Idaho Elk Quality

Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
3,301
Location
Weiser, ID
I've seen a grand total of one truly big bull in Idaho. I had a Jan/Feb cow tag in an area that's controlled tags for bulls. We found a small group of bulls and moved in for a better look as we hadn't seen jack for cows.

All the bulls were young 5's but there was a tank in with them. He was a legit 360-370 6, black horns with ivory tips just like we all dream about. Watched him for 30 minutes from about 500 yards and then we moved on.

Sure as hell don't see several of those every year in OTC units like some people seem to.
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2017
Messages
415
Location
Idaho
I saw 2 over 300” this fall and one I watched for a couple dozen evenings this year. He hasn’t died yet as it seems nobody is willing to gain 2500’ in elevation in 1.2 miles to shoot a bull. I don’t think anyone who hunted out here or even the outfitter up the way knew he was there. It came across my mind multiple times to shoot him but I truly didn’t need the meat this year with having got a moose.
 

TheTone

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,598
In the panhandle, a 320 bull IS a 360 internet bull.
Ain’t that the truth. Hunted elk in Idaho for over twenty years now; 7 years in eastern or more southern idaho the rest in the north. I saw more big bulls in the 7 year chunk than all the north Idaho years combined. I had one year I saw 40+ bulls in 5 days. That would probably take me 5-6 years to accomplish up north
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2023
Messages
441
I hunt multiple units in Idaho, Archery and rifle being a resident and the quality has gone down with preditors and more hunters. The big bulls are still out there though. One thing to remember is they didn't get that big without being smart.
 
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