Unit 29 - A TOTAL BUST this year!!!
Idaho
Hello fellow unit 29'ers (and you know who you are!)
I just got back from hunting unit 29 for the last 12 days and I must admit that it was by far the least amount of elk activity and elk sighting I have ever seen. It was extremely hard to stay positive with such great hunting conditions and so little elk to see or hear.
When I started in this unit in 2000, we found screaming elk in every single draw, every single day, without exception. In 2001, it was 75% as good. In 2003, it was 50% as good. In 2004 it was 25% as good. In 2006, it was literally 5% as good as 2000 and I’m being generous with the 5%.
Man I am just absolutely devastated by the lack of elk this year and I can guarantee I will NEVER go back to that area again. I hunted as north as Little Mill Creek all the way down to Long Canyon and only found one area that had any concentration of elk at all.
Has anyone else been experiencing this phenomenon like this? I guess you can always return but you can never go back.
cold meadows was a total bust also we flew on the 14th and hunted all day the 15th then we got 14" of snow that night and into sat.which pushed the elk down to lower elevations the wolves didn't help either.
Same experience here. I hunted Hayden Creek area. See my other post "slow action or what." I'm not a "lazy" hunter and we had a very tough time. I saw a total of 8 elk - didn't have one bull coming in and heard 2 bugles in 8+ days of hunting. Locations 4 to 5 miles in that held elk last year - nothing.
We hunted from the 9th to the 22nd. Had elk come in 2 different days with only 1 bull in bow range. We saw lots of rubs but not many elk. Last year was much better. We had lots of excuses for not finding more elk but then we ran into a group hunters that were BowTech dealers. I think they had 3 elk for 5 hunters the last we talked to them. We don't know what we were doing wrong.
Jeepers, do you think it was wolves that is making it tougher to find elk...or could it be the influx of Non Resident hunters?
"Jeepers, do you think it was wolves that is making it tougher to find elk...or could it be the influx of Non Resident hunters?"
Don't blame me. I didn't find them either. :) I personally don't think the wolves are the biggest issue, but I'm not sure what is. I think they certainly have an affect, but I got a bugle while the pack was howling nearby. Can somebody tell me, if it is the wolves causing the lack of elk action, why the elk are more scarce than deer? Wouldn't the wolves be eating the deer too? Just trying to figure out what was going on in Unit 6 since we saw lots of deer but only a handful of fresh elk tracks.
"Jeepers, do you think it was wolves that is making it tougher to find elk...or could it be the influx of Non Resident hunters?"
Don't blame me. I didn't find them either. :) I personally don't think the wolves are the biggest issue, but I'm not sure what is. I think they certainly have an affect, but I got a bugle while the pack was howling nearby. Can somebody tell me, if it is the wolves causing the lack of elk action, why the elk are more scarce than deer? Wouldn't the wolves be eating the deer too? Just trying to figure out what was going on in Unit 6 since we saw lots of deer but only a handful of fresh elk tracks.
Huntsman, are there more non-resident hunters now than 10 years ago? Check the stats! Remember that many non-resident and residents are also buying that 2nd non-resident tag. So I do not think the number of hunters as changed very much. In fact some years they have gone down. It seems people always try to find some excuses or factors for an off year. Some years are just better than others! Some years I get monster bulls, some years I get small bulls, and some years nothing. That is part of the "hunt" that makes it fun. Hope next year season is better for all of you!
I haven't hunted 29 since about 88 too many people.Go figure don't want to tick people off but in my opinion there are just too many folks and a total lack of managemant by the state.I think we all need to get involved,join the local clubs and by all means join I.S.B. Just my thoughts , haven't posted in a while but it's all the same thing,lots of pressure,weather people riding everywhere. F and G issued 252 permits for bulls this year ?????? I think we just want to kill it all. Food for thought
Can you say Wolves? They re the biggest problem right now. When the elk are belly high in snow during the winter they are an easy mark for the wolves. That is your biggest problem. It is the truth and it is unfortunate.
I believe that our problem comes from IDF&G. State wide we have a 10% cap on the NR tags. This cap needs to be applied per each zone, not state wide. Currently, all NR could hunt the same zone. Take a look at the number of A tags held by NR hunters in some of the more popular zones...Beaverhead, Diamond Cr., and Island Park. In these zones the NR make up close to 50% of the hunters.
Why can we not apply the 10% cap per zone? Can you say $$$
HOLY HAWKEYE!!!!
Stand by for the sky to fall, this is a red letter day!!!!!
Be it known to all hands that today, October 10th in the year of our Lord 2006 ---- DDD agees with a post --- THE COMPLETE POST --- as entered by the party known as Huntsman --- 100%.
And ---- just in case you couldn't believe it the first time, I'll say it again ----- I AGREE!!!
I've suggested that for about 5 years now and F&G says (has said) that "the computers can't do it" I call BS!!
DDD
DDD, computers can do it in other states! Hmmmm!
Where is ISB's stance on this issue. If we can't get F&G to listen to individuals, then we need to get ISB involved...if they will.
DDD, in the future if you're going to agree with Huntsman, please do it via PM.
Any particular reason??
DDD
This thread is pretty much the same thing as said on the Pioneer Zone thread. The elk hunting in these zones is going downhill in a big hurry! I wonder how the Smokey Mtn. Zone, and Island park zones are doing also. I suspect all these zones that were managed for quality by limiting rifle hunters are going down hill fast! I know that the IDF&G will not listen to bowhunters, but when the people who draw rifle tags in these zones start complaining about the lack of elk and quality bulls, maybe the fish and game will start doing something! I almost feel bad for the people who thought a rifle bull elk tag in one of these zones would mean a sure 340 plus bull. They applied for 5 years trying to draw, then they finally draw only to find out the elk hunting will now be tough just to kill a 6 pt. let alone a big 6 pt.
Does anyone know if the rifle hunters are starting to complain yet? That is the only way anything will be done.
