Idaho Opener

[grizzly]

Anybody notice a lack of deer, and an abundance of hunters?

We hunted hard from shooting light to shooting light. We started at 9000 feet and ended at 5500 feet. We saw plenty of elk, moose, and a few does, but no bucks. We only heard of one 2-per being taken.

Grizzly

 

[Daxter]

I love the set calendar date opener when it fall Tues-Thurs, but when it is on, or close to the weekend it makes for crowded conditions. I bet next Monday after this storm hit and the initial attack of the opening weekend dwindles it could be pretty good hunting.

I have been hunting in ID on the opener for the last 5 years, but I have to stay home and sit it out this year. I am really missing it. I hope you guys get into the bucks. Good luck.

Dax

 

[Wlfdg]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-11-08 AT 08:48AM (MST)[p]I had a good day. Hunted dark to dark too.Froze my butt off all day! Never warmed up. Saw 2 moose,a big bull and a cow. About 5-6 does, 2 juvenile bucks and spooked a shooter. Saw a flash and antler tips. I saw 5 turkeys. I had no idea we had them over here in Teton Cty. The yahoo's were out in full. It was really bad at the trailhead when I was leaving. Guy's were shooting at nothing, in mass. Cutting down trees! Blowing stuff up! WTF!!!!

I took this morning off. Let those guys settle down a bit. I don't get the BEER and BULLETS mentality (?).



The more people I meet the more I like my dogs

 

[Idahotrophyhunter]

I took my wife up above arrowrock and weatherby and I think I ran into half of Boise. There were hunters on every ridge. However most of these wantabe hunters walk a couple of hundred yards and that is it. We went in 3 miles (GPS Reading)and saw no one. Came across 9 different bucks, 7 2-points, a 3 point, and a 140 class 4 point that we both passed on. Also saw 13 elk and a bear that my wife missed. (I knew my 375 H&H wasn't the best choice for her)

Anyways, the deer are there, but so is the treasure valley. I usually spend all my time deer and elk hunting general tags in 21 & 17, so I don't have a lot of knowledge about 39, but I do think it is overhunted. Didn't realize that there is currently a 400tag cow elk hunt, 1200tag doe hunt, and the general deer season all going on right now.

Oh well, couple of more days and Im off to the Selway to bag my moose, and hopefully a good 170 + buck.

PS...Is it good or bad that my wife has been only hunting for 3 years and passing up 140 class deer?

Adam

 

[grizzly]

We left the wheelers at 4:15 and hiked 1.5 miles into a Wilderness Area. After sunrise, four guys walked straight through us and sat down about 100 yards away and watched the same bowl we were sitting on. Then two guys on horses pushed up the bottom, and sat down 50 yards from us to watch the same bowl.

I understand it is public land, but to sit 50-100 yards from three guys and watch the same bowl is ridiculous. What would have happened if a buck came out, a shootout like Founders? They could have walked a half mile and covered an entire different canyon.

Grizzly

 

[Idahogrinder]

Yeah when the opener falls on a weekend it gets pretty crazy, I hunt the low desert and saw a bunch of does, and not one buck, but thats ok, I love the scenery and got good exercise....Combat the gettin old and fat...lol, My 45 bull tag opens Wed, so I'll probably end up chasin deer on the late archery hunt, which is a fun hunt, and you are lucky to see another person out there!

 

[bigole5]

Get used to it fellas! until Idaho pulls their heads out and stops giving so many non resident over the couter tags our deer hunting is going to suffer. Too much oppertunity!!!! Too Greedy! Idaho is selling product they dont have.

Bigole5

 

[idhunters]

I think this snow saved a few deers lives.

We had a decent 3 point run in front of us, 15 minutes before shooting light.

Heard of a few bucks getting killed and a few big ones getting away.

Saw 15 does and fawns just before dark. They finally had to come out in the snow to feed.

 

[steelheader]

My son and I doubled on 4x4's, nothing big, in unit 50. we hiked in behind some posted hay fields with hope that the deer would leave the fields and head for the cedars. Just as the bucks with about 10 does were about to jump the fence and come up the hill, a truck came driving in and pushed the deer out onto more of the posted hill side. The truck then turned around and left. Don't know if it was the land owner or not, but he never got out and it looked like his only intent was to keep the deer in there. Buy then the snow was comming down, and we thought we would head the mile back to the truck, when I saw a doe working our way through the cedars. The deer had doubled back our way. So we sat and waited for them to come buy. At about 200 yards straight above us one doe winded us. My son was ready on his sling sticks and dumped his buck. The other 4pt came out just yards from Dustin's buck and looked around and I took the shot. Two bucks down and just yards apart. It was hugs and high fives all around. Its great to be with your son out hunting, and the kill is just icing on the cake.

 

[Yoyak]

I hope you are kidding about the 375 H&H. Since you said you're not familiar with 39 I'll tell you there are no elephants, or water buffalo up there. Kidding, well kinda.

I agree definately overhunted, and good for you passing all those bucks. If everyone would do that the herd would be in a lot better shape. I think its great that she is passing on 140 bucks.

Good luck on the moose hunt.

 

[oneshotonekill]

We went out on Friday. It was perfect, right before the storm. It was very very cold, 16 when we left the pick up at 7:30. Went probably a 1/4 a mile a we seen our first buck. A small forkie. Went up the ridge and started glassing the two canyons we wanted to hunt. Rocked one patch of timber, and 6 bucks came out all together, we ended up killing the three biggest ones, 2 3x3 and a 4x3. Got those bucks all taken care of, and opened up to cool out, we still had one tag left to fill, some guys on four wheelers went up the road ahead of us, and about 15 mins later spoked a 2x3 to us, and the last member of our party filled his tag. So 4 for 4 on an open deer hunt in Idaho, i was pretty happy. Seen tons and tons of road hunters, heard few shots, but didn't see but three or for smaller deer taken.

one shot

 

[gemstatejake]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-12-08 AT 09:57AM (MST)[p]Hiked into a spot in the steep and deep in 39 day before the opener. Saw not one other soul..........we were utterly alone..........glassed four bucks and about twenty does that evening as well as a monster bear on an elk kill and a freaking wolf! Weather moved in opening morning and we were totally socked in. Vis 100 yards or less. Snowed all day about 18" all said. One smallish four point wandered by as we hunkered under a tree building a fire. Had a hell of a time getting out yesterday......leaving tommorrow to do it all again!

 

[gotthefever]

I've been hunting South East ID for years. This past weekend was certainly abnormal compared to years past. We had 36 hunters on one canyon that we always sit on opening morning. 36! We packed it up to move and just found more of the same. There was a BIG buck in the area that we had seen just weeks before. Looks like we may not have been the only ones to see him. It was a joke!

 

[BowHuntWithaRifle]

I have never seen it so bad. People every dam place. Atvs screaming down the trails, trucks road hunting, ect. Its the worst I have ever seen it. Low deer numbers, tons of people. Jesus F&G, how many tags did you give out! Overload. I heard shots coming from all over. Even saw people shooting at groups of doe's. No bucks, just doe's. Maybe they were wishing for antlers! Numbers are definately down.

 

[3bigelkid]

There is a youth hunt that allows the tag holder to shoot doe's, so don't get to worked up about it. As for the people, thats what happens when you create new controlled hunt units. The displaced hunters don't just disappear they move into your honey holes.

 

[greatbasin]

Good job Scott! Congrats to you and your boy. Photos please.

 

[BowHuntWithaRifle]

So, adults can shoot doe's then..? I don't think so. There were no kids, just adults. Maybe they could wish antlers on the doe's... I know what I saw. Unless Fish and Game has implemented a new hunt where if you take a kid, you can shoot the doe for them,... they were going to take a doe. But still, there were no children present. Why, you ask yourself would someone shoot a doe.. because they can. People do strange things during hunting season.
Ya know, it gets tiresome seeing the same people every year doing the same crap over and over again. And it was the same people as last year and the year before that. They don't fear LE or getting caught. Just my .02 cents. I am sure others have seen the same stuff while hunting. Get's old doesn't it..?
A big thanks to F&G for their help! Made a big difference!

 

[gemstatejake]

You should put that area in your rearview mirror..........there is a ton of country that sees little to no pressure in many general areas. good hunting too.

 

[bakerboy]

This is an example of why I dont see it as such a big deal to let non residents hunt. I would put a lot of money on it that those MEN you saw were locals. Non resident hunters probably follow the rules better than residents as a whole. I know there are always exceptions to every rule. I am an idaho resident. Just my two cents.

 

[Deerlove]

Too many hunters in so Idaho. F@G Please cut some tags!!! Issue some early season muzzy tags to dispers some hunters. Please do something!!

 

[bucksniper]

Which side of the middle fork were you on? I tracked a big bear in the spring just above sheep creek trail. This weekend I had many sq miles to myself across arrowrock and saw nothing but beef. Damn things were crapping in every spring and creek. They are serious polluters and no one every says anything?! Debating about sheep creek area again or unit 32...hmmmmm.

 

[bucksniper]

The checkstation results on Sun. afternoon were pretty weak. Something like 38 deer out of five hundred something hunters? Just about every I talk to said way fewer animals this year. Weather? Wolves? Part of life I guess.

 

[Muleynitro]

I hunted hard for a week straight in idaho. Saw many nice bucks and on october 17th I ended up taking a 178net mule deer. You just have to hang in there and work hard.. Remember you won't take a nice deer every year. Hell these days your lucky if you take one every 10 years on public ground.

 

[Muleynitro]

I agree!!!!! Non-resident hunters abide by the rules way better than the residents!!!! Maybe because they actually have to read the prock to get their tag!!!! Good point well made!