Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 2008 Elk Hunt in Idaho's Selway Unit 17

Four of us are considering elk hunting (rifle) in Idaho's Selway unit 17 for the 2008 season, likely the first two weeks of October. Anyone have any experience in this unit? Any tips for first timers to the region? We would plan on making a few summer scouting trips.

It's some of the most consistently tough terrain in the lower 48.

Dense, steep, lots of down timber; can also be very wet for extended periods.

Be in shape.......IMHO, if you can get horses, later is better than earlier, but if you go early, try to go during bugle season.

MM

We hunted there on an A tag. Bugle em in and shoot em with a rifle. Do you have horses?

Unless you already have tags, you're considering an' 09 hunt. Think '08 are sold out.
TOUGH county,timber and brush, steep as the back of God's head. There are no roads, you're gonna need horses.

IDAHOELKHNTR - " Unless you already have tags, you're considering an' 09 hunt. Think '08 are sold out."


Huh uh.

Idaho F&G hunting regs for 2008 aren't even set yet. Go here for the regs... when they are posted.

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/

As for Unit 17... yep, it's rough country.

L.W.

STEEP and DEEP, that describes the Selway - I recommend trying to get a tag in a limited draw area first. Seems like the out of staters' get quite a few tags in good areas. Over the counter out of state tags don't usually run out until mid September.

Hunted in 16A on the border with 17 last September. Idaho is steep, deep, thick but it isn't high. I found it easier than where I hunt in central Colorado because you didn't have to deal with much elevation. But........

The trade-offs are several:
1. It is thick. You likely won't be shooting very far.
2. It is steep but use your head when packing gear and it is very doable.
3. The elk density is low. I'm not sure I would go in October, post rut and all. I was into elk amost every day bugling, saw exactly 1 bull in 6 days of hunting. The bonus is the opportunity to run into a really big bull. A big 6x6 (300-310 or so) was killed in the next camp over from us. The rack was way cool due to the mass it carried well out into the main frame.

I'd also plan on using horses to get in and out but I suppose a non-horse hunt is possible given good connections and luck.

In the end, I'd go again. Good luck.

-- BW

Thanks for information. Does anyone have any experince accessing the area via Lost Horse Rd (coming from Hamilton, MT)? Since we're coming from WA, is it worth the drive around?

yes and no

Selway B tags are sold out...

There is a lesson in this for Idahoans. If you have to pull out of Idaho, buy your lifetime license before you leave the State. I posted the following back in 02:

The money for purchasing Montana non-resident tags is my traditional Christmas present from my wife. I am going take my refund (unsuccessful MT drawing) and buy my lifetime Idaho hunting license. So, when I retire in Montana in a few years, I will be able to go back home and hunt. I will have to pay the cost of non-resident tags, but will not be subject to any of the non-resident quotas. I believe that the quota issues in Idaho will start resembling Montana�s in short order. CP.

I think it is worth the drive around. It is about the only road access into unit 17 unless you come through elk city. The Paradise and Magruder areas are not quite as thick as the northern portion of the unit but the entire area is steep. You won't be the only one there too. It is quite a popular area, at least it was in the 90s. You better be in shape for this hunt, even with horses. As stated earlier, the elk density is not exactly outstanding, at least in my experience. This is northern unit 17, packing in from MT. I think the southern end is even steeper. Good luck.

The Lost Horse Road from Hamilton into Idaho? Is this the same as the Magurder Corrdor Road from just below Elk City (ID) to Darby (MT)? If so, it is a slow going road (113 miles and 8 hours). I visited Dixie, Idaho last June and passed the start of the road, but was deterred by the sign; rather I drove over the mountians on Route 12 (about 2.5X longer, but less time).

I worked in the area in the early '60s and then the road was a very marginal 4X4 truck road. Now it is a pretty good road, but with the sub-compact rental auto, I just chickened out.

The land in this area is very rough, steep and rugged. Carrying a 110 pound pack cross-country over the mountians, as we used to do to get out to a road or trail, is very difficult.

Yes it is the same road. And yes, it is an all day adventure coming from Elk City, even without a trailor. Coming from the MT side isn't so bad or long.

Actually the �lost horse road� dead ends at twin lakes at the Montana Idaho boarder. Access to the lost horse road is off Route 93 several miles south of Hamilton, MT. The Magurder corridor can be accessed also by driving route 93 south of Hamilton, MT though Darby, MT and then heading west up the �west fork�.

Like the others have posted. Unit 17 is rugged and for the most part heavily timbered. Wolves! You can expect to hear them every night. Elk? there are a few, as few nice ones come out of this area every year. Wolves continue to be a problem!

Hunted that area in early October 07 - four of us hunted hard without seeing a deer or elk for 5 days - but did see wolves every day and heard them every night. Sixth day we finally scored and found the elk. Took a large 6x6 and a 4x5. Beautiful country, incredibly steep, rocky and wet.

Hey jetcraft, would you mind show or emailing me a pic of your elk from the 07 hunt?

Hornsquatch,
You live in Hamilton, do you know if Lost Horse Road is in good enough condition October 1st to pull a 20 ft. Camping trailer up to set up a base camp? I plan on packing in for a couple 3-4 day hunts, but it sure would be nice to have a 'home' to come back to for restocking supplies.

There was a note in last years hunting regs that there may be changes in store for this year depending on what survey flights showed. I haven't heard any info yet on what this year has in store.

Duped, at the end of the lost horse road there are two forks that each go to trailheads.

The north road fork goes to twin lakes and accesses the moose creek crail. The last 3 miles are really, really rough. You could possibly pull a camper to twin lakes but you would beat the hell out of it. Any early snow would really screw you on that last couple miles.

The south fork of the road goes to the bear creek trailhead. Which also has an outfitter. I think youd have better luck pulling a camper to there, but i havent driven it for years so i dont know what its like now. Snow is 10-12 feet deep up there eah winter and washouts are different each year.

Personally, I doubt youd get much good elk hunting from the lost horse road. Its one of those areas that looks good on a map because its so big and wild on a map, but in reality its just not very good elk country until you get way into idaho. Mucher further than dayhunting reach. Mostly rock up on the divide, but there are a handfull of elk that feel like living in our own version of yosetime park.

good luck.