Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Sunbird...

Here in Az we have snowbirds that winter here... I'm going to reverse that and be a sunbird, head north for part of the summer.

This is the route I figure to take as I haven't spent any time in Utah, Idaho or Montana. The farthest North I've ever been is Elko NV, spent lots of time from a kid in Colorado and NM. I picked this route to arrive in the western side of Montana, maybe even jump into Idaho from there.



I'll be taking a 15ft camp trailer, kayak, fishing poles. Looking to just camp out, dispersed camping at different places on the way. No timetable, figure to leave late June or early July, could stay until sometime Sept if I don't get bored.

I've been researching off the beaten path areas to stop and explore, but you can only go so far with that on the internet.

I grew up creek fishing for trout, though I really don't like eating them. I'm interested in small lakes for the kayak, creeks, small rivers. Dispersed camping mostly, I don't care to camp right next to someone else if it can be avoided.

I'll be taking guns.

If there are any places to catch bass, walleye, sunfish for eating I wouldn't mind trying a few. Might have to head more east for that.

I won't be doing any of the crowded parks. I might stay a week or more at one place or leave after a night... just explore.

This will be a test run for future summers, may do Alaska the same way and Canada, if it seems to work out.

Any advice on places to stop on the way up and places to explore when in Montana would be appreciated. Local knowledge trumps all. Places I can pull my trailer and camp next to water is a plus.

Thanks

Kent

Basically the same route I used to take when I used to bear hunt out of Troy, Mt.
George

I'm sure I'll do a little exploring in Utah and southern Idaho on the way up.

If I'm not burned out I may come back down through the Dakotas, otherwise Wyoming and Colorado.

Kent

A trip down HWY 12 along the Lochsa River then north to where the Clearwater River meets the Snake River at Lewiston is worth the drive, see Dowarshac Dam along the way.

Thank you, noted

Kent

Also I'm not a fly fisherperson... any advice on spinning tackle, even live bait would be appreciated.

Kent

Good to see you post Kent.

Was thinking about you yesterday infact.

Let me know when you hit Montana!

Enjoy Kent.

Thanks Jim, hope you and the family are doing well.

Kent

Will do.

Kent

So looking at small game hunting in Montana, there's a conservation license, but what is needed to varmint hunt, small game? Is a wolf tag just 50 bucks for a NR?

Kent

Looks like you’ll get close to Ennis. DON’T skip a trip to Shedhorn.

https://fwp.mt.gov

More reliable than anything you'll read on here.

In the Clearwater as a ute, we picked the caddis fly larve, off the rocks, and drifted them below a split shot smallest we had! We called the periewinkles. I'm not sure thats the scientfic name. Small 8 baitholder, with two or three larve packed on! Worked good in the Selway and the Lochsa also!

Been looking at that... found another source that says predator hunting doesn't require a license beyond the conservation license, which I need for fishing. So $10 conservation, $100 fishing and probably the $7.50 aquatic... 117.50... that sounds cheap. Less than a yearly fishing license on the San Carlos Apache rez.

I'll just buy what I need when I get there at a regional office, just want to be legal if I pop a coyote or shoot a couple rabbits for the dutch oven.

Kent

Sounds like kinda what we do fishing the Black river... flip rocks for hellgrammites and small crawdads. My kind of fishing.

Kent

Dang Kent,

Enjoy!

Dakotahs... hmmm.... maybe we can meet up

A new adventure at hand for you!

Kent, do a little research on Dworshak reservoir. I never managed to get up there but friends in the area told me the smallmouth fishing can be fantastic. With some big ones.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/smallmouth-bass-state-record-falls-once-more

Not sure about the Clearwater, but the Snake in that area around Lewiston and above holds smallies and such too.

Oh ya, I'm a smallie fisherman!

Kent

If you end up there, just don't get too far west or you'll be in commiwarsihngton.