Scouting for this fall's elk hunt

[jon_norstog]

My brother wanted to scout the "big hole" in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, up against the Montana border, see if it might be a good hunt for the fall. It's a steep valley, really hard to get in and out and thus the elk use it as a refuge during hunting season. The forage is incredible, but it hasn't been touched this year and we saw maybe 1 old set of tracks all day. We found bear and wolf sign, just one each. Huckleberries are sparse this year, though the bushes are all over the place.

The bear grass flowers in early summer and the elk usually bite off the flower tips. They love the stuff. You look in the pictures and those flower stalks are everywhere, none of them chomped. The hillsides are also covered in browse and none of that has been eaten.

big_hole_17 (4).jpgbig_hole_17 (5).jpgbig_hole_17 (7).jpgbig_hole_17 (10).jpg

This is my brother at the Montana state line

big_hole_17 (11).jpg

We talked it over and decided to see how things look at our old hunting grounds around Mex Mountain-upper Fish Creek, above the Middle Fork of the Clearwater. That area has been an elk-free zone for some time, but at least we know it and it is a lot easier to hunt than the Big Hole. Paul said he was going to scout there this week.

jn

[jon_norstog]

Here's what it looks like over the edge, in Montanabig_hole_17 (12).jpgbig_hole_17 (13).jpg

[jon_norstog]

Brer Bear was here, also Dr. Wolfbig_hole_17 (14).jpgbig_hole_17 (15).jpg

[barretcreek]

Have a great hunt and remember-the fun doesn't start until after you pull the trigger.

Took three days to pack out my first cow.

[Ken The Kanuck]

I have seen deer eating the bear grass in the winter, I always thought that it kind of looks like fox glove.

Kind of hazy in the pictures.

Good luck with your hunt where ever it is.

KTK

[aintright]

That's some pretty country there . The beauty of mountains never ceases to amaze me . Haven't been in the northern mountains but they sure look good . Good luck with your scouting and hunt . Kenneth

[jon_norstog]

.........
Kind of hazy in the pictures.

.......
KTK

Yeah, thanks to Beautiful BC!

jn

[jon_norstog]

Have a great hunt and remember-the fun doesn't start until after you pull the trigger.

Took three days to pack out my first cow.

Yeah, they run downhill when they've been shot. Never fails ... hunt uphill of your vehicle if you can.

jn

[Allen]

Brer Bear was here, also Dr. Wolf[ATTACH=CONFIG]41739[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]41740[/ATTACH]

I don't hunt but it sure looks like a nice place to shoot. No one to disturb and no one to disturb YOU and if you run out of "targets" you can always shoot the sheeeet.

[jon_norstog]

Pasul went down to Mex Mountain last week to see what was shaking there ...he said there was elk sign and trax, not in abundance, but better than at Big Hole. I think we'll go back in the fall. I'm trying to decide whether to buy a deer tag, an elk tag or just go as a driver. It was 1997 last time we got an elk out of the Mex. But there are a lot of 200+ pound deer up there too


jn