Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Idaho 4a elk? (South shore of Lake Pend Oreille)

Haven't even hunted yet this year and am already working on next year!!
Have a friend who offered his awesome lake house to me for hunting. It is near Lakeview on Lake Pend Oreille. He sees elk, deer, bear and wolf over the course of year. Deer will sleep next to the house when the snow is deep.
Evidently elk will come down Gold Creek in the winter.
I hunt elk in western WA and it was so steep and timbered in that part of Idaho that it may as well be my backyard in WA.
The Idaho harvest report looks like a few elk come out of there and a pretty good percentage are nice bulls.
Anyone know the area at all? 2013 would be the first year if I go at all.
Thanks in advance.

Call the Bio for that unit. There are some good elk in that unit.

I would get over there and scout before season. A mountain bike can get you additional. Access.

There are indeed some good bulls in that area, with more frequency as you move NE of Lakeview (The Green Monarchs). Be assured that much of that country is steep and difficult. Nonetheless, the headwater drainages of the N Fork of the Coeur d'Alene river do offer decent hunter success. Check the Idaho F&G for hunter success etc.

Thanks guys,
Figure I've got a good head start to do some research. I'll give the biologist a call.
The harvest stats got my attention. Small number of hunters, good success and a higher percentage of nice bulls if I'm reading things right.

Well 338Win I hate to burst your dreams but you are recieving old information. Just one word says it all WOLVES!!!!!!!!!!!

I would go someplace else and try there way before I would waste the time. I would rather go to Africa then hike the steep hills of 4a. Been there done that.

Able, they are steep! My friends usually come into the "cabin" by boat but we drove in from Bunco road and saw a good chunk of the land. In fact, my friend has some of the only buildable land around.
We did not hear wolves when we were there, but they have heard them several times. And my friend has seen one. I'm afraid that Washington is going to have the same trouble with wolves. I hunt deer west of Spokane and my partners live there. An elk herd started showing up on their game cams last year for the first time. Hope it is because the herd is growing and not because the wolves north of them are driving them down.
I did see elk tracks on my friends property that were probably from late spring/early summer. He sees them in the winter mostly.
You Idaho guys probably already know that Idaho Fish and Game income is down by $3.5Million from lost out of state tag fees. Increased tag fees and the impact of wolves is cited as the main reason.
Fish and game in WA was going in to take out two wolves in NE WA because they were killing farm animals.
I posted because I wanted to hear from you guys who know the area before going too far down that road. I'll let you guys know what the local biologist says.
Thanks.

Lakeview is a cool little place.I used to log there.We took a boat from the west side of the lake across the lake and docked at Lakeview then took a truck up to the job,saving the long trip around the trucks had to take.

Pretty country and there used to be alot of game there.I have know clue now with the wolves and all, as they can change elk habits in a hurry and North Idaho has know shortage of hunters these days.

Good luck on your hunt...

Jayco

Yeah, we cut a tire on the way in! Fortunately was able to plug it and get home. New set of tires on the bride's Grand Cherokee now.

4A is good elk hunting, And the wolves know it too.

I've seen some nice bulls over the years from there from friends and acquaintances. You may have to work at it due to the terrain, but has good odds. And fella I use to work with pulled a 320 something bull outta there couple years back in archery season.

It seems that no matter where you go you will have to put up with the wolfs. They seem to know where the good hunting is to be found. But maybe a wolf tag would work. One less to take the deer and elk down.
Win 338 I think that you can count me in. I think that I may have to build myself another rifle to use if it has to much timber and brush. I have a couple of actions that I can find something to build. Your scouting will help me to decide what to shoot. I have a couple that as of yet do not have blood on them and I need t fix that. Best of all I will not have to shoot copper.

Really thick nasty steep areas in there but that's where thebelk will be.