am I the only one who chases elk in the winter? I just finished elk hunting Jan 1st and it’s tough. I don’t read any how to articles or harvest articles so I figure everybody kills in Sept and I am by myself all winter. Am I just a poor fall hunter and nobody else enjoys chasing them in the winter when they lay out in the wide open and the snow is knee deep and there is 100 set of eyes watching. Whats up?? I have all ways wondered that ?
I suppose more people would do it out here if the herds could handle the hunting pressure on the wintering grounds. Elk out here are pretty vulnerable come mid December. Thousands of them come out of the mountains and down into the valleys until spring. The game department closes most hunting here by that time because the herds would get decimated otherwise.
If i could pick and chose, without regard to open seasons, i’d go with the last week of Sept and/or the first 2 weeks of October. I’m a little long in the tooth to be fightin much snow, but i don’t mind the cold and i do love the mountains.
our seasons in Idaho start the last day in Aug and end the last day of Sept. I feel it not only is short but starts too early. It can be real hot. Then what happens we can hunt 1 unit the whole month of Dec. It is fun but can be hard , Lots of weather changes,soft powder snow to crunchy snow throw in some rain some sub zero temps Elk are moving into winter ranges ( lots of eyes ) and there you have it. It is fun though
No disrespect to the ops of Jesse or others, but there’s a time and place for everything and elk are for Sept. and vice versa. It’s the old “qualiry to quantity” argument, which can’t be won by either side since “quality” is so personal. Don’t get me wrong: I love hunting in deep winter — as far south as I can get. 😛
I guess I should have been more clear. I dont prefer the late season for elk. I Like it a lot but Sept. is my time to chase elk. Anytime I still have a tag and season is still open I am game.
Our Archery Only Season begins early Sept thru mid Oct. Now if you’ve a mind to go with a bow during our General Season and take your chances with rifle shooters that begins a week after Archery Only Season ends to Thanksgiving week-end. If you are lucky enough to have drawn a late season tag/s, then depending on the area you can hunt into Jan.
