BRYAN HUSKEY
Ian Malepeai scouts for elk.
CHASING ELK The hunting has been good because Bryan. “That foundation really set me up “The beautiful thing is that you could Idaho’s elk population continues to thrive. to be a successful bow hunter.” throw a dart at a map of Idaho and Despite increased harvests, wildfire issues, Elk are Bryan’s favorite species to hunt you’re probably going to hit someplace and the reintroduction of wolves to the and he shares his stories on his “SkyLines where elk live.” Adventure” podcast, as well as his Big Game Gem State, the elk population registers So says Bryan Huskey, an avid bow at more than 120,000, close to the state’s Digital Scouting video series for the Idaho hunter and acclaimed fishing and huntall-time record. Department of Fish & Game (IFG). ing expert whom every filmmaker should The big reason elk thrive in Idaho is due There are three ways to hunt elk in know. Bryan has lived in the Treasure to the land itself. Much of the Gem State’s Idaho. Rifles are by the far the most Valley for over 20 years and hunted in 34 million acres of public land is as remote popular method, followed by the more the Gem State for longer. as any you’ll find outside of Now raising a family of his Alaska. That’s more than “Most states go from 0 to 6 on the danger scale. own in Idaho, Bryan grew 60% of the state and elk Not Idaho. It goes from 0 to 12.” up in Oregon and was can be found in every unit. introduced to the world of “The Idaho backcountry hunting early. is very tantalizing to people who like to challenging means of bow hunting and “My dad took great interest in the the old-school muzzleloaders. According put themselves in real predicaments,” Brywide-ranging skill set of trapping and to Idaho Fish & Game, hunters harvest- an says, flashing his dry wit. “A lot of the when I was around seven, he started to ed 22,776 elk in Idaho in 2020, the sixth places elk live are as rugged as just about teach me things—like how to sit still and highest total of all time. This continues a any place on earth. There aren’t a lot of camouflage yourself, where to set up, where decade-long trend that has been dubbed states where you can get yourself in a jam to walk and not walk, and to be aware that like you can here. Most states go from 0 to the “second Golden Age of elk hunting” the animals were always out there watch6 on the danger scale. Not Idaho. It goes by the IFG’s Deer/Elk Program coordiing, listening, and smelling, too,” recalls from 0 to 12.” nator, Rick Ward. BY MIKE MCKENNA
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