Idaho unit 20 anyone?

[muskieman8837]

Going to Idaho with a selway unit 20 B tag and was wondering if anyone has any information on this area. We have hunted in the panhandle unit 4 before but without any luck. I would like to know the type of terrain, heavily forested or not, how are the roads, campground facilitys in the area, wolf problems, any burn area to hunt, and ya any ELK. THANKs

 

[huntinfool]

I grew up in that area and roads are almost non-existent. If you have horses you'll be ok if not best bet is to research the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and look very close at it.A place to start as far as camp facilities would be Dixie Idaho. Also has paved road to it after that study your maps. That can be a very hard area good luck and I hope I gave you some help.

 

[SageGhost]

i agree with hunting fool... beautiful area to hunt but very remote.....

 

[muskieman8837]

Thanks for the input guys. I realize the area is difficult to access and we do not have horses to help us. Your plans are to arrive a couple day before the September 15 opener and find a spot to camp in one of the camping area off of FR486. Then scout the area the best we can for open areas and anything we can access by foot. We're hoping that the elk will be bugling and we can call but we are new to calling thing so I don't know if thats a good idea.
Your biggest concern is being able to see an elk if it is close. Past experience with Idaho hunting is trees, trees, and more trees. The areas we hunted before have been so forested that see an elk is tough much less shooting one.
Let me know if is sounds like we have any chance!

 

[BigHornRam]

Muskie,

I did some scouting in 20 last summer for a deer hunt, but ended up picking an area in 17 which was closer to home. Saw some sparse sign and one elk. Lot's of the area has been burned. The road getting there is rough. An early snow fall last season would have made it down right dangerous. If you go there be prepared for any weather, and any kind of vehichle emergency (chains, wench, spare tires, gas, tools, ect). How are you going to get there? From Darby or from the Idaho side? Saw elk almost daily where I deer hunted. You will be hunting elk in the trees in all of this country but it's not near as dense as North Idaho. Learning to call would be helpful but don't over do it. It's steep country, so get in shape and have fun.

 

[muskieman8837]

Bighornram - Thanks for the information though not really reassuring that we are making a good decision. So are you saying there arent many elk in that unit or just not where you were looking because it still not to late to change areas.

 

[BigHornRam]

Muskie,

The area I scouted was high elevation, didn't have a lot of feed, and the bugs were bad at the time, so that could have had something to with not seeing much game. To top it off there was a outfitter camp at the trailhead. But it's a big unit and there's lot's of country I never looked at. I would say there are a fair number of elk in there but not at a high density. They cover a lot of ground, and you find them where you find them. There are no easy elk hunts on public land, and you will earn your elk in this unit for sure. It is very senic area. About 10 years ago I hunted that unit further to the west and ran into a lot of hunters. Could be different today however. I don't like crowds so I tend to do most of my hunting away from roads and trails. Are you coming in from Darby?

 

[muskieman8837]

Bighornram
We are from Wisconsin so we'll be coming on I90 so out route will be from there. Thanks for all your input, scouting from 1200 miles away isn't easy without some help. Ideally we would make a scouting trip out there but with work and family that is not possible. We are trying to find out as much as we can through this and other websites. I was also looking at the Idaho fish and game website and selway B tags they only give out something like 1200 tags for all four units so that is why we picked unit 20 plus there are some road in that area. We are hoping that pressure will be light so at least we' ll hear bugling because in my two trips to Idaho I never even heard one much less got one so this is my last try unguided until I can afford an outfitter and convince my wife to letting me.