Looking for advice on Idaho units 6,7,9 bow elk.

[Dustin the wind]

Been a resident for a couple years now. Coming from the Oregon coast I am used to very thick stuff but I know these places are steeper. Any pointers on these areas is welcomed but I know nothing compares to putting in long hard miles. Unit 6 and 7 interest me specifically. 6 looks a bit more remote but I feel like the proximity to Coeur d'Alene may be an issue for pressure. Open to other units as well as I am new to hunting Idaho. I live in unit 1 myself but I feel like there are more areas to explore more easily in the bottom of the panhandle. Going to be doing 4-5 day walking only solo hunts out of the runner. Thanks for any and all advice pm'd or otherwise.

 

[Tjenkins202]

This is a year late and I am new to Roklslide but I would like to add my two cents for unit 6 as I have been hunting it here for the past 7 years (unsuccessfully but not for the lack of bulls; only attributing that to me sucking at elk hunting/capitalizing. I plan to hunt until I get one down here). With that said (you may take with grain of salt now) and as generic as it may sound, I think it is important to have a solid number of back up spots in the Panhandle. There is a crazy amount of ground to hunt up here and elk hole up in some surprising and not so surprising spots (i.e., next to roads, in the clear cuts, bottom of deep roadless canyons, catch em on top of the grassy tops feeding 100 yards from well traveled roads in the middle of the season, bugling over the top of wolf howls, etc.). So take some time in the summer to drive to spots that look elky on the map and look at access points while you are there and it'll probably hold elk if you find sign or beaten down game trails while hiking. But don't be surprised to find a whole different story when September rolls around as far as human pressure and wheelers buzzing roads 24/7 goes. It used to bother me but I have learned that the majority of folks buzzing around on the wheelers with their bow strapped to the front are typically not hunting where I am so I don't let it bug me as much as it did in the past.

If you are coming from the west side than it sounds like you are no stranger to the frustrations that come with brush country bulls. It can be a darn good time one day and then frustrating as all return the next or next couple while you are breaking brush climbing 2k vert or more out of that hole you dropped in after the bull. I love to glass but sadly this isn't the most conducive country for that with all the timber. The panhandle is a tough place for Biologists to produce population estimates (hence no numeric objectives) but I will go out on a limb and say that there are probably as many up here as there are in any other areas of the state that have wolves. They are just tougher to find and get to....

 

[mtnbiker208]

clear cuts are you friend, not sure if would drive from the selkirks to the bitterroots to hunt, but both are as steep as the other.

 

[Dustin the wind]

A lot has changed since I made this post, totally forgot about it. Yup figured out everything is steep. I now live in Helena just recently and for now still have Idaho residency for this fall. Hunted the salmon zone last year and will most likely be back there for deer and elk. Going to try out south east Idaho for speedgoats. Would be a little counterintuitive for me to drive back up to the panhandle from here. Thank you all for the advice this far.

 

[Tjenkins202]

That's awesome man. I have longed to hunt further south where I can see for distance and use the glass but I figure I am going to keep my general tags in my neighborhood and be drawn to the big open country when I pull a controlled hunt. Which I did this year for speedgoats in August. Heading down to the desert this year to chase em with my bow. Should be a fun and tough hunt but looking forward to the desert and hopefully a stalk or two. Best of luck this season.

 

[Dustin the wind]

That's awesome man. I have longed to hunt further south where I can see for distance and use the glass but I figure I am going to keep my general tags in my neighborhood and be drawn to the big open country when I pull a controlled hunt. Which I did this year for speedgoats in August. Heading down to the desert this year to chase em with my bow. Should be a fun and tough hunt but looking forward to the desert and hopefully a stalk or two. Best of luck this season.

Looks like you are doing the same as me, i pulled the 21A-1 unlimited bow tag. Got an area picked out but thats about it. First time for me.