New to Idaho

[ICEMAN3]

Hi everyone. I recently moved from Corvallis, Oregon to Moscow, Idaho. I am new the area and was hoping for some information on some areas to go explore on my weekends. I will be paying out of state this year because I cant go a year with out archery hunting! My wife and I also drew buck tags in Oregon so I will keep my residency there until after the hunt. Thanks and I hope to hear from fellow hunters and who knows maybe meet up.

 

[IdahoHombre]

Welcome to Idaho. I'm formerly of Corvallis too; grew up in the Willamette Valley. There's nothing like Idaho; I'm sure you'll fall in love with it just as I did. What part of the state are you in?

 

[lambeau]

Iceman, welcome. Moscow is a nice, albeit small, town. With Pullman next door, though, it makes it feel a bit bigger and probably somewhat similar to Corvallis with UI & WSU in the immediate area.
As far as hunting goes, you're in a great area for whitetails. In terms of elk, you'll need to decide on where exactly you want to hunt. Moscow is in the Palouse zone, and the east side of it (8A) where it bumps up against the Dworschak zone (10A) is a likely destination for you as is 10A. The Hells Canyon zone is predominantly controlled draw hunts (although some great ones if you can draw), and I don't know anything about the Elk City Zone. I'm up in the Coeur d'Alene area, so unfortunately I don't know much about hunting in the immediate area other than to say I wouldn't waste your time in the Lolo zone (wolves, lions & bears have the herd way down).
If you're working for Bennet Lumber Products your best bet is talking to people in the company with boots on the ground and/or potential clients & customers in the area to get their feedback on what's what for whatever species you want to hunt.
Enjoy Moscow. You're in a awesome spot if you enjoy the outdoors - big game hunting, upland bird and waterfowl hunting, steelhead and salmon fishing on the Snake and Clearwater. The list goes on and on.

 

[Musket Man]

Go east!! There is some neat country up in the mountains pretty much anywhere you go. There is alot of country you can get into from elk river. If you go st maries and up to avery and past avery there is some great places up there. The mallard larkins pioneer area is incredible! I back packed most of it 3 years ago. You can go from avery to clarkia through the mountains which is a neat trip on about 70 miles of forest service roads if I remember right. Elk city and dixie are nice too. Im hoping to get down there and go over the magruder corridor this year.

 

[IdahoHombre]

Sorry, I didn't see you were from Moscow when I first responded. Everything Lambeau said is good direction. I would just add that the Elk City Elk Zone for elk has had the best harvest success in the state the last few years. As far as the Palouse Zone goes for elk, it holds a very healthy elk population. The habitat is great for them here, and they bed up in the various canyons that flow into the Clearwater. Much of the land in Unit 8 will be private, so you'll have to get to know land owners, or search the maps out for pockets of state land. 8A is a much easier area to hunt, where you can find plenty of Bennett and Potlatch land.

Good luck!

 

[ICEMAN3]

Sorry fellas for taking so long to respond. I have been busy starting my new job and moving. Thanks for all the tips. I plan on hunting in the Pan handle with a friend. Also be on alot of Bennett land around moscow. Thanks again and I will keep you updated on how everything is going.
Joe