Regions

• Elk can be found throughout the entire state of Idaho, but the number of tags allowed depends on the herd populations for each region. The areas with high herd numbers will have more tags available, while areas with low numbers put a cap on the tags. The main areas with recent changes regarding the amount of tags are those impacted by wolves. The northeastern portion of the state is popular for public land hunts because of the interconnected Clearwater and Lolo national forest system.
  
  

Wolves

• Wolves have impacted several elk herds, but the majority of the state is stable as of May 2010. The Sawtooth are the Lolo National Forest herds have declined since the introduction of wolves and the number of hunts allowed are reduced. Limited hunts for the wolves have been opened to manage the areas.
  
  

Access

• Access on Idaho public lands is adequate. Wilderness areas require the hunter to walk or use a horse. These areas provide opportunities for complete solitude and remote hunting. Forest Service and BLM lands can be accessed by the road systems. Logging roads also provide access into these areas. It is rare that an elk hunt is accomplished without hiking but the road systems make it possible to find scouting areas with little effort.
  
  

Significance

• Idaho has several large wilderness areas and a massive amount of public land that support elk herds. There are over 100,000 elk in the state according to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and numerous trophy bulls are taken each year. The archery season in Idaho is the longest season with the least amount of hunting pressure but more elk are taken during the rifle seasons.
  
  

Expert Insight

• The large areas of public lands in Idaho can seem overwhelming to the hunter. Scouting before the season and doing thorough map work are a major advantage. The archery, muzzle loader and first rifle season are warmer months and the elk are found in high meadows. These seasons require most hunters to spend long days hiking and scouting. The later rifle seasons will have elk in lower elevations where forage is available but the thick timber requires careful scouting and patience.