# Elk Hunting in the Avintaquin Area



## roester (Oct 1, 2012)

Just returned from three days of hunting in the Avintaquin hunting area, very disappointing. Not a single sighting nor a sign of elk. Everyone I talked felt the same. Very nice country but very hard to hunt, the bones and joints are feeling the effects this evening. Don't see me applying for this region again.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

IF you search "Avintaquin" on the forum I think you will see that all reviews have been poor this year. Better luck next year!


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## Hunter* (Feb 6, 2011)

Had the same tag, I just got back as well. Hunted hard for 3 days, found tons of big bulls but not a single cow. Not sure where the cows were but we couldn't find them, tried multiple different areas. Everyone I talked with hadn't even seen an elk. I had a great time though, hunting is always better then not hunting.


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

Try muzzy hunting, I was in elk every day there, both me and my son filled our tags within two days! -/MH12


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## Archie (Dec 18, 2010)

I have been down there a couple times scouting for my upcoming hunt but haven't seen any signs of elk. If anyone has any pointers on locating elk up there feel free to PM me as our hunt is the 17th-30th of this month.


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## hook (Aug 24, 2009)

This was a money maker for the DWR! I hunted this same unit yesterday for cow muzzy, I saw more people than I did on the opening of the general season spike hunt. I talked with probbaly over 20 different hunters and they had not seen any cows. There was a group in our camp during the rifle elk hunt that had these tags. Not one of the 10 filled their tags! Im glad my buddy and I were able to fill our spike tags on the other side of the ridge. There were way too many tags given out for this unit!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

And the hunt there isnt even close to being over. My boy's hunt there starts Dec 15th. Its nonstop cow hunting from Oct through the end of Dec lol. Never would have bought the tag had I known how many other tags were given out.


-DallanC


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## jpolson (Jun 12, 2011)

DallanC said:


> And the hunt there isnt even close to being over. My boy's hunt there starts Dec 15th. Its nonstop cow hunting from Oct through the end of Dec lol. Never would have bought the tag had I known how many other tags were given out.


I was enough of a sucker to buy a tag for late January in that area. Good thing I found a spike this year.


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## Seven (Jan 8, 2009)

started my avintaquin adventures last year when I had a cow tag and spike tag. I spent 15 days on it and the first 13 days I saw only one 5 point bull. Luckily day 14 and 15 I found the herd and day 15 I drew blood but unfortunately might of just fed the coyotes as I followed a blood trail for 1 mile and then it dissapeared. 

After the first couple of weekends out there I started looking at the stats of the unit. I was a little suprised when I saw that they give out such a high number of tags for the area. If i remember right, they gave out tags numbers that were close to half of what they said the herd number was. If it was not such a low success rate hunt, they would wipe out the herd pretty quick. 

I hadn't planned on hunting it again other than a friend that has never hunted wanted to go on a hunt and he didn't finish his hunters ed until after the draw deadline. So I will be back on the unit come december 15th with a new hunter. I only wish that I am able to create a fun hunt for my friend whether we can locate them or not. 

Good luck to all the other avintaquin hunters.


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## phorisc (Feb 2, 2011)

I'd disagree, I saw a herd of 30 some elk when i was deer hunting for general season...Just gotta find them


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

There's no doubt its a tough hunt. I know one forum member harvested a cow up there Saturday. I'm waiting to see if he posts his hunt on here.


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## RuttCrazed (Sep 7, 2007)

There are elk up there, they just head for the private or Indaian property once the hunts start.

Rut


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## 73elkhunter (Mar 1, 2012)

I work up in the area for a Oil Company. I can tell you the elk are there they are up high or on the edge of the Tribal ground. If you know the Tribal boundrys you would do good to stay on the edge. make sure you only use legal access roads you dont want to fight the tribe. Snow would help a great deal. Good luck


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## robertsfam (Feb 1, 2012)

I have had a tag there the last 3 yrs but there need to be snow. If there is snow we get them if there's no snow no elk we put in for the late hunts


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

here's my elk ultramagfan,
It was nice meeting you finally and getting to hunt with ya, you sure know your elk! I appreciate all the help and havin someone to hunt with those two mornings, wish I coulda tagged her with you there. We definitely need to get out on some ducks! Boy the avintaquin is a tough unit, this elk gave me about a 4 foot opening just to see them come through and about a 2 foot gap to shoot through, once her shoulder hit the opening I touched off and the pines exploded with elk crashin through, it's truly amazing how silent those big animals can be, I had no idea there were that many with her. after the noise and smoke cleared, I heard her strugglin for air and walked to where I shot and she had only gone about ten feet. The shot went right through the front shoulder and out the other, those barnes bullets do the job. Very rewarding hunt with how tough it is. my first elk as well!


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

I was glad to help Utahgolf. It was nice to finally meet you as well. I look forward to hunting ducks with you.


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## 73elkhunter (Mar 1, 2012)

Good job on the Cow nice to see some success. I have in my family about 10 cow tags and all of them are in Jan. I would rather hunt the unit late as possible. SNOW RULES in this unit You can get them anytime but you will have to hunt for them emagine that hunting on a hunt


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

I had a similar tag 2 different times, most recently about 8 years ago.

We saw all kinds of mature, awesome bulls... But the only Cow Elk we found were on the Indian Land... and there is a TON in that unit. Awesome country though... Definitely one of the best views I've ever seen from atop one of the mountains.


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

RuttCrazed said:


> There are elk up there, they just head for the private or Indaian property once the hunts start.
> 
> Rut


This is the truth for this unit. Plenty of elk up there but they know where to go and when.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

duckhunter1096 said:


> Awesome country though... Definitely one of the best views I've ever seen from atop one of the mountains.


QFT. I was blown away by the views up on top.

-DallanC


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

DallanC I sent you a pm


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## Mallardhead12 (Oct 17, 2011)

I am sorry, I now realize i was hunting the coop creek unit!


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## TAK (Sep 9, 2007)

Good luck to the remaining tag holders. My boy and I ate ours with some Deer Jerky! I did find some elk during the Deer hunt but because of a mishap with my gun I did not get to kill a nice cow. 
We covered the entire unit and seen more hunters and bulls than cows. Jensens property hold elk but not the numbers I've seen in the past. Not many Elk on the indian land either.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Anyone know if they lock any gates to restrict full size vehicle access on the right fork of the white river during the winter?


-DallanC


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

I'm not sure what gates you're taking about. In all my years I've never seen a locked gate going up the right hand fork. We usually are the first to break a trail into there with atv's in the spring too.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Thought i saw gates when I was last down there that looked similar to ones the forest service use in my neck of the woods. I didnt look close enough I guess, they might have been access to private property.


-DallanC


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## bowhunt3r4l1f3 (Jan 12, 2011)

DallanC said:


> Thought i saw gates when I was last down there that looked similar to ones the forest service use in my neck of the woods. I didnt look close enough I guess, they might have been access to private property.
> 
> -DallanC


I think your thinking of the CWMU gates.


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

It just hit me I think I know what gates your talking about. Red gates in the bottom just across the river within the first few miles of the Highway. If those are the gates you saw the go to the cwmu


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Yea thats probably it... we were on our way up when a convoy of atvs going entirely too fast on their way down about took us out. I got over quickly and paid more attention to them than the gate, but later I got thinking about them and wondered they were used to block the road. I just had sketchy memory of it and wanted to clarify.

Glad to see some snow! Now lets get another 3ft up there by mid Dec to round'em up 


-DallanC


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

Well put the hurt on the cows in Avintaquin.


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## creature22 (Jul 25, 2011)

Nice work. I cant wait till my hunt starts on the 15th of Dec.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Man, and got'em out whole no less, outstanding work!


-DallanC


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

Actually my brother in law shot his cow in a hole we drug her uphill about 200 yards then winched her. I knew the elk were headed for the road so i waited and shot her on the road. That's why my elk is whole.


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