Solo in Idaho

A DIY dual-strategy hunt in the Gem State.The author sets baits, but ends up on a bruin via spot-and-stalk.Article & Photos by Brian Strickland.

- Brian Strickland

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The road miles oozed by as I headed west across Wyoming into Utah. With only about half of the 16 hour drive behind me, I couldn’t help but think about the seemingly countless solo adventures I have experienced out west over the years.

It’s hard for some to understand, but I often find myself alone in some far-flung location when guns or bows are involved. I’ll admit, it can make for some “Castaway” moments in those lonely places, and when you start talking to yourself more than you would normally talk to other people it’s time to come home. But to be perfectly honest, I’ve found that when I go at it alone my overall success soars. Whether it’s chasing elk in a rugged no-name wilderness in my home state of Colorado, stalking velvet-crowned mule deer on an alpine slope, or slipping in close to an unsuspecting bruin as he feeds in a clearcut, simply put, I seem to connect more both spiritually and with the tags in my pocket when there’s only me to blame; and there’s plenty of that to go around. With the night stars dazzling deeply overhead, I finally pulled off a Forest Service road into my predetermined Idaho bear camp and settled in for the night.

With a bait site needing to be established the next couple of days, as well as a heavy dose of scouting to learn this new area, I had a lot of work to do to get this Idaho bear hunt rolling. I had nearly two weeks to put my well-thought out plan into motion, and with the good number of bears the area was known to carry, this solo adventure looked promising.