I tried to get this on my schedule last year, and failed.

I am trying again for 2008. I believe this time I have my wife very close to giving in

I last hunted 20A in 1987. 21 years is a looooooong time, but I swear I remember it like it was yesterday (yea, right).

I do remember how hot it was on the hike in, up the Stoddard trail. Dust was 2 inches thick on the trail, and like talcum powder. I could barely carry enough water to get me to Color Creek. Smoke from the fires was thick enough to be visible.

I remember how nice and cool it was, standing in Color Creek, in the shade. My hunting partner was sitting in some shade about a mile back. After I hydrated, I went back down the trail and carried his pack back up to the creek. I thought he was going to vapor lock on me. A couple days later he shot a 5x5 near Kitchen Creek. Bear got into it before we found it 2 days later. Bummer way to end the adventure. But once we knew we lost the animal, our hunting was done.

There weren't any wolves in Idaho back in '87, and from what I hear, they are as thick in 20A as they were in Unit 10 where I last hunted Idaho ('02).

But it really isn't so much about shooting an elk. It's about the year of working out, getting in shape, planning the gear list, pouring over maps, and dreaming.

It's about days when work is about to make you scream, and you take 2 minutes to drift off in your mind to a north slope thick with blowdown. Where the scent of elk is equally thick...but you still can't see them.

I've solo hunted in Wilderness Areas twice in the recent past. The '87 trip into the Frank Church was with one other fellow.

I don't know any 50 year old guys who want to get into the kind of shape necessary for a hunt like this...and past experiences tell me it is better to go alone than with someone who is not prepared. If I went with a young guy, I'd be holding him up!

My wife is afraid I'll break a leg and die (heck, hasn't happened yet ). I told her I'd rent a satellite phone. If I'm too hurt to dial a phone, there isn't much hope anyway

Well, I'm just rambling now. If any of you have any hints on how to set wives at ease, I am all ears. I kinda thought I'd have her acclimated by now...but I guess they don't get used to the idea of their husbands running off into the wilds alone...

TARBE, that "B' tag elk season begins Nov. 1st, as you know. We're having some early colder weather, so if it continues, you might be prepared for snow up there. There is already light snow in the high country.

I and my hunting partner were up in Unit 39, Boise Zone, just last week, scouting for elk and deer. Five day trip. We were 31 miles in the boonies, off the pavement, on Black Warrior Creek. Nights were about 26* F, and days were pleasant once the sun came up.

Didn't see but a very few does tracks, no elk tracks, other than my partner saw one cow elk.

I talked at length with an Id. F&G Officer up in that Black Warrior Creek Canyon, and he told me that there were two wolf packs working that particular area, the Big Buck Mountain pack and the Steel Mountain pack. They have been hammering the game.

I know that there are a couple of wolf packs working in 20A, in that Chamberlain Basin area, so just be aware.

Let us know how you do. Hope you'll post a bunch of pictures.

Good luck to you.

L.W.

50 is a long ways from old, age short of sickness and poor health is nothing more than a state of mind, your as old as you think..I still hunt Idaho, I live there btw, and I'm near 73 now, been blessed no doubt but I have made it a point not to let myself get into that sort of a mind set, and I work at keeping in shape, age will slow you down, and that's a good thing in hunting..I will admit that age ain't for sissys and that's for sure, the aches and pains that go with it just won't go away, you just have to ignore them.

Leanwolf: Nov 1 is the late season. Middle Fork B early season is Sept 15 - 30. It can be in the 80's or 30's in that early season!

Ray: You are certainly correct about ignoring pain! I fractured my patella (ran into a tank tread when I was in the Marines...D'oh!) and that knee hurts pretty much any time I get past 4 or 5 miles. Been doing that for 30 years now. Doc says live with it, so I do.

All that wolf talk in the other thread is more depressing than any knee pain I have, that's for sure!

quote:

Originally posted by tarbe:
...any hints on how to set wives at ease, ...

No.

Not real sure you would be "holding up" some of the younger folks. As Ray said, going slow when Hunting is an advantage. Each blade of grass is a Trip Wire mentality.

Best of luck to you. Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills. Semper Fi!

quote:

Leanwolf: Nov 1 is the late season. Middle Fork B early season is Sept 15 - 30. It can be in the 80's or 30's in that early season!

Yep, Nov. 1-18, for late "B' tag. That's a "be-prepared-for-snow" season!

Early season closed Sept. 30th. I wonder how the elk hunters did in there during the early season?? Hope they did well.

Good luck to you.

L.W.

I did the late 20A season last year with lots of snow. All we saw were does.

I had planned on doing the early hunt this year but the area burned throughout most of August and September and the outfitter couldn't get us in for our drop camp.

Planning on early hunt next year.

/\

Do you know where in 20A the fires were?

The area I know is just west of where the Middle Fork enters the Salmon, up the Stoddard trail.

Spent some time talking with the wife tonight about this trip. She can't get comfortable with me making another wilderness trip alone. I keep telling her I'll take a sat phone. Doesn't seem to phase her.

I have a 2 1/2 months to get her over her fears, before the tags go on sale.

Maybe I should just research wilderness units in CO so I can avoid the wolf issue?

If I were going to hunt elk this year in Idaho under the conditions you posted I would go to the top of Long Tom Lookout, put up a camp, hope for a skiff of snow, and walk off the mountain to the road every day, have someone meet me and drive me back up to the top. Its about a 6 or 7 hour walk off the mountain..Some really good bulls in there, but its steep and hard packing elk out unless you can get a local to pack out your elk with a horse, so pre arrange that. Your real close to a small community and can get out if you need to..It used to be my backyard hunt as I called it..A good hunt for old men or real tough kids that don't mind packing quarters in blowdown.

I was scouting preseason in 20A just this past September and after flying in with a Bush Plane to Cold Meadows. It is a war zone. The fires have ravaged the area.

There was snow and it was between 18-38 degrees. The wind was more of a problem. Swirling and blowing 20+

There was a lot of blown down trees and more fell while I was there. After hiking pack trails with alot of fallen trees, I went ridge running instead.

There was almost NO deer or elk sign. I hiked about 10 miles a day between 5000-8000 foot elevations.

The fires are detailed on Inciweb's site. The flights in and out really give you an idea how vast an area is affected. Both trees and underbrush are gone. There are some patches unaffected, but not enough to sustain large herds.

I expect in two years there will be a lot more grassland, but not much. You need seeds and topsoil and there will be little of both. The outfitters and the bush pilots business is way way down. They have flown very few elk out compared to last year.

I would use mules in this zone next time. I am in good shape and can hike a good distance, but hauling meat BEFORE bears or wolves eat your kill, is next to impossible. I could barely find trees that would support my food bag in camp and forget about it elsewhere. One guy said he shot his elk, packed a portion back to camp and returned to find the game bags gone at the kill site.

I swapped my middlefork tag out for 39. I hope to have better luck in a zone less burned. I am going up a few days before for last minute scouting. Any suggestions will help.
Good luck hunting,
Dave

Sierra Dave, regarding Unit 39, read my post in this thread, second from the top.

We were camped for five days where Black Warrior Creek runs into the middle fork of the Boise River.

Looked like pretty slim pickings in that area when we were there.

Of course, Unit 39 covers a whole lot of ground.

Good luck.

L.W.

After getting burned out (see above post), I swapped my tag for a Salmon zone B tag. I got lucky opening morning.

JTinIdaho,

Congrats on that 5x5. What did he dress out to?

LeanWolff,
Thanks, I read that post and seen where it's at on USGS maps and google-earth. From that I guess the wolves are pressing down from Unit 35 above, which has had them for some time.

I talked to a Wildlife Biologist for the area and he indicated there are a lot of Elk this year in 39. It was relatively untouched by fires.

With the time I have to scout I will drive from west to east and north to south as much as possible, before I set up camp.

I will try to get away from the crowds, if I can. If not, plan "B" is to set up on an escape route.
Good Luck on your Deer Tag,
Dave

He dressed out to "really heavy" for the pack out.

I hunted this area about 10 years ago and it was good, and one of the few places to hunt bugling elk with a rifle. Unfortunately it is my understanding that the wolf packs have ruined elk hunting in most of the wilderness. Sounds like some others are saying the same thing.