17 February Winter Book Review: Elmer Keith’s Big Game Hunting February 17, 2020By Joe Cavanaugh Announcements, General Information Drop Camps, Guided Hunts, Idaho Hunts 0 Over much of the country we’re in the dead of winter now, with cold winds, deep snow, and bitter people to deal with. Next hunting season feels so far away. I can think of no better approach to stay focused on hunting and cope with nasty winter weather than to find a warm, quiet place and get absorbed in some good hunting literature; and, no other hunting book is more fitting to the Northern Rocky Mountain region than Elmer Keith’s Big Game Hunting.Although Keith is most famous for handguns and big-bore rifles, what really keeps me coming back to this book year after year is Keith’s acute observations of nature. Elmer Keith was a superb naturalist, though he’s not necessarily as renown for it as he should be. If you want to enhance your knowledge of the game animals inhabiting Idaho, this is the book to read. Many of the stories in the chapters on elk, mule deer, pronghorn, and black bear take place here in Idaho, including hunts in the North Fork, Middle Fork, and main Salmon River drainages, the Selway, Lochas, and Clearwater drainages, and the Flathead drainage in neighboring Montana. Elmer Keith’s Big Game Hunting not only informs you of animal behavior, but also provides useful information on wilderness camping, packing, woodcraft, and of course there’s plenty to read on guns, bullets, and shot placement. The chapters on “How to Look for Game”, and “Still-Hunting” are timeless. Keith’s writing draws from years of hands-on experience as a cowboy, wrangler, hunting guide and guided hunter. Every time I read this book I pick-up some useful bit of information on game, or I am reminded of something I recently observed in the field, but hadn’t fully noted yet. Whether you’re planning a DIY, drop camp, or guided hunt in Idaho this fall, understanding the game animals you’re after is key to consistently filling your tags. Good hunting,Joe Cavanaugh Related Posts Trail Conditioning: Physical Prep for Big Game Hunting Spring is here, and it’s time to step out of the gym and walk trails that match real-world hunting conditions. Or better yet, walk off-trail. Exercising on a treadmill or elliptical offers an effective method of strengthening leg muscles and enhancing cardio endurance, though these machines will never replicate the walking conditions you’ll encounter in the wilderness. Snowshoes for Late Winter Adventures For those of you who are itching to get outside and do some predator hunting or general, backcountry reconnaissance—late winter is an advantageous time of year to do so, and snowshoes are the optimum means of travel. By March, deep snow has covered much of the downed timber and brush, and warm afternoons followed by cold nights have formed a hard crust on the snow. That crust is key for traveling in country burdened with deep snow as it can easily support a man on snowshoes, and a loaded toboggan in tow. Idaho Spring Black Bear Hunting The application deadline for Idaho controlled-hunt, spring bear tags is February 15. Fortunately for all of us, most Idaho black bear tags are sold over-the-counter (OTC). This includes tags for units 28 and 27, where Castle Creek and Wild Idaho Outfitters conduct their bear hunts. The reduced-price or “wilderness tag” is good for all of Unit 27 and those portions of Unit 28 within the Frank Church Wilderness, as well as within most designated wilderness areas in the state of Idaho. Hunting with GPS/Map-Devices: Seeing Outside the Box Don’t get me wrong, modern GPS/map-devices, or map apps that make smartphones function like GPS/map-devices, are wonderful tools for the hunter. Being somewhat device challenged, I can only wish I knew how to use them. Some tech-savvy hunters I have run into recently manage to get around in the woods quite well with them. Positive Attitudes and Hunting Success When I met my bear-hunting client a few of weeks ago, one of the first things he told me is that he usually has “pretty good luck on hunting trips like this”. As we all know, luck is a good thing to have on one’s side, but it’s difficult to obtain on-demand. 2020 Salmon B Tags already sold out Idaho nonresident hunting tags went on sale December 1, 2019 and in only 9 short days the Salmon B Elk Tags were sold out. Wow! Seems that Idaho is being rediscovered as a place to hunt. I have often said that Idaho is the best kept secret in the hunting world, and it appears the secret is getting out. With OTC tags and good game populations, it is no wonder. If you had your sights set on hunting the Salmon B region this year (B tag is rifle tag), you still have the option to book with an outfitter. In Idaho, thankfully and gratefully, outfitters are guaranteed elk tags and have a certain amount of set aside deer tags for the hunting public that want to use the services of an outfitter. Comment (0) Comments are closed.