Hunting elk or deer in Idaho

[BuckSutherland]

Really starting to get the itch for a western hunt. I'm thinking about Idaho. Who has hunted deer or elk there and has advice for a MN flatlander?? I'd like to horseback into the mountains and then camp out there. Not opposed to paying some type of outfitter. What should a non resident expect? I just started poking into this a week or two ago.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Any specific reasons for wanting Idaho? I play the application/points game in most western states for deer/elk/antelope/sheep, mostly hunted Montana but have elk hunted WY and CO recently as well. The demand for western tags has gone bonkers the last 5 or so years and IMO Idaho's system for NR tags has not kept up. It's very hard to predict what tag you'd be able to get (if any) on a given year there unless you hook up with an outfitter who has allocated tags. Allocated tags would be a primary concern with any outfitter you're interested in hiring. The DIY NR tags for 2023 are gone already (they go on sale 12/1 every year). In general, the huge vast wilderness areas are going to have lower odds of success than a private land hunt. ID may be better than MT on some of the big country, non-designated wilderness public stuff but I know hunting in the Frank can be pretty tough like it is in the beartooths/absarokas and bob marshall in MT.

You could rent horses or pack llamas and do it yourself, pay for a drop camp, or do the fully outfitted gig. I'd be learie of a drop camp because if an area gets burned out you're stuck in big country without game near. I picked up pack llamas in ID for a WY archery elk hunt in 2018 and I may do it again next year. I had no experience with them and they fit the bill for someone who can't or doesn't want to deal with horses and needs help packing camp and meat off the mountain.

 

[ncstewart]

I have DIY in AZ, MT, WY, CO, ID for elk and deer. Some states just deer or elk but been In them all and play points all over. It really just boils down to what you are wanting. If money not an issue then you got lots of options in about any of those states. Matter of fact if money is really no issue then NM is where I’d go. If you trying to do a diy type thing then shoot me a pm and I’d be glad to talk about the hunts I’ve done and the outcomes of those hunts.


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[Angus 1895]

Idaho is very steep.

lately it’s been very warm during archery season. Idaho archery is the month of September.

archery / elk is very restricted in areas. U can’t move around much.

The over the counter tags for non residents sell out quick.

To put in for a draw in Idaho you have to buy a hunting permit…. . But it doesn’t come with a big game tag. This is not refundable.

Montana has longer seasons, more choices, more freedoms, but no over the counter tags. If you don’t draw you get a refund. Montana offers six weeks Archery and six weeks firearm. And a muzzleloader season in December. I am not sure how long.

If you draw in Montana you get a fishing permit also.