Idaho 40 elk and deer

J

jimmy

Guest
If the tag gods like me I will be looking for elk this fall. My question? Is the north or south half of 40 better for 350+ bulls? How about 190+ bucks? what outfitters are in here? Not wanting honey holes, just general info from those who know better than I.
 
What do you mean by the north half of 40? The north half is Homedale and Marsing and nothing but desert. Also, the early season or late season for bulls? There are tons of elk in this unit, but they can be very tough to find. I know alot of ranchers out there and last year during Nov, there was a herd of between 250-300 head running around.

But, you are facing pretty long odds on either of those tags, let alone both at the same time. Best of luck.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-12-12 AT 08:15AM (MST)[p]>What do you mean by the
>north half of 40? The
>north half is Homedale and
>Marsing and nothing but desert.
>Also, the early season or
>late season for bulls? There
>are tons of elk in
>this unit, but they can
>be very tough to find.
>I know alot of ranchers
>out there and last year
>during Nov, there was a
>herd of between 250-300 head
>running around.
>
>But, you are facing pretty long
>odds on either of those
>tags, let alone both at
>the same time. Best of
>luck.

Sorry, say from Jordan valley to silver city across to grand view N and S from this line, all the same unit trying to cut it down a bit for early season bulls in that 350 range? thanks for helping me clear that up.
 
I'm waiting for app time like everybody else, just doing some homework on diff tags and odds, all good tags are tough to get. the 40 tag is in the bunch. I have been hunting MD in Alberta the past two seasons wanted to try my home state.
 
Both are some of the top tags in the state from what I've read on them... tough hunting with that old growth juniper! Doubt you'll draw but crazier things have happened! :)

Mike
 
I thought maybe you knew something the rest of us didn't... Since you are doing your homework, I'm sure you realize that this is the toughest bull tag to draw. If I had to say, I would guess south. I've seen elk in the south, but I don't really hunt on the north side so you should hope that someone with more knowledge answers this post. But there is an elk farm near Marsing, that's something to consider...



This is for anyone to answer:
This is something I don't understand. This unit is like a legend. Everyone wants to draw it, but I don't ever see any pictures of monsters from this unit. What it is the obsession with this unit? I know there are monsters out there. I've seen them. I know several ranchers out there, and I've had my hands on some bulls that are 360 plus. But these were all taken by local ranchers, and I'm pretty sure that those bulls aren't on the internet anywhere. Can someone explain this to me?
 
I hunted 40 early Elk hunt last year and did not see a bull any bigger than 330, But I am sure there a few toads! I would not waste your time with 40 and put in on 54 for Elk. I hunted units 54 40 46 41 and 56 last year and the biggest Elk I seen was in 54.
 
hey Abigfishfry...

how did that supertag go last year. did you pull the trigger on anything? i remember you asking around last year but didnt see a photo and maybe i missed it. so how'd it go?

Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-13-12 AT 01:16PM (MST)[p]It went good! I hunted from Aug. 30th until nov. 19th when I killed my bull in unit 41! I was so tired hunting by Nov. that the spikes where looking good :) ! I ended up taking a 6x6 and he is no monster but still a nice bull!

9828elk.jpg
 
>This is for anyone to answer:
>
>This is something I don't understand.
>This unit is like a
>legend. Everyone wants to draw
>it, but I don't ever
>see any pictures of monsters
>from this unit. What it
>is the obsession with this
>unit? I know there are
>monsters out there. I've seen
>them. I know several ranchers
>out there, and I've had
>my hands on some bulls
>that are 360 plus. But
>these were all taken by
>local ranchers, and I'm pretty
>sure that those bulls aren't
>on the internet anywhere. Can
>someone explain this to me?
>

That Owyhee country breeds some strange people. If you know some ranchers in that area you know they are pretty adamant about their way of life, how they brand their calves, how they wear their hats...etc My guess is that country is just some that hasn't gotten caught up in the internet YET. Not to mention it is HUGE and I'm guessing that it almost takes growing up there to really know where the deer hang out... Just my opinion and guess on the matter.

Mike
 
I pretty much agree, having grown up in Owyhee County myself. I spent most of my youth hunting and fishing in the Owyhees.

So would you say that people are fascinated by the mystery? The rumors?
 
There have been some huge supertag bulls pulled out of there in the past few years and have seen a couple photos of some bulls recently in there that are huge..for idaho. there are only 5 early tags and the late hunt is extremely tough. i think that is why you just dont hear about the bulls there.

they dont kill that many. they are there tho.

Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
 
Just a practical note...

I generally spend my lotto jackpots after I win them.

Hope you win the lottery!
 
I had a 40 deer tag two years ago. In six days of deer hunting I talked to a number of elk hunters, but I never did see an elk...
 
Pre64 let me know if you draw! and Triple-BB I am not sure where you where hunting for Deer ! but it could not have been South Mountain! I seen a ton of Elk there , but not a shooter for my Super Tag!
 
too many forkies pounded on the genereal hunt

too many 20 to 24 inch bucks pounded on the rut hunt

the forkies stand and watch with the does in Oct, and the rut bucks stand and watch with the does in Nov


the monsters taken 20 years ago would have never lived to reach their potential by todays rules


very, very hard to draw, but really fun to hunt
 
There are definetely some nice bulls in that unit, but in general elk numbers are not high, especially given the size of the area. The elk are easy to find before season, but once their horns harden they move and are not easy to find. I think it is an overrated unit in terms of how hard the tags are to draw. If you expect bulls of 350+ in any unit in Idaho you are expecting too much, in my opinion.
 
I agree, with THRILL, except add that too many forkies get killed in the rut hunt, too.

"Suck it, terrorists," -Keith Stone
 
"too many forkies pounded on the genereal hunt"

no different than any other unit.

Three pointers and can expect little to no pressure.
 
Whats funny about unit 40 is how much hype it attracts. My family owned a ranch at the base of the owhyees close to marsing for 15 years. Don't get me wrong, there are some great bucks in the unit. The unit got destroyed when F&G had the two deer bag limit back in the day. Every truck you saw had a couple deer in the back of it. The unit will never come back to what it was. There are some great bulls that have been coming out of the unit. Finding a big bull in this unit is going to take some serioius work. The areas that the elk live in are really big. I guess I feel that there are better deer tags in Idaho. The draw odds are insane.
 
Was on the border of 40/42 today in areas we've always found deer and saw very few (3) deer, no bucks....saw more elk than deer, hopefully the next couple days brings in the lower temps and precipitation....
 

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