Panhandle elk hunting keeps up healthy pace
The Idaho Panhandle continues to be a haven for elk hunters, with its liberal seasons and large numbers of big bulls.
The numbers of calves produced this year was down to more normal levels from the past four exceptional years, said Jim Hayden, Idaho Fish and Game Department regional wildlife manager.
“But the hunter success rate for bulls has been on the rise for seven years and it should continue to increase this year,” he said. “We’re seeing bulls from all age groups. The elk herds are in really good shape.”
That’s why, following the bull elk opener on Oct. 10, the Panhandle still offers seven days of either-sex hunting for B tag holders starting Oct. 15.
“I don’t know of anyone other place in the West that has seasons that liberal for the number of hunters we have,” he said. “And we’re not trying to get rid of elk. We’re just trying to maintain the herds at healthy levels.”
He said 22 percent of the bulls taken in the Panhandle in 2006 had six or more points on at least one side. Hunters should meet or exceed that excellent ratio this year.
Clearwater Region elk herds are more spotty.
Dworshak Unit 10a elk numbers are reasonably healthy and edging upward, said Dave Koehler, agency biologist in Lewiston. “It’s a fairly heavily roaded area with heavy pressure, and that’s probably why we have a shortage of mature bulls in that area,” he said. “But we haven’t addressed that issue because it’s a productive unit and hunters are reasonably happy with the number of smaller bulls they find.”
Other stable or expanding elk populations are in Units 8, 8a and 10. Hunters who draw controlled hunt tags for units such as 11, 14 and 18 have excellent chances to shoot big bulls, Koehler said.
Elk in the Selway Zone — once a legendary Idaho elk producer — continue to be in a decline that started more than 15 years ago, he said.
Nevertheless, hunters who spend the effort and money to pack into the wilderness of Unit 17 tend to have good results —a 25 percent success rate —in one of the West’s few rifle hunts scheduled during the elk rut.
“The number of rifle tags is capped for both residents and nonresidents” Koehler said. “That, along with the rugged country, keeps hunter densities low and quality high. The bulls hold reasonably well.
“Our big problem in there is calf recruitment and cow survival. Predators — bears, cougars, wolves — are part of the equation but habitat is an issue. Noxious weeds are proliferating and gobbling up forage areas, even in the wilderness parts of the Selway drainage.
“A lot of areas that used to be pretty significant winter range are gray knapweed skeletons with no elk to be seen”
Salmon Region elk herds continue to excel to the point that game managers have been increasing cow permits annually trying to keep the numbers in check.
Even in general seasons, Salmon Zone hunters enjoyed success rates of 15-30 percent last year. The area still maintains decent ratios of mature bulls, even though about 20 percent of the harvested bulls are six points and bigger, said Tom Keegan, department regional wildlife manager.
Of course, drawing a controlled hunt permit is always a boon. Salmon Zone permit hunters consistently enjoy 60 percent success rates and roughly 50 percent of those successful hunters bag bulls six points or bigger.
Middle Fork Salmon Unit 27 in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness continues to improve as the area recovers from the 2000 fires. Overall success rates are about 25 percent for bull hunters.