General season - who's ready?

huntfishall1 · Oct 5, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Oct-05-15 AT 02:28PM (MST)[p]Pretty quiet around here considering it's getting close to that time. Who's hunting the October 10th general deer hunt??? What's your goal???

I'll be backpacking and headed deep and steep into the central part of the state. Hope to enjoy the mountains and hopefully see some critters including mule deer. It would be nice if the buck that eluded me twice last season shows himself again.

Weather looks warm and dry (wish it would snow!) but at least the new moon is on the 13th this month.

Good luck to everyone!

Muleyfanatic · Oct 5, 2015

I will be out the weekend after opening for a few days in central idaho as well. Just looking to put a tag on a decent buck. Maybe find the 180 class buck I saw last saturday so long as no one finds him opening weekend.

dz · Oct 5, 2015

Taking the Niece and Nephew out for a one day hunt. A forkey will work for us. They will have spike tags in their pockets too, just incase. Along with a wolf tag just for fun.

DZ

DeerMadness · Oct 5, 2015

I'm stoked but I have 5 areas I can't seem to decide on ..lol

andrew12gauge · Oct 5, 2015

My sons first birthday is the 10th so no hunting on the opener, but I'll be out at lake Lowell trying to fill my extra doe tag Sunday and Monday and up in 39 the following weekend, won't shoot a buck unless its at least a 4 point, don't wanna miss out on late archery

Idahoshedhead · Oct 7, 2015

Season has been over for a while now!

WASHMULEYHUNTER · Oct 7, 2015

We're talking about "big" deer hunting Idahoshedhead... Lol

TheDudeAbides · Oct 12, 2015

I'm ready. I'm hopeful at getting a whitetail in addition to a muley.

Head out tomorrow for 10 days.

Struggling at work thinking about hunting.

baerman · Oct 12, 2015

I found one opening day.

mossyhorn · Oct 12, 2015

Great buck Baerman...thanks for sharing! I was wondering how people were doing with it being so hot. Doesn't look like the heat affected your hunt!

idahoguy · Oct 14, 2015

Idahoshedheads was a draw hunt not general hunt like the title of the post says.

bchap05 · Oct 15, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15 AT 11:27AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15 AT 11:26?AM (MST)

We hiked over 20 miles over 3 days with a ton of glassing and didn't see a single deer.

Not a highly deer populated unit, but the last two years my dad has shot a massive 9x8 and 5 pt as well as seeing does each year.

We assumed the deer would be high due to the heat so we climbed way to the tops, but found most of the sign was headed down and looked like it had moved about 2 weeks or less prior. So I think that small cold front we had moved the deer down lower, and then when it got hot they just stayed lower in the trees. Which screwed us up as like I said we climbed and climbed and found nothing but tracks in the mud, and a couple bulls and cows.

twsnow18 · Oct 15, 2015

Fantastic deer Baerman, you have to love Idaho, congrats!

bchap05, I'd move units or scout the week before it opens each year.

Opening weekend I saw the best numbers I've seen in my short 5 years of hunting here. Both bucks and does. I couldn't look at a hillside without finding deer on it. Didn't see anything over 150-155, but it looks good for the future. Assuming more mild winters and increased predator control.

deerhuntr4885 · Oct 15, 2015

>LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15
>AT 11:27?AM (MST)
>
>LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15
>AT 11:26?AM (MST)
>
>We hiked over 20 miles over
>3 days

That was your problem right there.

Mike Henne

bchap05 · Oct 16, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Oct-16-15 AT 08:36AM (MST)[p]>Fantastic deer Baerman, you have to
>love Idaho, congrats!
>
>bchap05, I'd move units or scout
>the week before it opens
>each year.
>
>Opening weekend I saw the best
>numbers I've seen in my
>short 5 years of hunting
>here. Both bucks and does.
>I couldn't look at a
>hillside without finding deer on
>it. Didn't see anything over
>150-155, but it looks good
>for the future. Assuming more
>mild winters and increased predator
>control.

Hard to move units when over the last two years my dad has shot a 9x8 bigger than probably 95% of the deer posted on here and a 5 point in that unit. We also don't shoot forkies or doe so I don't like going to busy units with 4 wheeler access.

Except the 39 november archery hunt I do like that hunt. Another reason why I'm picky during rifle I want to do the archery hunt

bchap05 · Oct 16, 2015

>>LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15
>>AT 11:27?AM (MST)
>>
>>LAST EDITED ON Oct-15-15
>>AT 11:26?AM (MST)
>>
>>We hiked over 20 miles over
>>3 days
>
>
>That was your problem right there.
>
>
>Mike Henne

Not a super open unit with typical visibility at 150 yards. So not the best for sitting and glassing which we still do plenty of

OLDHORNHUNTER · Oct 16, 2015

for another RECORD deer season according to F&G I will say I have seen fewer deer ever in rigs going & coming from where I hunt In fact Grand total so far this year is 5 deer 3 on Saturday 1 sunday & saw 1 killed wed night . I hunted the snake river breaks sat & sun in unit 31 saw NO bucks at all !! hunted the same canyons that in years past I see 5 to 10 bucks in ! Hardly any tracks or sign . Everyone I have talked too had about the same opening weekend experience in units 31 32 & 32A also had some buddies hunting 23 & they did see deer but again was mostly does & small bucks !! maybe this weekend the RECORD # of deer will materialize !!!

go4steelhd · Oct 16, 2015

I don't know if this is supposed to be a record year, I did see they said this would be the best season in twenty years. I think this years harvest numbers will be less than half what the were in 89-92 seasons; but that's over the twenty years they are referring to. Also you could shoot a doe in most areas then. I can only speak for the area I hunt. And the deer numbers are doing well. The age class is not back yet but another easier winter or two it maybe some great hunting. As for the number of hunters, well that was the most I've seen ever! Maybe this is the record they are talking about.

twsnow18 · Oct 16, 2015

>Hard to move units when over
>the last two years my
>dad has shot a 9x8
>bigger than probably 95% of
>the deer posted on here
>and a 5 point in
>that unit.

2 deer is not a very good sample size. So many naysayers, spend more time hunting less time bitching.

I don't like every decision the F&G makes, but our group's year so far has been just about spot on with their big game forecast. And there are some dudes on here that are a lot more serious than we are...

OLDHORNHUNTER · Oct 16, 2015

F&G posted on their web site & I have heard it on the radio best deer season in 20 years this falls harvest will top last years record which they said was the best since 1992 It could be but you guys that hunt the central eastern & northern parts of the state are gonna have to do it I honestly don't see the west side accounting for many critters !!

bchap05 · Oct 19, 2015

>>Hard to move units when over
>>the last two years my
>>dad has shot a 9x8
>>bigger than probably 95% of
>>the deer posted on here
>>and a 5 point in
>>that unit.
>
>2 deer is not a very
>good sample size. So many
>naysayers, spend more time hunting
>less time bitching.
>
>I don't like every decision the
>F&G makes, but our group's
>year so far has been
>just about spot on with
>their big game forecast. And
>there are some dudes on
>here that are a lot
>more serious than we are...
>
2 isn't but most people aren't going to leave a spot in which they shot a massive buck in back to back years.

deerhuntr4885 · Oct 19, 2015

It can only be as good as the weather allows. As warm as it is you can not expect to see too many deer killed. Not F&G's fault it is 70 degrees and sunny all day. Adds a whole new obstacle to success.

Mike Henne

baerman · Oct 20, 2015

>Hard to move units when over
>the last two years my
>dad has shot a 9x8
>bigger than probably 95% of
>the deer posted on here
>and a 5 point in
>that unit. We also
>don't shoot forkies or doe
>so I don't like going
>to busy units with 4
>wheeler access.
>
>Except the 39 november archery hunt
>I do like that hunt.
>Another reason why I'm picky
>during rifle I want to
>do the archery hunt

Go big or go home....I like it. Stick with it and good luck!