Thanks for the help. I'm limited to Idaho because I'm a resident and don't have the $$ for an out of state hunt. I'll take your advice and get some scouting trips in mid&late summer to see if I can't find any.
Here are the stats from 2008 (2009 aren't out yet):
Code:
Year Hunt Dates Weapon Unit Hunters* Harvest Success Days Antlered Antlerless %Spike %6+Pts
2008 9/15-9/30 Any Weapon 17 726 118 16.00% 5356 118 0 1 48
2008 9/15-9/30 Any Weapon 27 1133 163 14.00% 7158 135 28 0 27
2008 9/15-9/30 Any Weapon 20A 534 126 24.00% 3078 116 10 9 58
2008 9/15-9/30 Any Weapon 26 358 43 12.00% 2061 39 4 5 49
2008 8/30-9/30 Archery 67 89 6 7.00% 616 6 0 17 50
2008 8/30-9/30 Archery 60 248 50 20.00% 2311 31 19 3 46
2008 8/30-9/30 Archery 60A 145 33 23.00% 1044 26 7 4 81
2008 8/30-9/30 Archery 61 551 60 11.00% 4514 45 13 11 49
2008 8/30-9/30 Archery 62A 125 8 6.00% 1032 4 4 0 0
There didn't appear to be an archery only season for the zones listed above as "any weapon" (unless I'm reading the regs wrong). I'm a young-ish guy and hoping to backpack in to get away from the bulk of hunters. But it sounds like I'll have trouble getting away from folks in Island park zones (61 is the main one I'm looking at). So perhaps 27 in the frank church is better suited for getting into less pressured elk that will respond to calls?
I'll have to call the regional biologists a couple times throughout the year and see if they have information on herd strength and wolf problems. I'm not expecting to completely avoid wolf areas, obviously difficult in Idaho, but I'm just wondering if the wolves make elk hunting strategy different than I'm reading most people advocate currently. I.e. does it make calling ineffective and you're resorted to glassing & spot/stalk exclusively?