North Idaho Elk

[Wild_Aber]

It was a different year for this go around. I switched jobs and lost all my vacation time. After hunting most archery weekends in the panhandle I have still not heard a bugle. I am taking my boy on his first elk hunt and wondering if it really was just a late rut. I hunt mostly near Pinehurst and the Big Creek drainage. Just a feeler to see if others I'm that area have some news.

 

[Wrench]

I was within 5 miles of you and had bulls ripping on and before the opener. It died a bit around the 11-13th and then there were obviously hot cows after that. Most bulls walking around were on the 18th (3 years running) and we had many come in cautiously through the end. We watched 4 bulls last week on my boys cow permit.....him watching a branch bull with a scope was rough.

My observations are that we've never had more people in the woods. Wallace looked like Seattle. Huckleberries were thick, covid travel was obscene. I found more bulls came to the call on the 5th through 8th than later....but they were not looking to fight but observe.

All of my time was spent 30 plus minutes of steady hiking through the nasty away from roads working up to 8 miles a couple of days and 3-5 every day. I spent 16 days there.

Hope that helps.

 

[Wrench]

Ps, you may want to generalize your location a bit more. Some guys will freak out when you name their location.

 

[Vandal 44]

I had a few bulls bugling the last couple of days in September in the upper North Idaho Panhandle nothing great. I was hunting solo and the closest I could get an elk to come in was 80 yards. I met a lot of people from all over the country Texas, Nebraska, Missouri and Minnesota. The area I was hunting was crazy busy with hunters and recreational UTV’s, ATV’s and motorcycle riders. There is alway the last couple days in October to get it done


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[westbranch]

We also had good bugling all day on the 18th. But we did not get it done. Hunted 9 days total and heard bugles most nights, and several days close to sunset and in the mornings before 8. They were down in the hell holes shortly after sunrise. A lot more hunters in the spot we hunted compared to the last two years. Got in on a bull bugling on the morning of 27th and had it at <50 yards but needed to be <15 for a shot in the thick brush.

 

[Wild_Aber]

Thanks for the responses. I have been hunting my areas for almost ten years now and this is the first time that there has been no talking. We switched our locations multiple times and hiked over 5 miles a day always bushwhacking. We found sign but never a sound. I have been in situations where bulls were very quite from either pressure or wolves but I could usually get a response. Last year I hunted the Salmon zone archery so I don't know what the rut was like here. My oldest boy shot a 6x6 in the St.Joe on October 20th and he was all rutted up. Most people I had talked to said the rut was very late last year. Just wonder if maybe it's similar this year? Also looking for info for people who hunt the Kaniksu and if the wolves have made as big an impact as I have heard. I am heading that way with my second oldest on his first time hunting.

 

[Wrench]

I had wolf kills in my area, vocal wolves and the elk were still bugling....just not as loud or frequently.

 

[Coach529]

I did not get out for Archery, but I was scouting in one of the areas you mentioned on Oct 2nd and had three seperate bulls talking.

Went back last weekend and it was pretty quiet.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

I had multiple bulls calling where I was at... all after dark/before sunrise. It was enough for me to figure out what they were doing after a couple days though. Once I got in on them, they’d talk right back. I had multiple opportunities, I just couldn’t close that last 50 yards!