Idaho Salmon Unit

[T1mberNinja]

Hello All, I got my first taste of OTC elk hunting in Idaho's salmon unit last year. I felt like I had all my bases covered, talked to biologists, put boots on the ground well before season, and when we got out there for our week hunt we got hit with unseasonably hot weather, it really put a damper on game movement for all species. Our group was lucky enough to score on a nice mulie but majority of us went home empty handed. My group was in the Haystack mountain area. Looking for anyone who is familiar with the area/ unit. Should I chalk up the lack of elk sightings to hot weather? Or head back to the same spot and roll the dice? Would my time be better spent some where else in the unit? Any help or input would be awesome. Feel free to PM. Thanks!

 

[idahohikker]

How many guys in your group? How hard were you hunting?

I would recommend splitting up and covering a lot of ground. There aren’t tons of elk in the unit, pretty average numbers overall.

 

[Tayler Wayne]

I would recommend splitting up and covering a lot of ground. There aren’t tons of elk in the unit, pretty average numbers overall.

Ditto. Wolves and hunting pressure keep the elk numbers down in the Salmon Zone. I live up there and feel like there are plenty of areas in that zone that hold elk. You just have to get away from other hunters and off the roads.


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[T1mberNinja]

5 guys total, all with varying experience and motivation. I rarely ventured further than around 3 miles from the base camp in case I had to pack one out.

Only saw 2 hunters the entire trip who went in on horses further than us.

It sounded like the wolves were quite abundant.

Im wondering if a spike camp away from the base camp is the way to go?