5 minute read
Chasing Elk
from IdaHome--October
Ian Malepeai scouts for elk / Bryan Huskey
BY MIKE MCKENNA
“The beautiful thing is that you could throw a dart at a map of Idaho and you’re probably going to hit someplace where elk live.”
So says Bryan Huskey, an avid bow hunter and acclaimed fishing and hunting expert whom every filmmaker should know. Bryan has lived in the Treasure Valley for over 20 years and hunted in the Gem State for longer. Now raising a family of his own in Idaho, Bryan grew up in Oregon and was introduced to the world of hunting early.
“My dad took great interest in the wide-ranging skill set of trapping and when I was around seven, he started to teach me things—like how to sit still and camouflage yourself, where to set up, where to walk and not walk, and to be aware that the animals were always out there watching, listening, and smelling, too,” recalls Bryan. “That foundation really set me up to be a successful bow hunter.”
Elk are Bryan’s favorite species to hunt and he shares his stories on his “SkyLines Adventure” podcast, as well as his Big Game Digital Scouting video series for the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IFG).
There are three ways to hunt elk in Idaho. Rifles are by the far the most popular method, followed by the more challenging means of bow hunting and the old-school muzzleloaders. According to Idaho Fish & Game, hunters harvested 22,776 elk in Idaho in 2020, the sixth highest total of all time. This continues a decade-long trend that has been dubbed the “second Golden Age of elk hunting” by the IFG’s Deer/Elk Program coordinator, Rick Ward.
The hunting has been good because Idaho’s elk population continues to thrive. Despite increased harvests, wildfire issues, and the reintroduction of wolves to the Gem State, the elk population registers at more than 120,000, close to the state’s all-time record.
The big reason elk thrive in Idaho is due to the land itself. Much of the Gem State’s 34 million acres of public land is as remote as any you’ll find outside of “Most states go from 0 to 6 on the danger scale. Not Idaho. It goes from 0 to 12.” Alaska. That’s more than 60% of the state and elk can be found in every unit.
“The Idaho backcountry is very tantalizing to people who like to put themselves in real predicaments,” Bryan says, flashing his dry wit. “A lot of the places elk live are as rugged as just about any place on earth. There aren’t a lot of states where you can get yourself in a jam like you can here. Most states go from 0 to 6 on the danger scale. Not Idaho. It goes from 0 to 12.”
Bryan Huskey
Photo by Ian Malepeai
Only 23% of all elk hunts in the state were successful last year. That’s a lot of walking and scouting (and whiskey drinking) for such a low rate of success. While elk hunting can lead you into some stunning scenery, it certainly isn’t easy access.
“A fundamental quality of any successful hunter is having an appetite for failure,” Bryan says, in a voice that is familiar to anyone who has watched the IFG’s YouTube channel or “Endless September” from the Full Draw Film Tour.
Failure is a part of the endeavor. Elk are beautiful and nearly as big as horses, but they’re also exceptionally agile and extremely wily. And fast. They continue to thrive in much of the Northern Rockies for good reasons.
“You fail a lot when you’re hunting elk, especially with a bow,” Bryan says. “You can’t beat yourself up over it every time your lottery ticket doesn’t come in. Sure, dumb luck can certainly happen. But your goal needs to be to learn something every time you go out and not just expect to fill your freezer.”
Well-earned rewards of hunting.
Bryan Huskey
One of the big keys to being a good hunter, Bryan says, is simply being observant.
“Finding tracks, seeing movement in the distance, noticing grasses that have been grazed, listening carefully, always feeling the wind ‘like a trout in the river,’” as Bryan puts it. Bryan is also well-known in the fly fishing world for his inspiring short film, “The Doc of the Drakes.”
“Sometimes you just have to be as still as granite and become part of the scenery,” he advises.
Idaho prides itself on having responsible outdoorsmen. With the state growing dramatically in population in recent years, being a good hunter has never been more important.
“A perfect weekend in Idaho is different for everybody. We all love our public lands in different ways,” Bryan points out. “So you want to be mindful and respectful of others. Gut piles and dead animals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. There are so many things about hunting that aren’t appealing to others. But they all probably do something that I might find offensive as well and I don’t want them shoving it in my face, either. ”
Part of being a good hunter is being considerate of others as well as of the resources and natural surroundings. “Leave No Trace” is the mantra of all good Idaho recreationists.
“The shining light of elk hunting in Idaho is the amount of public lands available. The diversity of landscapes where elk can live here is astounding,” Bryan says, reminding us that it’s important that we treat the elk and their habitat with the utmost respect.
“You have a choice about how you are as a hunter,” Bryan says. “So why not be a good guy?”
ELK STATS
➤ Rocky Mountain Elk
➤ Species: Cervus elaphus
➤ “Wapiti” – Shawnee term for “white or pale deer”
➤ Idaho Population: *120,000+
*Idaho Department of Fish & Game reports that 16 of 22 elk zones in the state are within or above management objectives. Elk are considered a species of “Least Concern.”
• A large member of the deer family, elk average about 5 feet tall at the shoulders and 8 feet long.
• They are herbivores with an average life span of 8 to 12 years, but can live well into their 20s.
• Elk like company and their herds can be in the hundreds.
• They have a matriarchal hierarchy.
• Calves are born in the 30-pound range and full adult bulls can weigh over 700 pounds.
• Elk can run up to 35 mph and jump fences up to 8 feet tall.
• Only bulls grow antlers, which can weigh up to 40 pounds.
• Elk are very vocal and will bark, bugle, squeal, and grunt.
