Selway elk

[sparky62]

Heys guys im planning a elk trip somewhere in the selway zone. I have found a few spots to go scout but looking for a few others. Any help would be awesome. If it helps I have two military guys who have never hunted going with me. I really just want them to get elk. I want a dam wolf! Thanks in advance.

 

[blackdog]

I guided in the Selway back in the late '90s and there was some pretty fantastic elk hunting at the time. I've heard that the areas I used to hunt had been completely decimated by wolves since then. Don't know if they've made any comeback in the last few years or not. Be happy to share spots if you're interested in 20 year old intel! ;-)

 

[idahohikker]

Low density elk numbers. Days without sightings and even trips are common. Beware.

Cover a lot of ground with your legs and glass to compensate for that.

There are quite a few Selway threads so I'd check that out.

 

[BRTreedogs]

First post and your asking for spotssss?

 

[sparky62]

Starting points. Not peoples spots. My bad.

 

[KHNC]

Check out the orifino airport first. Get them to look into flying into fish lake airstrip in Idaho. There is a ranger cabin there and the lewis & clark trail heads back into the mountains. The wolves killed most of the elk in this area from 05-10 time frame. The outfitter using the area no longer outfits there. I would say the elk have had plenty of time to reacclimate to the area. Find a basin to concentrate in. Lots of moose in this area, as well as bears. Weight limit is 1000lbs on the plane including gear per trip.

 

[whuppinstick]

The Selway can be brutal, but also rewarding. I have been putting a lot of effort into it over the past four years, going in for 8-12 days each year during the early season and again for 8-14 days during the late season. This September was the first time I even SAW an elk during the early season and it was just a brief flash of a cow. It was also the first year I heard a bugle - did not see that bull. It took until the third year to see elk during the late season and this year I finally got a nice bull. It is similar to the Frank in that there are large areas where game just don't live. It might take a lot of scouting, but you might also get lucky. Get really high during the early season and get almost that high during the late season.

Edit: I just saw that you are hoping to get some guys their first elk. I would really think there is a better place for that than the Selway. Just remember anything close to a road or an airstrip is hammered and anything not close means a long pack.

 

[Azone]

Early or late season? That place is no where to screw around in November, I have watched it reduce grown men to tears. The previous poster who described it as brutal is spot on. Take it from someone who learned the hard way think twice before you pull the trigger, there's a reason 90 percent of the camps have horses in them. Also if there is any weakness in your gear or mental toughness that place will exploit it to its fullest potential.
As far as elk go they're there if you put in the effort but there is a whole lot of nothing in those mountains also. It's a rough place for a first elk hunt good luck and let us know how your experience plays out, maybe I will see you there this November if that's when you guys are going. I will be there from the 1st till the 9th.