Cow Elk hunting out of unit 76 in Montpelier,Idaho

[budlight]

I learned as a young lad to only shoot elk up hill from the road! Packing out elk pieces at a time just sucks. So I don't even look down hill or if I hike to far away from a road or it's just miserable terrain I just turn around. Kinda like cutting down trees for fire wood. you only look up hill from the road.

Most of that area is sage brush. I lived in Twin Falls and a native northern Idaho boy. I've been a 270 person since I was about 12. I think that I was in 7th grade when I got my first bull elk.

I kinda belong to the road hunters of America. Just go out cruising the back roads and and quite often in open or semi open country you will see a herd of elk moving out across the terrain a couple of miles away probably from people pressure during hunting season. I get out and glass them to see where they are headed. I've been able to pull out a BLM map and figure out how to get to far side of them. I've even driven around the the turn on forrest service roads and have the herd standing in the road looking at me. I've seen trophy elk just out quading during bird or deer season because it's not often that you can get a tag anymore.

 

[Tommyjohn53]

I learned as a young lad to only shoot elk up hill from the road! Packing out elk pieces at a time just sucks. So I don't even look down hill or if I hike to far away from a road or it's just miserable terrain I just turn around.

Most of that area is sage brush. I lived in Twin Falls and a native northern Idaho boy. I've been a 270 person since I was about 12. I think that I was in 7th grade when I got my first bull elk

 

[Tommyjohn53]

I've been working up a load for my 6.5 PRC to use on this coming up hunt using Berger 156 EOL

 

[HeadedWest]

Drew a Cow Tag for unit #76 out of Montpelier, Idaho. I have never hunted Elk before so I am open to any and all advice you guys have for anything that I might need. Will be carrying my Browning 24" X Bolt Hunter Long Range with a Leupold Mark 5HD 5x25x56 FFPR-1tm MOA . The rifles chambered for the

Drew a Cow Tag for unit #76 out of Montpelier, Idaho. I have never hunted Elk before so I am open to any and all advice you guys have for anything that I might need. Will be carrying my Browning 24" X Bolt Hunter Long Range with a Leupold Mark 5HD 5x25x56 FFPR-1tm MOA . The rifles chambered for the 6.5 PRC

Post marked 11/30/2021 How'd your 76 Elk Hunt turn Out.

 

[Tommyjohn53]

Never even saw an Elk, sign, or even any other hunters so I just don't know what to think about that unit and hunt

 

[HeadedWest]

Never even saw an Elk, sign, or even any other hunters so I just don't know what to think about that unit and hunt

Sorry to hear that'. I was hunting deer across the street in 75. Second day ,Oct 11 run into some Elk 1/4 mile from pickup and put my scope on a nice 6x6. Of course I didn't have a Elk tag. at least I know what they look like in the scope.Ha.

 

[cabelasken]

Area 76 is difficult to hunt as the elk herd up and stay high on the mountaintops and the roads are low in the valleys. Most of the elk we've seen were near the Wyoming border in this unit and in fact we entered the unit thru Wyoming. Excellent bow hunting opportunities near the tin cup camping area. Area 75 is a little easier as the elk feed in the fields below Sherman peak and Nounan and then you just have to figure out how to ambush them as the return to bedding areas on the mountain.

 

[Malach]

Your greatest obstacle will be hunting pressure. The previous bowhunting and muzzle loader seasons will already have the elk moving a lot and nocturnal. Pay attention to water sources, ravines, and terrain where ATVs can't go. Spot & Stock will be your best hunting method so get in shape. Be prepared for unpredictable Idaho weather. Before you pull the trigger, know how you will extract the animal. If you plan on leaving your game on the ground until dawn, count it gone. Bears, wolves, and cats will devour your kill. A 30-06 180 grain bullet has always been my choice for hunting big game. Before you consider taking 400+ yard shots, try shooting a 1 gallon milk jug from that distance. If you can't hit it cold bore, then it is beyond your ability.

 

[RH300UM]

Your greatest obstacle will be hunting pressure. The previous bowhunting and muzzle loader seasons will already have the elk moving a lot and nocturnal. Pay attention to water sources, ravines, and terrain where ATVs can't go. Spot & Stock will be your best hunting method so get in shape. Be prepared for unpredictable Idaho weather. Before you pull the trigger, know how you will extract the animal. If you plan on leaving your game on the ground until dawn, count it gone. Bears, wolves, and cats will devour your kill. A 30-06 180 grain bullet has always been my choice for hunting big game. Before you consider taking 400+ yard shots, try shooting a 1 gallon milk jug from that distance. If you can't hit it cold bore, then it is beyond your ability.

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