Thorne Creek Butte area - Unit 39

mlrshooter · Sep 17, 2010

Hello everyone. This is my first post here. Glad I found this resource.

A year ago, I went on a solo camping trip up to Bald Mtn Campgroud, right below the Thorne Creek Butte lookout. While there, I saw quite a bit of both elk and deer sign... even had a couple of deer come right through camp. Also found a good deal of bear sign... and of course our nemesis, the wolf.

So... I decided to go up there for the opening weekend of general rifle season for deer... three days prior to the open, it dumped 18" of snow on top and the animals were no where to be found up high... they already started moving out and kept on going. Did find elk sign at the top... as well as saw a juvinile wolf running just as fast as he could from me.

So, I thought I'd give it another shot this year, assuming there isn't such a heavy snow.

I was wondering if anyone here had experience hunting that part of unit 39? I talked with an old guy who said the hillsides on the Boise River side of the ridge were good for deer up there - Southern slopes and such.

So, any advice for that area? Is it even worth bothing with? I want to take my 14 year old son up there again... hopefully his third hunting season will be the charm.

Thanks!
Mark

mlrshooter · Sep 21, 2010

No opinions of the area?

scubasteven25 · Sep 21, 2010

You might have a hard time getting people to reply as this is a heavy hit unit each year and people are trying to protect their honey-holes. Just my two cents, but this is also why I am shying away from this unit into ones that are typically less occupied.

silentbroadhead · Sep 22, 2010

Talked to a friend that was up there a week ago and he said he ran into some elk tracks and then wolf tracks directly behind them. He also ran into some fresh sign of wolf scat somewhere close by. It is a great area but if it is being taken over by wolves, nothing will stick around there. Good luck!

mlrshooter · Sep 23, 2010

Thanks for your opinion, Scuba. I'm not asking for any honey holes, I'm just curious as to whether or not even bother going up there this year. The snow busted us up pretty good last year, but maybe the hunting stinks all together. I honestly am more concerned that my boy finally get an animal, than I am. A nice doe would be good eating, lol.

Thanks, broadhead - yah, when I camped up there in the Summer of '09 I saw enough wolf sign... then saw a young one when hunting mulies in October. Not happy about that.