Salmon, ID tips

[Doodle]

You've gotten some pretty good advice this far. The only thing I will add is to buy clothing that fits well, and is designed for the conditions. This should be a consideration far greater than camo pattern. There's some top notch gear out there that's worthless if it's two sizes too big in the chest, or if the sleeves a 2 inches too short. Similarly, a jacket that's great for a tree stand will likely not be great for idaho mountain hunting - these are vastly different tasks with vastly different requirements.

 

[cookvineyards]

I live in north east Oregon and hunt a lot. I'm with the majority of the group here in that camo pattern is whatever you personally like regardless of the landscape. The most important is quality clothing that lets you go farther and stay out longer for success in the field. Kuiu, sitka, first lite as well as others are making quality products. I've killed a lot of animals in street clothes or a red plaid jacket, but I also own a full lineup of kuiu and will take that on my backpack or Lamma string hunts into the back country to save weight. I'm a small guy so at that point though I'm literally weighing out which pair of socks and underwear are the lightest. This year I shot a 3x3 archery mule deer wearing a gray pair of pants and tan Columbia sportswear button up shirt. Two years ago was a pair of Carhartt pants and a gray hoodie sweatshirt. No camo in both situations, both times I was only about 8 yards from the animal when I took the shot.
Practice your shooting, physical training (a bunch) and go prepared for anything. Weather changes fast in the mountains, and a backpack hunt, means a long trip back to the warm dry truck. Good luck out there and have fun.

 

[Horse43]

Like it's been mentioned, camo color should only be based on what you think looks cool or company to support. The more important thing is your layering system. Good light merino wool Basel ayers and socks, fleece, puffy, rain. Then pants. Figure out if you're a sweater, if you run hot, run cold, etc. I've gone exclusively to pants with zippers to dump heat. Stone glaciers are my favorite along with first lite corrugate foundry. If it's zero degrees out and I take 1 step I'm in my baselayers only and fully zipped out. The minute I stop, I need like 3 puffys on and all my hats and gloves. I like knee high darn Toughs, move them up and you've got long John's almost, move them down and back to normal socks. A good system can make or break your hunt when you're traveling that far and spending that many resources. Took me a few seasons to dial it all in.

A note on hunting specific clothes, try to never pay full price for them. All are made overseas, except for my Kifaru puffy. They go on sale often or look for past season stuff too.

 

[jensenj71]

I grew up in Salmon and have hunted mule deer in most of the units around Salmon. Sometimes I am hunting in the timber and the edges of logging cuts. Sometimes I am hunting in the sagebrush. Most of the time I am glassing and then stalking while keeping a ridge or some timber between myself and the deer. I cant say the camo has been critical. What is critical is being able to hike up and down hills and glass for hours. It isn't atypical to cover 1500 to 2000 of elevation change. That said, finding a large buck in the normally hunted areas can be difficult.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I'm getting the chance to go on my first western hunt next year for muleys near Salmon, Idaho. I am going with some experienced people, yet none have hunted this particular area. I'm not sure of all the details yet except that I am definitely going. I was wanting to know the best camouflage to use in this area. I'm also not sure if it will be a early season or late season hunt, so if the patterns are different, please state that. I am trying to stick to Kuiu due to the overall weight, but I am open to other ideas as long as they are lightweight. I am mainly interested in the camo patterns for the clothing and the pack. Thank everyone in advance. -Will

Are you really backpacking in? Or, setting up a camp to hunt from. Backpacking require some top gear to hunt with.
Which side of Salmon area are you going to hunt. If you are going toward Mudd Lake area is different than pass the Salmon Area. Going on the N.W. side is a lot of mountains all up. Be ready for winter.
I quite trying to draw a tag there. No points, and out of staters first come get the tags. Open at Midnight on the 1st of Dec. I had friend that tried the first year of getting a tag by the phone calling. He got on just after midnight. He was like No. 10,000 or so waiting get a tag. I think that stop somewhere under 9000 for out of state tags.
I go through there at least twice a year.

 

[Munch]

Hunting camo is completely different than camo designed for the military.

IMO, hunting camo has gone the way of golf clubs...that is to say marketing has taken over. You need that new set of golf clubs every year to bring your handicap down a few more strokes. LOL!

Hunting camo for "game" mammals has gone pretty in the same marketing direction. A hunting camo company marketing department will tell you need that new camo pattern to blend in with a specific region you intend to hunt. And while that may be true, the game animal could care less.

For mammals, it all boils down to the colors in the spectrum they see. So the most important thing for hunting camo, is to break up your human form with a camo pattern with colors outside the animal's visual spectrum.

Seek out articles from veterinary research entities about colors animals see; peer reviewed articles can be very enlightening (no pun intended). And don't forget about those animals that see UV and IR light.

Here are a couple of articles.
Arizona State University
The University of Queensland

 

[Okanogan]

Before you commit to a hunt there spend some time on the phone with a biologist that works for the fish and game and KNOWS that area. See what success rates look like. A lot of that country is steep, rough and rugged. I'm not saying don't go to Idaho. Just that there may be better options.

The area around Salmon, ID had a big fire this last summer that smoked out western MT for a long time. Getting current information as part of your pre-hunt planning is sage advice.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I'm an idiot, but here is my opinion based on my experiences.

If you want to find a good one I would focus on your conditioning first and foremost, if you're already in great shape, keep it up. Getting off the well worn paths is advantageous in my opinion. Several months before you plan on leaving I would start hiking in the pack and boots you're hunting with. Depending on your starting point I would start slow, if needed, and add miles and weight as your hunt approaches. Start with just a few pounds in it, or even empty, and hike as many miles as you can log. As time goes on keep packing your pack more and more with the gear you plan on taking. Getting these items sorted out well in advance is smart in my opinion. I would also get good at operating any of the gear that you maybe taking with you.

Not knowing your what your experience is I would suggest learning what they're likely to be feeding on at the time you're going to be there. Then learn where you can find that food source in your unit for the time your hunting.

I would not worry about the camo at all, even wearing solid natural colors, tan and grey mostly, is fine in my opinion. I would focus on finding what you believe is the best gear you can have for the area you're hunting.

 

[lyotehunter]

I'm getting the chance to go on my first western hunt next year for muleys near Salmon, Idaho. I am going with some experienced people, yet none have hunted this particular area. I'm not sure of all the details yet except that I am definitely going. I was wanting to know the best camouflage to use in this area. I'm also not sure if it will be an early season or late season hunt, so if the patterns are different, please state that. I am trying to stick to Kuiu due to the overall weight, but I am open to other ideas as long as they are lightweight. I am mainly interested in the camo patterns for the clothing and the pack. Thank everyone in advance. -Will

I don't think you need camo other than that is good hunting clothes. I used to guide in that area . That's a muley I got for me. 36" wide 5x7

 

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

Something you need to consider is it the early or late season, I've hunted all the Rocky Mountain states at least one but often 2 and 3 hunts each year since 1974, I hunted the San Juan Mountains of Colorado for 22 years and every year in Idaho since 1991, with most hunts being in the first half of October one might never need anything beyond a good long sleeve, and at times short sleeve, however more than once we were forced to break camp and pack out, fearing becoming snow bound and sacrificing our gear, something very hard to bring yourself to do on just the second day of the season, I found that gear that performed well for many years was terribly inadequate for late season Idaho, so while gearing up be mindful of just what the weather will actually be, while I have some Sitka and kuiu gear that does work well, for me I have found it not worth the extra money, most my clothing light medium to heavy consist of either kings camo or Browning hells canyon, good deals can be found on both Amazon and ebay,

 

[26Reload]

Weather proof..breathable..moisture wicking.......I hate all the burrs and seeds in the clothing....

Colors.....doesn't really matter too much..small pattern camo works good up close..but at distance critters see a mass moving around..that disturbs them more than colors....

Upland bird hunting pants with extra pockets should be real nice...then suitable upper body clothing....but I'd still have hunter orange mixed on there...hats..vest..packpack covers...

 

[TVPTA7]

Like most have said camo doesn't matter. I live close to salmon and have hunted all over idaho. Get a good base layer. One that zips off is best. Good breathable pants with good venting to dump heat. Do something similar for your top half. The area is steep and rugged. Once you start to cover ground you will be sweating. Have zip on base layers make fast work of covering up when you glass. Also get good down outer wear pants and jacket. I hike in light weight pants like the kuiu Katana I have full length zip base layer it can be used while hiking or when glassing. The life saver is the down the top and pants. fast on holds heat like nothing else super light weight and compressible. A coyote down jackets or vest and jacket and you are ready for most weather. Also great if you sleep cold take a light bag and out the down on to sleep in. Good luck and be ready to hike. I wear all solid colors anymore.

 

[jensenj71]

I will 2nd that, hiking and getting sweat soaked and then having a change of clothes for glassing 1-3hrs is very helpful. If you get cold you will want to keep movingwhen you shouldbe glassing. I like to be warm enough that a nap is possible between rounds of glassing. I typically hang my merino base layer to dry while glassing and put on my backup base layer and puffy jacket.

I always carry trekking poles and I always have some gorilla duct tape wrapped around the poles ready to bandage up any hot spots before they blister. The up and down as well as side hilling will make hot spots. Trekking poles can be a lifesaver if you end up with a loaded pack on the steep hills. They also make a real handy shooting rest with a rubber strap when you need something taller than the sage brush to squeeze off a 200yd shot from a knee.

The best muley technique I have in early season is to look for the highest elevation feeding areas that may still some water and some grass. Get to a good vantage point before it gets light and setup to glass. The muley bucks often run in bachelor groups at the highestelevations until fall rut or weather pushes them down. Same procedure in the evening, get to a vantage point 2hrs before dark and setup to glass.