So unlike many, Idaho has been very gracious to me in the draws this year. Having planned a hunt already in unit 78 for elk, I put in for a mule deer tag and I drew it. The wrench in the gears is I also drew a Unit 18 Bull tag. The trouble is, I won't have time to hunt both mainly because they are on opposite sides of the state and the seasons run the same time. Anyone out there have any insight on either of these units? Both look like they have potential to be great hunts. I'm leamlea towards the elk tag and giving back the deer, does that make me totally nuts?
Idaho Tag dilema
- Thread starter skookum
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Joefrazell
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What unit for deer?
Joefrazell
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2017
- Messages
- 1,599
78?
There are some really big deer in 78, I've seen a few of them. I've heard the elk hunting in 18 isn't as good as it use to be but there use to be some big bulls. I know a guy that has hunted there for years and he says it's not the same as it use to be. I personally would pick 78 for deer.
Andrew Massi
Well-Known Member
I'd do whatever possible to hunt both, with point creep it's getting harder and harder to draw tags now. Especially if your war department is approving funding and time off request
Unit 18 is gnarly! Only the northern end is relatively open, lots of mountain lakes in the middle of the unit. Gorgeous country. Be ready to hike like crazy, being that the Western side of the unit is the deepest river gorge in North America. If you had any way to hunt from the river that would be a way to get to un pressured animals.
I wondered. I know a guy that used to work for Kilgore Adventures, I need to give them a call and see what it would cost to be dropped off.
I haven't been on that section of river but you can rent a whitewater raft for relatively cheap at NIC. I don't know if that section is like the section of river from the mouth of the salmon to heller bar, but if it is it's pretty **** easy going. All the big whitewater can be easily avoided. Would be a fun trip. I'm working on doing the same for unit 13. Hopefully enough people don't grab there tags and we can snag them in second draw.
Like I said, I've never been further upriver than the mouth of the salmon, but now I will have to take a look and see if there is a class 5 cause that sounds fun. It's probably dependent on water flow, most rapids are. There is a rapid on the lower salmon that is impassable at higher water flows. During the summer it's non existent.
Idaho doesn't have points creap. One of the smart states that voted against preference points.
I agree the river side would be the ticket for elk hunting but you will work your butt off. I've chuckar hunted it before and it's brutal hiking but awesome country.
I agree the river side would be the ticket for elk hunting but you will work your butt off. I've chuckar hunted it before and it's brutal hiking but awesome country.
