all it’s an amazingly beautiful area and I can’t wait to spend some good time there this fall. My confidence is higher now after getting out there and putting boots on the ground.
Thanks for the info so far. I’ll attach some pics, and of course I’ll keep you all informed.
I really didn’t spend too much time actually looking for animals but I was able to find a few elk, a lot of whitetails, and one bull moose! I watched him eat vegation waist deep in a pond for about 15 minutes which was super cool. He was facing away from me most the time but I did take a couple videos and pics through the spotting scope. Not sure how big he will be come season, but his antlers protruded past his ears and visible branched, which Probably isn’t bad for June. Didn’t see any bear or wolves but saw some sign and one tree just destroyed by a big bear.
I talked to everyone I could in the unit including a brush cutter and the local CO. Got some good info and can put a few more pieces of the puzzle together.
No doubt it’s gonna be a tough hunt, but I’ve got a couple of good strategies lined up and eliminated some ideas that I now realize won’t be effective. All and all it’s an amazingly beautiful area and I can’t wait to spend some good time there this fall. My confidence is higher now after getting out there and putting boots on the ground.
Thanks for the info so far. I’ll attach some pics, and of course I’ll keep you all informed.
Attachments
Huntin' Fool
Well-known member
Outstanding! From '86 to '95, I worked forest surveys, hunted and guided up there. Awesome country. It can rain/wet snow until mid Oct and then the snow starts sticking. Some years the hunting season can be mostly dry. Probably short/no fire season this year. It can rain a lot in August too. The weather pattern this year has been a northwesterly flow in Idaho, so if the trend stays, it could stay wet and cooler than average.
Desk Pop
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Sounds like a productive trip
