Something I've noticed

125nontypicalforky · Nov 7, 2017

I think there are more hard hunters than people realize. There is a common thing I hear. "Nobody gets more that 1 Mile from the road". The last few years the area i hunt has been crawling with hunters and it's 4-5 miles in. Of course it's unit 39 so I get that, but to think hiking 5 miles will get you alone is not true anymore. I'm sure 10 miles would be a different story but I'm impressed by the amount of guys willing to hike 3-5 mile in some big country.

Muleyfanatic · Nov 7, 2017

Ive noticed the same thing. Both in 39 as well as other less popular units in central idaho.

BPKHunter · Nov 7, 2017

Everyone's trying to gain an edge. We should sponsor a summer hunters 10k series to get in shape. Every race requires a heavier pack.

PS I'm not kidding....

twsnow18 · Nov 7, 2017

Same here. After the last 3 years, I stopped buying the "Get off the road 1 mile thing and you'll have it all to yourself."

People get after it these days. I had a decent bull tag a few years ago and ran into multiple guys 3 miles off the road, in -5F temps and 12" of snow, looking for cows. When they could have easily shot them from the road.

Everyone owns a spotting scope and everyone knows how to put binos on tripods.

Weiserbucks · Nov 7, 2017

I blame the internet. I never hit the hills super hard for backpack hunts until I read about others success.

Had I never learned of the possible opportunities in the back country, ID still be glassing from the seat of my dodge with the heater on.

orion23 · Nov 8, 2017

Agreed. i always tell people when they ask about idaho, that idaho hunters get after it and its hard to get away from other guys.

Travis
www.SkullHanger.com

twsnow18 · Nov 8, 2017

>I blame the internet.>

Me too. More proof of that pudding is the ebb and flow about hot units.

2 of my friends liked a picture on Facebook yesterday of a guy with a raghorn bull. I could tell immediately it was unit 39 and I could name the mountain in the background. Despite not knowing the guy and not even being friends with him on FB.

kickerbuck · Nov 8, 2017

Social media and all the big time magazines are behind most of it. Eastmans, Huntin Fool, Epic, just to name a few. Then you have unreal GPS's, apps on a phone that give a map of the unit. Throw in Kuiu, Sitka, Kryptek, and the rest of the clothing gimmicks and there you have it.

Everyone wants a piece of the pie and will do almost anything to get their picture with an animal or a trophy animal. Peeps want to post the pic on Facebook or sites like this.

There are just more hard core hunters now because of the hype in my opinion!

topper · Nov 9, 2017

About 5 years ago someone asked for a good place to start hunting Idaho high country. Another hunter named a mountain he should try. I suggested that he shouldn't give away spots. I was ridiculed because he country was "too rough for most hunters" so there was no harm in naming the spot. Fast forward 5 years and you almost can't find a drainage on that mountain without a hunter in if no matter how deep you go. Everyone is a bad a** now

topper · Nov 9, 2017

And with that many guys hunting that hard, with great optics and long range guns, in country without much cover, the deer don't stand a chance. Not to mention that many of these guys have two tags in there pocket.

Deerlove · Nov 9, 2017

I agree topper but how do you put a stop to the 2nd tag and the long range bozos?

topper · Nov 9, 2017

In unit 39 at least I think it would help to have the hunt dates pulled back a week starting October 5 and ending October 24. And having the 39 rifle elk hunts start on the 25th. That season would follow much of the state and would protect the deer from being devastated by an early migration or being susceptible due to the pre-rut. The people willing to put in the effort could still find trophy animals and the people hunting for meat would still have younger animals moving through earlier.

topper · Nov 9, 2017

We asked a fish and game officer why they don't do away with the second tag option and he pretty much laughed at us and said general units can handle any tag capacity. Which made me wonder, what are the purpose of draw tags then? I love the Open opportunities that Idaho's hunting offers but something will have to change if we want to keep it that way very much longer

JackWagon · Nov 10, 2017

Unit 39 has a lot of hunters. There's plenty of road hunters but also more hard chargers too. I blame the internet also and flat billed hats and mnt ops. ?

anadavid25 · Nov 12, 2017

Ive thought about suggestibg this for awhile now.. because things have gotten ridiculous with guys taking 700 yard or longer shots.. too me thats not hunting at all.. what if we made scopes on rifles illegal during the hunting season? That would force the wanna be snipers into actually hunting the animals.. and give the elk and deer a more even chance..

fullthrottle · Nov 12, 2017

The 2nd tag option in Idaho is a joke. 10% of the hunters kill 90% of the big bucks/bulls. Now your going to put a second tag in there pocket... so most of those guys thump a solid up and comer early, and then hold out for a stud with there 2nd tag. Stupid.

topper · Nov 12, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Nov-12-17 AT 07:51PM (MST)[p]I don't love the idea of guys lobbing bullets a mile either, but I think no scopes would lead to wounded deer. Guys would still try to shoot to far for the open sights

kickerbuck · Nov 12, 2017

>The 2nd tag option in Idaho
>is a joke. 10% of
>the hunters kill 90% of
>the big bucks/bulls. Now your
>going to put a second
>tag in there pocket... so
>most of those guys thump
>a solid up and comer
>early, and then hold out
>for a stud with there
>2nd tag. Stupid.

+1

BPKHunter · Nov 13, 2017

First, I tend to agree with the OP. More guys are going farther. Still a lot of lazy slobs too. As for the rest of the whining about all the reasons it's worse...

Natural evolution.

Have you ever seen anything of value increase in availability over time?

Will we ever see more open space?

Technology improves. Hell they even have 800yd muzzleloaders now.

Fact is most of you are only complaining because it isn't getting easier for you to kill bigger or more critters.

If we need anything it's better ethics of our average hunter.

If game is scarce, self regulate take, no matter if you are a "meat" hunter, or a guy buying two tags so you can fill good about filling one tag before trophy hunting with a second.

Stay on designated trails if you use bikes/quads. Damn sure is plenty of space in between trails if you do.

Just because you have a $4k sniper rifle doesn't mean you can make a 500 to 1000 yard shot, nor does it mean you should.

Using primitive weapons that lead to more wounded animals because they are less effective, just wastes game.

So, in the end, be a better human being and we will all enjoy better hunting, even if we don't fill tags.

topper · Nov 19, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Nov-19-17 AT 08:34PM (MST)[p]No one said they want it to be easier. Everyone knows the availability isn't increasing, hence the suggestions for management solutions. You called everyone whiners and then listed many of the same reasons for population decline. while we should all strive to "be a better hunter" suggesting that as a management technique seems naive considering that what qualifies "a better hunter" is a subjective opinion. By your logic we shouldn't have seasons or regulations at all and we can all just self regulate for the good of the sport? Solid solution . The rest of us will keep discussing realistic options in the hopes that our kids will still have the opportunity to hunt in the future

BrianID · Nov 20, 2017

It does seem like other hunters are willing to work harder. However, I still believe if you gain 1000 feet of elevation and/or get more than a mile from a road you will be getting away from most hunters.

BPKHunter · Nov 20, 2017

Topper,

The biggest difference between our posts is that you are discussing Legislating a difference and I'm talking about self regulating.

I see room for both.

You are a whiner in my book if you blame a lack of legislation on finding what you want.

topper · Nov 20, 2017

If self regulation worked there would be no need for seasons at all. I do self regulate and will continue to. Maybe you do do. Others don't and won't until it is too late. I'm not whining, I'm realistic.

topper · Nov 20, 2017

The only thing that I suggested in the way of rule changes was a general rifle season that didn't coincide with the rut. I think you and I are probably on the same page in many ways. Although your opinion on short range weapons proved my point shot "a better hunter". Being subjective. Short range weapons require much more stealth and patients and should lead give far less shot opportunities, and subsequent harvest, so someone willing to take on those challenges is a "better hunter" in my opinion

Weiserbucks · Nov 20, 2017

One issue with short range weapons is that technology has turned them into medium range weapons in the hands of an expert. People are taking game at 100+ yards with archery equipment and 400+ with open sight muzzleloaders . It takes a good hunter and even better human being to understand your own limitations. I damn sure don't the gov telling me what my limits are , I already know. The only thing I need the gov telling me what the season dates are and legal weapons I can use , not how far I can or can't shoot regardless of weapon.

JackWagon · Nov 20, 2017

Id like to see video of a 400 yard shot with a open sighted muzzle loader. That would be impressive.

topper · Nov 20, 2017

Just to clarify, I never suggested any new laws regarding hunting . I just said that in my opinion hey season that closed on the 24th like most other units would give deer a better chance

twsnow18 · Nov 23, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Nov-23-17 AT 03:30PM (MST)[p]Another thing that I noticed this year is that it seems fairly unit specific, regarding hunter tenacity.

I spent a good portion of Sept and Oct in a unit that is considered "hot" (for the last 2 years), that many people know about. I've been seeing more and more threads on here, hunt talk, rokslide and a couple other sites about this unit.

I ran into multiple guys, half non-residents, hiking their asses off and hunting hard in very inclement weather far from the truck.

I then spent some time in unit 39 later in the fall helping a buddy get his first antlered critter. I haven't spent much time in 39 over the past 4 years. I saw 5x as many hunters, as expected, but literally none were hiking more than 100 yards from the truck. Most appeared to be very homely looking, driving trucks that shouldn't be trusted in fall weather and they were smoking cigs.

excaliber · Nov 24, 2017

Not anymore. That just allows you to put some room between you and the road hunters. I've been trying to get in 3+ miles and there are still guys everywhere.

>It does seem like other hunters
>are willing to work harder.
> However, I still believe
>if you gain 1000 feet
>of elevation and/or get more
>than a mile from a
>road you will be getting
>away from most hunters.