Winter kill

wapiti99 · Oct 10, 2017

Was wondering how the deer numbers are looking after this past rough winter. Those who have been out hunting and out looking, seeing lower or higher or about the same numbers?
We have general tags and want to get a gauge for my expectations.
Thanks and good luck to all this year

Idahoron · Oct 10, 2017

From what I saw of 10 days in 43 the numbers are way down. But migration was also under way.

Deerlove · Oct 10, 2017

I would say So Id is down.

Blank · Oct 10, 2017

Hunted muzzy antelope the last three days, and their numbers are down significantly from last year also. Killed a nice buck today, but not a monster like we are used to seeing.

wapiti99 · Oct 10, 2017

thats what i was kinda afraid of. been pretty bad in eastern oregon also. have a game processor who would have a full cooler in a normal year, but more then half empty this year.
oh well, hunt hard and hope for the best

lip_curl · Oct 10, 2017

looking pretty bleak in the central part of the state. as bad as ive seen in 17 years. at least fish and game is still selling 2 tags to all the non residents though. that'll help after a tough winter.

twsnow18 · Oct 11, 2017

I haven't been out for deer yet, but I have been out 15 days for elk scouting / hunting in Aug and Sept. In an area not known for good deer numbers.

I was surprised to see 10 does a day, most of them looked healthy. 2 of them were pretty skinny and I saw 2 fawns that were way too small by now.

Headed to a decent open unit for deer for the next 4 days, I'll have a better feel when I get back.

Deerlove · Oct 11, 2017

I thought hunting pressure was way down also.

wapiti99 · Oct 11, 2017

looking forward to being out and seeing some new country anyways.
beats working !!

bchap05 · Oct 12, 2017

Our area sucks. I legit haven't seen a buck in 4 seasons minus the 2 big bucks my dad killed in there. But its not a high density deer area so you might not see one but if you do its usually going to be big. So I get why he likes the area but its frustrating me as I'm probably at 12 trips to the top now without seeing a buck.

I saw 1 doe over the last 2 days. Found a huge buck track in the snow so it was only a day or two old. But never saw anything beyond the doe. We had more hunters than normal in the area as we usually have it to ourselves. But they were all lazy and just walked in for like an hour on the closed road down low and left whereas we climb to the top.

So i don't really have an answer as we hunt a low deer area, and I saw sign, but no deer.

Outdoordan · Oct 12, 2017

Went out Tuesday, saw a 2x3 just short of his ears. Asked daughter if we should shoot it (she's nine), after 20 minutes of deliberating, she decided since we were only 5 minutes into the hunt, we should pass. We were 200 yards from 5 trucks that were parked on a ridge. They all were hiking before light and we laughed that they were parked within 300 yards of a buck. Saw about 15 does, and then a decent 4x4. After looking over maps, we decided it was on private, although not posted. That night we went to another area where I had seen lots of track. Put on a good hike. Didn't see a deer at all, although I know they are there, and some big ones. I don't see the doom and gloom others talk about.

GreyGhost760 · Oct 14, 2017

Unit 76 had massive winter kill, local game warden mentioned that for every deer someone saw dead last spring there were 30-35 additional deceased. Was there for 10 days scouting hunting and saw two bucks, a ton of hunters and the weather was down in the low teens / single digits at night. It's going to be a few years before the unit is back to normal in my opinion.

"The only thing you ever know, is that you never know !"

bigcreekmetal · Oct 15, 2017

Ive hunted just out of Weiser for 18 years now and most years would see at very minimum 20 does in a day of hunting but usually many more. On Friday my son and I hunted from sun up to 3:00 in the afternoon and saw zero deer. Only a big bear which was about 2 miles outside the town of Weiser. My relative said they hauled off about 50 dead deer that died in their feedyard this winter and that doesn't count the ones that died further away from the yard. We drove around that evening and did end up seeing 5 does in a group, then 3 does in another group, then a lone 2 point which my son passed on. So it was good seeing some deer but the numbers are definitely way, way, way down. From walking all that morning and into the afternoon I saw hardly any sign at all. I did see the doom and gloom and it was pretty gloomy. We did have a great time though. See if we cant scrounge something up next weekend.

broomd · Oct 16, 2017

Good on you guys and your kids for passing on those sparse dinks. You guys are instilling some character in the young ones.

Up here in unit 5 our numbers are way down for whitetail. Winter was also brutal here in '16, I'd say we lost 55-60% of the deer herd and I'm trying to be optimistic. I normally see about 7 bucks of all age classes around the ranch during the Summer/Fall, this year I have seen one small 3x3.
Probably lost 15-20% of the elk herd. They raided my livestock hay last Winter nightly, and frankly I let them.
The out-of-state hunters should be thanking me. Instead they trespass.

scopenstalk · Oct 16, 2017

I was in unit 76 and saw 20 doe in 2 days of hunting and zero bucks. There was a fair amount of buck sign where I was though. The area I hunted had 3 bucks pulled out of it the morning I arrived so it was pretty stirred up. I heard zero shots in my time up there.

Muleyfanatic · Oct 16, 2017

Spent a week in central Idaho. Quite a few does, 2 small bucks and 1 decent 4 point. Most of the deer were down lower. Was not impressed with the deer numbers but the elk seem to be thriving. One herd had 3 bulls fired up with a couple hot cows.

sage_mule · Oct 16, 2017

Take a bear tag into unit 43. Saw 5 bears in early October, three of which were cubs and a sow. My kid watched a big one chase a fawn into the trees. He never saw the ending of that story.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Oct 17, 2017

I was in 18 last weekend pretty much the same story up there , saw a total of 5 whitetail does in 3 days . Saw one doe hanging in a camp very few tracks in the snow , I bow hunted unit 31 & in the 15 times out & over 100 miles of hiking I saw 2 bucks & aprox 30 does & fawns. Unit 32 is the same story I know a lot of people that live & hunt 32 very few deer being seen . So I have too ask WHY are any of you guys even hunting these units ?? Let the few bucks & does that made it thru last winter try to re-populate these units !!!! Good year to hunt Whitetails or other units !!

twsnow18 · Oct 17, 2017

>I don't see the doom and
>gloom others talk about.

Me neither. Just spent 4 days in unit 39. Saw 40-60 deer per day. 4-8 bucks per day, most were forks and 3x3's. We went 2/3 on 4x4 or better bucks. Our third guy passed up anything under 150" and ate his tag.

Between the 3 of us, we only saw 2 deer over 7 days that appeared to be unhealthy.

As I've been saying all year, the first half of winter was a 30 year snowy/cold record winter. The second half of winter, was a 30 year record mild early spring. Winter died as fast as it arrived. The worst spring skiing conditions in recent memory.

I know we lost a lot of deer, but, per usual, the same usernames (oldpornhunter, etc) that are bitching about numbers this year were bitching about numbers last year (widely recognized as one of the best years in the last 20 years).

I keep beating it into your guys heads. The healthy deer in their prime, 3-6 years old, the ones were all looking to shoot. Those made it through relatively unscathed. I'm worried about the next 3 years.

As of Sunday the 15th, the deer had not migrated at all in our area.

elkboy32 · Oct 18, 2017

The deer in my zone in central Idaho did fairly well. I expected doom and gloom, but I have been stoked. I think we are down 20%, but I am still seeing quite a few deer. My buck count is at 21 for the year. I figure I will need to pass on 40-50 bucks before I find the one, so I'm half way there!

I think deer numbers are up or down literally on a canyon by canyon basis. Some canyons, the deer migrated and I am seeing a bunch this year. A couple zones I hit have been pretty void. I think the elk numbers are also affecting the deer. The more elk, the less deer. And elk are thick.

Keep at it and try to figure out how to do 10% more then the next guy. Start hiking at 5 am. Sit on the top till you cannot see your hand in front of your face. I would trade all day for the last 10 minutes of light.

idhikker · Oct 18, 2017

Great advice by someone who I can tell is getting after it.

What elk zone are you in?

I think that deer and elk may just not like the same places as much because of different feeding requirements as a species. Maybe they directly compete some too.

BPKHunter · Oct 20, 2017

I spent was up high 10/8 to 10/14. Saw 25-40 deer a day. Saw 10 bucks a day on ave. Total deer seemed down ~20%. Yearlings down 80%. Forkies made up 1-2 of our bucks ea day.

I can see where Weiser and parts of E Idaho may be hit harder, but if you don't rely on dumb forkies every year to fill you freezer, there are deer.

I am bummed to hear about affect on N Idaho. I like to hunt WT in 10a, so hopefully there will be some in Nov.

wapiti99 · Oct 20, 2017

its good to here its not all doom and gloom. hopefully just regional differences. just need to keep our fingers crossed for a couple mild winters in a row to let the deer rebound in numbers.

Weiserbucks · Oct 20, 2017

I just returned from a week of elk hunting in 22 , my son took his 1st elk , a nice cow . He also has the 22 late buck tag so we were definitely keeping an eye on the deer herd .

Overall we saw plenty of deer of all age classes , just not any bombers worthy of his Nov tag .

However, near my house north of Weiser, the deer are poor. Population is way down and some of the deer we see daily are skin and bones , almost as if they never began to recover.

Fingers crossed for mild winters and hopefully people can let the young bucks and does go for a few years.

HUNTNNW · Oct 23, 2017

I have a unit 18 tag and spent 5 days there glassing a ton of country to only turn up 1 3x4 buck and 16 does. Worst I've ever seen in this unit.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Oct 24, 2017

My son has the buck & bull tag he has seen two forkie mulies , Finally found a bull but was 2 miles off & gone by the time he closed the distance . I hunted the 12th thru the 15th saw 2 whitey does , went back up the 20th thru 22nd Never saw an animal, it dumped on top close to 8" of fresh snow Very few tracks . Saw 2 does hanging BUT hey the Fish & NOGAME Idiots on top of Midvale hill said they were checking quite few animals !!! I told the guy he was full of ##### even the locals have said F&NG have ruined this unit as well .

drakz · Oct 30, 2017

Hey guys. Newbie here but a longtime Hunter and Lifelong resident of Idaho.

Numbers looked really bad the first few weeks but the last few hunts we have seen plenty of doe's and and even a few decent bucks so its not as horrible as one might think. Numbers are for sure down and it will make for a tougher season on tagging out.

I feel pretty confident if we dont have another harsh winter, next year should be decent, if we do have another harsh winter, its gunna get bad in a hurry.

On saturdays hunt we ran across elk and mule deer carcasses, a cow and a decent 3 point. Never ran across 2 like that and suspect its winter related for sure.

Were going out one last hunt this morning and Im taking my 10 year old boy who had an eithet sex tag and wasnt able to gey bear a doe early on so its bucks only now.

I'm optimistic for todays hunt, found a decent draw with and extremly thick pocket thats off the beaten path and steep which tetters people away but actually right in front of your eyes and the deer have been marching right through this area. Gunna get their early and glass while its half way dark to try and catch that buck that wants to bed down before the sun hits the hill.

NiceRack · Oct 31, 2017

I hunted Mule Deer for 13 days and never saw a single buck on public land. I saw several 4x4 and bigger out in the alfalfa pastures near my house in unit 28. Funny thing was this season I saw Elk every day (unusual) and killed my bull opening day. The doe numbers were much lower than I am used to seeing. In years past it was a given if I wanted a buck, just run up the mountain and pick one....not this season. I will go back in December for the archery hunt and try again.
PB

IdahoHntr · Oct 31, 2017

Hunted in central Idaho and saw lots of deer. Lots of does and not the usual two points with them, so I think the fawns did get hit pretty hard, but overall we saw a lot of deer. Saw lots of does ever day, and took some work to find some bucks, but we ended up seeing quite a few after a lot of hiking. I'm of the crowd that isn't quite buying into the doom and gloom. I think the two points were sparse this year, but the rest of the deer faired pretty well. As long as this winter isn't terrible I think we will rebound just fine. I think people are forgetting that last season the deer populations (overall statewide) were about as good as they've been in a long time. A deer population like that can handle a bad winter and do alright.