OTC deer tags

Not really wanting to hunt unit 39 anymore, what would be some decent units to look at in Southwest Idaho?



Chuck in Boise

If you're looking for a proper buck, 46 will test you as a hunter.

Why you giving up on 39 in SW Idaho.

If I remember right you are somewhat limited physically, so I'd plan to head north for WT's. Much easierr on you. Price of gas is down. Wait for good cold weather in Nov. Won't be a trophy unless you're real lucky, but the freezer will get filled, and if you're smart you'll pick up an Extra Antlerless tag to put even more meat in the freezer.

Otherwise, 39 is as good a unit as you'll find in these parts for OTC venison hunting.

Thank you BPK. Ya I have been considering heading North. Aren't the extra antlerless tags draw only?


Chuck in Boise

BPK, I may still hunt unit 39. I have an area in mind, last time I was up there I saw lots of animal sign and very little human sign. Next weekend will take the spotting scope up there and watch some. I know there are some big bucks in 39 and it can be a very hard unit to hunt. I just bought another hunting rifle.



Chuck in Boise

Not To HighJack the thread , but I moved to western Idaho earlier this year , right on the border of 31 and 32 . I've spent a few weekends scouting and it's not looking promising . I could use a few tips on these units . I don't want anyone's favorite places , just some general advice . Elevation to concentrate on ? High ridges or low sage ? Any help would be great . Feel free to PM me if you prefer . Thanks and good luck to all this fall

>Not To HighJack the thread ,
>but I moved to western
>Idaho earlier this year ,
>right on the border of
>31 and 32 . I've
>spent a few weekends scouting
>and it's not looking promising
>. I could use a
>few tips on these units
>. I don't want anyone's
>favorite places , just some
>general advice . Elevation to
>concentrate on ? High ridges
>or low sage ? Any
>help would be great .
>Feel free to PM me
>if you prefer . Thanks
>and good luck to all
>this fall

How far out of Weiser are you? That's the area I hunt as well. I can tell you I don't see near as many good bucks as I used to, not even close. There are some around for sure just like everywhere else but good buck numbers are way down over the last 6 to 8 or so years Ive noticed where I go. I hunt on the 31 side mostly. Lots of private land. I hunt private land but even with that being the case I still don't see hardly any good bucks like I used to see. I don't understand it because its not heavily hunted. Up until about 8 years ago we would always see a number of what Id call good bucks (24" plus), but the last few years all I see is dinks for the most part. Even the 3 and 4 pointers we see are dinks. BIL Found a 30" 6x7 dead head and a 28" 4x6 dead head over the last couple years where we hunt and have seen lots of bucks just like those two in the past, but not recently. The skulls were both only about a year old though. There are some around they are just smarter than me I guess! Still doesn't account for why Id see them every year up until 6 to 8 or so years ago then see nothing but little thin horned bucks. Actually the biggest buck I ever saw in my life I saw right at this same place about 10 or 12 years ago. It was only a 3 x 3 and was running with 14 other bucks but the width and height of its rack was mind boggling. Still gets me excited to this day thinking about it.. Never saw it again though.

I'm about 10 minutes outside weiser . As you said , most of the deer I've seen are on private property and I don't have any access to them . I've been scouting the public land without much success

I used to do real well around Paddock Reservoir and Crane Creek Reservoir area as well but I quit going there about 10 years ago because they became inundated with people. When I was growing up in the 90's hunting that area I could go all day and not see anyone or see only a person or maybe two on a busy day. Last time I went I must have seen 20 people or more. It was sad. got some nice deer out of there and have some awesome memories of those hunts though.

Your pretty much wasting your time in 31 & 32 yes there are still a few decent bucks but very few & far between . We can thank our wonderful F&G for the lack of bucks & abundance of hunters !! The local Weiser F&G warden told me & a few other hunters during a conversation a few years back that they should make units 31 & 32 draw only hunts to bring the buck # s back up !! When he was asked " WHY DONT THEY " he very quickly said because when F&G choose to make unit 22 a Forkie Only general season the Boise Nampa & Caldwell hunters would need other units to hunt !! In the last say 5 years I have seen the # of 1A & 2C plates in 31 triple easily !! I started hunting down off the river thinking that not many other hunters were gonna be Idiots like me & are going to hike up this steep crap !! WRONG saw more hunters than I did deer & that used to be one of my Honey holes !! A lot of the land in both of these units is Private or Leased & very hard to get permission to hunt .. There are other areas that have better deer #s & higher quality bucks But your gonna have to get away from the others !! Good luck

+ 1. I agree entirely with hornhunter has said.

Well that's not the news is was hoping for . I was hoping to hunt public land close to home but looks like I'll have to start exploring other areas . Thanks guys , hopefully you've saved me a lot of time and frustration .

Buy a bow and hunt 39 in Nov.

31 still has lots of big bucks in it, I will be over there the last weekend of Oct. if i can make time. I will defiantly be in unit 39 with my bow come Nov.

>Well that's not the news is
>was hoping for . I
>was hoping to hunt public
>land close to home but
>looks like I'll have to
>start exploring other areas .
>Thanks guys , hopefully you've
>saved me a lot of
>time and frustration .

PM sent to oldhornhunter

First let me say I'm kind of a new hunter. I hunted last year (deer for the first time since i was 17, I'm now in mid forties)
my Sons 16 and 10 will be hunting for the first time in their lifes this Season. We drew Cow Elk hunt is unit 39-1 so myself, my boys and my GF will be hunting Elk for the first time. and for my boys will also be their first deer hunt as well. i really want to make this a memory making experience for us. We did a scout trip last weekend From Idaho City clear to Atlanta and then down the N fork of boise around Arrow rock to Lucky peak. We saw no Deer or Elk and some a few tracks. now granted we didn't get out everywhere to look ( will be doing more of that up to hunting season starting 10/5) We did see a young Cow moose which was awesome. So my question is in trying to make a memory for these boys and i are there any recommends of where to take them to best find Elk? As they are in School they will be limited to weekend hunts and the first weekend will be it seems the best chance as open rifle will not open until 10/10. there are alot of places in that unit. So if anyone has suggstions please share or PM me i would be grateful to get these boys hooked on this like i am.

Thanks

James






>Not really wanting to hunt unit
>39 anymore, what would be
>some decent units to look
>at in Southwest Idaho?
>
>
>
>Chuck in Boise