Middle Fork Boise R. Mulies

S

SteveM

Guest
Looking for information on the Boise River Herd! Three years a go, in later October I hunted the middle fork area above Atlanta (which is beautiful big buck country), and saw few deer, and only two smaller bucks. I dropped down lower west of Steel Mtn. and saw more deer but no bucks. Are the deer down lower by then- say Andeerson Ranch Res. area or Bennett Hills? Looking to give it another try this year!
 
The bucks are there. Later in the season, into November, that herd winters on the Boise Front around Arrowrock Res. The deer on Bennett Mnt. are from a different herd and a lot of those deer are residents too. Hunt unit 39 HIGH through October. The deer will still be high until we get some weather up there. Check out Queens River and Mattingly Cr. Both are big drainages that have held good bucks recently.
 
All that area is good area., there are good bucks, but with the amount of people that hunt up there, your best bet is to just get high and glass, my buddies and I see really nice bucks as the general elk hunt kicks in on unit 39 and the deer start runnin does, they hide under rocks untill then, so you gotta find em but they are in there, and esp. Steel Mtn. is a good place to start lookin. I have a friend who hunts up there, so I wont go into further details, but good luck
 
I don't hunt the general season up in 39 for the same reason that was just stated-- there are way too many people that hunt in there because it's so close to Boise. However, I hunt the late archery hunt and I've drawn the early buck hunt twice. In september those deer are HIGH. I would look around on the IDFG website and see if there are fawn winter survival statistics for that unit. In years past that information has been on the website.
 
These guys forgot to include the disclaimer for those unfamiliar with this area. That being that Queens River and Mattingly Creek are both in the wilderness area, so ATV's won't help. Also, this country is straight up (forget the down!). It isn't called the Sawtooth Range for nothing! It is one place that I never mind telling people about because if they go there, they NEVER go back!
 
Exactly, The unit as a whole is very accessible, but get into the roadless wilderness portion of the unit and you'll be in the right spot... Being successful is up to you.
 
Looks like unit 39 fawn mortality was better than most units in Idaho according to the F&G website.
 
Anybody familiar with the migrational movements of these deer that are now up in these higher drainages (Queens, Leggit, and Mattingly). When do they move out? After the season is over or during?
 
The deer respond to weather patterns..........which are unpredictable. Last good buck I shot up around that country was '05 on the 26th of October. At the tippy top of the world up there. Last Year hunted the same drainage and not a deer to be found............... The migration is tough to predict.......I will say it seems earlier and earlier the past couple seasons. Where are you from?
 
I am amazed at how much information people are willing to give out on this site. Even if there are too many people there, this site is seen by thousands of people, so expect to see at least 20-30 new hunters in your spot. I think helping your fellow hunter is great, but actually giving spots by name? How can anyone be surprised that these areas are overhunted. I am not familiar with the area, so I hope all of this information is vague and maybe even a little dishonest. Now I know why I see out of state hunters everywhere I go. Locals are posting there spots on this site. And even if it isn't your best spot, it might be someone elses. I don't look forward to the day when my son and I will glass a canyon full of orange jackets.
 
I agree..........................specifics should be discussed privately. I will say anyone unfamiliar with this general region who kills a good buck will have earned it............and then some. It's real easy to talk about hunting sitting on your ass in front of a keyboard......Let him get there and see it first hand......99% of guys clueless about this area will fold, guaranteed. Rough is an understatement................
 
+1 Topper

Also, if you read the Hunting Outlook in the Outdoors section of IdahoStatesmans.com; Southwest big game manager Jon Rachael wrote this:

"Unfortunately, we only had average over-winter survival of fawns. Fawns came onto winter range relatively light last fall based on our measurements of captured fawns in January. I predict decent numbers of deer throughout the region, but not an exceptional crop of two-points on the Boise Front Range."

But more importantly to me; last year 131,000 hunters killed 54,196 deer, it was the highest deer harvest since 1994. In my personal experience this was extremely evident in the severe lack of mature deer on the winter range. This herd had less mature deer on the winter range last winter than I've ever seen before. I hope the herd will recover. Good luck hunting but I wouldn't have high hopes this year.
 
Knowone said the "w" word...... wolves, I've seen more wolves in one week then coyotes,bears and loins combined in the last 10 years.. steel, yuba ,grand....etc. and then the people thing. I thnk its easy to talk about 39 because people aren't going back... I hate to say it but too many small bucks are getting the bullet. Alot on non-res with the idea of "I spent alot of money I'm going home with meat" and then the second tag...I had a group of five tell me(all with 2 tags)"were going home with 10 bucks". Sad you think? that unit will not get better till they go draw, I hate to say it. After all that I've seen the deer come early I've been there the first week of nov. and no deer and the late archery seems to be going down hill also. Its great country, the deer numbers are just lower then the past. There just needs to be better mangement as a whole, from wolves to the average hunter letting a small buck through now and then. I miss 39 but just can't do it anymore... good luck where ever you go, as long you are still huntin. J
P.S. pm me for some areas if you are going.
 
Look, the places that I mentioned are huge and rugged drainages. Anyone that has good sense could open up a topo map and realize that those are going to be areas that game will stick to. i didn't give away a honey hole or a specific location. Those drainages are many square miles in size and aren't secrets to anyone.

And yes wolves are an issue anymore. But folks, let's just drop it... they're here to stay. Very sad to see such an unnecessary waste of a great and valuable resource but it's out of our hands and complaining about it isn't going to make them go away. Until the Defenders of Wildlife move on to their next big mission to save their furry friends or the courts pull their heads out we're not going to have resolution so we're going to have to grin and bear it.
 
thats the probelm ,people lay over and say" its out of our hands" to a point your right.The wovles arent just an issue anymore there an epidemic and not just to the deer ,ask a rancher in the danskins,cattle,sheep and even people. There are alot more problems with mangement of fish and game, and 39 is a prime example, dirt bikes on the winter range,over hunting,and even fences on hwy 84and 20 (or lack of)the alot of the 45 herd winters in the lower country of 39. Hunters as awhole, res. or nonres. can do something like,remember sportsmanship and ethics and also encourge fish and game to do whats best for the game first and then the hunters(money).sorry switchback my opinion wasn't to offend you or anybody else good luck this year everybody. J
 
If you're glassing a canyon of orange jackets-You might want to get off the road or trail a bit. No spots are secrets when biologists recommend them to whom ever has the inclination to do a little research!
 
First of all, I get as far back as anyone, so don't tell me I need to get off the road. I don't even own an ATV; but the more desperate people get for new spots, the more willing everyone will be to go a little deeper, so why tell them where to start. Let's just say that 1000 people read this post. If only 1% of the people take your advice, that's 10 new people in that spot. Do those spots hold that many good bucks? and if they do, how long can they support that many hunters?
I don't care if those are large area's, you just told a lot of people from out of state where to start, and now the ones who are too lazy to seek out the info from biologist, don't have to because you gave it to them. And believe me, there are plenty of hardcore hunters from other states who have to draw to hunt, and are more than happy to come to Idaho with a general tag and use your information.
You'll see in years to come. You'll be glassing your favorite basin, and you'll glass another hunter, maybe me.
 
Jeez bud, you act like he just gave up your honey hole.......You ever laid eyes on this country?
 
Sorry if I get a little fired up. My comments weren't meant to be specific about this post, just a general frustration. I don't mean to be a jerk, I just see more and more people every year, and about 50% of them are from out of state. It's not my honeyhole, and it is big and rough, but I've always been taught to keep my mouth shut about spots period, because someone will figure you out and you'll be sharing it with a stranger.
It's nice that you all want to be so helpful, but try a pm instead of a post that everyone in the world can read

On to the issue of too many young bucks being shot, I totally agree. I would love to see something like 4 point or better. It would discourage the road hunters and give the deer a chance to grow up.
 
Topper I agree with you that an isolated hunting experience is ideal and nobody wants a bunch of people converging on their honey hole.

Here's where I disagree. This is a general unit. The areas being "given away" are GARGANTUAN. It is so steep and rugged that 10 people in there would not make a difference. I'll also do a little of my own math with you. 1000 people read the post. 10 go in there; 8 thinks it sucks because its too steep and rugged and besides its a general unit so while a big one is always possible its not really likely, 1 gets a 3 point, 1 gets a wall hanger. Those 9 people go back home and tell their buddies its not worth it. You might net one person who would go back but chances are she is putting in for tags in 10 other states and draws Colorado the next year. Unit 39 is not a premium area. A big buck there takes more work than other areas.

The other thing is that this is the internet. You never know people's true motivations. Maybe someone is trying to steer the "back country" crowd to this area to keep them out of their new favorite back country location. Maybe the people posting are just trying to be helpful.

If anything when you fly off the handle it sounds like you are protecting you favorite place on earth and it probably attracts more people to it.
 
I see your points. I don't know their motivation. As you'll see in my first post I wrote that I hope the information was vague or a little dishonest. I have no personal ties to these areas so maybe I should keep my trap shut.

That said, everyone just remember that you are on the internet before you post your info. And if you are being helpful, consider a pm instead of a post. Good luck hunting, and when you get a big one, keep your honeyhole a secret.
 
Yes, yes and yes. This may be the physically most-demanding place you'll ever see......except much of Idaho can make the same claim.

I'm one of the older people here (too bad for me), however I do know something many of you younger guys don't really seem to fully believe/understand. We don't need more draws; we need less predators. For many years, predator control had a great deal to do with management. Today, management seems to mean....let fewer people hunt less often.

For many years, Idaho supported much larger hunter harvests than is currently typical. There is less grazing today and the range is generally in pretty good shape. If we keep the winter range....or feed the deer....and don't let the predators have them all, we'll have a lot larger herd (and the correspondant increased number of big antlers) in short order.

IF that happens (or is CAUSED to happen by those of us who pay the bills), you can show Unit 39 to an unlimited number of new people. The easy country will be overrun (as it usually is) and the top will still be too hard for 99+% of the guys. RIGHT NOW? Get up there (or some similar place) and look for the big one...he's there and you can hunt in peace and quiet. My son-in-law and I do so every year.....hunt hard for a week and you WILL find a mature buck.

An earlier post said most people wouldn't go back.....be prepared for this country, because some don't COME back.




Within the shadows, go quietly.
 
GB22, You are like the voice of a prophet in the wilderness. I could not agree more with everything you said.

Good post
 
One last comment and I'll let it go. Read the Founder's post titled, "I got a big buck", and you'll see why I over-react a little.
 
Unit 39 is brutal and physically demanding. Not many people can hunt 39 for more than 3 or 4 days. My hunting partners and I stay in shape just so we can hunt the high country and it kicks our ass. Anyone who is not in shape will struggle hunting unit 39.

I haven't seen many hunters in 39 during rifle season or bow season as well. HUGE unit.
 
I'll give you that one Topper. What a circus.

I posted that I was amazed it didn't turn out poorly with so many people trying to get the same buck.

Maybe we all just need to relax a little more.
 

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