Elk in Bitterroots ID

Joined
Jan 4, 2021
Messages
8
Hi guys.

I'm a canadian planning on hunting in Idaho with an OTC tag in late october 2022. From home, it's about 8000km overall. Did a bunch of research and scooting on OnX. Looked at the Frank Church but members here told me it wasn't the best option to see elk.
We are 3 guys with 2 tags, on a budget, and we'll have about 7 days to hunt.
That's why we are looking for areas accesible by foot.
since we are traveling 4 days, we do not want to be fighting for a spot with locals and atvs hunters etc.
I'm looking at areas with motorized vehicles restrictions and less crowded places still accesible with a little bit of hiking and dedication.
Also looked at the Beaverheads but there seems to be a lot more atvs trails.
I'm not looking for a trophy hunt and we know it won't be a simple and easy task. We are ready to work or asses off. But I want to be sure we have, at least a chance to see some elks and since Im 4000km away, all I can relly on is E-scooting and you guys.
It will sound classic, but I'm not looking for honeyyholes! Just an area where there will be reasonable pressure and we have a chance to see elk.

thanks!
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
The Selway Bitterroot is the same as the Frank Church. Maybe worse. Wolf central. Huge country with very low numbers of elk.
 
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fnf01

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
232
Location
Wisconsin
Was in the church, didn't fly in, and even to get there the trail heads he had to park at and then walk in were jammed with trucks and horse trailers. Driving by the other forest roads in other units to get there they too were jammed up with atv/utvs/ giant rvs etc etc. It was like everyone decided that Idaho was gonna be the vacation spot for mid October 2020. It was worse than 2019 so I'm hoping 2021 and 2022 don't follow the trend but it seems like more and more people are out hunting, or at least vacatioing while someone they are with is out hunting, not the less we always hear about.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
every place you ask, you will get the same answers. fyi.
I disagree. The two places he asked about are terrible. Do a search on here for “Selway elk” and read reports from recent hunts. He can certainly find a place with better hunting than that.

His concern seems to be too many other hunters. If hunting was great there then there would be lots of hunters. There used to be. We used to stand in line in the Bitterroot and wait to buy the Selway B tag which sold out in an hour. Not anymore.

Don’t worry about other hunters. If it’s worth hunting there will be hunters. But in all my experience, none of which is in Colorado or Idaho except for the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, you just need to outhunt them and it’s not very hard to do that.
 
Last edited:
OP
G
Joined
Jan 4, 2021
Messages
8
I disagree. The two places he asked about are terrible. Do a search on here for “Selway elk” and read reports from recent hunts. He can certainly find a place with better hunting than that.

His concern seems to be too many other hunters. If hunting was great there then there would be lots of hunters. There used to be. We used to stand in line in the Bitterroot and wait to buy the Selway B tag which sold out in an hour. Not anymore.

Don’t worry about other hunters. If it’s worth hunting there will be hunters. But in all my experience, none of which is in Colorado or Idaho except for the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, you just need to outhunt them and it’s not very hard to do that
I disagree. The two places he asked about are terrible. Do a search on here for “Selway elk” and read reports from recent hunts. He can certainly find a place with better hunting than that.

His concern seems to be too many other hunters. If hunting was great there then there would be lots of hunters. There used to be. We used to stand in line in the Bitterroot and wait to buy the Selway B tag which sold out in an hour. Not anymore.

Don’t worry about other hunters. If it’s worth hunting there will be hunters. But in all my experience, none of which is in Colorado or Idaho except for the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, you just need to outhunt them and it’s not very hard to do that.
thanks. I will look into that !
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
20
Location
Shelbyville, KY
W
Was in the church, didn't fly in, and even to get there the trail heads he had to park at and then walk in were jammed with trucks and horse trailers. Driving by the other forest roads in other units to get there they too were jammed up with atv/utvs/ giant rvs etc etc. It was like everyone decided that Idaho was gonna be the vacation spot for mid October 2020. It was worse than 2019 so I'm hoping 2021 and 2022 don't follow the trend but it seems like more and more people are out hunting, or at least vacatioing while someone they are with is out hunting, not the less we always hear about.
Which side were you coming in from? I was just east of Frank in Salmon and that it sounds like we were in the same area with the same experience 2019/2020. Not going back to ID this year unless I draw a controlled hunt tag.
 

Huntnnw

WKR
Joined
May 25, 2015
Messages
442
Location
Rockford,WA
If you are hunting a new area you need to look at it as a investment in time. The first year in a new area you will learn a ton about the area, where to hunt and not hunt, roads,trails and hunter pressure. Its the second year where you fine tune the plan and get more out of your hunt.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,254
That’s very true Huntnw but you nothing is worse than investing time in an area with very few elk. It sucks when it’s the end of the hunt and you say to yourself oh well never coming back here again and then starting all over. Some guys never start over they just say screw elk hunting that was no fun at all.

Choose you area wisely it’s the most important decision of all!
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
20
Location
Shelbyville, KY
If you are hunting a new area you need to look at it as a investment in time. The first year in a new area you will learn a ton about the area, where to hunt and not hunt, roads,trails and hunter pressure. Its the second year where you fine tune the plan and get more out of your hunt.

100% agree as well. I don’t mind hunting hard and not seeing many animals, especially when it’s pretty country, but hate fighting the crowds. I hate to spend two years getting to know an area not to stick with it but too crowded is too crowded.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

fnf01

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
232
Location
Wisconsin
W

Which side were you coming in from? I was just east of Frank in Salmon and that it sounds like we were in the same area with the same experience 2019/2020. Not going back to ID this year unless I draw a controlled hunt tag.
We came in from the east as well, up north a bit more from Salmon by Northfork.
 

mtnlomo

FNG
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
91
Location
PNW
Hi guys.

I'm a canadian planning on hunting in Idaho with an OTC tag in late october 2022. From home, it's about 8000km overall. Did a bunch of research and scooting on OnX. Looked at the Frank Church but members here told me it wasn't the best option to see elk.
We are 3 guys with 2 tags, on a budget, and we'll have about 7 days to hunt.
That's why we are looking for areas accesible by foot.
since we are traveling 4 days, we do not want to be fighting for a spot with locals and atvs hunters etc.
I'm looking at areas with motorized vehicles restrictions and less crowded places still accesible with a little bit of hiking and dedication.
Also looked at the Beaverheads but there seems to be a lot more atvs trails.
I'm not looking for a trophy hunt and we know it won't be a simple and easy task. We are ready to work or asses off. But I want to be sure we have, at least a chance to see some elks and since Im 4000km away, all I can relly on is E-scooting and you guys.
It will sound classic, but I'm not looking for honeyyholes! Just an area where there will be reasonable pressure and we have a chance to see elk.

thanks!
Having archery hunted the Beaverhead extensively I can confirm that there are a lot of ATV trails, but there are still pockets with many elk in those units. I have found elk nearly every day I hunted it. Fighting the crowds just means there are animals there, but as with most of Idaho OTC hunts it doesn't lend itself to easy hunting. In the past Beaverhead hasn't had a B (rifle) tag option for OTC, so all rifle bull hunts are draw. If you archery hunt the Beaverhead is OTC. As for the Frank Church, hunting on foot is a tall order, most hunt on horses or even fly in on plane and elk aren't that abundant throughout it while predators are.
 
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